The two explorers and their newfound "friend" waited in silence, as their
attackers slowly crept up around them.
"Spread out," Mel ordered. "They're going to try and circle us; attack from all possible points. So be on guard."
Roxton was inwardly surprised (and fortunate) that their new, young woman friend knew what she was doing. She has very good tactics for a jungle girl, Roxton thought. She still looks very familiar though, and for the life of me, I can't figure out where I would have seen her... Roxton's thoughts quickly changed from her to their ravenous visitors waiting in the veiled forest of trees; waiting to have a very tasty feast on the trio that stood before them.
Finally, the raptors made the first move, the leader (presumably) rushed out to the side of Malone, before Ned could even have a chance to raise his rifle (Ned wasn't exactly the best hunter in the world yet).
With a swift move of her arm, Mel thrust her knife, cutting through the thick jungle air, at the raptor. Within seconds, the raptor was down; struck clean through to the heart. The raptor was just seconds from making Malone his next meal.
"Woah," Roxton replied, astounded. "You're very good with that thing. Maybe even better than our friend back home."
"Now's not the time to dabble, Lord Roxton," Mel said hurriedly, as she went to retrieve her knife from the fallen dinosaur. "But thank you just the same."
Roxton felt better after he saw her sliver of a smile (which still reminded him of someone), and realized it was best to get back on track.
"Are you alright?" Mel questioned, as she helped Malone to his feet.
"Yeah, Yeah," Malone voiced rather winded. "He came out of nowhere...Thanks for saving my life, I owe you one."
"You can owe me later," Mel riposted. "But for now, is everyone alright? Can everyone fight?"
With the nodding of heads in response, Mel continued, "All right then, I know this ploy. With their leader down, they might try to post a group attack. So be ready for anything."
The trio waited for what seemed like an eternity before they struck again, and as a group. The dinosaurs propelled themselves from every possible angle, and the mini-war ensued. Roxton and Malone faired well with their rifles and Mel even more so with her hunting knives. More raptors had heard the commotion and had joined the party down in the meadow, adding to the carnage already created by the original group. Finally, it came down to one raptor versus Malone. Ned had managed to elude it, but it had gotten the better of him. He was lying on his back, grimacing in pain, as his assailant edged closer with every breath.
Roxton and Mel whirled around from their latest victories just in time to see Malone about to lose his life. With the speed of lightening, Roxton and Mel both fired their weapons: Roxton with his rifle and Mel with her knife. The raptor didn't stand a chance; the bullet drove deep into its heart and the knife into its eye. The raptor fell to the ground with a deafening screech, and Malone could finally breathe again. But not for long, because he soon passed out from the pain and loss of blood in his severed leg.
"Oh, boy," Roxton sighed. "I'd better get him back to the treehouse before we lose him."
"How far away is it?" Mel questioned suddenly.
"About 6, 6 and a half hours," Roxton answered. "Why?"
"My home," Mel remarked. "Is only 1 hour away. He'll lose less blood that way, and he won't suffer as much jolting around. And besides, you're too hurt to carry him for that long by yourself."
Roxton smirked. "I guess that is a shorter way. But who said I was carrying him by myself? And you're hurt too!"
Mel grinned back. "It is shorter. And you're not carrying him by yourself: I'll help. But not for six hours! And I'm not going back to your home, I think I would have competition with your huntress friend you keep comparing me to. Besides, my arm is only scratched; yours is obviously in pain."
Roxton had been starting to make his way over to his fallen friend, but he kept holding his left arm. It does hurt, Roxton thought. Probably because a bloody raptor bit it.
"Alright," Roxton gave in. "We'll take Malone to your home, and there, you can mend my arm if you don't mind."
"Of course not," Mel beamed as she knelt over Malone, studying him. "It's only a raptor bite, and I've got ointment for that. (Pauses) He has a broken leg and definitely some major bruises. He might have a broken rib as well. We'll have to be very careful taking him back, I have the proper supplies for a splint at home."
Roxton was fascinated. "You know quite a lot about medical things. Were your parents doctors? Or are you? You seem to have a mighty nice English accent there yourself."
She just chuckled. "No, my parents were not doctors, just scientists. But how do you think I have survived here alone? I had to figure out how to diagnose bad situations like this to survive. And, most of all, now is not the time to get suspicious. If you must know," she continued, carrying some large tree fronds to create a type of stretcher for Malone. "I am from England. I came here when I was about 6 or 7, and I have just never lost my accent. And neither have you, Mr. Inquisitive!"
Roxton just chuckled as he helped Mel tie up the stretcher with leaves and load Malone onto them. They slowly made their way through the slew of now- extinct raptors towards Mel's humble mountain abode...
"Spread out," Mel ordered. "They're going to try and circle us; attack from all possible points. So be on guard."
Roxton was inwardly surprised (and fortunate) that their new, young woman friend knew what she was doing. She has very good tactics for a jungle girl, Roxton thought. She still looks very familiar though, and for the life of me, I can't figure out where I would have seen her... Roxton's thoughts quickly changed from her to their ravenous visitors waiting in the veiled forest of trees; waiting to have a very tasty feast on the trio that stood before them.
Finally, the raptors made the first move, the leader (presumably) rushed out to the side of Malone, before Ned could even have a chance to raise his rifle (Ned wasn't exactly the best hunter in the world yet).
With a swift move of her arm, Mel thrust her knife, cutting through the thick jungle air, at the raptor. Within seconds, the raptor was down; struck clean through to the heart. The raptor was just seconds from making Malone his next meal.
"Woah," Roxton replied, astounded. "You're very good with that thing. Maybe even better than our friend back home."
"Now's not the time to dabble, Lord Roxton," Mel said hurriedly, as she went to retrieve her knife from the fallen dinosaur. "But thank you just the same."
Roxton felt better after he saw her sliver of a smile (which still reminded him of someone), and realized it was best to get back on track.
"Are you alright?" Mel questioned, as she helped Malone to his feet.
"Yeah, Yeah," Malone voiced rather winded. "He came out of nowhere...Thanks for saving my life, I owe you one."
"You can owe me later," Mel riposted. "But for now, is everyone alright? Can everyone fight?"
With the nodding of heads in response, Mel continued, "All right then, I know this ploy. With their leader down, they might try to post a group attack. So be ready for anything."
The trio waited for what seemed like an eternity before they struck again, and as a group. The dinosaurs propelled themselves from every possible angle, and the mini-war ensued. Roxton and Malone faired well with their rifles and Mel even more so with her hunting knives. More raptors had heard the commotion and had joined the party down in the meadow, adding to the carnage already created by the original group. Finally, it came down to one raptor versus Malone. Ned had managed to elude it, but it had gotten the better of him. He was lying on his back, grimacing in pain, as his assailant edged closer with every breath.
Roxton and Mel whirled around from their latest victories just in time to see Malone about to lose his life. With the speed of lightening, Roxton and Mel both fired their weapons: Roxton with his rifle and Mel with her knife. The raptor didn't stand a chance; the bullet drove deep into its heart and the knife into its eye. The raptor fell to the ground with a deafening screech, and Malone could finally breathe again. But not for long, because he soon passed out from the pain and loss of blood in his severed leg.
"Oh, boy," Roxton sighed. "I'd better get him back to the treehouse before we lose him."
"How far away is it?" Mel questioned suddenly.
"About 6, 6 and a half hours," Roxton answered. "Why?"
"My home," Mel remarked. "Is only 1 hour away. He'll lose less blood that way, and he won't suffer as much jolting around. And besides, you're too hurt to carry him for that long by yourself."
Roxton smirked. "I guess that is a shorter way. But who said I was carrying him by myself? And you're hurt too!"
Mel grinned back. "It is shorter. And you're not carrying him by yourself: I'll help. But not for six hours! And I'm not going back to your home, I think I would have competition with your huntress friend you keep comparing me to. Besides, my arm is only scratched; yours is obviously in pain."
Roxton had been starting to make his way over to his fallen friend, but he kept holding his left arm. It does hurt, Roxton thought. Probably because a bloody raptor bit it.
"Alright," Roxton gave in. "We'll take Malone to your home, and there, you can mend my arm if you don't mind."
"Of course not," Mel beamed as she knelt over Malone, studying him. "It's only a raptor bite, and I've got ointment for that. (Pauses) He has a broken leg and definitely some major bruises. He might have a broken rib as well. We'll have to be very careful taking him back, I have the proper supplies for a splint at home."
Roxton was fascinated. "You know quite a lot about medical things. Were your parents doctors? Or are you? You seem to have a mighty nice English accent there yourself."
She just chuckled. "No, my parents were not doctors, just scientists. But how do you think I have survived here alone? I had to figure out how to diagnose bad situations like this to survive. And, most of all, now is not the time to get suspicious. If you must know," she continued, carrying some large tree fronds to create a type of stretcher for Malone. "I am from England. I came here when I was about 6 or 7, and I have just never lost my accent. And neither have you, Mr. Inquisitive!"
Roxton just chuckled as he helped Mel tie up the stretcher with leaves and load Malone onto them. They slowly made their way through the slew of now- extinct raptors towards Mel's humble mountain abode...