Read Online Teddycats by Mike Storey - Free Book Online Page A

Elders have a meeting this morning. They’re scared, and they’re ready to run. But that’s
their
problem. If I were you? I’d look back to the history between the Teddycats and the Olingos. Think about how their split has echoed through the jungle, through the years. The jungle doesn’t have seasons, Bill. Therefore, life cycles can take years, even generations, to come back around. So, what can Teddycats learn from the life and death of Horizon Cove that might prevent the death of Cloud Kingdom?”
    Bill sighed. His head was spinning. “I’ll think about that. Really, I will, Felix. But first, I need to talk to Maia.”
    â€œGood luck,” Felix said.

11
    BILL FOUND MAIA sunning herself atop her den, a front leg draped across her eyes. This was one of the places she went to be alone, and Bill approached cautiously. She didn’t acknowledge his presence until he climbed up the side and scooted over close to her, and even then it was silent, cold.
    The two of them sat there for a long moment while Bill worked up the courage and spittle to speak.
    â€œIs this okay?” he finally asked. “Me being here?”
    â€œEveryone’s looking for you,” Maia said, without glancing at him.
    â€œI know,” Bill said.
    He pulled nervously on the mud and straw below them, a bad habit that was prevalent among the Teddycats. A gathering of anxious Teddycats could pluck a meadow clean in a half hour flat.
    â€œYou’re basically a fugitive,” Maia said.
    â€œI’m not
trying
to hide, if that matters at all.”
    She considered him coolly. “Well, you seem nervous.”
    â€œI’m not trying to seem that way. And I’m not in hiding. You’re not
harboring
me or anything. You won’t get in trouble for talking to me.”
    â€œHa,” said Maia, mirthlessly. “First time for everything. So what’re you so nervous about?”
    Maia had this way of asking questions that landed like uppercuts. She could be very intimidating, which Bill had always admired about her (as long as it was unleashed on somebody else).
    â€œBanishment, for starters,” said Bill. “Armies of stampeding humans.”
    â€œI see,” said Maia.
    Bill sighed. “All right, here goes: I went down to the jungle in the middle of the night. To look for Elena. I talked Luke into helping me, and then he . . . well, he was nabbed by a human.”
    Maia’s face fell again, and her head hung low against her chest. “Why does this keep happening?” she whispered. “What are we going to do?”
    â€œCloud Kingdom is changing, Maia. The jungle is closer than it’s ever been before. I was talking to the jaguar . . .”
    â€œFelix?”
    â€œThat’s the one.”
    â€œHe’s a good egg,” said Maia.
    â€œDefinitely,” said Bill. “Felix thinks I should justkeep trying with the Elders. In a respectful way, of course. To really make sure they see what they’re giving up, and whom they’ll be leaving behind, if they just run away and keep hiding.”
    Maia seemed underwhelmed. “So that’s the plan? You stroll up to the Elders and tell them to join you in a Bill Garra rescue operation? Despite a paw in every incident so far?”
    â€œLook,” said Bill, ears burning, “I know it sounds crazy. And like a long shot. But I see now why I’ve been failing so miserably at trying to help. It’s because I’ve been trying to go it alone. I thought I’d be saving others the trouble, but I just wound up putting Luke—and everyone else—in danger. But this affects all of Cloud Kingdom, not just me and the animals I’m close to. And if we’re going to fix this, we’ve got to do it together.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Bill,” Maia said, her eyes sad. “I just don’t see what’s so different this