By MWB

Rating: PG

(when ever you see these ' it represents someone thinking.)



Veronica hurridly walked through the dried underbrush on the jungle floor, unaware of the nose she made, or of the raptor stalking her. Franticlt scanning the area she screams, "MARGUERITE!" for what seem to be the hundreth time.
'Why, oh why does that woman have to be so difficult?' Veronica asked herself as she searched for the missing hieress. Ever since Veronica had accidently thrown out some of Marguerite's precious jewels, Marguerite had been looking everywhere for them, and when she hadn't come back, and now it was growing darker by the minute, Veronica fearing the worst had in gone search for her. 'Where are you Marguerite, and where are the men?' Veronica thought.

Marguerite could not believe that Veronica had thrown out her jewels, 'So what it, that it had been had been an accident, Veronica should have known that I kept some of my jewels in the flour bin, she didn't have throw it out, just because it had worms in it.' Marguerite thought angriely. "I mean she knew I kept them there ever since she and the rest of them gathered all of my jewels up for that trickster god," Marguerite said out loud looking into a hollow log, she looked up realizing that she was, way to far away from the treehouse, farther then Veronica could ever throw, anything. Marguerite straightened, throwing her arms over her head and stretching, suddenly she felt a sharp pain shoot through her right arm, and her arm flew back into the tree, sticking there. Marguerite looked up in horrer to find her hand pinned to the tree by an ugly looking black arrow, while looking around franticly for the shooter, she finally heard Veronica calling for her, "Over here, come quick, I'm hurt!" Marguerite yelled in Veronica's general direction. She heard Veronica running through the jungle, Marguerite then a felt a sharp stabbiing pain in her stomach as another arrow embeded itself firmly in her abdomen, the blood instantly spurting and then began to trickle out from the wound, staining her white blouse, as 3 streams of the red blood slowly made there way down her forearm, "Veronica, come on!" Margueirte cried, begining to panic slightly, placing her free hand over the abdomen wound, which was now oozing blood steadily.

"Marguerite!" Veronica cried out when she saw the heiress pinned to the tree, her blouse and arm covered in blood. Marguerite looked up at her, pain, fear and pleading for help, all appartent on her face, "Help me," Marguerite hissed through clenched teeth pleading, as they heard the sounds alot of people crashing through the jungle, Veronica saw at least 20 maybe 30 men coming all armed with crossbows and swords. Veronica jumped onto the hollow log Marguerite had been looking in, stradling it carefully, she reached up, pulling the arrow from the tree and Marguerite's hand. Marguerite collasped into Veronica's arms, Veronica quicly pulled the arrow from Marguerite's stomach, staining her hand red, and causing Marguerite to gasp. Leaning Marguerite against the tree, Veronica drew her knife, and turned to confront the attackers.

The one in the lead, charged at Veronica, she took him out with kick in the face, and knife in the chest. As he fell, two more advanced, the first one charged, followed shortly by the second, Veronica sheathed her knife, grabbed a good sized club, and used it like a baseball bat. The first one stopped dead, as his forehead connected soildly with club. The second who was right behind the first, lashed out with a knife, slashing Veronica accross the right arm. She grunted as the blade sliced through her flesh, then she back handed with her left fist, then kicked in the side of his head. Strangly enough the others, had watched Veronica take on and down all 3, without batting an eye. They now turned and left as abruptly as they had come. Veronica backed up till she was next to Marguerite.

Veronica slowly slid down the trunk of tree,.........she clenched her jaw, trying to ignore the pain and come to terms with what had just happened. "Damn it, I should have been more aware of the sitution,". "Calm down," she told herself. "You have more important things to worry about now,". She looked over at Marguerite, who had her eye's closed concertrating on the pain. "Marguerite?" Veronica asked, softly laying a hand on her shoulder. Marguerite opened her eyes, looking over at Veronica she said, "Looks like you impressed them," she attempted to smile but failed miserably. "Here let me see," Veronica said carefully pulling open Marguerite's shirt to take a look at the worst of the wounds. Marguerite grimaced, biteing back a cry of pain, as Veronica gently rolled her camisole up above the wound. Veronica grimaced at the wound, she gently pressed against it, Marguerite cried out. "Sorry, sorry," Veronica apologized.

All of a sudden the bushes parted and out lept the raptor that had been following Veronica. Veronica quickly stood to face it, knife drawn and blood running down her arm, coating her arm in a thick layer of blood. The raptor followed Veronica as she attempted to draw it away from Marguerite. The raptor lunged at Veronica, Veronica dodged to the side plunging her knife into the raptors side, the raptor hissed. It turned to face it's intended prey, and lunged again this time landing on top of Veronica. It swiped it's claws at her leaving a deep gash on her cheek, suddenly a shot rang out and the raptor collspesed on top of Veronica. Veronica shoved the body off, and saw Marguerite standing up but still leaning against the tree, holding her pistol in one hand, and holding her stomach with the other, she was smiled weakly, before collasping. Veronica jumped up, wiping the dripping blood from her cheek, she ran to Marguerite. Veronica slipped the older woman out of the shirt and used it to bandage Marguerite's stomach, occansionly stopping to wipe the blood from her face.


Roxton, Malone and Challenger walk silently through the jungle, rifles ready, Roxton stops holding up a hand. "What is it?" Challenger whispers. "Raptor," Roxton whisper back, just as their prey burst from the jungle. Roxton raises his rifle and fires, the raptor falls dead. Roxton laughs, "Gotcha," he then draws his knife and commences to clean the raptor. As he slits the trhoat allowing the blood to drain, he looks up suddenly. Challenger who was trying not to watch as Roxton slit the trhoat of the raptor notices the younger mans sudden alertness, "Roxton, what's wrong,". Roxton stands, wipeing his knife on his pantleg, "I don't know Challenger, something isn't right. I think Marguerite is in trouble," Roxton says grabbing hat and rifle. Challenger laughs, "So what else is new,". Roxton shoots him a dirty look as Malone comes up, "He's right I've got that same feeling in my gut as well something's wrong," Malone says, casting alook at the raptor. Challenger shrugs, "Well what about the raptor?". Roxton takes a few steps towards the jungle, he stops and turns, "No time," is all he says before turning and walking into the jungle, followed by Malone.


Marguerite stumbled, causing Veronica who was trying to support her to stumble as well, allthough Veronica was not in very good shape herself. Veronica tried to pull Marguerite back up, but found herself to weak, and collapsed herself.


The men arrive at the treehouse, to find the girls missing, "They went this, looks like Marguerite went first then a few hours later Veronica followed," Roxton said thoughtfully from he crouched on his haunces looking at the ground. Challenger looked around, there was no sign of a struggle, "Yes but the question is were did they go and why,". Roxton shrugged and followed the trail.


A half and hour later the men are walking through jungle when they come upon the limp forms the women. They towards them Roxton feels Marguerite's kneck for pulse, then Veronica, "There alive, barely," he says, tenderly brushing a strand of hair from Marguerite's face. Challenger looks at there wounds, "Looks like they were in quite a battle, we need to get them to the treehouse, we'll make gurny we can drag behind us," Challenger said gathering a few sapplings.


Roxton gently pulled Marguerite into his arms, and placed her next to Veronica, on the crudely made gurny.
Malone picked up one side and Roxton the other, Challenger walking ahead, to keep a clear path.

Challenger opens the gate, and Roxton and Malone enter dragging the loves of their lives behind them. They reach the foot of the giant tree, and the two younger men silently gather their loves in thier arms and assend in the elavator. At the top Challenger says, "It would be best to put them in the same room, it'll be easier to take care of them," the two men simply nod, and head towards, Veronica's room, Malone exits a moment later and drags a cot into the room for Marguerite.


Roxton sits at Marguerite's bed side, Malone at Veronica's. "You can't leave me not now, not yet," Roxton whispers quietly to Marguerite, wiping her brow with a cool cloth, he continues, "My love for you is unending, you've been hurt by love before, I can see it in your eyes, but I won't hurt you," Roxton finishes, his cracking and tear slips down his cheek. Roxton stands and leaves not wanting Malone to see him cry.

Malone having heard every word Roxton uttered, looks down upon the face of his beloved, "Veronica, I love you," Malone smiles, "I can tell while your unconcious, but awake....... I'm tongue tied. It's not a cat that captures my tongue when you are in the room Veronica, it's your beauty," Malone pushes a stray strand of hair from her face, when she stirs. He sits upright, "Challenger!" he yells. The older man, and the closest thing they had to a doctor rushes in, "What's wrong," he says as Roxton runs in.

Veronica felt someone touch her face, she treid to wake, but it was hard. She heard someone yell or Challenger, she felt someone put two fingers to her throat and a familer voice said, "Her pulse is strong, she could wake any minute, how's Marguerite?". 'Marguerite!' Veronica sudenly remembered everything, the arrows, the raptor, she remembers how gravely Marguerite was injured.

As Malone and Challenger watched, Veronica's eyelids fluttered and opened, "Marguerite," she mumbles and tries to sit up.
Malone pushes her back down, "Easy it's allright, Veronica your safe now, so is Marguerite,". At that moment Marguerite stirs,
Roxton who is sitting at her side calls Challenger, Challenger leans over Marguerite opening her eyelids, "She's going to be fine, they both are. But they'll be weak for a while, they've lost a lot of blood," Challenger says as Marguerite awakens. "Roxton?" she weakly mumbles. A tear streaks down Roxton's face, followed by another causing a cascade of tears, but he doasen't care who sees him, "I'm here love, I'm here," he says kissing her forehead.




And they all lived happily ever after.

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