Chapter 48

Odin waited, somewhat impatiently as the Barn Cat mothers urged and carried their kittens to him. The children didn't want to be herded, but their mothers got them together in one place after what felt like ages. The nineteen littlest balls of fluff weren't keen to stay in one place but were small enough that they couldn't get very far on their own. While the eight older kittens, each about a month younger than Sprinkle's Host, were even less inclined to be stay in the middle of the barn. The blood, urine, and feces were further deterrents. The mothers used Hive Standard to speak to the kittens, but the young showed little signs of understanding. Their constant mewing made it clear no one was happy about this situation.

Sam poked his head into the Barn just as Odin was shapeshifting his arms together to scoop up the young along with some of the dirt beneath them. While he didn't consume them, he did seal the top of the flesh box he had created to prevent them from escaping. It wouldn't work to transport the Hive-less young long-term, but it would get them to Freyja's car. How to prevent them from rolling around in the floorboards and under the seats was another puzzle he'd have to figure out along the way.

"Kait's cats are secured and...uhh," the Sam said.

The Human grimaced before swallowing hard while frozen he stood staring at what should have been Odin's forearms but was instead a square case made of his body just large enough to hold twenty seven increasingly annoyed kittens.

Odin spoke to the mothers at his feet in Hive Standard, "Follow me. We will use the Commander's vehicle."

Sam stayed frozen in the door as Odin turned toward him. The kittens held in his flesh box mewed a little louder from the movement, drawing the Human's eyes to the sound. He was in the way and needed to move. Odin debated ordering one of the mothers to bite him so he'd be connected to the Link and easier to share information with. He was certain he could mentally overpower this particular Human if given the chance. Freyja would not be happy should that come to pass, so instead he chose to speak to the man.

"Cardboard boxes," Odin said in English.

"What?"

"Move out of my way and find cardboard boxes for us to put the kittens in. They are pleasant to sit in and should be calming for them as we evacuate," he clarified. Odin switched back to Hive Standard, "Go around this Human then form up around me as I take your children to safety."

"Yes, Colonel," the mothers said in unison before skittering around the still confused Human.

"I...think I saw some...boxes in Kait's house when we were rounding up her cats. I'll get those," Sam finally said. He turned quick enough to trip himself, but managed not to fall completely, stumbling a few steps, then raced back toward Kait's home.

Odin took the chance to leave the Barn, mindful of the wiggling kittens he was carrying. The night was still dark, save for the orange glow of the brush fire just beyond the Armory where Freyja was busy inside. The door to the building rested outside in a twisted mess. She admonished the teenage Humans inside before they left her in the building as he marched past it. Faintly, he could feel the Tiger watching high above as he crossed the yard, flanked by the nine mothers from the Barn. He wasn't sure what he'd do if the Tiger were to attack right then. Consuming the kittens would be strategic but out of the question.

Odin rounded the corner of Kait's house just as the back door opened loudly and Sam tripped down the stairs, crushing the tower of cardboard boxes he was carrying. For the most part, each of the Hive cats had stayed with their Spark to help oversee moving the Barn cats and materials into vehicles, but with her assignments complete Hemi had climbed onto the roof of Kait's house. She was above Sam and a few feet from the sleeping Sprinkles.

Leave him and assist Sam, Odin instructed to Hemi.

She paused, mid-step then looked down. Yes, Colonel.

Odin continued to the fence carrying his precious load as Hemi hopped off the roof to see to Sam. She hadn't consumed any Humans, but that didn't prevent her from shapeshifting to a somewhat larger more humanoid size that allowed her to help the fallen Human to his feet. Once he was up, he and Hemi hurried to open Freyja's car. Hemi didn't have a key for the door, so she slipped her shifted arm through the gap at the top of the driver's side window to unlock it from within. Then, she and Sam pressed the boxes back in their proper shapes before Odin shifted his flesh enough to pour kittens into each of the cardboard boxes. All told, it hadn't taken much time to transport the children, but everything felt like it was taking forever.

Why does it feel this way? Odin thought only to himself.

He could change his form enough to accelerate his own thoughts, somewhat, but this felt far more extreme. His perception of time was so skewed that everyone and everything appeared to move in slow motion. The fire had barely advanced. Even the Tiger felt like it was suspended in one place above them.

Hemi flicked one of her ears and sniffed. Her whiskers twitched along with her tail. She eyed the Barn Mothers who took up places in the car's seats above where the boxes rested in the front and back floorboards. She shut the doors on the passenger side of the vehicle, leaving Odin to stay at the open driver's side door. Her form reminded Odin of how he'd modified Follower. It wasn't exactly the same, but...it made his heart ache.

"You and I must speak about your Host," Odin said.

"This is not a suitable time for that."

"Of course not right now," he sneered back. "But you must live through this so we can have a proper discussion."

She smirked, light from the fire glinting off her teeth. "Likewise, Colonel Odin."

"Go back to your Spark. Prepare for a fight," Odin said.

"Yes, Colonel," she said, shifting as she turned, then bounded off back toward the van the teenagers had brought.

"I no longer have the keys for Freyja's car," Odin said.

"I saw her in the Armory. Stay with the mamas and babies. I'll get them," Sam replied snapping out of his daze before running off in that direction.

Odin hissed through his teeth. The useless Human had taken initiative to fetch Freyja, but leaving the kittens in his care would have been a poor move. The man had only mindlessly filmed the happenings in the area and sucked on his vape since they'd arrived at Kait's home. Why would Odin want to leave anyone, especially the weakest members of the Hive, with the least capable Human?

Kittens secured. Sent Sam to retrieve your keys, Odin said.

Barn Cats in the van and every other car we could fit them in. Humans are ready to roll out too, Hal added.

In position, Commander, Hemi said.

Standing by and ready for a fight, Bumble Bee confirmed.

We're gonna fight? Sprinkles asked excitedly. I wanna fight!

Our orders are to flee and protect the others, Gravy Train said.

Protect who?

The Humans and Barn Cats, Sticky Bun clarified.

Barn Cats? Sprinkles asked.

Who's this guy? Lucky asked.

Stay on task, the Commander doesn't need to deal with your shit right now, Frank said.

Odin made a mental note to give the entire team a lesson on communication if they survived this incident. He felt Freyja contact him and only him, making him whip his head in her direction. The Armory was blocked by the corner of Kait's house, but he could feel her as if she was the burning fire that threatened her location.

Sam's driving my car, Odin. You're with me, she ordered.

Yes, Commander, he replied.

He was about to shut the door when Sam hurried back around the corner, with Freyja on his heels.

"Pop the trunk!" he shouted.

Odin reached down for the latch below the dash and pulled it. Sam hopped into the driver's seat as Freyja met up with Odin at the rear of the car. He hesitated to grab any of the catnip toys. She dove in, grabbing as many as she could with both arms. She took a step back and nodded at him.

"Shut it."

He did. By the time he did so and looked back to Freyja she no longer had the catnip toys. He glanced at the ground beneath the car and where she'd been standing after she moved toward Page's motorcycle but found nothing there. What she hoped to accomplish with the bike was also beyond him. Page had been devoured and the likelihood of Freyja getting their keys before that was low. The last of the Brothers of Fervor wheeled their bikes to the road, firing up the rumbling engines.

"With me, Odin," Freyja said, straddling the large black motorcycle.

There was enough room on the seat behind her for him to sit in his Human guise, but it would be difficult if he were to return to his original Host's form.

Start your engines and hit the road. On my signal HAUL ASS, Freyja said.

What's the signal? Gee asked.

You'll know it when you see it, she replied.

"Let's go, boys! Escort this convoy!" Lawrence shouted with his head out the driver's side window of the police car. He revved his engine before driving ahead of the other vehicles that began to leave one by one. The bikers fell in around the police car at the front of the line with the van in the rear.

Things still seemed to be moving in slow motion. Kait's house had begun to burn as the fire surrounded the Armory and lit up the Barn at the back of the property. The Tiger had moved somewhat to circle ahead of them, a little lower than before but not close enough that Odin could get a great read on them. He jumped with a short yowel when Page's bike roared to life beneath them. He hugged his hands around Freyja's waist when she spun the vehicle around, kicking up gravel to follow the convoy. She moved to the wrong side of the road, allowing herself a good view of the whole line of cars. Brilliant red and blue lights sparked at the front when Lawrence turned on the police car's overhead bar along with the siren. The hatred and disgust of the Tiger suddenly bloomed ahead of them. It swooped down, spreading four pairs of massive wings from its otherwise unshifted Host body to stop its descent. Odin and Freyja were too far from it to do anything to save the Brothers of Fervor at the front of the convoy. Their deaths would only serve as a minor distraction at best.

Page's bike bucked violently before the Tiger's head exploded.

The bikers weaved out of the way as the corpse slammed against the road. Freyja grinned with one hand on the handle bar and the other stabilizing a .50 caliber sniper rifle that had mostly emerged from her right shoulder. She kept the weapon out while the caravan sped up to pass the now very dead Special Strike Force operative, but soon let it sink back into her flesh, freeing up her right hand to operate the motorcycle more smoothly.

Blood and Flesh, what the fuck?! Odin shouted in the Link.