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Braden should have been offended, but he was impressed. Maybe in another ten cycles he would be allowed to learn the ‘cat’s name.
    ‘No, it won’t.’ The ‘cat started to scruffle around on the blanket, gave up, and jumped down, startling the horse. Pack settled down quickly. ‘Follow me.’
    Another first. Even when the ‘cat knew Braden was getting himself into trouble, he let him walk headlong into it. Braden couldn’t remember a time when the ‘cat volunteered to lead them into danger. Braden wisely followed, an arrow nocked on his Rico Bow.  On the other side of the rocks, near the top, an eagle was perched. Braden had never been this close to an eagle. It was impressive and different from any other bird he’d seen.
    It glistened, its feathers shiny in brown and white. It looked like he was seeing the bird in the reflection of calm lake water. It looked at him and screeched a long, awe-inspiring cry. G-War sat down and looked intently at the eagle. Their eyes locked and to someone else, it would seem as if they were in a stare down. Braden knew better. The ‘cat and the eagle were talking.
    ‘Meet Skirill,’ the ‘cat finally opened his mindlink. The flood of images was overwhelming and Braden fell to his knees, dropping his bow in the process. The eagle and Braden were linked through the opening that G-War created. Seeing how an unprepared mind communicated, he finally understood why G-War kept their mindlink closed most of the time. Did his mind do this to the ‘cat?
    “I’m Braden,” he finally said after regaining some control over his own thoughts. “I am very happy to meet you.” No matter what role he filled at present, he would always be a trader, always congenial to new people. Or creatures.
    Images of injuries became the focus of what Skirill sent to him. Braden closed his eyes and concentrated. He saw what the eagle was looking at. Injuries to his body, a wing, and one leg. Braden opened his eyes. He could barely make out the damage from where he was. He climbed the rocks to get a closer look. The eagle’s appearance was menacing, his hooked beak ready to tear flesh. Braden stopped and looked back at the ‘cat. The human held out his arms, palms up in the universal what-the-hell gesture. The ‘cat slightly inclined his chin, indicating that Braden should go on.
    “I think you need another dip in the water.” Braden concentrated hard on his memory of a dunked G-War from yesterday. The look on the ‘cat’s face. Their mindlink snapped shut.
    Braden laughed to himself as he resumed his climb. The eagle bobbed its head. Had he seen that image?
    He took a seat before the eagle with his palms outward in what he hoped showed calm. The eagle was far more impressive close up. As it stood, it was taller than G-War was long. It was easily as wide. Its wingspan would probably be as long as his old wagon. The beak was rough, small notches marking where it had tried to rip through something hard. Maybe it had succeeded. The injuries on the eagle’s body suggested that maybe it was not.
    It looked like a Bear claw had caught the eagle unaware. Braden wondered if it was from the one they had seen to the north. Maybe the Bear had frozen the eagle’s mind and then attacked. It was a miracle the eagle had gotten away. The great bird nudged Braden’s head. He recoiled, until he realized that the eagle wasn’t interested in a long examination. It was interested in the help that the ‘cat probably promised.
    “I have numbweed. I have a needle and thread. I have something to use as a bandage. I can help you.” Braden started climbing down, over his shoulder he told Skirill, “I’ll be right back.”
    After applying most of his stock of numbweed, Braden decided that it would be a step too far to try and stitch up the worst of the wounds, the one on the eagle’s leg. He asked for G-War’s help in communicating.
    The ‘cat harrumphed, then opened the mindlink. The images were calm, not