Helicopter rotors thumped overhead and a third craft attempted to land. NYPD was already starting to direct onlookers and set up barricades. Minji could feel her stomach knot up with anxiety as the moment was becoming a circus. Cubs were exiting onto the grass now and congregating around the adults. Ekoko quickly dropped down and put on a smile to calm them as they tried to lead them in a song. “Chú Ír Máru, chú Ír Máru,

Ón Chíru Máru.” They pointed at their eyes in rhythm and then their mouth.

“Chú Íshru Máru, chú Íshru Máru,

Ón Ín Máru,” ears this time then nose.

Minji couldn’t help but smile. Ekoko was leaning them ink a nursery rhyme like ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.’ Something so very normal. It looked like these kids had been through enough already and could use normalcy.  

“Are you their parents?” She looked at Tavy, who puffed a little then shook their head.

“They are students. Orphans…”

Before Minji could ask more questions, she could hear the sirens spilling in from outside Central Park.

The whole world was watching now as NYPD officers on horseback reached the area. Minji could see others in the distance as they started erecting barriers. She made her choice and stepped further away from the class and two teachers.

“Ma’am, back on this side please. Lady! Back on this side!” Came the command from an officer on horseback.

The Felivar cubs marveled at big animals the humans were riding.

Minji, the Felivar, and the class watched as the police began to cordon off the area. The meadow was bisected, the Felivar and their craft to the west and the children to the east. Oorow’s fur bristled and they watched while their baby fussed.

Tavy asked Minji, “is this an army?”

“Police.”

Tavy mentally searched for the word then nodded while practically shaking. Minji watched as the high priest held their white hands together and silently prayed.

Minji was scanning the cubs when children’s song suddenly stopped. She turned her head to the left and saw as Ekoko stood.

“Anæ?” Ekoko looked across the grass.

“Becca?” Came a call from a teacher to the east.

Minji looked up and caught sight of a child in the distance, a little girl with hair in a French braid sitting and making her cat plushie dance. She wasn’t alone, she was having a one sided conversation with a cub smaller than with curious eyes and an orange and white coat while they sat under a shady tree.

“Becca!” A teacher called as she began to make her way to the children.

“Got it!” Called the police officer on horseback, “get away from her!” He called as he galloped over.

The police seemed threatening to the Felivar. Five soldiers in armor like Oorow filed out of the central ‘sphere’ calmly and fell in line behind the Protector. None of them were armed but police officers still reached for sidearms.

Oorow turned their body so their child was shielded and drew their sword out just a few inches; old and dull, more of a decoration than a weapon of war. Oorow huffed and shook their head. The soldiers stood firm, one missing an eye, another with a hole through their ear, and one missing a hand. Their long tails were puffed out like bottle brushes.

Ekoko stood up quickly, “Anæ!”

“Shit,” Minji sprinted over but the mounted cop was already there, horse rearing up. The officer dismounted and ran for the tree line. The little cub’s ears flattened and they held their paws up defensively. The cop, wearing nitrile gloves, and reached for Becca. The cub reached out to ‘save’ their new friend, leaving multiple slashes in the officer’s uniform and scratching his forearm. He screamed, knocked them against the tree, causing their ear to tear. The piercing scream that came from the cub cut through Minji’s heart. The cop drew his sidearm, Minji could see the metal shine.

“It’s a child!” Minji ran as fast as she could. Other officers were converging on the area. “Holster! Now! It’s a child!”

Minji could only hear her own breathing, as she put herself in front of the cub. Their ear was bleeding profusely, torn on the tree bark.

“Officer Hill! Stand down!” Came the roar over the radio from the sergeant.

“It scratched me!” He screamed while bleeding, “damn things probably radioactive and it scratched me!”

Minji pushed past him, getting her uniform bloody.

“It’s a baby! You scared them!” Minji removed her park Ranger neckerchief and tended to the ear while they cried in pain. She remembered what Ekoko was saying, “Anæ?”

The cub looked into her eyes as they heard their name, sniffled, and wailed hard once again. “Shh shh shh Anæ, shh it’s ok…” Minji wrapped an arm around the cub and rubbed their back. They pressed their face to Minji’s shoulder, staining it.

“Put it away; everybody! Holster!” Came the word from the sergeant over the radio. “Do not touch the aliens! Possible Bio-hazard! Do not touch the carriers! Do not engage!”

Minji looked out at the Felivar, 30 yards to the west. The warriors never once made a show of force besides their few numbers. They didn’t wield any weapons; not like Oorow. The officers finally holstered their sidearms. Oorow sheathed the ancient sword and the warriors behind them relaxed.

Ekoko was in sight and the smallest cub let of Minji.

Two officers hoisted Minji to her feet, Hill’s blood staining the back of her uniform, Anæ’s blood on the other; both just as red. The cops grabbed Minji’s hands and cuffed her.

“Medic!” A cop called out to EMTs for officer Hill.

Ekoko approached to collect the cub and as Minji was being dragged away, they approached, fearless as they took off their scarf and wrapped it around Minji’s neck. They looked into each other’s eyes before Minji was hauled away. They stood before an officer, looking tired yet dignified.

Ekoko took a deep breath as they cradled the child in their arms. They didn’t have the strength to but they did it anyway. They spoke slowly and carefully. “We… come… in peace. You do… this…” they nodded at the sobbing cub with a bloody ear. Ekoko growled, “bring leader. Now!”

Minji couldn’t help but smirk the tiniest bit. She passed Becca and her teacher, “why’d you wander off little lady?”

Becca replied, “I wanted to show my cat stuffy to the cat people… why are they being mean to them? We’re bad neighbors…”

Ekoko walked with the bloodied cub towards a group of humans behind barricades holding up their devices, recording and streaming. A NYPD supervisor, heavy with weight and experience hurried over. He was furious and embarrassed.

“What? What are you doing?”

Ekoko spoke carefully.

“We are Felivar. Need home.

Want Yūun.”

“Excuse me?”

Tavy approached and calmly clarified, “We are Felivar. We have no home. We ask for refuge. Honored Ranger Minji Yūun was kind to us and this child was playing with a child of yours. Then they were attacked.”

“That’s not what happened!” Officer Hill was all red and bluster but his superior silenced him.

“So what do you want?” 

“We want Yūun.” Ekoko gave a soft smile but stares unblinkingly like a predator, “or they see you hurt cubs.”

The supervisor sighed and picked picked up his radio.