Once Tuvia and the captain were safely sitting in the back of the fisherman’s boat, Jack flew down and rested on Tuvia’s shoulder.

“My name’s Oliver.”

“My name is Zevulun, but everyone calls me Captain.”

“My name is Tuvia. Thank you for rescuing us.”

“Any decent person would do the same,” Oliver said. “Soon we’ll arrive at the small island I live on and you can plan your next move.”

“Is that it right there?” Tuvia pointed to an island on the horizon with tall trees.

“Yes, that’s home. I live alone with my panther, Hafthor.”

“Panther?”

“Well, at least I think he is!” Oliver laughed, his booming voice reverberating in the air. “He’s a big cat, I’ll tell you that much. Don’t worry, he doesn’t usually bite. I’ve trained him to only attack pirates.”

“Maybe we look like pirates to him.” The captain tugged at his sword.

“Maybe.” Oliver grinned mischievously. “We’ll find out, won’t we?”

Oliver’s island was not the most scenic place; the trees were all dark and dying and even the sand was filled with seaweed and rock fragments.

“It’s not the prettiest place to be, but it’s home.” Oliver smiled contentedly. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.”

“Are there any fruits or vegetables here? We’re both starving to death!” the captain inquired as they hopped off Oliver’s boat and waded onto the beach.

“Fruits? Vegetables?” Oliver laughed. “Not much of those on the island. Trees and bushes here are barren mostly. Not to worry, though. There’s plenty of wild hogs.”

“Wild hogs?” Tuvia grimaced.

“Oh, yes, me laddy, and their meat is delicious! I wouldn’t be surprised if dinner is already waiting for us.” Oliver clapped his large hands together twice and bellowed loudly.

“Haaaafthoooor!”

A terrifying panther scream echoed around the island.

“I don’t like animals.” The captain gripped the hilt of his sword.

“Thanks, bucko!” Jack screeched from his perch on Tuvia’s shoulder.

Something came crashing through the underbrush, shaking the ground as it went. The biggest, blackest panther Tuvia and the captain had ever seen burst from the tree line. Clenched in its enormous jaws was a large hog.

“There’s a good fellow!” Oliver roared in approval. “See, I told you that dinner was ready for us! C’mere, big boy!”

“Wait!” The captain drew his sword and took up a defensive stance as the panther dropped its prey from its mouth and ran toward them at breakneck speed. Jack screeched in alarm and took off into the air.

“Put the sword away!” Oliver yelled.

“You’ll frighten him!”

“No! Put him away!” The captain held the sword out in front of Hafthor as the giant cat stopped short and bared its white, glistening fangs at him.

“He won’t hurt you! But if you appear threatening, he’ll attack!” Oliver pleaded with the captain. “Please, brother, put it down! You have to trust me….”

“It’s okay, Captain,” Tuvia said. “I think we can trust him.”

The captain slowly lowered his sword.

“He’s still baring his fangs at me.” The captain stared down the panther, neither one of them moving a foot toward each other.

“Well, you’ve upset him, haven’t you?” Oliver scowled. “Hafthor is a gentle boy, but ya can’t provoke him, see.”

“I’m sorry.” The captain sheathed his sword. “It’s just that I’m more concerned for the boy, Tuvia, than myself. We’re on a journey to bring him back home to his family. I don’t think they’ll be too pleased to greet him and discover he’s missing a limb!”

“Wait a minute!” Oliver turned to Tuvia excitedly. “I was just stopped by a ship, not too long ago. They were a large crew, hired to find the whereabouts of a boy who was lost from his parents months ago. The family survived a ship attack, but the boy was separated from them during the battle and they’re trying to track him down.”

Oliver stared at Tuvia incredulously.

“You wouldn’t be that boy they’re all searching for, would you?”

“I am.” Tuvia felt like he could not breathe. “H-how l-long ago did you come into contact with this rescue ship?”

“Dunno, sometime earlier today.”

“You must find this ship!” the captain pleaded. “This boy has been wandering at sea for much too long, lost and homesick. Please!”

“You don’t have to ask me twice, my friends.” Oliver bowed low. “I’m a good man with a good heart. I want to help you. But listen, it’s going to be dark soon. Have patience and stay the night. First thing in the morn’ I’ll take you out to sea and we’ll find that ship, no matter what.”

“Thank you!” Tuvia fought back the tears that had sprung to his eyes. “Thank you so much!”

That night they all sat around a fire, staring up at a clear sky filled with millions of stars, listening to the soothing sound of the waves washing up and down the beach.

Hafthor lay down next to Oliver, placing his giant head on his lap. Jack watched the panther closely from the safety of Tuvia’s shoulder. Oliver and Hafthor had enjoyed their meat, while Tuvia and the captain had eaten a few nourishing berries they had found on the island.

“Captain, look!” Tuvia pointed to the sky. “Those birds are back!”

“Interesting, they’re not attacking us like last time. I wonder if they can’t see us….”

Oliver looked up. “Ah, the callidus bird. You do know the legend, don’t you?”

“No,” Tuvia and the captain said in unison.

“Well, supposedly there’s a special fish called the lightning bird. Its fins are said to be filled with a priceless material. Only during the most dangerous, violent storms does the lightning bird appear on the ocean surface. They say, if you follow the callidus birds, the rarest species of flying animals in the universe, then you’ll find the lightning bird.”

“Why is this fish called a lightning bird?” Tuvia asked.

“Who knows?” Oliver’s eyes sparkled as he stared across the fire at Tuvia. “If you ever capture it, maybe you’ll discover the answer to that mystery….”

To be continued…

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 832)