Rise of the Cat Women Ch. 02

"What?" she repeated. A moment later she asked, "John?"

John was too busy to answer. Once he fired at this range he would be fucked and forced to rely on his speed and claws against M-16s.

Seeing John not answering Candy said, "Honey, John messed up and now has an arrow pointing at him. Please let us do the best we can." She watched as the squad passed under her and right towards John. "Ah shit..." she thought as they went right up to the log and over it.

John didn't move a muscle as they passed. One by one the men went over the log and continued on. The last one, a klutz, slipped on the moss covered log and fell forward.

Slowly the man got up looking at a knife hilt someone had dropped in a pile of stuff. He smiled as he went over to pull it out. Instead of coming easy it seemed to be jammed in something and he pulled harder. When the knife came out, it came with a sickening wet sound and was covered in blood. Suddenly he realized the form he had seen but his mind had dismissed. "Sergeant!" he yelled.

As the others started back, John saw one fall and heard Candy fire. Quickly he started firing on the running forms as fast as he could target and pull the triggers. In return they started spraying the area with automatic weapons fire. Out of five shots, John had hit four but now they had his number. Shots sprayed the tree as he launched himself out and at the one who found the knife.

The gods were with him as he tackled the man. They fell on Candy's side of the log and were mostly spared from the M-16 fire. As he fought he heard Candy still shooting but paid her no mind. The man he was struggling with must have pumped iron because he was stronger than John. It was all he could do to hold the man's arms as he tried to drive the knife into him. He would lose, he knew it and the man knew it as they stared at each other. Just as the man smiled, his head exploded showering John in blood, gore, and brains. He was too exhausted to do more than push the body to the side as it fell.

A moment later Candy said, "Well that was a goat fuck."

John turned his head towards Candy, and replied, "Thanks."

After a minute Candy said, "Clear...all dead or at least not moving."

"I'll just lay here while you make damn sure they are dead."

As she surveyed the carnage, Candy placed shots into each body not showing a wound that she could see. She marveled at how John had placed four head shots on moving targets in a matter of seconds. Damn he was good. There were a few that did not show wounds that she shot for good measure. "Okay clear now. "Damn fine shooting John. Were you born with a rifle in your hand?"

"Almost," John replied. "Everyone can come up. We need to collect weapons and ammo."

As Honey came up with Kitten she saw John on the ground covered in gore. "John!" she yelled in panic as she ran forward. Seeing he was alright she stopped and added, "Ewwww."

John scooped as much of the stuff off him as he could before helping the others gather the weapons. All in all, they got eight M-16s, four pistols, a sweet M-60 heavy machine gun, and another sniper rifle. He looked at the others and said, "OK Beth, you and Julio fight over the other sniper rifle, looser gets an M-16. Kitten you and Honey take the M-60 and another M-16." He looked at Julio, "Know of any sister camps around here that need arms?"

Honey looked at the dead humans and shook her head, "No."

"What was that?" John asked looking back at her confused.

"I will not carry a weapon."

"Honey girl, I thought we settled this."

Honey turned to face him fully. "I will fight to save your life; that is my duty to you. However, as the leader of our kind, I will not carry a weapon. Not when one of the conditions was to avoid humans."

Candy looked at John, "She has a point." Looking at Kitten she added, "Leave the weapons and ammo we not need for someone else to deal with." She returned her attention to the pair who were still looking at each other before turning to Julio. "Julio, got any contacts out this way?"

"I's knows just the dame," She smiled. "She gives great he..." she added and then trailed off seeing Kitten staring at her and fingering a knife. After a moment she said, "She will be along later to pick up the arms and clean the site."

Kitten still holding the knife said softly, "I would like to meet this friend of yours."

Julio gulped and looked at Beth, "She always dis possessive?"

Beth looked at Kitten and then Julio, "You have no idea." Looking back at Kitten she added, "Be a good Kitten and drop the knife...." She held the pose for a moment later and laughed.

Kitten smiled and walked forward. "Don't worry lover, I won't smother you."

"Tonight..." Candy added quietly to Julio.

Julio looked at the three and then said, "Youse been shitting me?"

All three laughed at him and then after a moment Candy said mentally to him, "No she is very possessive of her family. But no one is better at your back in a fight than Kitten."

John finally nodded, "Honey will not be armed."

Candy shook her head, "Lesson one John. When a woman says she will not do something. Give up."

John looked at her, "Well thanks for telling me before hand."

"Would you have listened?"

"From a squid? Not likely," John laughed. An idea came to him. "How much has my voice changed? From before I mean?"

Candy smiled, "Going to call in a false report?"

"More like a real report."

"I think it is close as I remember it John," Kitten replied.

"Can't hurt to try." John went through the packs and found the sat phone. Opening the case, he attached the little antenna before turning it on. "Alpha Three Three One Bravo calling Pac One Foxtrot Zebra Delta over..." He looked at Candy and said, "See if you can get their dog tags for me."

He had to call three times before he said, "Request encryption over."

Flipping a dial on the pack he waited and said, "Read you five by five...Stevenson John Jay...888875555...Crow, Eye, Eagle, Foot. Standing by..."

He looked up as Candy handed him two sets of dog tags. "Yes sir, about four weeks. Spotter disappeared on watch one night."

"Mission accomplished, the target designated Goddess is dead."

"Yes sir...There are two additional causalities; Tomlinson, Frances Lee and..." John looked at the tag and then over at the shooter lying face down. "Goodwin, Thomas Richard." He held the tags in his hand close to his heart as silent tears started rolling down his cheeks. "Yes sir, his best man..."

After a long pause he said, "He died doing his duty sir. Request extraction instructions."

"Yes sir... I understand sir. Make way south and cross border."

He shook his head as if to clear it, "Kitty is off the hook..." Dropping the sat phone he didn't look at the others as he got up. Looking around he said distantly as he walked away, "I need to get cleaned up."

Honey started after him but Candy stopped her, "I'll go... keep an eye out." She looked towards John walking slowly away and added in a low voice, "When you train with a group of guys long enough, they become closer than your real family. When one dies, it's like a piece of you died too." She sighed and looked down at the dead human. "Keep heading east and find a safe place to camp. We will catch up before dawn." With one last look towards Honey and the others he turned and followed John walking about twenty feet behind him.

Honey stood still a long moment after the pair left. Suddenly she started after John saying "He needs me."

Kitten rested her hand on Honey's shoulder, "No dear. He needs to make peace with himself."

Beth moved up to stand in front of Honey, "Sister, trust Candy. You know out kind but she knows the military. If anyone can help him, she can." She looked at Kitten, "When we were human, her team got wiped out in Afghanistan. She was sent home on medical leave and that's why we were at the lake where you found us. More importantly, that's why she jumped at the chance to change and forget." She looked down and sighed.

"Only she didn't forget did she," Julio said softly. "I's sure didn't."

Honey looked again towards where they disappeared and whimpered. She had never felt so much pain in someone before. Mother's pain was bad, but she was far away and the distance dulled it. When her mate thought she was dead, his pain was buried in a mountain of rage. But now, it was the raw pain at the loss of a brother, a brother he had killed on purpose.

To make matters worse that had just finished a hell of a mental fight where it finally came down to her saying, "If you make me go armed, then we will separate and go our separate ways." She had been so mad that she meant it and John knew. It was only after she gave him the ultimatum that he had backed down.

She started walking east, and grabbed one of the M-16's and ammo pouches as she passed them. She hated the rifle and the idea of which it stood. But she had let her pride get in the way of her relationship with her mate. Now when he hurt, instead of turning to her for comfort, he walked away turning in on himself. She had gone about fifty yards before saying, "Anyone up to scouting ahead for a camp site?"

Julio jogged up, "I's know just the place Honey...Follow me."

And now for my disclaimers which were inspired by JimBob44 and acup. Thanks for the inspiration.

Yes, I never met a comma or ellipse I didn't like.

Yes, it jumps around too much.

Yes, it's in the wrong category.

Yes, it's too long.

Yes, it's too short.

Yes, this is stupid shit.

Yes, I suck.

and yes, there isn't enough sex.

BTW, you only get to comment on spelling and grammar if you are volunteering to be an editor. Those comments and rants will be deleted, you've been warned.

Don't forget to vote!