VII. The Sprout

The sunlight reflected off the leaves of the trees, penetrating only a little of the jungle on the ground. The birds chirped and the morning dew dripped off the tree leaves.

Fang lied motionlessly on the wet grass under a bush. Dew dripped off the bush onto her cheekbone, and she twitched. Another drop landed and her eyes slowly opened. Blades of grass lay in front of her, and ants scuttle by without taking much notice of her. She breathed slowly but deeply, as her mind began to settle itself and go through the information it had gathered so far.

She had no idea how long it had been since the attack and where she was because she had ran through the fog. She kept running without stopping to rest, and continued to run even though she could no longer hear the Behemoth King. She ran and ran, until her body and heart could take it no more and she collapsed.

She thought she was dead, but apparently not.

Putting her two hands on the wet grass, Fang pushed herself up slowly to a standing position. She staggered a little, and the little sunlight hurts her eyes. It was unbelievable, but she was alive. There was an odd sensation at her left thigh. She flipped her clothing and found the survival knife attached to a belt tied around her thigh. She pulled out the knife, which Klaux had distributed to the trainees along with the white armbands before they left Oerba.

She felt her head.

"What are you still doing here? Go! Right now! While I still can distract it!"

Her eyes shut tight.

"You trying to get yourself killed? GO!"

Reeve. He was the last person she had expected to save her. Back in Oerba, they were always fighting. He was always mocking at her and Vanille, and she would hit him. They fought, they quarrelled, and hated each other's guts. On the first day of the hunt they squabbled again, and never exchanged words until that day. Yet he was the one who had saved her, and gave his life in return.

Fang opened her eyes, reflecting a fierce determination in her green eyes. The birds squealed, and sounds of rapid fluttering of wings echoed through the forest as the birds took flight. Fang looked around alertly, and saw a long and thick bough.

I must survive, she told herself, this life is given to me by Reeve so I cannot die! I must live for both of us.

Her body felt numb, but it did not stop her from picking up the bough and cutting at it with the knife. Rustling sounds were heard from a distant and she sliced faster. Faster and faster she goes, and louder the sounds became.

"Grrrrrr….."

Fang dropped the knife and whirled around, her hands gripping a sturdy staff fashioned from the bough. The wolf-looking gorgonopsid growled at her and she moved slowly. Her eyes narrowed when another two gorgonopsids emerged from the bushes. Yes, these creatures always hunt in a pack, and now they think I'm their food, she thought.

Perspiration trickled to her neck. She eyed the gorgonopsids and moved back very slowly. The creatures studied her hungrily but did not pounce. Not yet. They were looking for a weakness.

They are fast and relentless, there's just no chance of getting away from them, Fang thought, realising her only way out was to fight, even if the odds were against her. There was no other choice.

/ I can do it! /

With a fierce cry, Fang stepped forward and swung the staff at the gorgonopsids, successfully hitting one of them. The hit gorgonopsid was smacked face-on and it fell to the ground temporarily. Its partners growled angrily and they lunged at Fang, their sharp claws extending from the paws.

Fang attempted to dodge but they were too quick, slashing at her torso. She cried in pain but gritted her teeth and steadied herself. The hit gorgonopsid was getting up and she cannot allow that, for that would make it three against one. The two gorgonopsids leapt at her again and she dived, grabbing her survival knife from the ground at the same time. Getting up slightly, she jumped onto the gorgonopsid that had just got up.

The gorgonopsid snarled and tried to shake off Fang but she held tightly onto its neck. In a swift moment, she stabbed the knife deep into the gorgonopsid's throat and savagely ripped it through its neck, nearly decapitating it. The gorgonopsid gurgled a death cry as it collapsed to the ground. Fang was about to get up when she felt a sharp pain at her shoulder – one of the beasts had bitten her!

"Argh!" she screamed. Another painful sensation at her left thigh and she grabbed the knife back from the dead gorgonopsid. She frantically stabbed at the head on her shoulder but the creature wouldn't let go. She screamed and stabbed repeatedly as she thrust her legs forcefully but the gorgonopsid would not let go, though as a result it couldn't do more than holding onto her.

The gorgonopsid howled in pain and lets go of her shoulder. Fang tried to grab its head but it dodged. She grabbed again and it clawed her across the neck, narrowly missing her throat. One of its eyes had been pierced and was now bleeding along with the other stabs at its head. With a soft whimpering it limped away.

Two down and now just one left.

Quickly, Fang grabbed at the nearly staff and began smashing the head of the gorgonopsid biting her thigh. Wounded and demoralised by a death and a retreat, the gorgonopsid lets go and fled.

Fang collapsed to the ground on her back, gasping for breath as she allowed her body to relax for a moment after a hell of a struggle. She was relieved that she had managed to fight off the gorgonopsids and that she was safe, for now. After catching a breath or two, she used the staff as a support to stand up. She retrieved the survival knife and returned it to its sheathe on her thigh belt. She would have to mend her wounds later, as getting out of the area and finding a safe place were her priorities, just in case the gorgonopsids return with reinforcements.

Without even knowing where she was and being alone like this, her chance of survival was low but she would not give up without a fight.

Thick lines of blood oozed out from her several injuries and she shook her head gently to shake off the dizziness that was now attacking her. Slowly she walked away with the help of the staff. She had no intention to die yet.

Gripping tightly on her staff, she began to pray to Anima.