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It was nearly dusk by the time they arrived at the lagoon. Jeru watched as Baruna undressed and then knelt on the ground, taking something foreign to the todd out of the burlap. "What is that?" he inquired, curiously looking over at the metal cylinder.

"I do not know exactly. But it gives light, see?" She pointed it at him, pressed a button and an audible click suddenly bathed Jeru's face in blinding brightness.

"Ow!" the todd lifted his paws to his face. "That is so neat! It's like a fire!"

The girl smiled. "A gift from Heeto...without his knowing, of course." Baruna stood up again and sighed. "You stay here, Jeru, and watch over me like last time. If I get into trouble..." She brought out a big length of coiled rope next; at the end of it was a medium-sized white rock, about as big as her two fists. Covering it was a small net woven of bamboo silk. "You throw this into the lagoon and hold tight to the rope. I should see it and be able to guide you to me to pull me back..."

Jeru grinned. "Like a big fish."

Baruna giggled in spite of herself and nosed her brother's ears. "Yes." She envied him at times, the way his young years injected him with such excitment and curiosity. Nothing fazed the todd; he was brave and steadfast and looked danger in the eye with an almost cold indifference. He was not too much younger than she; yet she felt much advanced in years, almost like his mother at times. Now she was off on an adventure of her own, decidedly dangerous, and for which a conclusion had yet to be realized.

The excitement and fear inside her squelched up a notch, and she shook her head a few times, clearing her thoughts. She gave the rope to the boy and stepped to the edge of the lagoon, looking down into the cold, dark water.

"Sis? Be careful, huh?" Jeru nosed her shoulder, and she smiled, kissing his ear. Then taking a few deep breaths, the vixen dove into the water.

**

"Enter..." came Loka's tired voice as Heeto slowly opened the flap to her tent.

"Priestess," the wolf growled, badly out of breath, approaching the old vixen sitting cross-legged on her cot. "I'm...very sorry to disturb you. I am looking for Baruna. She is not anywhere on the grounds, that I can see."

Loka smiled, her eyes closed. "And you are suggesting that I would know?"

Heeto flushed. "N-no...I...I don't know what I thought. I am worried for her..." He glanced at the stump next to her cot, and noticed the silver medallion. "She showed you this?" Heeto picked up the chain and twined it around his fingers.

"The spirits showed me..." Loka whispered, and chuckled softly. "And now they are showing the girl all she needs to know..."

Heeto swallowed hard. "Do you have any idea what she has done? What danger she is in? They will kill her, do you understand that?!"

The priestess' eyes flew open. "Who will?"

"The Mulu!" He sat down on the cot next to her. "Old woman, listen to me. I was sent here with the others, to your village. It was a peaceful mission at first. We were told simply to monitor you, and to lead in times of danger, to be your protectors. Your people have fascinated us, priestess, for several months now. I am Captain Johnathan Heeto, of a military unit in charge of land urbanizations. We essentially take land during a war, and keep the people safe from harm until military actions have ceased, then do our best to make sure they can care for and govern themselves before moving on..."

Loka's eyes widened as he spoke. "War...? What the devil are you speaking of, child?"

Heeto closed his eyes. "Priestess, we have been in a world war now for the past three years. Some distant miles away, young wolves like myself are dying horribly. I still sometimes hear an echo of thunder from explosions assaulting the beach all through the night. But that is not important right now..." He took her paw gently into both of his. "What matters to me most is Baruna. If she has indeed gone where I think she has, she, you...this whole tribe, are in terrible danger..."

"The spirits...they t-told me..."

Heeto frowned. "Will you forget about the ghost stories for now, and tell me where Baruna is!"

Loka looked up at him, her blue eyes tinted with reproach. "Touch one tuft of fur on her..."

"HARM her!? My GOD, woman, I'm trying to save ALL of you!"

The priestess looked at him for a long moment, then squeezed his paw, nodding slowly.

**

"Colonel, a call just came in for you." A smartly-dressed wolf came into the office, interrupting the other wolf seated at his desk with a quick salute and a transmitter. "Uh, Captain Haldren, village post C, Western Indonesia, number-"

"That will be all, Lieutenant, thank you." The wolf meekly salauted again and left. The colonel flipped on the radio and spoke into it. "God-dammit, Charles, if this is another-"

"Will you shut the fuck up and listen to me, Dan? Heeto's AWOL..."

The wolf's grip tightened on the radio. "What?"

"He's gone. He's not in the village...and one of the jeeps is missing from the barracks..."

"Where-"

"Dammit, Dan, you KNOW where. I told you from the start I didn't trust that bastard. Did you really expect him to play ball with us?"

"The salvage team-"

"Isn't due for another 24-36 hours, SIR."

The colonel was silent for a moment, listening to the distant static. "Order troops to withdraw immediately from the village."

"So that's it? We just cut and run?"

"Unless you feel like living out the rest of your days doing dishes at Leavenworth, Captain. It's too dangerous now."

"We can't leave the wreck-"

"We'll come back for it...there's too much attention now. Order the troops out and send in the planes. I want nothing left of that village, do you hear me?"

"And what about Heeto?"

He clenched his teeth and his yellow eyes burned. "Liquidate him."

"But sir, he's probably already on his way to the lagoon with the girl."

"Then I don't want anyone coming back from those waters alive, understand? You have your orders, Captain."

"Yes sir..."

The colonel jammed the switch off angrily and rose up from the desk, throwing a few papers and scattering them to the floor. "Lieutenant!" Quick scuffling came from outside the door and the young wolf barged in, saluting. "Get me air command on the horn immediately..."

TO BE CONTINUED...