DG staggered to the bank, hip deep in water. She coughed the water from her lungs. Her arm seared in excruciating pain. Her feet scrapped across the stones in the river, causing her to trip. She fell to her knees into the water. Luckily, DG caught herself with her good arm.
The water splashed up into her face, causing her to cough again. DG regained her footing. To her left, she could hear someone else's coughing. DG turned, finding Glitch stumbling to the shore.
"Glitch, are you ok?" DG called.
Glitch turned his head, causing him to stumble into the water again. "Fine! I'm fine DG."
On the other side of Glitch, DG could see the creature they just rescued from the papey, walk out of the river. He shook quickly, spraying the water off his fur.
"Hey kid, you alright?" DG turned, Cain was already on the banks.
"Yeah." Dg replied. She continued towards the back. Her arm still seared in pain. She kept it still, by her side.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar scent stopped DG. She turned back out towards the river, but there was nothing but rushing waters. Still the scent lingered. DG turned to Cain, who had noticed the scent as well. He stared out at the water, his gun at the ready.
"DG, get out now." Cain ordered.
"No need to tell me twice." DG whispered. She began moving towards the shore faster.
"DG watch out!" DG's attention snapped up. Several feet from her, DG saw a stray papey charging her.
"Swim DG!" Glitch yelled.
DG quickly dove into the water. She kicked vigorously, trying to out-swim the papey. Her feet scrapped across the bottom of the bank and DG stood. The water was to her knees. The paper was swimming closer to DG by now.
"Come on DG, grab my hand!" Glitch called. He stood by the bank, waiting for DG.
Cain watched DG carefully. He made his way towards the bank. His loaded his pistol quickly.
DG tripped ten feet from the bank. She turned, the papey used the time to strike. DG began crawling quickly from the striking papey.
"Glitch grab her!" Cain ordered. He aimed his pistol.
Glitch ran to Dg. The papey screeched at Glitch and tried to attack him. DG flung her leg up and kicked the papey in the jaw. The papey turned its attention from Glitch back to DG. Its jaw bit at DG's legs in the water. Dg continued crawling backwards. The papey made another snap at DG's leg.
DG swung her leg up again. Her leg kicked the papey hard in the side of the head. The papey stumbled sideways, giving DG the time to crawl out of the river. The papey regained its composure and lunged at DG.
Cain fired. The paper lurched sideways and stumbled in the water.
DG sighed deeply in relief. Someone grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. For a brief moment, DG's arm stung in pain.
"You alright kid?" Cain asked.
Her arm ceased and the pressure disappeared. "Yeah."
Cain walked up to DG. He looked at the papey in the water, "Persistent scout." He knelt next to the papey's body.
"Well it's not going to have another meal again." DG stated. She turned from the bank.
Suddenly the papey sprang to life. DG turned at the noise. The papey snapped its jaws at Cain, sending his gun out of his hand. Cain leapt in surprise and began moving backwards from the limping papey.
DG grabbed Cain's pistol and fired. The papey lurched to the side and stopped moving. DG sighed in relief. "Are you alright?"
Cain looked back at Dg, "Yeah. Nice shooting kid."
DG laughed slightly and handed him his gun, "I'm a fast learner."
Cain nodded. He took his gun and holstered it. "Good thing."
DG looked at the papey's body, "So now what?"
Standing Cain turned to DG, "First things first, how's your arm?"
DG looked at her. Her jacket bore the puncture marks of the papey, but there was no wound on her arm. "It's…it's fine."
"That can't be." Cain grabbed her arm and examined it. "That thing had you in a dead lock."
"Hey, you live here. I'm not the one who's supposed to know what's going on." DG replied. She pulled her arm from Cain's grasp.
"Excuse me, but you think we could start a fire or something. I mean, we do want to be alive when we reach Central City, right?" Glitch asked.
"Yeah Glitch, we'll start a fire. Get some sticks together." DG replied. She walked from Cain and began gathering large sticks. She paused and looked back at the papey's body. Putting down the sticks she gathered, DG grabbed one of the legs and began dragging it.
"What are you doing kid?" Cain asked. He watched her intriguingly.
"This thing is going to freak me out." DG answered.
"So what are you planning?"
"I'm sending it down the river. Unless you want to help me burry it." DG explained.
Cain shook his head, "Go ahead kid."
DG dragged the papey's body to the edge and pushed it into the river. She watched as its body floated down the river.