Bing Gananda 17

Tindor had stood up when the mutineers came. He had heard their words and watched in shock as Grinder killed the Bos'n. Now all eyes were on him.
"Get him!"
Tindor bolted into the jungle. Grinder raised his second pistol and fired. The ball passed by Tindor's ear. But just as the mutineers started after him, there was a grey blur, and the "lion" rushed between them. A sailor raised his musket, but before he could fire, The cat's great claws had ripped it from his hands. He reared up, slashing right and left. The men scattered.

Tomono had been watching from the shadows. The shot from Grinder's pistol had startled him. But when he saw Grinder turn on Tindor, he attacked. He liked that man, and wanted to protect him.
Tindor fled farther into the jungle. Once the mutineers were scattered, Tomono followed, quietly.


The sailors slowly regrouped around Grinder. Several had vicious slashes. Morris, the one who had lost his musket, had his arm laid open to the bone, and some broken ribs. He had lost a lot of blood already. The others were making a tourniquet. One turned angrily to Grinder.
"What the hell have you gotten us into?"
"Shut up, Isaac!"
The man reached for his cutlass. Grinder drew his own and they began to circle each other. Then Isaac rushed Grinder, and they began to fight. The others just stood back to watch.
Soon both men were breathing heavily and soaked with sweat. Grinder had been cut several times and was bleeding heavily. It was only a matter of time, and he knew it. His eyes were open wide and he began to panic.
He tried to step back, but lost his footing on a root. That was all it took, and he was run though. He stood for a moment, looking down at the cutlass, then looked up into the eyes of the man who had just killed him. Then, his knees buckled, and he saw nothing.
One of the sailors said quietly,
"We are all dead men."

Isaac stood there panting. He had never killed a man before. It had all been done in a moment of anger. This whole place seemed to be under a curse. Now the men looked to him as their leader.
"What now, Isaac?"
"Which way do we go?"
Isaac shifted uneasily. The sun was going down. Soon it would be dark. Then a thought occurred to him.
"Follow this creek. It has to run into the sea somewhere."

Pandurina was laying outside of her den. She had gathered a collection of the fruits she knew Bing Gananda liked. She looked up as Tomono approached.
She snarled at him. But it was only a half hearted snarl. The truth was, she liked Tomono. Someday there would be kits she knew. But not today.
Tomono had heard of Bing Gananda's banishment. He expected that she would be with Pandurina. The fruit confirmed his suspicions. The man was more like the Lithorians than any other creature. So it seemed natural to bring them together. And he knew Bing Gananda would not be afraid.
"Bring Bing Gananda. One of these creatures is here."
"Why should I wake Bing Gananda for you?"
"Because she'll want to see it."
Pandurina knew this was probably true. But she would not be ordered around by any He Shadocatch! She was about to spit at him when she realized that Bing was standing in front of the den already.
Bing Gananda could not really understand the words of Tomono, she was not Blood with him. But she could get his meaning from Pandurina. She asked,
"What is it Pan?"
Now, Pandurina had to tell why Tomono was there. She glared at him, and then explained what he wanted. And as she had expected, Bing Gananda was ready to go.
"Let's go, Pan," she said as she climbed onto the big cat's back.
Reluctantly Pandurina followed Tomono into the jungle.