Rise of the Cat Women Ch. 05

"That is because Tracker is young," Honey replied to her sister. Although their minds were totally inside each other. She knew John liked to speak aloud. "Honey thinks it is better for humans to follow us instead of killing all in city." Her mind filled with the idea of city cats trying to fight off humans with automatic weapons. Her whimpers spread through her sisters until all of them were looking around in horror.

"Now you know why we had to lead the followers away Candy," John said into their minds. They felt his calming presence and the vision faded away.

Candy felt a cold chill run down her back. "How far back are they?"

"Kitten?"

"I did not hear or see anything behind us John," she said in first person. Like all the others it was hard for her to think in first person now. But this was important and she needed to focus. She looked down and added mentally, "But Kitten was following her master's scent."

The other cat woman added a second later. "Winnie is sorry she focused on scent of her male instead of what was behind."

Instead of answering directly John said, "Tonight we will sleep under fur without fire or heat showing."

"Candy will scout for John and lead human's away from family." Candy declared.

"No, Candy. There is a time to fight and time to hunker down. Tonight we all hunker down and see what the winds bring," John replied mentally. "I want all my girls close to snuggle with." As one all the cat women mewed in need and then quickly looked at each other in fear. He smiled and looked down at Little Bit, "You and I both know humans not that close right?"

The little wolf sniffed the air and John felt her thoughts fully for the first time. "No humans close," she replied.

It was well after dark and they were huddling close together under the fur when Little Bit growled deep in her throat. "Shhhh, I smell them too Little Bit," John said in a whisper. Mentally he added to his girls, "No a sound or movement no matter what unless I command."

It took almost a half an hour before he heard the soft sounds of crunching boots in snow. A pair of human voices came over the wind. "There is no way they came this way," one voice said,

"The Sargent said check everywhere. They couldn't have fallen off the face of the earth." Another voice replied. "Check again with the scope."

"You check, I am heading back," the first replied.

The voices faded as the boot sounds disappeared. For a long time, they remained silent and hardly breathing. Finally, Candy said mentally, "Grunts..." she added the vision of the humans tripping over a painted line.

"More like squids," John replied with a smile mentally. He paused and then said, "All of you should be safe here until I get back."

"Candy think John should stay and she go. No Kitten go. No Baby Girl go." One by one each of his girls wanted to go in his place.

"No I will go alone. Each of you is with child, my child and I will not risk you." He patted his rifle and then said, "I will leave it and only scout numbers and location." As he got up to go Little Bit followed him. "No Little Bit it is up to you to guard your sisters." The wolf cub trotted back to the others and sat down. "If they try to leave without my call, bite them."

"She says she cannot bite sisters." Honey said softly.

"You have my permission to bite them." John crouched down close and looked at Candy, "Your sister Candy told me she loves to be given little love nips."

From where she was saying Candy rolled her eyes as Baby Girl said mentally, "That's not fair, she takes everything you say as gospel."

He licked Little Bits face and added, "In fact now that I think about it all of your sisters enjoy little love nips now and then."

"She said she knows you are teasing her sisters," Honey told him.

"That's true Little Bit I was teasing them but you can bite them anyways if they get out of line." John said mentally to her. He looked at the others, "Be good and I will be back soon."

"At least let one sister go. Tracker" Little Bit said clearly into his mind.

"Tracker follow behind me and step only in my tracks," John said softly. He burrowed out on the downhill side of the tree and not moving his head looked out into the white expanse. It was near whiteout conditions and he couldn't see shit. He moved very slow out and away from the tree to the west a good click before circling around. Only once did he stop and mentally ask, "Still with me Tracker?"

"Yes Mas... John," Tracker replied He could feel the fear in her mind.

He slowly turned and looked back at her, "If you're scared you can follow the trail back and erase our back trail on the way."

She realized he had read her like a book and knew the fear they all felt. "Tracker will stay," she finally said mentally to him.

Returning his attention to the front John continued on searching out for any sound or scent of the humans somewhere ahead of them. He was about to admit the blizzard had him beat when he caught the scent of wood smoke on the wind. He didn't like it and it smelled like a trap. He was about to tell Tracker to back track when he caught sight of something moving too fast to be natural. "Get down slowly," he commanded as he crouched lower himself.

Now that he was looking he made out two figures dressed in snow camo and dug into the snow so only their heads were showing. "Two-man sniper team dug in," he transmitted to Candy. He tried to find the cross fire team but could not and asked her, "Second team unknown location. Ideas?"

"Break left," Candy said after a time. "We are breaking camp now. Meet four clicks south by southwest John."

"Hold, I am sending Tracker back to you while I pull them off." He thought Candy would put up a fight but she remained quiet. To Tracker he said, "Once I pull them away, get back to the others as safe as you can."

It was Honey who replied in his mind, "Please be careful master. Little Bit says you owe her a cub of her own."

He smiled mentally and then began working his way to the left. He had only gone fifty meters when he found the second team. He continued skirting them slowly and saw a faint flash. A long minute later he heard the boom of a fifty cal. "Someone shooting to the far left." On the wind he caught the scent of an elk. "Elk," he transmitted a moment later.

John jumped up and ran hard for twenty paces and dove into the snow. He could hear and feel the thump of bullets as they hit ground near him. "Tracker go now... slowly and close to the ground." They would expect him to run to the right because of the muzzle flash before so he jumped up and ran left. When John ran ten more paces he dove to the right and into the snow. Once he hit ground he burrowed as fast as he could back to the left and waited.

Less than twenty seconds later he heard the crunch of footsteps. The human's slowed down and stopped an arm's length away. More men ran up until he knew he was trapped. Finally, there was one last set that stopped on top of his back and pinned him to the ground. "Spread out and find it," a voice directly above him commanded.

"Tracker is clear John," Candy transmitted. "She is erasing the trail on her way so you can break contact."

"I wish," John transmitted back. "Someone is standing on my back above the snow," he transmitted a minute later. "Once Tracker is to you, head to meet point. I will join once clear." He found he was having a hard time breathing with the weight crushing him. But that was not his greatest fear. With him pinned as he was he could not move and the snow before his mouth and nose was melting and refreezing. If he did not get free soon he would suffocate before he froze to death.

He was feeling faint when the weight left his back and the men began heading back up the hill. John was about to move when he heard someone shifting their weight near him. The bastards were good. They left at least one lookout. More likely it was one of the sniper teams. He heard the sounds of someone digging downhill from him and risked turning his head slightly. Getting fresh air John laid still and thought. He was inside the sniper teams and if he popped up they would toast his ass. If he stayed under he was dead from the snow and ice.

"How is John doing?" Honey asked.

"John is Fubared Honey girl," he replied.

"What is Fubared?" Honey asked the others as made their way down the hill. She was walking behind Candy who stopped dead at her thoughts.

"John how bad is it?" Candy asked filled with fear.

"Under packed snow with 2 man team dug in about five feet away. Other teams have me in cross fire and won't make same mistakes again." John said reporting in a flat clinical voice. On his internal map of where they were he saw they had turned and were headed back towards him. "Candy, get others to safety."

"Candy cannot hear John he must be breaking up."

No matter who he tried they all said the same thing as they spread apart and worked their way towards him. "Honey... please love don't come up here. I can't let you die... not again," John begged.

"Honey not lose John so hush please and let us work in peace."

He could not let them. Slowly, knowing any moment was his last, John moved towards the pair closest to him. The first few feet were the worst but once he limbered up he was able to warm up. He was about to raise up and pounce on them from behind when one of the men said, "Do you hear that?"

"Yea what the hell is it do you think?"

"Sounds for the life of me like a puppy barking."

"Little Bit stop so I can get out." John didn't get a reply so added, "If you do not stop barking and return to your sisters you will never have a pup from me."

"It's stopped now," one of the voices said.

"You think?"

A minute later Baby Girl said, "What a terrible thing to say to her John."

"I'm saying it to all of you now. I will castrate myself before mating again if you continue this way against my command." John was mad first at his girls for disobeying him but more putting Little Bit into harm's way.

They stopped and he heard Honey say, "Honey does not want any more children after John hurt Little Bit."

"I am going hurt you all for putting her in danger way when I get back Honey. Now to quote someone I know, please be quiet while I work." He was about to make his move when he heard a M-16 cut loose with a full clip off to the far right of him. Then there was another clip burned to the far left.

He heard a voice he hadn't heard in a month, "Who's shooting, Who's shooting."

Then several voices reported in negative. As the spotter responded in, John lunged up and snapped the shooter's neck. He turned to the shocked man still holding the mic and ripped his throat out. "Clear but staying to play."

"Don't you dare John," Candy replied. "It is all I can do to keep the others from not doing more than rock and rolling two clips."

"Have an old friend up here I want to reach out and touch," John sent coldly. "They must be desperate to send a star out here. Now go I have work to do."

Just then the radio cracked to life, "Post four report." A pause and them "Post four report." Again a pause, "Post three, post five see anything?"

"Post three negative."

"Post five negative."

Taking the sniper rifle he focused it up the hill towards where he knew one of the posts was. To his surprise he saw a man standing and looking through a spotter scope at him. "Shot," he transmitted as he pulled the break trigger and then the secondary one. At four hundred yards there was no chance he would miss. Switching his point to the left he waited until the shooter reacted. He caught sight of the shooter and realized the man had a bead on him already. Instead of shooting the shooter slumped forwards. It was then that he heard the boom from a fifty cal.

"Shot," Baby Girl transmitted a moment later.

"You are supposed to say that before you pull the trigger sister," another voice said in his mind.

Even before he heard the discharge John was trying to find the other post that was close. He caught sight of a quick movement and heard the discharge almost at the same moment. "Oh god I saw his head explode," he heard Honey say in his mind and then a wail aloud. He shifted his aim and fired blindly up the hill in hopes of getting the shooter's attention. To his surprise he saw a man jump up and quickly shot him in the back.

"Don't you think you have made your point," John heard Candy say from behind him. Spinning he saw that cat woman lying down with her head peaking over the berm at him, "Let it go John...."

"Not yet," John said to her. Picking up the mic John stared to Candy as he said aloud, "I have taken six General. Follow me and I will take the rest. Then I will come for you. No matter where you hide I will reach out and touch you and that CIA prick with you."

"John?" the radio cracked. "Come up and we will talk son."

"Come on down," John replied.

"John... please come away now. They are circling in from the sides. We must go," Candy begged. The face that looked back at her was filled with rage and caused her to flinch. After a moment the rage passed and John nodded.

Instead of rushing John searched the bodies and took every fifty cal clip he found. He also found six hand grenades and grinned evilly. He had planned on taking the rifle with him but had a better plan. When they hurried downhill he knew Candy was dying to ask why did he leave it. Before they had made it to the others there was an explosion behind them and he giggled.

"Remind Candy never to pick up something you left behind," Candy said softly in his mind. They traveled alone in silence until they reached the others.

John looked at them and then went to Little Bit. "I am sorry I threatened you baby but they were about to shoot and I could not lose you." The wolf cub came over and licked his muzzle. He licked her back and was shocked when she bit him.

"She says she forgives you for threatening her but is now mad you called her a baby. She is grown up and part of the family, not a baby," Candy said aloud. She started laughing and in a moment the others laughed too.

"Baby was a term of love not an age description," John said looking at Little Bit. The cub licked him tenderly and before going to sit down with the others. "We are not done discussing this," John said. "However it will have to wait until we get a little further away. Candy how is your skill at creating IUD's?"

"Candy can do better than a certain grunt." Candy bantered back. "That was an old trick back in World War One."

Winnie said softly, "If it is traps you want, Winnie can do better than both of you combined."

"Okay Winnie," John said after a moment of surprise. "You, Kitten and I will follow the others. Looking at Candy, I want some tree cover soonest. I spy with my little eye an eye in the sky."

"Not in this weather John," Candy replied. "However your point is taken." She paused and then said quickly, "Baby Girl lead out, Tracker you keep a tight leash on our wayward Honey and let Little Bit ride in your pack. I will take the rear guard."

As the others left John pulled the five grenades she had. "I need two traps or just one if you can find the right place. Max damage to send a message you have five minutes Winnie to plan." He looked at Kitten, "Yours is the worst job, you have to wipe our trail while I watch."

Before she could nod Winnie said, "Not yet... let tracks lead them to Winnie's gift." She handed two back to John with a smile, "John may want two just in case he needs it."

As he returned them to them to his pack, John said you both go, "I will watch our backs and follow five minutes behind."

Kitten put her hands on her waist, "No Kitten stay in back... John would stay and then sisters beat her up." Even when he stared at her hard she gulped but returned his look. In a soft whisper almost like the wind she said, "Honey would never forgive me. I can't take her hate again John."

It was he who looked down, "Get toasted and Winnie would fall apart." When he looked up John said, "We all go together." They followed the others for almost three clicks before Winnie stopped and looked around.

She looked at John and then Kitten, "Winnie needs four meters of string and time." Without waiting she began digging down into the snow beside a large rock.

"Kitten get her the string and then follow me. Watch out they will be wearing white," John said mentally. He back tracked up the path slowly until he was about five hundred meters away from Winnie. He was crouched down and watching when Kitten came up next to him. "Go forward another five hundred meters and wait and watch. First hint of contact you get come back along path. Make sure to make new tracks so they know where we are."

"Kitten thinks John is setting his own Easter egg," she replied mentally as she nuzzled him.

He was still debating how to set his trap when Winnie told them to come back. He waited until Kitten passed him before following her as quiet as a mouse. "See anything out of the ordinary?" Winnie asked him mentally once he got close.

John stopped and looked carefully around. While he did not want to shoot down Winnie he felt he had to say something. "There is a slight depression to the right of the rock and a hint of a string running from it across the path we made," he said mentally.

"You win Winnie," Candy said mentally.

"Good Winnie hoped it would show a little," Winnie replied mentally to John.

As he realized what she had done John looked at the quiet cat woman. She had set up the men following to do just what he would have done. Ignore the trap and go to the left around it. He looked to his left and couldn't see even a hint of a trap. Finally, he asked, "How did you set the trip?"

"Can a girl tell her lord and master later?"

John nodded and let Winnie lead them through her trap. Once they were about fifty meters past it he and Kitten started wiping their back trail. When they finally caught up with the others they were in heavy woods. Exhausted John transmitted, "I want a tree like we found before and another somewhere within one hundred meters of it." It wasn't until his girls started looking around for the site he wanted that he realized that if he was tired they must be about at dropping point.

It was Baby Girl who finally found the site. As the others worked their way towards her she dug a snow tunnel to it. Then following John's command, she dug a long one to the secondary site she had found. Little Bit and John were the last two through and once he reached the others he found that the 2^nd site consisted of a little grove of tightly growing cedar trees.

Like before they used the bear pelt as a roof and lay together eating jerky. John looked down at Little Bit who was gnawing on a piece jerky. He stroked the little wolf cub's back as he talked to her softly, "What am I going to do with my other girls Little Bit? Asking does not work, threating does not work even commanding does not work. I am too tired to keep fighting with them and at a loss of what to do?"

Even though they were resting on cedar needles, you could have heard a pin drop once he finished. John didn't expect an answer but it came. Not from any of his girls but from Little Bit. The wolf cub looked up at him. "Leader guide, pack hunt. Male doing backwards, let females do work while John guide." She looked at her sisters, "Sisters are confused. They try to follow male's orders but instinct says protect the male at all cost and win battle."

"That's a lot of advice from my Little Bit," John replied mentally. He looked at the others as he added, "I will take Little Bit's advice under consideration and put off the spanking. However, while putting your own lives on the line for me is one thing and excusable. Doing so with our daughters is another altogether." He looked at Candy, "Once our daughters are born, you and I are going to dance Candy." He then looked at the others, "Once I clean the carpet with Candy, each of you will receive advanced training in combat also."