2nd chapter for my story Final Choice! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I still do not own Wild Kratts!=)

-The Chase-

Chris woke up in a cold sweat. His heart was racing and his whole body was shaking.

He'd had another one if the nightmares he's been having ever since their run in with Zach and his robot double over 2 years ago. It took him a moment to remember where he was. Eventually, he was able to calm down and slow his breathing.
Chris knew that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so he crawled out of he and his brother's tent out into the chilly night air. It was refreshing after being inside of the hot, stuffy tent.

He looked up at the sky and estimated it to be around 2 o'clock in the morning. The sun wasn't up yet, but the moon was low in the sky.
The forest was quiet save for the rustling sounds a few night animals made as the ran and skittered around on the forest floor.

He kept walking further away from the camp and the team. After walking for about an hour, he decided that it was time to turn back before the others woke up and started to worry.

Chris on his way back to the camp, the way he had came when he heard a different noise. It stood out from all the other sounds in the forest. He couldn't quite make it out, so he tried to figure out where it was coming from. It was coming from behind him, the direction he was originally walking in, away from the campsite.

Chris started to slowly make his way toward the noise, listening intensely, trying to pinpoint it.
As Chris got closer, he realized that it didn't sound like any animal he'd heard before. He crept a little closer. It sounded like, a small child crying, a little girl.

Chris was confounded. What was a child this young doing out here at this time of morning?

He approached the small child, careful not to startle her. She had her legs pulled up into a tight ball with her head resting on her knees. As he came closer, he could make out a few of her features. The little girl looked to be about 3 years old. She had long dark hair, tied into two ponytails- one on each side of her head-tied by long, dark blue ribbons. She wore an overall dress with a shirt that matched her ribbons underneath.

Chris was only a few feet away from her now. In the dim sun light that was starting to slowly creep its way across the dark sky, he could tell she was caked in dust and that her dress was torn in a few places. All over her arms and legs there were scratches and scrapes.

He was right in front of her now. He wasn't sure how to handle this. Usually his brother was the one that knew how to take care of small kids. But since Martin wasn't here, he supposed he would have to improvise.

"Hey, are you ok?" Chris asked softly using the gentlest voice he could manage.

She looked up at him with big, blue, teary eyes. Tears were falling freely down her cheeks. She clearly was surprised

Suddenly she jumped up and started running.

"Wha...hey! Wait!" The sudden move left Chris slightly dazed and confused. He stumbled while trying to get up to fast, but just as quick he was up and running after the little girl.

"Hey, hold on a second!" He chased her all over the forest. Through bushes, over rocks, and in dried riverbeds, he chased the little girl. Suddenly, Chris lost her.

'Wow, she's fast!' Chris thought to himself. He heard some loud rustling coming from up in the trees. When he looked up, he saw the little girl sitting up on one of the high branches, hugging the trunk of the tree she was in.

'How'd you get up there?' Chris wondered. But soon the confusion was replaced with worry.

"Wait right there! I'll come up and get you down!" he yelled up to the girl who was just staring at him from her perch up in the tree.

Chris started to skillfully climb the tree getting closer to the branch the girl was 'stuck' on.

As he did, she started to scoot further out on the branch away from the middle of the tree.

"Whoa! Stop! You'll fall! Wait for me to come get you!" Chris told the girl, afraid that she might fall.

She didn't stop. She just kept scooting further and further out of reach and closer and closer to the end of the branch. Soon, Chris had reached her branch. However, by then she had nearly reached the tip. Chris held his hand out.

"Take my hand! I promise, I'm not going to hurt you! I want to help! Please! Let me help you!" Chris pleaded again. He reached as far out as he could to the girl. He heard a small crack and knew the branch wouldn't hold out much longer. He supposed the girl heard it too, because she tensed.

"Please! I don't want to see you get hurt!" Chris was practically begging her now. The branch was starting to bend dangerously low on the tip where the girl was sitting and he realized he was out pretty far on the branch as well. He knew the branch couldn't take much more stress or their weight.

Then, they heard the snap.

R&R please! Tips and even flaming is ok! Let me know how I can make it better!