Authors Note : Anyone smell toast? Is that toast? Damn I had something for this ...
Warnings : Bad language and violence
CH. 2 - HUNT
The rumbling sound that came from Cassie's stomach would have put a normal person's stomach to shame.
She clutched her stomach, frowning as she did. Owwie. She wasn't gonna be able to hunt any present for her mom and dad with a hunger like this.
It really hurt.
She hadn't ate since yesterday, and thinking about it now she probably should have taken the food her dad offered her on the plane. But she didn't always feel too great when flying and eating, especially before missions.
Cassie sat down and crossed her legs.
So what could you eat in the jungle?
Sure, there was plenty of fish. But Cassie had never learnt how to fish. She guessed that wouldn't be all too much of a problem because she could just pull them out of the water with her speed, but today her reflexes wouldn't be fast enough without a proper meal in her belly. So what could she eat that was land-based and highly nutritious?
As if on cue, a deer merrily popped his head around the corner, just happily trotting along over the surface of the jungle. Probably thinking something like 'tralalalala, I'm just a happy deer …'
Cassie sat dumbstruck for a couple of seconds. Apparently the universe really did listen to the pleas of children in the jungle.
She stood up slowly, starting towards the deer. Being sooo careful as to not make any sound.
A twig snapped under her boot though, and Cassie hadn't really anticipated that.
The deer shot up in place, his eyes frozen on Cassie. His whole body was terse and alert. He was ready to move at even the slightest of signs from Cassie.
Cassie squinted her eyes, licking her lips and getting ready to lunge. 'I'm going to eat you, Mr. Deer', was what Cassie was saying with her eyes.
The deer's eyes were all like ...
Fuck that.
Then he bolted in the other direction as fast as he possibly could.
Cassie almost didn't even have time to react. Adrenaline ripped through her, and she bolted forward, starting after the deer. No way Jose was she gonna lose her GODDAMN meal. Her feet were moving quicker than they had in a while. Wind blew through her hair, and the world went out of focus around her as she jumped over logs and between trees. Where are you going, you hot piece of ass?!
It was running really fast through the trees, every now and again looking back. Every time it saw her, it sped up ... almost as if to say 'Get the hell away from me, you crazy blonde bitch!'
Cassie growled, running between trees and flipping off of small banks as she chased after her supper. YOU'RE JUST OVERGLORIFIED FOOD! GET YOUR PUNK ASS OVER HERE!
The deer was still making a bee-line through the trees, running in a straight line sharp and fast. Every now and again, it would bank left or right to get away from Cassie.
She kept hitting trees and shit as she fell over constantly trying to keep up with the deer. She wasn't really used to this terrain … and her situational awareness wasn't as good as it should have been because of her hunger.
She was starting to lose sight of the deer.
The hairs on her arms were on edge, and the breath caught in her throat. She couldn't lose this fricking deer!
But the deer was moving way too fast; and Cassie couldn't really keep up. She began to start slowing down as the hunger made the energy leave her stride.
The deer, on the other hand, was making good ground – leaving so fast that Cassie was starting to lose sight of it between the trees.
She slowed to a stop, falling onto her side as she sucked deep breaths into her lungs.
She stayed there for a long while, breathing loud.
Then she smiled. That was a lot of fun. Then she frowned. But now she was even more hungry. Her vision was starting to get a lil' fuzzy – a combo of not eating and expending too much energy.
Cassie frowned deeper, clutching her hungry stomach.
And still no sign of the deer.
She shivered. Her stomach really hurt.
What could she do though? She couldn't really keep up with the deer - and if she didn't find any food within the next few hours she would probably be too weak to carry on hunting. Then she would probably die cold and alone in the jungle.
Cassie clutched the tree next to her, supporting herself to her feet as she took deeper breaths than she could remember taking since endurance training back when she was six.
The only solution was to catch the deer. But she was going about it all wrong right now. She couldn't just chase it down - it had the advantage there. But if she hunted it … like her mom taught her to do … then maybe she could get the jump on it.
She bolted up, taking some dirt from the floor and rubbing it below her eyes.
It was time for rage. JOHNNY CAGE RAGE!
No wait, that wasn't right for this situation.
It was time for peace and quiet. SONYA BLADE STYLE!
God, her mom was so boring.
She took off her backpack, opening it up and taking out a small knife.
It was so shiny.
She would use it to rip out the deer's intestines through his ass.
She readied the knife, looking to the floor.
The ground had been really disturbed by the deer. Grass had been trampled, and small bugs skittered from the dirt the deer had disturbed.
It was CSI time for Cassie Cage, just like her mom taught her to do. She bent down onto one knee, touching the dirt with her finger. Then she stroked her imaginary beard, while murmuring things like 'Hmm, most intriguing, most intriguing, this dirt is most intriguing'. In actuality, it was pretty unremarkable dirt, and Cassie knew this, but GODDAMN she wanted to be a CSI detective soo bad.
She quickly placed some dirt on her finger, before she sucked the dirt from her finger into her mouth, as if to test it. Then she spat it back out. She spat it back out so fast.
Because oh my word it was so fricking gross!
She just saw her mom do it sometimes but it was soo gross!
Why did it just taste like nothing?!
She shivered, combing out her tongue. Then she looked back down and started following the trail the deer had left behind.
She must have followed the trail the deer left for at least half a mile. On the way, she really got to soak in all of the jungle around her – and she did this for two reasons; one to ingrain it into her memory (if she didn't first die of hunger) and second to really learn her terrain. It was all well and good running after things, but if all she did was fell over in this jungle, she wasn't gonna last long. She took it all in.
First of all, it was really hot - like all the time - and dense canopies covered the floor so that the shade blocked out a lot of the jungle floor. Having said that though, there wasn't any animals in sight, and for a jungle this big she expected she would have seen at least one so far. The deer was really her only option. On top of all that, the ground was uneven and padded, mounted by slopes and curves and trees of varying shapes. Those trees would sure as shit provide some future stalking. Future note to self; next time use the trees to rip deer intestines from their ass.
When she finally did come across the deer again, a feeling of relief swept through her.
It was just sitting there, happily eating grass all like 'tralalala, I'm still a happy and alive deer'.
Little asshole wasn't gonna get away from her this time. She took her time, studying the environment surrounding it, before slowly crept up on it, her movements emphasised and methodical. She was very keenly aware of the jungle surrounding her now. She knew all his escape roots and she was close enough to be able to take him out before he even did get to move.
Then a twig snapped under her boot.
Cassie almost face palmed. Why the hell were there so many twigs in this jungle that always escaped her vision?
The deer bolted upright and turned around, looking at her.
She grinned. Hello again, Mr. Deer.
His eyes went wide. His breathing quickened. His legs buckled. Then he bolt upright and started running in the opposite direction, as if to say 'Get the hell away from me, you crazy blonde bitch!'
But Cassie was faster this time, sticking her knife into the deer's neck and cutting deep. Shh shh shh, just shut your goddamn lips and die, Mr. Deer.
She held the deer close as it bled out onto her clothes. The eyes of the deer were saying something. Something along the lines of 'sweet baby jesus, I gone done got killed.'
It was a good thing she bought a change of clothes cause blood was literally spurting everywhere.
Like literally everywhere. She figured she would need a bath as well. In hindsight, maybe this wasn't the best way to kill a deer.
Seriously, was he actually gonna stop bleeding?
Once the deer was finally dead, she placed it slowly to the floor. Then she kissed it's cheek. Finally, she took a selfie with the deer, and she sent it to her dad with the caption 'my deer dad #LOLOLOL'.
The reply was almost instantaneous. 'You get that humour from your dad! #LOLOLOL! #bestdaughterever #cagedrage'
Cassie smirked, kissing the deer's cheek, then putting away her phone and dragging the deer towards a clear opening.
She still had no idea she was leaving a trail.
What a day, what a lovely day.
Kano marched along the jungle floor, his presence making big imprints into the floor underneath. His machete was behind his neck with both hands. He sniffed, slightly twitching his eye, before he took a glance over his surroundings.
For the most part, the jungle was undisturbed. No sign of any helicopter or people having been here.
He cocked his head. What was really so important that these Special Forces clowns needed to drop off in the middle of the jungle; and what for? He glanced down.
The floor in front of him was covered in small boot prints.
Hurm? What was this? Kano shrugged as he sat down, causing his shoulders to make cracking sounds as he leaned over the footprints. He brushed his fingers along them.
They were small - at least half the size of Kano's.
Kano brushed his beard. So it was a kid. Either that or it was a midget. Didn't explain what one such person would be doing in the jungle. Kano looked ahead.
The footprints went on for a long while ahead.
Who are you, footprint pattern? And why have you come off a special forces helicopter? Kano half-smiled. Puzzles were made to be solved, really, and Kano did love a good mental challenge.
"This is lieutenant Sonya Blade. Report. Over."
The voice rang through Kano's ears. He gritted, spitting onto the floor, then he looked down at the hi-jacked radio around his shoulder. He could listen in on SF gossip without interfering. And it only cost a Special Forces agent both his ears. Good deal, really.
It buzzed and whirred with static.
He chuckled. Alright then Sonya, (unknowingly) shed some light on the situation we have here.
"Yeah, it's Johnny," came another voice from the radio.
Oh, Johnny Cage? Kano held back a growl growled. Was there a bigger moron on this planet than Johnny fucking Cage? He shook his head and continued listening.
"I thought I told you to stop ringing me on this line unless it's urgent. Over," Sonya said.
Kano'd heard her say that several times before. So Johnny had too. He truly was a complete moron.
"It is pretty urgent," Johnny said, and Sonya Blade sighed.
Kano did growl now. She always sighed that dirty sigh. She was such a despicable woman.
"What is it? Over," Sonya asked.
"I mighta' lost Cassie."
"What?"
"I got no idea where she is, Sonya …"
What? So these footprints on the floor …
The cogs turned in Kano's head quite quickly.
These footprints are your daughter's.
Oh this was too much. Kano chuckled again heartily. Johnny Cage, you really are a stupid fucking moron.
"You lost our daughter?!"
Kano was going red in anticipation. He couldn't keep the smirk off his face. It was almost as if the boot prints seemed to glow to Kano now.
"Baby, I'll get her back," Johnny said, "Don't worry, just give me a couple'a' days."
Don't worry, Johnny, don't worry, Papa Kano's gonna bring her back to you – and he doesn't need a couple'a' days. He only needs one. Kano cocked his head again. They were such tiny boot prints – she can't have been more than ten or eleven.
Such small prints …
Did you never teach her to cover her tracks, Johnny? Kano put his machete to one of the bootprints, slowly tracing it with the tip of the blade.
I'm coming for you, Little Sonya.
He began to follow the footprints.
He could not wait to find this bitch.
