Chapter 1

Jake's POV.

Tuesday, 10.00pm

(About a hundred armed Hork-Bajir and humans coming our way, will reach us when in about five minutes.) Tobias reported from his position in the air.
We were about to be fried by millions of darcon beams, and here we were trapped in the current battle.
(It's a trap!) Rachel yelled.
I jumped at a nearby Hork-Bajir, biting at his throat, but they just kept coming. Each of us was fighting our own battle. Cassie was already bleeding quite badly on her head. Her left ear was gone. Rachel had lost a hand. And Marco.
(OUCH! My ass is cooked!) Marco cried in pain.
We were under attack by some Hork-Bajir with hundreds more to be expected, according to Tobias.
(Jake, we've got to do something. We cannot hold on much longer.) Cassie said breathlessly.
My mind was spinning as I attacked. This could not be the end of us. No, I would not allow that.
(Prince Jake)
A flash of blue. The Hork-Bajir in front of me had lost a head.
(Ax! You are alive! Thanks God.) I said.
(Yes, Prince Jake.) Ax said as he swung his tail again and again.
We need to retreat fast. Everybody get out of here! I yelled. (Ax, help Marco. Tobias, you Rachel. NOW GO)
(I hate a defeat.) Rachel growled.
Tobias screamed his hawk cry and aimed at the Hork-Bajir attacking Rachel. Rachel slashed at another one with her good paw and charged her way out. With Tobias's distraction, she moved, demorphing a little to help her run faster. I roared and jumped at the couple of Hork-Bajirs attacking Cassie.
(Go Cassie. GO! GO)
Cassie scrambled out and ran, joining Ax and Marco. (Jake!) Cassie was shouting.
I was running. The last two surviving Hork-Bajirs were giving chase. Already, darcon beams were behind us.
(We need to split up. Everyone find a place to hide and demorph fast. Take wings, we will meet up again. I will do the distraction)
(But, Jake!) Marco started to argue.
(No time to argue. I will catch up with you in a minute)
Silence and then, (All right, see you later, Pal)
I slowed down my pace, turned and jumped at one of the Hork-Bajir. The other was swinging his deadly arm at me. Deep cuts were appearing on my orange fur. My muscles tightened in pained. I glared at the Hork-Bajir at my feet with merciless eyes, bit at his throat and sprang at the standing one without missing a beat. It was over in seconds. With one leg on the fallen Hork-Bajir, I sniffed the air. The troop had arrived. The tiger in me had sensed the coming danger and was ready to leave. "Anadalite! AFTER HIM!" Someone yelled. Thousands of footsteps echoed through the forest.
I ran, my tiger heart was beating million times per second. Blinded by the pains of my wounds, I was running aimlessly. There was no time to demorph. I needed to get away, but I was getting tired. I was bleeding badly, and I felt weak. I continued to force myself to run. I could barely make out where I was going.
The forest ground turned hard under my feet and then opened up in front of me. I jammed brake and nearly fell off, my movement sending crumble of sands and rocks down. My heart nearly stopped at the moment. I was at the edge of the cliff. I turned back and saw the enemies approaching. My heart was pounding hard. I waited for the shots. Nothing. For a moment, I realised that the forest was eerily quiet, except for the sound of my heavy panting and the noises of the army approaching.
I continued to fix my eyes at the strange combination troop of Hork-Bajir and human. Someone was moving out from the army.
An Andalite stepped out, confident as always. He grinned with pleasure of his obvious victory. (About time, Andalite! I've got you this time, haven't I?) His voice booming inside my head was making me dizzy all over.
Visser Three.
(You are an easy target know. I will gladly take you myself.) Visser Three moved a leg, stepping forward, his tail upright swinging slightly. I was growling, remaining completely stilled. Death was in the air. The tiger knew it, and I knew it. There was no way I could fight against a powerful Andalite with a deadly tail with my injured body. The human me was trembling with fear, but the Siberian tiger was unusually calm. I could sense his determination to fight till his last breadth. It was glaring fiercely at its strange blue enemy without fear, watching his every movement, measuring, looking for a way out. With the deadly blade waving threateningly in the air, Visser Three took another step and stopped. (But I would not do that. Your Andalite body is too precious to waste. Besides, it will be good to know at last the hideout of you Andalite bandits for a change)
I was immediately seeing visions. My parents at the Yeerk Pool being held hostage. The exposure of the Animorph's identity. Cassie being captured.
I felt faint. Those things could not happened. (GET HIM!) Visser Three yelled turning his stalk eyes sharply at his army.
I did the only thing I could think of. I turned and leaped.
With my massive tiger weight, I was falling extremely fast. I could hear Visser Three's thought speech as he screamed in fury. (GET HIM YOU FOOLS. I WANT HIM ALIVE OR YOU CAN END YOUR MISERABLE LIFE)
Looking up, I saw Visser Three at the position where I was a second ago. I met his eyes. I grinned what I hoped looked like a grin on my tiger face and waved my tiger paws at him. The wind was blowing hard against me. So this was how it would end for me. Being the unofficial leader of the Animorph, shouldn't I be dying fighting honourable battles? But here I was jumping to death to get away from the enemy. Nope, not a brave act at all. But hey, at least I had protected the Animorphs. My friends were alive. That was enough for me. Maybe they would be better without me as a leader.
(JAKE)
I thought I heard someone calling me in my head. I had to be dreaming. I closed my eyes and felt sleepy all of a sudden. I felt strangely at peace at this edge of death. A flood of relief was flowing through me. No more battles, no more life decisions to make, no more nightmares and no more schools. Funny I would think of these. Shouldn't I be thinking of my loves ones? Like my parents. And Tom. My biggest regret would be not being able to save him from the Yeerk in his head. And Cassie, sweet sweet Cassie. She didn't even realise how pretty she was in my eyes. I would never be able to tell her my feelings and… I thought I felt something, then darkness fell.