Keith the Tortoise
Keith was a simple tortoise, he eats, he walks, he sleeps and he lives. Keith wakes up in the morning to his children and his wife in the Basin home land and does these things every day and all day. He hated having the same days every day only seeing his family and eating the same foods. Keith longed for excitement and he was vigilant on the fact that he would find it. It was not until the one night, when the full moon was glowing like a silver lantern and the neighbouring forests trees whistled in the wind like a harmonic symphony, did Keith ever think about actually leaving but something about the supernatural feel in the air of that night made Keith's blood pump with adrenaline and he wasn't completely himself.
He stood outside his home in the cold breeze swaying side to side on his clumpy four legs, he looked longingly around for adventure but there was none to be found. He swore he heard the whistle of a wolf being carried in the air but he knew there were no wolves here, not in the Basin anyway, it had just been the wind catching the trees of the forest. The forest! That was it! He turned majestically and stared full heartedly and pleadingly into the pitch blackness of the forest.
Should he actually leave, even if it was only for a night, just one night in the forest away from responsibility and everything that had stopped him from doing this before now? He shook his head and with that the doubtful questions which lingered in his mind. He would do it; he would be the first one to leave the Basin in over seven centuries and he knew there was no wrong in it because he fully intended on coming back.
He started walking towards the edge of the forest without hesitation, his head was high and his soul was gleaming with the prospects of excitement. He reached the forest perimeter and stared in the blackness, he could see nothing and for a moment doubt was present. Again he shook it off and walked forwards, this time for feebly, into the darkness.
He'd been walking for about five minutes and even though he was getting deeper into the forest the consistency of darkness stayed the same. He was not afraid he could protect himself if needed and he would. The silence of the forest seemed almost deafening, it was too quiet. Where was all the nocturnal wildlife of the forest, the owls, the mice, anything!
"Screech!" the silence was broken by a sound that could only be described by those who had been made death by it. As the screech echoed away into the midst of the trees Keith had felt a burst of fear, what was he thinking coming into the forest, what if he was killed? He'd never see his children again. Another screech but this time it was closer and more violent and all of a sudden he was surrounded by vultures all different shapes and sizes, the fire in the eyes of the mighty birds almost lit the surrounding area.
One vulture landed and stepped forward so he was only an inch away from Keith, who would have backed away or ran if he was not too scared to move. The vultures who Keith presumed to be the ringleader spoke with a rasping voice, "Evening, what's a tasty lump of flesh like you doing in a place like this". He again moved closer to Keith who tried to back away but he had been surrounded by the five other vultures.
Keith would have been scared if he hadn't remember one important thing, he had brought protection, he reached deep into the back of his shell and fumbled for the object he needed. The ringleader vulture clearly saw the movement and shouted "Get him". His voice boomed through the rows of trees but the sounds challenge was met and a mighty roar smashed through the air. Keith and the vultures stopped moving, they were as still as the tress themselves.
Crack! A branch falls from high above and lands on one of the vultures but this still did not spark movement in any of the others, as if staying still somehow allowed them to be camouflaged in the darkness. Something darker that the blackness of the forest itself was blurring past them in every direction, a slash of claws and another of the vultures was taken down. This time panic arose and the four remaining vultures flew around in a whirl of confusion. Gleaming claws, scarlet blood and black feather filled the air and then came to settle on the ground like a sick collage. Only the ringleader of the vultures remained. He stood shivering in fear only caring for himself and not the lives of his fallen comrades.
"Umphuphu?" muttered the terrified vulture into the darkness as if he were talking to it.
"It is me" boomed a low and ferocious voice at which the vulture seemed to whimper "Who is it that questions my name so freely?" the voice was demanding and it seemed to come from all directions.
The vultures looked like he was going to faint but he stood up tall and said "I am Lenny the vulture, leader of the Winged Shadows..." but he stopped and looked down upon the dead.
"I am sparing your life Lenny the vulture, make good of it" rumbled the voice and as soon as these words were spoken Lenny was flying off leaving behind his fallen friends, a few feathers (still floating in the air) and a muffled whimper. Out of the midst of trees and blackness emerged a mighty jaguar and he faced Keith proud and stern. "I am Umphuphu, I have saved your life tortoise, what you say of it?"
Keith thanked the jaguar generously and took his hand from inside his shell; he no longer needed to protect himself.
"What were you doing so far into the woods young tortoise?" spoke the mighty jaguar. Keith stared into the gleaming eyes of the beast and spoke clearly "I came for adventure but have found nothing but danger, I thank you for saving me Umphuphu and I will do anything to repay you"
Umphuphu leaned closer to Keith "Anything?" questioned the jaguar in his rumbling voice.
Keith was in shock, who had thought his saviour would be a sexual predator; once again Keith reached into his shell and pulled out a 9mm pistol which he aimed at Umphuphu. There was a slight look of regret in Umphuphu's eyes as the gun was pointed at him, he just shouldn't have said anything. The shot was fired and Umphuphu's brain was splattered over he nearby bushes. The flash lit up the forest and the bang seemed to awaken all the creatures. Keith made his escape back for the opening from which he came, and he was not stopped by any creature of the forest because they feared his gun, and the murderous look in his eye.
E-T-J-Lewis