If it hadn’t been for the cats Tika wouldn’t have been in the trouble she was in…or alone…except for the cats. On the other hand, if it hadn’t been for the cats, she’d have been dead.

  She peered past the bushes and stared at the smoking ruins of the colony, and looked for survivors. Nothing moved in the shattered rubble—nothing, except the dancing flames and curling smoke.

  The cat crouched beside her darted back toward the cave, and Tika ran, too. She’d almost reached the entrance when she heard the rumble of engines.

  Whoever they were, they were making sure, stealing another colony world while no-one was watching. With no survivors left, the world would be theirs to claim.

  Tika reached the cave, slid inside, and twisted around to lie on her belly. Settling to the earth, she peered back through the low entrance. A distant glint of silver caught her gaze and she stared at it, wanting to get a better look, but not stupid enough to venture outside.

  That thing would have sensors scouring the landscape for signs of life. If it found hers, her life would be forfeit.

  The cat pawed at her calf, half-extended claws snagging at the material of her jeans.

  Tika glanced back, just as the cat pawed her again.

  “Jellybean!”

  In response, the cat screwed up her face in a half snarl and retreated further down the tunnel. Tika shimmied back to follow her. If Jellybean still wanted her to run, something else was coming—and she didn’t want to hang around to find out what it was.

  It was a relief when the cave’s narrow mouth broadened into a tunnel and she could stand. More of a relief when she heard a soft ‘crump’ from outside, and felt the ground shake.

  “No…” she whispered, and started to run.

  Ahead of her, the cat was a lighter shadow in the dark, its fur lit by firelight coming from somewhere beyond the approaching bend. Tika might have stopped, except a second ‘crump’ followed the first, and the ground heaved.

  Stones clattered to the floor behind her, and she pushed forward. Too late!

  She’d almost reached the corner when a third ‘crump’ rocked the earth, and both cave and tunnel shook. A fist of warm air roared down the passage, slamming her into the wall ahead. A star-burst of black dragged her under before her body hit the floor, and dirt and rock showered down around her.

  The darkness gave way to a soft, yellow light and a headache the size of the Explorer’s Dream…except the ship was long gone. Tika groaned, lifting a hand to shield her eyes as she cautiously turned her head.

  Something snagged at her wrist and arm, pinning them lightly in place, and she drew a sharp breath, flailing until it fell away. Panic rode her as she pushed herself half-up, shoving the rest of the light weight from her. It took several seconds for her to register the blanket she’d flung aside…

  …and several seconds longer to notice the two great cats lounging beside the fire.

  Great cats… Carnivores… Much bigger than the ship’s mascot she’d followed into the forest that morning.

  “Jellybean, what have you done?” she whispered, looking for the tri-colored menace that had yowled and pawed at her until she’d gone to see what it had found.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  The ship’s mascot was nowhere in sight, but one of the big cats turned its head. Tika met its gaze and swallowed. Her boss had told her she had a nasty habit of talking out loud. Tika had told him that was how she thought.

  Verbal processor was what the learning docs had called it—not a trait the corporation encouraged. They hadn’t raised any objection when she’d wanted to join this expedition.

  The big cat gave a long-suffering yawn and stretched. Typical cat, it extended its forelegs in front of it, opening its mouth in a long-fanged yawn. Watching, Tika figured her boss might have had a point.

  She’d have been better off trying to work her way around the edge of the cave without making a sound, but…

  Pain lanced through her head and she shivered.

  Since when did cats have blankets, anyway?

  She had the attention of both cats, now, and couldn’t help admiring the way the fire played over their coats. Their eyes, too...if she thought about it.

  “Well, at least you’re pretty…” Tika muttered.

  In truth, she was trying to stand up, but her body was having none of it. She hurt and her legs wouldn’t do more than twitch. She was about to be eaten by two of the prettiest predators she’d ever seen.

  The cat that had stretched, sat on its hindquarters and ducked its head, chuffing softly.

  “A…are you laughing at me?” Tika couldn’t help it. She’d always talked to animals…and they’d always responded with trust in return.

  That was what had sealed her place on the expedition. Sure, her pharmaceutical experience was what had put her in the running. Discovering the medicinal properties of the local plant-life would give the colony an edge when it came to establishing some kind of trade, but the expedition leader hadn’t been sold, until he’d seen her scoop Jellybean into her arms on the tour.

  “You like animals?” he’d asked, and she’d nodded, stroking the cat’s head and ears.

  Jellybean’s purr had said the cat liked her, too, and the tour had taken a side-trip through the livestock section. Tika’s quickly established rapport with the colony’s future transport and food supply had seen her hired the same day.

  Tears sprang to her eyes.

  All those animals…

  Movement drew her attention, and she re-focused.

  Since when had she taken her eyes off the predators in the room?

  The big cat stood, firelight drawing ruby highlights from its fur, and Tika tensed, watching for what it did next.

  Her eyes widened as it balanced on its hind legs, its form blurring and growing thicker, until a woman with magnificent chestnut hair stood before her.

  “Thank you for saving our cub,” she said, by way of introduction.

  “Your cub?” Tika swallowed, her mind scrambling as the world beneath it shifted. Man-eating felines could be human, too?

  Another voice interrupted before the woman could answer.

  “Well, she hasn’t run screaming…”

  “Can’t run.” The comment was out before Tika could stop it. “Legs won’t move.”

  That drew a look of concern from the woman, and she glanced in the direction of the unseen speaker.

  “He’s sleeping,” a man answered, stepping around a corner in the rock. “Won’t let go of the damned cat. We’re going to have to ask the humans if they’ll take a trade.”

  The woman scowled at him. “Not the problem, here, dear.”

  “It will be, if we can’t find a way to negotiate co-habitation.”

  Laughter erupted in a short bark from Tika’s chest. Pain followed and she wrapped her arms around her chest. Both cat…people…turned to her.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You…can keep the cat,” she told them, grimacing with pain. “There’s no-one left…to…negotiate with…”

  Shouts of alarm followed her back into the dark, but she was out before they reached her.

  When she woke, hours later, it was to the sound of heated debate.

  “You know it’s the only way,” the man…male cat-person said…and was he pleading?

  “They said they were bringing a pod, that they had a regen tank on board.” Protest from the female.

  Tika opened her eyes. Someone had laid her back down and tucked the blanket around her, again. The two cats stood facing off. The male made an abrupt gesture toward her.

  “They won’t get here in time. You know it and I…”

  A child’s voice interrupted them. “Is the nice lady going to die?”

  “Yes,” Tika murmured. “The nice lady wants to know.”

  That got their attention. They turned, looked at her, then looked at each other. Anguish twisted the woman’s expression, and she glanced away.

  “Roka, can you please…”

  The reply was abrupt. “I’ve already told you the answer. She needs to be bitten.”

  Tika tensed. “She what?”

  The protest was weak, at best. Her head spun and she felt mildly nauseous.

  “Can’t feel…a thing.”