Chapter Six

Cat and John gathered wood and made a fire. Both of them had not had any sleep for a long time now. They curled up in front of the blaze as evening fell. Kaylora, with Robin cradled, also slept. Hours had passed when Cat bolted upright crying out in a gasp.

John was awake immediately, "What is it?"

"I know where a selazor is!"

John rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, "Of course you do, she’s sitting right over there."

"No John. I feel evil, such intense evil. I have come up to my full powers and can sense it now. We must be close."

"Then this isn’t going to take so long after all," John enthused. "Do you think distance is why only Kaylor came after Robin back in Sherwood?"

"Yes I do and we must proceed very carefully. If I can feel it, you can bet that it can feel Robin," Cat said turning her head to look at the sleeping form of Robin.

John looked to Robin as well. He hadn’t been there when the first selazor had tried to kill Robin, but he knew that it almost succeeded. John would protect his friend until his last breath. "Should we wake up Kaylora?"

"We might as well let her sleep. I can’t tell how far away it is. She may have a long way to fly," Cat advised.

"I hope that she can help us when we do find it. The evil one has to be killed to make a good one right?" John asked not really wanting to confirm he was right.

"Yes John and from the evil that I feel, I don’t think it’s going to be easy."
"I’ll get some more wood for the fire. Try to get some sleep Cat. I have a feeling it’s going to be a hard day ahead."

"I am afraid you’re right Little John," Cat said as she lay back down. Sleep was hard for her to find because of her worry for Robin and the selazor’s evil that threatened to penetrate her soul.

Daylight came too soon for John and Cat. When they woke up, Kaylora was gone and she had taken Robin with her. John and Cat just started to panic when the ground shook slightly. They looked at each other. It was not long before Kaylora appeared with Robin still cradled in her arm. Only now they could see that he was wide awake. He didn’t look too happy, but he was awake.

"Where have you two been?" John asked.

"We went to get breakfast. We got a rabbit for us and Kaylora has already had three deer," Robin told them with a twinge of disgust in his voice.

"I have good news, sort of, for you Kaylora," Cat said.

"What is it Catrina?"
"My magic is up to full power and I can feel the evil of another selazor. I don’t know how far away or where, but from the strength I think it to be close."

"That is wonderful news. I will soon have a mate," Kaylora gushed.

"Yes, but what about Robin?" John asked.

Kaylora looked down at Robin.

"What about me?" Robin asked as he could feel Kaylora hug him tighter to her.

"I know what you are saying John. I fear too," Kaylora said as she raised her hand to stroke Robin’s body.

Robin fought to keep her hand away from him. He agreed he would let her hold him, but nothing about this! "Kaylora, please stop!" he said angrily. "What are you talking about, you fear for me?"

Kaylora continued to stroke him despite his protests, "If Catrina can feel the evil of the selazor, then the selazor can feel your goodness," she said as she raised Robin and lowered her face to nuzzle him with her pink chubby cheek.

Robin put his hands against her fuzzy face and pushed. She had him held so tightly he didn’t get very far. Since he couldn’t use his muscles, he started to squirm in her arm, "That’s enough!" he yelled.

Kaylora brought him away from her face. She could see the angry look on his face and he was emitting negative emotions as she held him, "You are distressed Robin?" she asked softly.

"You bet I am! I reluctantly agreed to being held. I did not agree to being nuzzled or pet like a dog!" he told her trying to calm down the fury he felt.

Kaylora started to purr.

"No please not again!" Robin pleaded as he tried to scramble over her arm to get away. "Please Kaylora! Just keep the over zealous affection to a minimum," he forced out as his strength began to fade.

Kaylora stopped purring, "If I do, then you will not be distressed any longer?"

Robin was hanging over her arm. His head and arms dangled down for he didn’t have the strength left to right himself. "Up...please" he forced out.

Kaylora lifted him and put him back where he belonged. She took her pinkie finger and moved his thick hair away from his face so she could see it. Robin was fighting with his eyelids. He was not going to lie to her, "I will be less distressed than I am now," he whispered.

"Okay Robin. I will try just to hold you if that will please you."

"Yes that will please me more than you know," he said with a stronger voice. "Just please, no more purring."

"I like to purr," she said happily.

"Yes I know. But it sure doesn’t agree with me," Robin chuckled. He was much more awake now.

Kaylora laughed, "I can feel that you are more content now."

"I am, but I’m also hungry. All of this sleep really works up a fellows appetite."

John had been pacing in a tight line. He wanted to rush to Robin’s aid as he saw him struggling, but knew he couldn’t. It was tearing him apart. John was able to relax when he saw that Robin was still awake and they had finally come to an agreement.

"I’ll get breakfast ready," John volunteered.

"Thanks John. Kaylora, how am I supposed to eat up here?" Robin asked.

"I will just lower you down close to the ground," she smiled.

Robin rolled his eyes, "You have an answer for everything," he told her sarcastically.

"I wish I did," she said with very sad eyes.

"What do you mean," Robin asked genuinely concerned.

"As I said before, I fear for you. We all do. The selazor that Catrina feels is evil. It has not changed like I have. It can feel you. The qualities that I love in you, it hates and will try to destroy you. That is its existence. That is what it does. Let me warn you now, I may have to hold you tighter and closer to me when we are near it."

"I understand, but you must also understand that I will not just lie here if I or my companions are in danger. I will fight!"

"We will all fight for you and I will protect you and your friends. We will compromise and fight together to get my mate for me."

"Agreed," John, Cat and Robin said together.

The trio had breakfast while Kaylora conserved her strength for the flight ahead. She was laying on the ground so Robin could eat with his friends. It seemed awfully silly to Robin, but he was so tired of fighting with her.

"It’s good to see you two at eye level again," Robin joked.

"I wish there had been another way Robin," John said.

"I know John, but everything seems to be working out a little better now," Robin admitted.

"How far away do you think the evil one is Cat?" John asked.

"I don’t really know John. I do know that it is very powerful from the way I feel."

"You have been very quiet and have not eaten anything," Robin commented.

"I am not hungry. If I did eat, I don’t think I could keep it down long. I feel depressed and such a strong blackness is trying to invade me. If I stay quiet, I can fight it a little better."

"If I can do anything, let me know," Robin offered.

Cat smiled, "You just did. Just knowing you care makes things easier."

"We all care Cat," John added.

"Thank you John. It does help. I had no idea that this magic stuff could make me feel this yuckie."

"Yuckie!?" Robin laughed. "Is that the technical term from the sorceress handbook?"

Cat stuck her tongue out at Robin then laughed with everyone else. The somber mood had been lightened just a little.

They finished eating and put out the fire. Once Robin had been settled in Kaylora’s arm, John and Cat hopped in her tummy pouch.

"If you become cold Robin, tell me and I will put you with Catrina and Little John," Kaylora told him.

"All right, I will."

They were off. Flight fascinated Robin. He put his arms on Kaylora’s arm and rested his chin on his hands. It was a glorious sunrise leading into what he hoped would be a good day. The wind whipped his hair behind him as he held his head up and closed his eyes to the warmth of the rising sun. Kaylora flew faster than Robin imagined anything on earth could go. He was astounded that her little golden wings could even lift her weight. Then he remembered the bumblebee. It had little wings and a big round body. Nature amazed Robin.

Robin was deep in thought when he saw a speck on the horizon. He shrugged it off thinking is was just a bird. Then he heard Cat moaning. Leaning over Kaylora’s arm, he saw that she was pale and holding on to John for support.

"What’s wrong Cat?" Robin yelled out to be heard above the wind.

"It’s getting closer to us Robin or we are getting closer to it," Cat yelled back.

"Kaylora, can you feel one of your own species?" Robin asked.

"I can only feel a good selazor Robin. Unfortunately I will be of no help in this way," she answered sadly. "You know Robin, I think I like it when you are awake. You give off much better feelings now and are nice to talk to. I like the sound of your voice," she told him with smiling eyes.

"I like being awake too," he laughed. Robin returned his gaze back to the horizon. The speck he had seen was much bigger now. Slowly he started backing away from the edge of her arm until he hit her chest. "I have a very bad feeling about whatever that is in the sky Kaylora."

It was then that she saw what Robin was looking at. Her huge selazor eyes were able to see fifty times better than a humans. "Robin, it is another selazor, an evil one and she does not look happy," Kaylora informed him.

"It’s a her?" Robin gasped.

"Yes. The evil females are much larger, stronger and much more vile than the males. We must make an evasive move now!"

Before Robin could take a breath, he found himself held tightly in both of Kaylora’s hands. He could feel a slight shiver coming from her. It was not from being cold, but fear that made her shake. If she was shaking as big as she was, Robin knew they were in trouble.

Kaylora quickly dove down toward the earth. She was trying to get in close enough so the other selazor would not be able to maneuver. John held on to Cat as they moved down into Kaylora’s pouch. John had to hold on to Cat because she couldn’t stand up any longer. The strength of evil that was coming at them was much stronger than she was.

"Are you going to be okay?" John asked with concern written on his face.

"I don’t know John," she gasped. "I have to try to put up a blocking spell or something because this is killing me. Kaylor was nothing compared to this one."

John held her and tried to comfort her. She was so much smaller than him that he wasn’t sure how. So, he gently rubbed her back. She had her eyes closed and her brow was knit in concentration.

Cat tried to think of anything that would ease her pain and sickness. In her mind she said an incantation. Then waiting a few moments. She still felt awful. Cat tried two more spells before she found one that worked.

John felt Cat pull away from him, "Are you any better?"

Cat opened her eyes, "Yes, I think I am. I think I finally found a spell that worked. I can still feel it, but I can function now. What’s happening now? I feel like I’ve missed everything since we woke up this morning."

"Robin has spotted the evil selazor. Kaylora is trying to get away right now," John told her.

"Should we go up and see what’s going on?" Cat asked.

"Tell you what, you stay here and rest. I’ll go up and let you know. Deal?"

"It’s a deal John."

John stood and pulled himself out of the fur pouch. He was astonished at the speed they were traveling. The ground was coming up to them at an alarming rate. Just when he thought they were going to hit, Kaylora veered off and swooped up. Her rate of ascent was alarming as well. Suddenly John was thrown back into the pouch. If it hadn’t been well padded and furred, he would have landed hard.

"What’s happening?" Cat asked helping John get up.

"I couldn’t see too much. I have a feeling that the other selazor is right on Kaylora’s tail."

Kaylora started to dive as the selazor came closer. Her little golden wings were just no match for the immense black wings. She was trying her best to out maneuver the beast. When she reached top speed toward the earth, she pulled out of the dive. Her hope was that the other would not be able to pull out in time. Unfortunately, it did not work. Kaylora had to try something else. Using her momentum, she swooped up back into the sky. The next thing she knew she was hit from behind by huge clawed feet. It shook her up slightly and took away the speed she had built up.

"Are you okay?" Robin yelled out from within her hands.

"I don’t know if I can get away Robin," she panted.

"Maybe if you land we will be more evenly matched," Robin suggested.

"That is a wonderful idea. I know that I can’t out fly her."

Kaylora quickly looked for an open area she could land on. It took her just a few seconds to find one. Which was good because the selazor came in and took another hit at her. This time it was more violent. Kaylora could feel three scratches along her back. They were not deep, but they really hurt.

"I saw a place to land. I’m going down now. Hold on," she yelled to everyone.

Robin was very glad she was going to land. Because with the last hit, he felt her hold on him loosen. He did not want to fall a thousand feet to his death. That was one way that he had never thought about dying. Kaylora landed without further incident. She was panting hard from the exertion.

"Please put me down so I can help in defending us," Robin beseeched.

"No Robin. I cannot protect you then."
John and Cat scrambled out of her pouch. John gave Cat a knife. He had two swords. One for himself, the other for Robin. "Come on down Robin. I brought your sword for you," John yelled up.

"I’m trying John, but somebody is being unreasonable," Robin yelled down then shot Kaylora a sideways glare.

Kaylora pouted, "I don’t think I am unreasonable. I am just protecting you."

Before Robin could answer, the ground shook. They all turned to look at the biggest, meanest, blood-reddest creature they had ever seen.

"Give him to me!" the evil beast screeched.

"No! He is mine!" Kaylora yelled back.

"Give him to me, I must kill him!"

"What is the name of the beast that wants my Robin?" Kaylora asked.

"I do not see what it matters, but I am Tanzana. Now give him to me and I will not harm the rest of you."

"Tanzana, I am Kaylora, formerly Kaylor evil selazor. Being a good selazor is a much better way of life."

"If you were not a selazor, I would also want to kill you. But since you are, I will allow you to live. Only if you hand over the human that is causing me such great pain!"

"We can put an end to your pain forever Tanzana."

Genuinely interested, "Really, how?"
"We will kill you and you will transform into a good selazor," Kaylora explained happily.

Tanzana laughed, "Oh, is that all!"

"Yes," Kaylora smiled.

Faster than anyone could blink, Tanzana whipped her tail around and jabbed Robin in the upper thigh with a poisoned tail spike.

Robin screamed in pain as it punctured his flesh and bit deep into the meaty part of his upper right thigh. He screamed again as it was yanked out leaving a gapping hole in his leg. The detached feeling was again present. The dizziness and nausea washed over him as his vision slowly faded. Robin did not feel himself hit the ground when Kaylora dropped him. He was unconscious before he hit.

Little John and Cat made a mad dash to where Kaylora had dropped Robin when she was hit viciously in the back and shoulders by Tanzana. As fast as they ran, Tanzana was able to scoop Robin up and take flight before they reached him. All they could do was stand and watch Robin’s lifeless form disappear over the line of trees.

"NO!" John screamed out throwing his sword to the ground. "NOT AGAIN!"

"John, I feel the same way you do. We will get him back. I swear we will!" Cat raged.

"How!? We don’t know where he was taken," John ranted.

"I can still feel her so that will be our guide," Cat told him.

"But you said yourself you can’t tell how far or where."

Cat dropped her chin to her chest. He was right. When she raised her head and before she could speak, a shimmering golden glow began in front of them.

"Olwyn," she whispered.

"Yes Catrina it is I. I am here to let you know that I can guide you to where Robin has been taken. I am also here to give you a warning Catrina. If you step one foot in Tanzana’s cave, your magic powers will once again be absorbed. You have a choice to make. Keep your powers and be there to help Robin once he comes out. Or go in to help rescue him and use your mortal skills to try to save him. No one can advise you what to do. It is your decision alone."

"Yes Olwyn I understand. Please show us the way and we will be gone immediately," Cat practically begged.

"The way will be lit for you in the day or night. Be careful for Tanzana is ten times more powerful than Kaylor was."

"I understand Olwyn. We will get Robin back no matter what the odds," Cat pledged.

"Thank you for your help Olwyn," John said as he got the sensation of deja vu.

Olwyn smiled at the look on John’s face, "You are welcome John. I know that you will do all you can to help Robin. Remember, he loves you."

Olwyn faded and the words ‘loves you’ echoed until the last golden spark disappeared.

Cat smiled, "He does have a flair for making an exit."

"Yes he does. Well, what are we waiting for?" John asked as they both turned to Kaylora.

When they saw her they stopped. She was enveloped in a big pink bubble and her heart glowed a beautiful blue. John started to go to her when Cat held him back.

"Wait John. She is healing herself. It will only take a short time."

"Is that time that we can afford? That Robin can afford?" John spit out.

"We have to take that chance. Kaylora will be our fastest way there. I could transport you and I there, but we would have to wait for her. We need her help to rescue and heal Robin."

"You said you were up to full power. You can heal Robin," John tried to convince her.

"Yes I can, right now. But John, once we get there I have no idea what is going to happen. You would be alone if I stay outside to wait. If I go in, my powers go poof. But if we wait for Kaylora, she can go in and still heal him. I can go in with you too," she reasoned with him.

"All right, I’m convinced. I am just so afraid for Robin."

"I am too John, I am too."

End of Chapter Six