Chapter 14: Final day and Love beings to stir……
Disclaimer: Okay, so…I forgot to add someone's name to the list last week…in fact, I'll do that for all the new reviewers…umm…oh yeah, thanks Darksage 3, your reviews were most helpful, Moonwolf 27, and Yin7
It had been three day's…
After Samantha had collapsed, she had been moved to her room, where she lied now in bed, her mother at her side, and Karl in the corner, deep in thought.
"Oh my poor daughter, please hold on" Rosemary whispered. She had already lost her son all those years ago, and losing one child was bad enough. She couldn't bear to lose another.
"So let me get this straight," Karl bluntly said. Getting Rosemary's attention, he grunted "Samantha is sick with a disease from a plant called Octium Nyxonus, which she'll die from soon if it isn't treated". Stepping closer he added "And you send my brother off to get the cure". Rosemary nodded as Karl briefly raised his voice. "TOO a place that's filled with danger at every turn, the Blackwood Flats" he growled.
Rosemary looked down with shame. She hoped that Jake would forgive him for this…
"Yes Karl, that's all true," she said quietly. Looking up, she added, "Jake seemed to be the most suitable one for the job, and he has Backstop with hi…"
"As strong as he is, he's still a kid, MY kid brother" Karl growled. Folding his arms, he demanded "And you sent him off to get the cure when he could get killed at any moment, what were you thinking".
Rosemary seemed close to tears as she affectionly stroked her daughter's hair. "I didn't want to lose her Karl……as I had lost Drake" she lamented. The thought of her deceased son made her eye's water more.
She got Karl's attention, as he said "Drake…who's that".
Rosemary said nothing as she pointed an old photograph.
Picking it up, Karl glanced at the young man in the portrait. Tall, handsome, with auburn hair, green eyes, in a skybax uniform and in his early twenties, the man looked like he belonged a higher authority.
"My son" Rosemary commented.
Karl glanced at Rosemary in shock. They had a son at one point?
"He was one of the best skybax riders that ever lived, and a selfless boy. He would go around Dinotopia, helping whoever was in need. He did in, not for anything in return, but just for the sake of being a kind person. His skills in the Skybax corp. rivaled that of Gildeon Altair. He and Jake share many qualities and traits" Rosemary smiled.
Karl, curious about such a kind person that existed, asked, "So…what happened to him".
Rosemary's face fell, as she said, "While he had his good traits, he also had his bad ones". "One of his most fatal flaws was his pride, Drake thought that he was invincible, that he could shake off anything that was thrown at him…that's how he died when he was killed by the same disease…he thought he could shake it off, and by the time we realized he had this disease, it was too late…that foolish boy, if only he had…he had…" Rosemary cried.
Karl said nothing as he watched Rosemary cry softly for her dead boy. So…this was why she asked Jake…he was the most skilled out of him and David, and he was so much like her son Drake…
Karl, silently then walked over to Rosemary and hugged her, comforting her…
"Rosemary, I'm sorry…for being so harsh on you…if I had known, I wouldn't have" Karl started.
"No Karl, it's alright, you had every right to be upset" Rosemary said back.
Karl was about to open his mouth to argue, when suddenly the door opened.
Whirling around, Karl was shocked at who he saw!! Limping inside, a katana strapped to his back, with a bandaged leg and shoulder, a large cut on his forehead, and smirking like a cocky idiot…was Jake.
"JAKE" Karl cried with joy as he rushed over and embraced his brother.
"Ow, ow, that hurt's you idiot" Jake laughed, happy to see Karl as well. It had been almost over two weeks since he last saw his half-brother, and boy was he glade to see him!!
Backing away, still laughing, Karl took in Jake's appearance. He had dirt and grime all over his cheeks. His jeans were ripped in several different places. His arm's had multiple cuts and bruises. His bandages on his leg, and shoulder had blood splattered all over. His hair was messy, and his bandanna was wrapped around the injury on his forehead. His shirt had almost been completely ripped off, exposing chiseled defined muscles. In layman's terms, he looked like hell…
Switching from the fun, loving brother to the concerned, worried brother, Karl grunted, "What the hell did you do to yourself, did you pick a fight with every single T-Rex you came across". Honestly, Jake seriously had to stop rushing off and playing hero!! One of these day's it was going to get him killed!!
"Actually, the daddy of all T-Rex is what I fought, and most of these injuries came from other dinosaurs, although the last one was a real pain in the ass" Jake cheekily replied.
Without a word, Karl plucked Jake's katana from his back.
"HEY" Jake protested.
"You're not going anywhere for awhile, you're staying her and resting up, so no training for now," Karl said sternly.
"What? You can't tell me what to do" Jake protested.
Karl narrowed his eye's and said "Oh yeah, well you forget whose the older and more responsible one here, with dad gone, I'm the one taking care of you until your old enough to look out for yourself. Until them, you follow my rules".
Jake looked like he was about to argue more, but was silenced from an angry glare from Karl.
"Jerk" he grumbled.
Karl just laughed as saw Jake reach into his backpack. And removed a small blue, glowing herb.
"This is what you wanted, right Rosemary" he smirked.
Rosemary let out a cry of joy as she hugged Jake, still crying.
"Oh thank you, thank you so much. My daughter is going to be okay now thanks to you. How can I repay your kindness?" she asked.
Jake shrugged as he said, "Give me some strong herbs that'll help me heal faster so I can get back to training, and we'll call it even".
Rosemary nodded as she hugged Jake once more, before taking the herbs and rushing off to the hatchery to get started.
Glancing out the window, Jake laughed as he saw Backstop watching the scene unfold. Waving at Backstop, Backstop nodded, a large grin on his face.
"Good to see we made it in time, I thought we wouldn't" laughed Backstop.
"I couldn't have done it without your help…" Jake said, stumbling over his words. "Sorry about all the stuff I said to you earlier, I hope you didn't take it too personally" Jake apologized.
Backstop laughed as he said "It's alright, I forgive you……I kinda am sorry for acting the way I did back their, so…"
"It's cool" Jake laughed.
Backstop looked confused. "Cool" he asked.
Jake raised an eyebrow as he said "As in, all right, okay…fine".
Backstop nodded, still little confused. "Ahh……cool" he said, trying the word out for himself.
"So…friends" Jake asked hopefully.
Backstop nodded eagerly. "Friends" he repeated.
With that, they both laughed in joy. Finally, their rivalry feud had ended. Now they would be friends instead of rivals!!
Backstop chuckled as he said "Well, I'm gonna go lie down someplace, I'll see you later…stupid mammal".
Jake laughed as he said, "Okay later…dumb herbivore".
They both laughed again, as Backstop nodded before going back to the hatchery. It would appear that even though they now liked one another as friends, they still couldn't resist insulting one another…
Karl, witnessing the whole thing, understood now the similarities that Jake and Drake had shared… "Okay, now that he's gone, mind telling me about what happened…and about the "daddy of all T-Rex".
Jake laughed as he took a seat next to Samantha's bed. "Well, it all happened like this…" he started.
*******
After the initial attack of the raptors, Jake laid on Backstop's back, dead tired from the events that occurred yesterday. First he bridge collapse, then he had to scale the cliff walls, whilst injuring his already hurt leg, then he had to fight off a pack of raptors. Could the situation possible get any worse?!……no no wait, he withdrew the question.
"Gahh, this is getting annoying," groaned Jake. Normally, he wasn't one to complain, and was usually an open-minded person…but after being in the Blackwood Flats all this time, was beginning to take its toll…physically and mentally.
"I'm getting tired too" grunted Backstop.
Jake, tired, but determined, reached into his backpack and removed the map he had received. "According to the map, we should be close to the cure…thank god" Jake grunted. He had quite honestly had enough of this damn woodland.
Waling for another hour, they came to a large waterfall. Probably the biggest one they had ever seen so far. The pool beneath the falls was like a small lake.
"Huh…that's strange, says we should be able too see a field of the herbs" questioned Jake. Where was the cure???
Looking at the map again, he glanced up at the falls. Looking down again, he wondered. "Hmm…maybe" he grunted.
"Maybe what" asked Backstop?
"Maybe the cure isn't in front of the falls…but behind them," Jake said. It seemed plausible. The falls was defiantly large enough to hide something behind it, and there was no harm in looking……he hoped…
Stopping in front of the falls, Backstop bended down so Jake could slip off his back. "I'll be right back," (Famous last words) Jake said as he started to descend into the waters.
Inhaling he dove into the waters, holding his
breath as he swam underneath the falls to avoid the heavy drops from
hitting his head. Funny, whilst most of the parts of the Blackwood
Flats were dead and mucky, this part was lush and clean…could the
cure possible have something to do with it?? Or is it something
else…
Running low on oxygen, Jake kicked up for a breathe of air. Reaching the surface, he coughed rapidly as he furiously rubbed the water out of his eyes. Now able to see clearly, he saw the inside of the cave for the first time.
"Wow" he awed, completely in shock!! The sight before him was absolutely stunning!!
Dozens upon, dozens of Stenocronis, the cure to Samantha's diseases. They glowed an ominous green, lighting up the inside of the caves. They hung from the ceiling, to the walls, to the floor, everywhere. Just the sight of them added a magical touch to the place, as some of the non-toxic spores floated around the cave.
"It's beautiful" Jake sighed. What a sight!! Snapping out of his daze, he grinned. There was enough stenocronis to cure an army of sick people!!
"I should take some extra's," he decided. So to avoid anyone else heading back this way…
Bending down, he plucked out his hunting knife. Cutting threw the base of the herbs; he placed them carefully inside the container he had brought with him. "Rosemary said she would need three" Jake commented as he cut through two more, and putting them in the same container.
Taking out the extra ones, he said "Now for the rest".
********
Backstop sighed as he rested his head on the ground, tired from all the walking. Finally, they were getting the stenocronis, and going home.
"Good riddance to this place" he thought as he glanced at the waterfall Jake went under. Hopefully he would never have to come back!!!
"But……after we get the cure, and get home……what do I do then" he thought. He had never really planned anything as of staying at Vidabba Earthfarm. The original plan he had with his parents was to travel up towards Volcanium pass where the rest of the Triceratops were gathering, but that plan was scratched out then they were killed, so…what now??
His thought's then drifted to Jake. While he could be a serious pain in the ass, constantly annoying him with his wisecracks, and comments, he was a pretty good guy…they were so much alike in many ways…was this some sort of sign??
"Maybe…we could try being friends," he thought. HE was willing to give it a try, so long as Jake didn't say anymore-stupid comm…
*Rustling* *Rustling*
His thoughts were interrupted as something came rustling through the thick trees. And a mighty roar snapped him out of his daze. At first this sounded like an ordinary T-Rex roar…but this one sounded different, deeper, and louder scarier…
Getting up from his spot, Backstop panicked as he looked for a place to hide. Spotting some bushes, he dashed towards them and dove into them, peeking out barely enough for him to see the monstrosity stomping it's way towards the falls.
"Oh my" Backstop awed in horror…
*****
"Well, that's all that I can take" Jake laughed, proud of himself. He was going to save Samantha!!!
Strapping the pack to his back, he started back towards the water. Stopping, he glanced back to get one last look at the caves…
"Awesome" he thought as he dove back into the waters, and under the waterfall.
Coming back up for air, he sighed as he trudged towards the shores. That was when he noticed something. Backstop was missing…
"Huh" he said aloud, confused. Where had Backstop gone?? Was he hurt?! Dead?!? Or………hiding so he could jump out and scare Jake…
"Backstop" he grunted in annoyance. Now, he was not in the mood for any stupid pranks or jokes. Which was funny since this was coming from Jake.
Climbing out of the water, he glanced around the clearing to find Backstop. Noticing a horn sticking out of one of the bushes, he sighed as he stalked towards it.
Backstop poked his head out and said "SSshh". Signaling him to shush.
"What" Jake said out loud?
"Be quite, hide" hissed Backstop.
"From what" Jake questioned, not in the mood for any kinda stuff that Backstop was trying to pull…
ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
"Agh" Jake cried as he covered his ears, aching from the roar. Taking Backstop's advice, Jake dove behind a thick tree, and glanced out towards the way they came into the clearing.
*Bam*……*Bam*………….*BAM*…………*BAMMMMM*
"Holy" Jake whispered, shocked and more afraid then he had ever been in his entire life. The sight before him probably scared a good two or three years off his life that he'd never get back!!
A massive T-Rex stomped it's way into the clearing. However, this was no ordinary T-Rex. It was a T-Rex that was well known throughout Dinotopia. One of these made even the ordinary T-Rex's look harmless…
Between three to four stories tall, this T-Rex stumbled into the opening, bumping into some of the thick trees. Its red-scaled skin flashed with great hatred. Its iris eyes were pure yellow, no black whatsoever, making it look like a demon from hell!! Its feet were as thick as a convertible, both in mass and size. Dozens of noticeable cuts were seen on its body, like it had fought tremendous fights. Its tail was as long as at least one of these tall trees!! It's arms, although small in size, were still deadly, as the claws on its hand's were sharp enough to spilt a human in two with a single swipe! A mighty scar ran across his right eye, and led down to his cheek. His glare was terrifying enough to send any ordinary T-Rex running, yelping in fear. His teeth were probably the most notable of his features, as they were sharp enough to split a blade of grass with ease.
It went by many names, the Terror of the Carnivores, the Beast of Bestiality, however, what it was truly called, was the Red scared T-Rex.
Bending over, it let out another tremendous roar!
RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!
Jake hissed as he covered his ears to block out the ear-shattering roar. "Aggg, so loud" he thought. Glancing up as it finished roaring, he saw it was heading in his direction, but it kept bumping into the trees.
"Why is it doing that?" Jake thought.
It stopped briefly before leaning forward, and sniffing at the air heavily. Bending over, it sniffed faster to try and find it's way out. Sniffing right into another thick tree, it rammed its head, causing the tree to shake from the tremor.
"Scent……he's seeing by scent. His vision is incredibly poor, so he resorts to smelling his way around" thought the shocked Jake. Seeing an opening around his legs, he thought, "I can just sneak past there, I might be able to get away without it seeing me. I mean, I've fought T-Rex's before, but THAT THING? I CAN'T FIGHT THAT!! THAT'S SUCIDE" he thought.
Deciding to move, he slowly moved out of the bushes and gently sneaked towards the exit of the clearing, Backstop already their waiting.
"C'mon gently" his mind screamed at him. "Don't get yourself killed," he thought rapidly. Glancing up, he slowly inched his way under the Red Scared, between his legs. "I'm gonna make it" he thought wildly. This proved fatal as he removed his shoes and placed them in his backpack, forgot to put them back on, and scrapped his foot on one of the rocks the Red Scared at broken.
Jake bit his lips down to keep himself from screaming in pain as he froze. The Red Scared had frozen as well and was now sniffing more furiously then last time. Glancing down at his foot, Jake noticed a drop of blood was about to hit the ground.
"Suck it up, suck it up" his mind begged.
Too late…
The drop hit the ground and splashed gently. Jake cautiously glanced up as he had almost completely gotten away.
The Red Scared sniffed the blood, and shot his head in Jake's direction and roared again.
It knew he was there…
"DAMNIT" Jake shouted as he took off running, ignoring the blood leaking from his foot. Whilst running, he reached into his backpack and half-ran, half staggered as he forced his shoes on. Running past Backstop, he yelled "RUUUUNNNNNN".
Backstop didn't need to be told twice.
The Red Scared, hungry and determined, chased after his prey, each step producing a shockwave like a small earthquake. It continuously growled and roared as it knocked the huge tree trunks aside, driven to have it's first meal in a long time, apart from the Octium Nyxonus.
"OH I DEFENTILY CAN'T FIGHT THAT" Jake's
mind screamed. His mind was in a frenzied state!! What was he to do??
He always had taught himself that their was always alternatives, even
if they did suck. He could stop and try and fight, and probably die!!
He could try and lose it and run into it again later, resuming the
chase. Or he could keep running until he either tripped and lost his
balance, or ran out of energy……yep, they all sucked!!
Glancing up, Jake cringed as he saw more raptors in the clearing they dashed towards. "Damnit, we don't have time for this" Jake shouted.
Backstop nodded as they rushed past the confused raptors. They were about to give chase when suddenly they noticed the Red Scared rushing at them. Panicking, the raptors spilt up in different directions in order to escape. One of the raptors made a foolish move as it charged straight after Jake and Backstop, and into the Red Scared path.
Risking a glance, Jake looked behind him whilst running to see the Red Scared was still in hot pursuit, but was now eating a raptor alive whilst it ran. The raptor squealed in pain as the Red Scared devoured it…
"You've gotta be kidding" Jake shouted. Looking to his left, he noticed that he was no longer with Backstop. "Damnnit" he thought angrily at himself. He was so caught up in running he, didn't even notice where he was going!
Coming to a dead end, Jake panicked. There was a high rock in front of him, so he couldn't run!! The tree's to his left and right was to thick to try and get through…and behind him was the angered Red Scared T-Rex!!
"Oh man, oh man," Jake screamed. Whirling around, he saw the T-rex had made it into the tight squeezed forest, and was slowly stalking towards him. Not knowing what else to do, Jake reached for his handle, and unsheathed his sword…
"I can't believe I'm about to do this," his mind screamed.
He backed away, intimidated as he thought "Jeez, what am I thinking, I can't kill it, so I have to try and outsmart it, it doesn't seem particularly bright…maybe I can use that and it's strength to my advantage".
Glancing at his foot that had been injured, he glanced up again at the Red Scared. "I hope this works," he thought.
Slowly removing his shoe, he allowed the scent of blood to enter the Red Scared's nostrils. The Red Scared flinched on instinct and immediately began to sniff the air for the source. Realizing it was coming from Jake, it grunted as it charged him.
"Get ready," he grumbled as he tensed up, ready to move.
The Red Scared got closer.
"Hollllldddd" he thought.
The Red Scared roared as it was almost upon him.
"Okay………GO" he thought.
Just as the Red Scared was about to hit Jake, he dove aside into some of the thick trees, hurting his head in the process. Despite the bruise on his head, his plan worked as the Red Scared crashed through the huge rock, shattering it to pieces. Stunned from the blow, it fell to the ground, dizzy.
"C"MON BACKSTOP" Jake shouted as he dashed past the stunned Red Scared. Backstop, gave chase as the Red Scared quickly recovered from the blow.
Roaring again, it chased the two, gaining on them with its speed.
Jake glanced backs too see it still chasing them. They had to lose it. "WHOA" he shouted as he almost went over the edge of a ravine that had nothing but darkness at the bottom. Their was a path around the ravine, but…
"It's after me," Jake said aloud, getting Backstop's attention. Looking at the confused Backstop, he said, "You go around the path, I'll lose him using those". Jake then pointed to some of the thick heavy vines that hung from the trees above. They were luckily close to one another, so he wouldn't fall, and they seemed to reach the other side of the ravine…
"Are you crazy, that thing will kill you" Backstop protested. He didn't want to see his friend kill, why did he have to run off, and play hero?
"Look it wants me okay, if it sees you, it'll chase you. Best let it stick to its original prey" Jake said as he snatched on of the vines. Tugging it, he smirked as he confirmed it was tight, and would hold.
Glancing back, he saw the Red Scared would reach them in eight seconds.
"GOOOOO" Jake shouted as he put his other hand on the vine. It went through the rock, so this plan should work, and it would get it off their tails…
Backstop, although hesitating, nodded as he charged off towards the path. And just in time, as the Red Scared spotted Jake and growled as it charged him.
Wanting it to keep it's focus on him, Jake shouted, "HEY, YOU OVERGROWN MEAT HEAD, I'M OVER HERE, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN".
RRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!
"That's it" Jake thought. It was almost upon him.
Three…
Two…
One…
…
…
…
…
NOOWWWWWW!!!!
Jake kicked off the ground as he swung from the vine threw the air, allowing his momentum to carry him. Grasping towards the next vine as he swung, he looked back in time too see the Red Scared run right over the ravine. Unfortunately, because of how big it was, it's falling body came for him.
"DAMN" Jake shouted as he leaped towards the next vine, eager to escape. He hadn't gone through everything just to get killed now!!
Looking back one more time, he an error. The Red Scared's falling arm, with sharp claws, barley nicked the top of his forehead, causing a nice small cut. Seething in pain, Jake swung from the last vine towards the over side of the ravine as the Red Scared fell into the darkness, causing a small quake, and several rocks to tumble in after him…
Collapsing on the other side, Jake moaned as he felt the top of his forehead, blood dripping from the injury. "I just keep getting hurt, I'm getting sloppy," he grumbled as he wrapped his head bandanna around the injury, since he ran out of bandages a while ago.
"Jeez are you alright?" Backstop asked.
"Yeah, just peachy" grumbled Jake as he rubbed it's temples.
"You know, you're the craziest human I've ever met. Since the moment we met, it's been nothing but running and fighting" commented Backstop.
"What can I say, adventure and danger finds it's way too me" smiled Jake as he showed the bag full of stenocronis to Backstop.
"ALRIGHT" Backstop cheered as Jake laughed, glad that they were done.
"Now…let's get back home" Jake sighed as he plopped onto Backstop's back. Backstop laughed as he said, "Yeah, you rest for now, you deserved it".
*****
"And that's basically everything in a nutshell Karl" Jake explained.
Karl said nothing as he gawked at him. Jake truly was an idiot. Rushing off into danger like that with no concern for his life, and yet…
"Whoa" Jake said in surprise as Karl quickly hugged his brother.
"God, I can't even believe your still alive after everything you went through, If I had lost you like we had lost dad, I…" Karl stuttered.
"Karl, relax, I'm fine" Jake said softly. Jake always knew his Karl was concerned for his safety, but jeez this was abit much, for him anyway…
******
After Jake had told Karl everything that happened, he went back outside and laid down against some hay. Rosemary had applied the Stenocronis, and told them to leave for now…
Falling asleep, Jake awoke to the sound of a girl's voice…
Jake…
"Huh" he grumbled as he woke up, his eye's blurry. As his vision became clear, he recognized the voice.
"Samantha" he gasped. Samantha grinned, as she sat down next to Jake.
"I'm all better now, thanks to you," she laughed. She had woken up a short while ago, and had felt a hundred percent better!! She asked what happened, and Rosemary explained everything!! Jake was the reason she was all better!!!
"My mother told me everything, of what you did, and what you went through," she said kindly. Jake nodded, grateful that she was safe and well…
"And……kinda cute looking" he thought.
"I was happy to help you Samantha, I'm glad your alright now" Jake said truthfully. He was glad she was alright, but…
His thoughts were interrupted as she lean forward and hugged him. Instantly, Jake's cheeks flushed red as he blushed furiously.
"S…S…Sa…Samantha" he stuttered.
"Jake, thank you again. You're the sweetest boy ever!! You could have died all those times, and yet you put your life on the line just o help me, thank you, and…uh…Jake" she asked. Backing up slightly, she looked him in the eye.
"Ye…Yes" he asked.
His mind then turned off as she kissed him quickly on the cheek.
"I think I like you" she said. Laughing, she stood up as she walked back towards the hatchery.
Jake, still stunned by the kiss, sat their in shock.
"Wow" he thought…
I was planning on going longer, but I'm tired now. R&R!!!