A/N: So by some miracle I still have data. Basically today/tonight at the siggestion of Mind Jack I got an app called Jotterpad. I still don't know all the tricks to it, but I highly reccomend it. It eben tells you approximately how long the chapter will take to read! In case you were curious the app said that this chapter would take thirteen minutes and ten seconds. Enjoy.
He found no voice to scream with, and panicked as the massive bird flew far out of reach of any branches. If he even tried to teleport he would only plummet into the forest. Somehow though it was relaxing, the wind pushed into his face, blasting his fur with cool, fresh air. The view was also fantastic. He could see the small Kucha settlement, a pinprick from his altitude, he could see a beautiful, clear river that seemed to start at one side of the island and end at the other, like the sea had split it in two. The green was serene, and from that height Saras could see the sun, and the Fog of Flying Faces in the distance. If he weren't scared beyond words of the bird holding him in talons that could shred armour like wheat, he would have enjoyed himself. Then the eagle dived low and into the treetops, and a moment later he was falling.
He screwed his eyes shut, hoping he would land on something soft. Instead he landed on a thick bed of branches, almost sown together. He couldn't believe his luck, and rolled onto his back. Then he realized that he was far from lucky. He was in a nest. Three, shiny cream-coloured eggs surrounded him, and blotting the sunlight even further was the eagle, who's massive form rested on the tops of the eggs.
Saras sighed. On one paw he was grateful he hadn't lost his mind to the strange fruits, he was also glad he had not ended up falling onto the ground-that would have been a very painful death indeed, but he was also scared. The eggs were all larger than him, therefore their occupants would also be bigger than him. And once they hatched, what exactly would they do to a fox lying in between the trio like a worm. Well... that much was obvious. How to get out was not. Firstly all he could see was the mother-bird's butt and her eggs, that much would not help if he tried to escape. He needed to know where he was, so that he didn't end up falling to his death. Secondly he would have to leave and not be spotted leaving, or else the mother-bird might decide she liked fox better than her children did. Thirdly he would have to climb back down.
Being unable to do any of those things at the moment Saras made himself as at home as he could be in the nest of a giant eagle.
The Kucha Siblings had scaled the tree with ease. Hunger was visible amongst the five as they stalked along from branch to branch with signature, cat-like agility. The Rat Run was not entirely about worthy prey, it was more about who could catch the most. Worthy prey were certainly a bonus, but anything else they caught, counted with them. There wasn't exactly a prize, or rather the only prize was pride and recognition. It was good fun... but this year it was special. 'Worthy prey' had become 'worthy opponents'. The Fire-Breather had beat them all back, and the Teleporter was good at running away. This year it was a challenge.
The five had decided to start anew, and had tailed an eagle to her nest. Currently they were sneaking up on the unsuspecting bird, who seemed to be dazing in the sunlight. An eagle of this size was impressive enough, but more impressive were it's eggs. If they could raise an eagle hatchling, and ride one too maybe, they would easily become the best hunters in the village. But for now they had the bird to deal with.
"She's big." The noodle-thin one remarked.
"Good. Maybe you can put some fat on your back!" The bread-coloured one snapped, precariously balanced on several branches that weren't too stable.
"You're just sore you're the bait!" The leopard snapped back, sliding along effortlessly.
The brown one looked like he wanted to say something, but was silenced by the muscular one.
Muttering villainously the leopard readied his spear. His siblings shared some nods, before the leopard threw his spear at the eagle with a loud war cry.
The avian snapped open her wings and screeched as the spear tip plunged into her wing. Flapping madly she loosened the spear and rose to her full height.
I'm so dead...Saras thought as the eagle continued to flap and caw with a kind of panic. The eagle recieved two more spears, one to the chest, which lacked enough force to drive through her and fell down into the trees, and another which stuck deeply into her gut. Another spear crashed through the nest.
Saras could see quite clearly now. The eagle was being attacked by the Kucha siblings, who seemed hellbent on killing her.
Saras wasted three precious moments wondering why he never had any luck, what on earth were the odds of being caught by a giant eagle, only to have the leopards, who were already hunting him, swoop in. Before he had the chance to calculate the probability the nest gave a violent lurch as the eagle flapped off, the force of her taking flight had knocked the nest off balance. Then on top of that the ugly face of the muscular leopard appeared, as he clambered into the nest.
He grinned upon sighting Saras, and swung at the fox with outstretched claws. The Jit Kun was behind him in a flash of green, the leopard's paw crashing through the cream of the egg-shell. Saras added to the trauma by pouncing on his already burnt back, his claws and Talon Claws digging into the already-exposed flesh with avengeance. The muscular leopard howled, and slammed his back into the side of the nest.
It wouldn't have fallen off, had the eggs not come rolling in the direction of the pair, crushing the leopard even further. Saras had been ready for the danger and teleported to a lower branch, just as the whole collection of branches and twigs teetered and disappeared over the edge.
Fate, or rather the eagle was on his side, and sliced open the Weeper's left arm with a talon in a failed attempt at snatching the leopard.
Saras grinned as the female pulled him away from harm's way. Then strong, muscly arms caught him from behind, and squeezed with the force of a python. The leopard looked laughable, with his greyish fur coated in yellow slime, his back dripping with blood and visibly burnt and pieces of cream eggshell sticking up at odd intervals.
Saras teleported, again, wondering how on earth the leopard's had not caught onto him by now. He decided, however, against going back in, there was no point concluding this battle, no matter who won they thought of him as nothing but meat. He couldn't care less who won.
The muscular leopard blinked as it's prey vanished in another flash of green. He saw his siblings struggling with the eagle and leapt into the air to finish the avian.
Saras had just clambered down to a lower branch, when claws raked open the front of his jumper. Luckily it had not touched his skin. He ducked as the leopard swung once more. This time it was the green-clad one. Saras teleported away, once again feeling exhaustion creep up on him due to his repeated use of that technique. He received no respite as the leopard swung again, and again, and again. Saras was forced backwards further and further, and was nearing the edge of the branch. He couldn't keep doing this.
From the corner of his eye he caught sight of the brown-clad one preparing to hurl a spear. Saras teleported, his opponent had no such luck.
The spear cut through the green leather, fur and flesh, it's tip poking out his back. The brown-clad leopard looked horrified, the green-clad one had a face of mingled fear and confusion. That was before he teetered over the edge and fell through the undergrowth.
Saras was already tired. He needed to leave. But the leopard's last look of fear made him halt in his escape. He didn't regret evading the blow, clearly it would have been fatal. He didn't feel saddened by the leopard's death, he hadn't even liked the guy, after all he had repeatedly attempted to kill him. But something in him felt… Hollow. He had killed, or had rather become someone's cause of death... This felt odd. He had dreamed of obliterating Temujin… But the act of killing was clearly not easy.
His thoughts were cut to an end when, with a cry of anguish the remaining feline pounced on him and sent them both hurtling through trees. Saras' foot connected hard with the brown leopard's nose. They landed hard, on a flat branch.
At this point Saras could have made an escape, but something inside him told him to stay. The leopard swung with sharp claws, and tore open more of Saras' jumper. The vulpine's claws sliced open the leopard's cheek. Blood coated his claws. He pulled away, but received a stinging blow that tore open the side of his arm. He pulled away desperately, and licked at his wound. Blood was coming out, thick and fast. He dove under the leopard's next swing, clutching his arm.
Then something odd came over him, blood rushed to his head… And somehow Saras didn't remember what happened afterwards.
He awoke, perhaps an hour later, perhaps days later, but next to him lay the brown clad leopard, soaked in blood, a look of terror permenantly carved into his dead face. His neck was the worst, his throat was missing and a pool of blood surrounded it. Saras rose shakily…whatever had done this could still be nearby. It was then that he realized that his paws, claws and muzzle, were all caked in blood.
Footnote: And now to develop the best part about the Feral Islands! It makes you go feral, as Saras and the leopard have now both discovered. You have both Mind Jack and Jotterpad to thank for this chapter's existence.
Credit is also due to Mind Jack and Berserker88, for coming up with the ways to show ferality all the way back when I first wrote it.
Enjoy
