Chapter 11: The stampede
After stepping in front of her line of vision and then dragging her to safety, Tiku felt tired. He and Kiki were safe for the time being, hiding in the bushes. The humans had not noticed, thankfully. Kiki was huddled near a tree, whimpering. Tiku felt sorry for her, but he also missed the sassy version of her. He sighed and looked around.
"You two better scatter, them humans are all over this place.." a deep voice advised. Tiku looked around and saw an older cub, probably around six months old, walking towards him. The cub was golden in color, with green eyes. The funny thing was, he had black paws, black muzzle, and underbelly. He also had a big, shaggy black tuft of fur on his head. The fur at the end of his tail was black to. His nose was pink, and it stood out among all the black.
"My name's Tanu." The cub said. "I'm Tiku, and that's Kiki." Tanu nodded. "Like I said, this place isn't safe anymore." Tiku nodded and then glanced at Kiki. "Say, mind if I join you two? I was always told there's safety in numbers." Kiki looked up at Tiku and gave the smallest of nods. "Sure, we don't mind." Tiku said.
"Great, come on, let's scatter." Tanu said, urging them to follow him. Kiki got up and followed along behind, her head dropped and her ears drooping. Tiku sighed. They walked along, following Tanu until they heard what sounded like thunder, mixed with that same low rumbling sound Tiku had heard the night before. Tiku's ears perked up and he listened intently. Tanu looked around and then gasped. "Stampede!" He yelled, running for a tree. Kiki and Tiku followed him.
Tanu bounded up the tree, finding a branch easily. Kiki jumped up and started to climb, making her way towards Tanu. Tiku pounced and started to climb, but lost his grip and rolled back down, right in the way of the stampede! He stood, frozen in his tracks, unable to move.
"Tiku! Move!" Tanu yelled. Kiki however watched only for a second before she popped out of her trance. "Tiku!" She yelled. She turned and then pounced, grabbing Tiku and toppling over and over, on top, underneath until they got caught in some bushes. Breathing hard they watched as the stamped passed, followed by a huge animal, the source of the low rumbling sound Tiku had heard. Two humans were in the animal, shooting what looked like some sort of fire from sticks. The animal passed, following the stampeding antelope.
Only when the humans and antelope were long gone did Tanu venture out of the tree and Tiku and Kiki leave the bushes. "You, you saved me." Tiku said, staring at Kiki. "Yeah well." Kiki started, trying to act as though it were no big deal. Tiku smiled. "I knew you cared about me." He said, taunting her. "OH I do not! I just did it cause we cubs have to stick together." She said, again trying to act like it was no big deal. Tanu shook his head. "Well I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. Who's up for getting some chow?" Kiki and Tiku smiled at each other. "Me!" they yelled in unison.
After stepping in front of her line of vision and then dragging her to safety, Tiku felt tired. He and Kiki were safe for the time being, hiding in the bushes. The humans had not noticed, thankfully. Kiki was huddled near a tree, whimpering. Tiku felt sorry for her, but he also missed the sassy version of her. He sighed and looked around.
"You two better scatter, them humans are all over this place.." a deep voice advised. Tiku looked around and saw an older cub, probably around six months old, walking towards him. The cub was golden in color, with green eyes. The funny thing was, he had black paws, black muzzle, and underbelly. He also had a big, shaggy black tuft of fur on his head. The fur at the end of his tail was black to. His nose was pink, and it stood out among all the black.
"My name's Tanu." The cub said. "I'm Tiku, and that's Kiki." Tanu nodded. "Like I said, this place isn't safe anymore." Tiku nodded and then glanced at Kiki. "Say, mind if I join you two? I was always told there's safety in numbers." Kiki looked up at Tiku and gave the smallest of nods. "Sure, we don't mind." Tiku said.
"Great, come on, let's scatter." Tanu said, urging them to follow him. Kiki got up and followed along behind, her head dropped and her ears drooping. Tiku sighed. They walked along, following Tanu until they heard what sounded like thunder, mixed with that same low rumbling sound Tiku had heard the night before. Tiku's ears perked up and he listened intently. Tanu looked around and then gasped. "Stampede!" He yelled, running for a tree. Kiki and Tiku followed him.
Tanu bounded up the tree, finding a branch easily. Kiki jumped up and started to climb, making her way towards Tanu. Tiku pounced and started to climb, but lost his grip and rolled back down, right in the way of the stampede! He stood, frozen in his tracks, unable to move.
"Tiku! Move!" Tanu yelled. Kiki however watched only for a second before she popped out of her trance. "Tiku!" She yelled. She turned and then pounced, grabbing Tiku and toppling over and over, on top, underneath until they got caught in some bushes. Breathing hard they watched as the stamped passed, followed by a huge animal, the source of the low rumbling sound Tiku had heard. Two humans were in the animal, shooting what looked like some sort of fire from sticks. The animal passed, following the stampeding antelope.
Only when the humans and antelope were long gone did Tanu venture out of the tree and Tiku and Kiki leave the bushes. "You, you saved me." Tiku said, staring at Kiki. "Yeah well." Kiki started, trying to act as though it were no big deal. Tiku smiled. "I knew you cared about me." He said, taunting her. "OH I do not! I just did it cause we cubs have to stick together." She said, again trying to act like it was no big deal. Tanu shook his head. "Well I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. Who's up for getting some chow?" Kiki and Tiku smiled at each other. "Me!" they yelled in unison.