Chapter 29

  Last Conversation - Max

  Max was thinking about all that they had been through. The pace at which Conquest had been sitting at the beginning of the journey had changed. They were moving more slowly now, as if the guerrilla wasn't anxious to get to their destination.

  Max had watched Conquest go off into the jungle. This wasn't something he had seen him do before. Yes, he didn't often sit by the others a night, but Max didn't remember him leaving like this. Conquest always seemed in sight of the camp.

  Not long after he left, Max heard whispers from the gorillas.

  Ash said, "He's just not in a hurry to face Dracus."

  Max heard a slap and someone else say, "Quiet, it's not like you're in a hurry either."

  There was a mumble of agreement after which the guerrillas grew silent, and Max could not hear them say anything else.

  He watched the fire before them, and unlike the herd, been around for the last few seasons, he was not afraid of the fire. He understood fire and could enjoy its warmth. He knew that since it was prepared correctly, it would not leave the confines of the place that was set up for it.

  Max thought, tonight, there's really no need to be a fire. The weather had warmed, and it reminded Max once again that they were on the Upper Plains. Though the savannah was not as cool as the desert. Max found that it was always a little cooler in the Lower Plains than on the Upper. He felt more comfortable here than there and wondered why the temperatures would be different. Max knew some animals actually studied weather patterns, but Max understood that right now, the difference in the weather was the least of his true concerns. Yet, he felt a sense of peace, feeling the air of the Upper Plains, even if he was on the wrong side of the Three Rivers, and still as far from his family as he had been when in the Lower Plains, not to mention the captive of rebel gorillas.

  Max was surprised at the peace he felt. He looked up and saw as many stars as he could see through the firelight. Max found that he felt a layer of peace that he would not have expected. He was doing what he could and trusting the creator for the rest. He knew that the Gorellis and Conquest meant him harm, but he also had faith. He'd heard too many stories, and living through the fall from the Three Rivers reminded him once again that sometimes what was impossible was possible. The fact that he got hit in the head right before Conquest took the herd, and that he got his memories back just in time to meet Link, was more than a coincidence.

  Yet something confused him. Conquest was supposed to be the leader of the guerrillas. That's what Link had said. And yet, from what little he'd heard tonight, a person named Dracos was the person that Conquest was answering. Max didn't know who Dracos was. But a gnawing suspicion crept into his mind. He pushed it away, knowing that, no, that couldn't be the case. No, those creatures had not been seen since the breaking of the world. Yet, no. Whoever Dracos was, it was an animal, just like any other hand. Smarter, clearly, because he knew how to use the ointment to control non-talking animals. Smarter also because Max had to assume they had found some way to cross the Three Rivers, something even the strongest otter would not try. Yet they must have had a plan. And it seemed as if Max was going to discover it soon.

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  For now, Max understood he just had to wait and stay silent. He really wished he could talk to Link. But with Conquest, who knew where, and the other guerrillas not far away, and strangely enough, Bond sitting not leaning up next to him, Max knew there was no way he was going to have any type of conversation with his friend. Max, therefore, determined that tonight he would try to get a good night's sleep.

  Yet as he closed his eyes, he remembered the elephant, Methuselah, lying in the grasses, dead, being consumed by vultures, which brought a shudder to him, which he immediately regretted.

  As Bond looked back, "It's okay, it's okay, what's bothering you?"

  But it was Link who came to the rescue.

  "Bothering him? You drag this elephant from its herd. You put something on it to make it obey you. You drag it past its dead kin and then ask it what's wrong with it?"

  There's a small growl from Bond, and then he said. "Would you just be quiet?"

  Link took a breath and then decided to ignore Bond's advice.

  "No. Bond, you know what you're doing is wrong. I can tell it. The time's coming too soon. You're going to have to choose what you're going to do. What you're doing to this creature, to all those creatures you take have taken, is wrong, and you will have to answer to the Creator for that."

  "Be quiet, the Creators never answered my prayers."

  "You probably asked for the wrong things."

  "Would you be quiet?" Bond said in a voice that, for the typically soft-spoken gorilla, sounded angry.

  "Just ask, seek, and make a right choice." Link said in a consolatory tone.

  Bond started to get up, and Max was certain that Link might have said too much. Thinking that Link might get hit by Bond, Mac started to move as if he was unsettled. This worked exactly as Max hoped. Bond forgot Link and walked over to the front of Max. Bond reached his hand into his pouch and brought out the ointment, and rubbed it on Max's trunk. His tone immediately changing, "It's okay, it's okay. Just rest, just rest, and we'll see, we'll see."

  Bond grunted, just a bit, as Max closed his eyes as if he was going to sleep. Max wasn't sure if it was resignation or disgust, but in just a minute, Max felt Bond walk off.

  Max opened his eyes again. Bond had walked off into the forest, and then, to his surprise, one by one, the rest of the gorillas followed his lead. In just a couple of minutes, Max and Link were alone.

  Max reviewed what he had heard. He didn’t think elephants would be an unstoppable force, no matter what Conquest or Dracus thought. Max could only imagine what a battle with them would lead to. Max was positive that any battle with them was going to result in a lot of death on both sides.

  “Link,” Max whispered, “do you know what they are up to?”

  Link had not heard everything Max had and honestly said, “Not everything, but you had better keep it down before someone hears you.”

  Max took several deep breaths, then quietly told Link everything he had heard.

  “Max, you’re a better animal than I am,” Link said in quiet amazement. “I do not think I would have kept quiet if I knew everything you did, especially with the strength you possess.” Then he added, “How you keep from attacking or talking is beyond me!”

  “Thanks, but if I attack, there is no certainty that you or I would survive, and it won't keep whoever this Dracus is from attacking the Forest.” Max said, then asked, “I just wish I knew when it is going to be the right time to act?”

  “I do not know, but I think there is more to learn.” Link said, staring resolutely into Max’s eyes, “You will know when it is time. The Creator will show you. I know it!”

  Max wanted to ask another question, but Link shook his head, and Max knew he had seen a gorilla coming out of the forest.

  It was their last conversation before the battle, which would change the future of their world forever.