Bing Gananda 24

"Sam Eu-el" woke around midnight. He could feel the tension in the air. He found the two cats huddled together. Bing Gananda was nowhere to be seen.
He made his way to the nearby stream in the moonlight. There he knelt and had a long, cool drink. Then, he sat there in the night air for a long time. The food and rest had refreshed him. Now he finally had a chance to think over his situation.
Nothing about it seemed to be even possible. The mutiny was real enough, but this Bing Gananda, and her cats could not be real. Or could they? And there was this matter of the "Blood", and the words in his head. He was sure he was going mad.
After a time, he realized Tomono was now laying beside him. Lost in thought, he had not heard the big cat's approach. Then the cat sat up and looked into his eyes. There was an intelligence there Tindor had not expected.
Then, the cat spoke. Tindor could not understand the words. But he had an idea what Tomono wanted. Tindor had not been armed, but he did have his penknife. Now he took it in his hand and the great cat raised his paw.
Tindor drew his own blood in turn.
"Now we are Blood"
"Yes, now we are."
It was so strange to understand this creature, so different than himself. He didn't yet understand how close he was now bound to this creature.
"Come with me. Bing Gananda is singing to the wind."
Tindor had no idea what this meant, but he was ready to believe anything by now. He followed Tomono back to Pandurina's den.
Bing Gananda was there leaning over a carved stone bowl. Tindor could not see what was in it, but it gave a strange glow as she swirled the contents with her finger.
She sang.

"Hide your face
O moon from me
Clouds arise
Now from the sea!"

It was an eerie melody, and she repeated the song again and again. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as Tindor realized that she was calling up a storm. A cloud passed over the moon. As he looked to the sky, he could see more clouds forming. The trees were beginning to stir as a breeze began to rise.