The morning was already sweltering when the trio of explorers rose that morning, and no one had slept well the night before, all feeling eyes upon them throughout the night. Several times Veronica sat up and looked through the brush, almost catching a glimpse yellow eyes blinking at them. Her resolve to see Assai that day strengthened.
"Let's get moving, I want to get Challenger and head for the Zanga before noon.
"But it's so hot, that's just going to make it even hotter."
"Let's go Marguerite, you can stay at the Treehouse if you don't want to go the village," Veronica sighed.
"I may take you up on that offer, I need a bath anyway."
"Maybe I'll join you," Roxton teased as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. Marguerite rolled her eyes, but John didn't miss the smile that touched her lips.
The misty valley below was inviting with its cool shade, but they wisely avoided going down its path. Veronica still couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching them.
"That hasn't changed," Marguerite commented looking at the mist admiringly.
"Yeah, but I don't want to get caught down there, I don't want to be on the receiving end of one of that woman's arrows again," Roxton stated as he examined the hole in his precious hat.
"Challenger would be 'fascinated.' The trees down there are taller than any other's I've seen on the Plateau, it has to be centuries older the rest of the jungle," Veronica said as she traveled down the path. Suddenly the ground began to shake in the, by now, all too familiar warning of a T-Rex. "Great."
"Take cover," Roxton commanded as he readied his rifle. They hid behind various outcroppings as one of the largest T-Rex's they had ever seen stomped passed. It paused briefly and sniffed the air, then turned it's head to stare directly at the explorers. It studied them, roared, and then marched on into the mists of the Valley below. In the distance they heard another T-Rex roar in response and they could see it heading into the Valley over the tops of the tall mist saturated trees.
"Something very strange is going on," Veronica said. Before anyone else could comment a band of Lizardmen leapt out of the trees and attacked the distracted trio.
Eight surrounded them and circled as Marguerite drew her gun and Veronica her knives. As the first one charged wielding a sword, Roxton promptly incapacitated him. Marguerite did the same with her would-be attacker, and Veronica swiftly threw one knife after another. Three more lizards came out of the brush to replace their fallen compatriots in the battle. "There's too many!" Marguerite cried as she hit one over the side of the head with the butt of her pistol.
"Keep fighting," Roxton yelled. This wasn't going well.
Out of nowhere the Saber-tooth tiger from the day before attacked a Lizardman, taking him down in one swift pounce. The other lizards scrambled back, trying to get as far from the vicious cat as possible. Roxton couldn't figure out why they were so afraid of the cat, but not the guns.
The cat took a position separating the Lizardmen and the three almost as a protective barrier as they began their retreat into the jungle. When the lizards were a safe distance, one turned and spitefully fired off an arrow.
Before any could react, Marguerite fell to the ground clutching at the shaft.
"Marguerite!" Roxton dropped to his knees next to her and held her still as he examined the arrow.
Veronica knelt beside him holding a discarded arrow. "It's barbed, we can't pull it out without doing worse damage. We'll have to push it through."
"We can't do it here, she'll bleed to death before we get her back to the Treehouse," Roxton was frantic, trying to ebb to flow of blood. Marguerite's breath was raspy as she fought the darkness that threatened to consume her.
The monstrous cat roared at them, causing their already frayed nerves to stretch to the limit. Veronica watched it as is paced near the path leading into the Valley. "I think it wants up so follow him."
"Are you crazy, that woman made it perfectly clear that we were not welcome there," Roxton declared.
"She also made it clear that she didn't want to kill us, maybe she can help," she coaxed.
Roxton looked down at Marguerite, he could see the pain and fear in her eyes as she started to slip away. "Alright, lets go." He gently lifted Marguerite into his arms, trying not to jostle her shoulder.
The cat ran down the path, roaring the entire way down the slope. When they reached the base they found the woman they had met the evening before waiting for them. "What has happened?"
"We were ambushed by Lizardmen, we need you help or our friend is going to die," Veronica pleaded.
The woman looked to her feline companion, "Lizardmen?" The animal made a strange growling noise and she nodded in understanding. Indecision creased her face before turning and walking, "Follow me."
They quickly walked through the jungle, Roxton and Veronica struggling to keep up with the long legged strides of the beautiful blonde ahead of them.