After leaving The Leaf Cottage, Halo walked with Jet to the edge of Shadow Forest and waved goodbye. She walked slowly down the path toward the Star compound, waited a few minutes then cut back through the woods, trying to stay out of sight without losing Jet’s trail. She’d tried following him before and knew he didn’t go to the garage or take the path leading to the east gate of the compound. He didn’t join the other boys in games at the park or beach, either. Once, he joined Zadie outside Shell Arena, but most days he simply disappeared after class. Jet was up to something; she knew it.
She waited until he turned onto the narrow trail which was bordered by six-foot-high hedges at the edge of Shadow Forest. She tried to keep out of sight, hiding behind rocks and bushes while keeping his white T-shirt in sight. It was hard to do because he faded in and out of the shady, crooked path to the cliffs.
“Oh! You scared me.” She slapped herself on the chest when she heard the voice behind her call her name and turned to see Koze land his aero-wheel beside her.
“I am sorry. Why are you walking here?” Koze replied.
“Uh, no reason, exercise.” She caught her breath, smiled, and kept walking.
“Well, catch you later.”
“Catch me?” Koze’s eyes flashed.
“I can’t explain. It’s like calling a person on a cell...uh, talking into your wrist link.” She wished she’d never started this conversation.
“There is no need to c-a-t-c-h m-e, I’ll walk with you.” He dismounted the aero-wheel and, much to her dismay, walked beside her.
“We went to see Dr. Leaf today, about the float.” No need to be rude to Koze, even if he did interrupt her plans.
“Did he agree?”
“Not yet. We promised it wouldn’t cost any pinfeathers, and we’d work after class. He told us he’d think about it. That’s a good sign, don’t you think?” she asked, watching Koze’s eyes flash. “So, the TLC creatures have never been in a parade before and Dr. Leaf thinks they will be traumatized. They have never ridden in a motor vehicle, especially in their cages. He’s very protective of the creatures.”
“Umm, umm, umm.” A strange sounding moan came from the bushes.
They went on full alert. Someone or something was in distress. She stopped dead still, Koze’s eyes flashed, and his ear sensors whirled like crazy on both sides of his head.
“Garr!” The growl came from behind the hedges along the path.
“The sound is coming from over here.” She darted through the thick foliage, running toward a cluster of rocks shaded by a huge tree.
“Stop.” Koze was beside her in a flash, his long legs covering the ground in less than six strides. He grabbed for her shoulder to pull her back to protect her.
“O-h-h. It’s hurt.” She dropped down beside a big animal, its red-gold fur matted with mud, sides heaving with every breath, and blood oozing out of a gash extending from neck to paw. Its parched tongue lolled out of a mouth full of pointed teeth.
“Careful.” Koze kneeled down to examine the animal’s sides and its neck. “Get Dr. Leaf. Tell him to bring the air truck. Take this.” He removed a clip-on bag from the post between the handlebars and shoved the aero-wheel toward her, his eyes no longer blinking but glowing with one continuing flash.
She held the aero-wheel upright and admitted, “I’ve never ridden one of these, but tell me how it works. I can do it.”
“See the buttons here?” Koze pointed to a place where the handlebar connected to the wheel.
“F is forward, U is up, and D is down. You don’t need reverse.” He steadied it in an upright position and helped her mount the seat.
“Grasp the handlebars, twist them forward to go faster, backward to slow down, and reverse the pedals you’ll stop. Got it?” He used the new word.
“Got it.” Halo punched F, twisted the bars forward, and then punched U, holding on for dear life as the aero-wheel wobbled upward, barely clearing the tops of hedges and rocks as she zoomed straight for TLC. She veered to the left, just clearing the top of Dr. Leaf’s gate, twisted back on the handlebars, and tried to find the D button, as she continued flying straight toward the healing garden and a screaming Dr. Leaf.
Hitting the ground with a thump, she fell off the seat and crashed the aero-wheel into one of the wooden planters.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Dr. Leaf raced to her side, his face red as the sun above.
“Help. We need you. Get the air truck, medicine, whatever you have to fix a wound. Hurry.” She grabbed his hand and hurried toward TLC’s entrance.
“Who needs me? What are you talking about?” He jerked his arm away and stared at her like she had lost her mind.
“There’s an animal, a big creature in the woods. It’s injured. Koze sent me to get you. He said to bring the air truck. Hurry, please hurry,” she pleaded. “Tell me what you need. I’ll get it while you get the truck.”
“Medicine kit’s in the truck. Come on.” She scurried along after him.
~ ~ ~
They moved quickly, lights flashing and horn honking, and found Koze holding the animal’s huge head in his lap, administering water, a drop at a time, into its gasping mouth.
“Get the red kit in the back,” Dr. Leaf ordered as he hopped over the side of the truck to the spot where Koze sat with the animal.
He was already in emergency mode when she handed him the medicine kit.
She stood behind him as he swabbed, bandaged, and managed to get the animal on a stretcher and into the back of the truck with their help. Koze took the driver’s seat, leaving her with Dr. Leaf in the back with the animal.
“Suns are going down. Koze will take you back to the compound as soon as we get this creature to a place big enough to hold him. He needs rest.” Dr. Leaf seemed at a loss where to put it.
“I think it’s a dog, a big dog,” she offered.
“Dog, animal, whatever. He’s too big to be in the cottage,” Dr. Leaf grumbled.
“Maybe we can make a place for him in the shed,” Koze suggested. “I’ll drive the truck and move him wherever you want.” Koze took the wheel and drove the truck and animal into the shed before Dr. Leaf could object.
She gathered the biggest sheets she could find, carried them to the shed, and began making a pallet for the dog.
“Are those my sheets?” Dr. Leaf lifted a corner of a sheet obviously too large for the other patients.
She ignored his comment and continued to help Koze unload the dog and make a place for him on the floor of the shed.
“You’re a good dog. Everything will be all right.” She talked to the dog while stroking its back.
Dr. Leaf tapped her on the shoulder. “Quit mothering that thing. Did you see those teeth? You need to get back to Star IV before suns down.”
Halo didn’t want to leave but when Koze said her would drive her to the compound she accepted the arm he offered her. She walked reluctantly to the door, leaving Dr. Leaf alone with the big golden dog.
“Koze, do you think animals fly up?” she asked Koze and wiped away a tear.
“You must ask Dr. Leaf that question,” Koze answered.