Just a quick thankyou to a few people.
xweirdxonex- Thanks for the review, but i have to admit i was kind of aiming for trying to make it sound like the Animorphs books.
Al fangor(sp?)- Thankyou for your review, but i don't think i'll be joining your group. I like Cassie. So sorry, but... ;)
Lady Alionae(sp?)- I'm waiting for you to add a new chappie to your story(your untiteld one). I want to know who the girl is. I like the name Mary-Sue(was that it???)
Anyway, here's the chappie. It's a bit lame, but here goes...
Jake took a look around at his small troop, made only slightly bigger by the three newcomers, all shape-shifters.
Two tigers, including himself, a gorilla, a wolf, a grizzly and a polar bear, one panther and an Andalite. And, of course, there was Tobias. Nine in all.
But still, nothing compared to the number of Hork-Bajir and Taxxons that could be on the Blade ship. Not forgetting the abomination; Visser Three.
Still, we've got to lead them away from here, no matter what...
(Tobias! Do you see Ithiell or Rtaia anywhere?!) Jake called up to the circling bird.
(Well I... no, I can't see anything except the shimmering of the Blade ship) he replied.
(All right, get down here. We don't need them using you for target practice)
(Right) Tobias swooped down, landing on the Rachel's massive bear shoulder.
Where are they...
(Ithiell and Rtaia might be hiding under the tree line, just like we are) Amanda suggested.
(Yeah, but what we really need is that fighter)
(Prince Jake, I do not think...)
(I know. But it's the only thing we have that can help us right now)
(If only they could get the ship from home...) Amanda said, seemingly speaking to herself.
(Well, there's no time for that) he said (Tobias, I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you back up there man)
(Sure, no probs) he took off, flapping for altitude before disappearing over the treeline.
There was a tense few seconds, before...
(Oh man! They're in plain view! And what's worse, it looks like it's preparing to land!)
(How far away?)
(They're burning the trees! Just to make room for...)
(Tobias, how far?)
(Um... I dunno, about... half a mile)
(Half a mile!)
(They're landing! I'm surprised they haven't... whoa! Shouldn't have opened my mouth!)
(What's going on? Tobias, are you ok?)
(Yeah, they just took a shot at me)
(Char-grilled bird. Yum) Robert said, and Jake couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.
(Robert) He heard Jade warn.
(So what's the plan Big Jake?) Marco asked him, and he came back to the current problem.
(We split up... guide them away from this place... and we also make it look like there's more of us then there really are. Jade? Amanda? Robert? Are you up for it?)
(Sure) Amanda said, and he saw the tiger nod. Robert growled, but then his head nodded slowly too.
(Tell us what to do) he said.
(All right, we'll go on teams of two, with one team of three. Cassie? Robert? You'll head to the back of the Blade ship together and...)
(What are we supposed to do? Attack the Blade ship?)
(No, but I'm pretty sure they'll send a lot of Hork-Bajir out to find us and the voluntary Hork-Bajir...)
(So we have to lure them backwards, and make them think that that's the way we took them) Robert offered, and Jade snapped at him. Soon, he was quiet.
(Ax? You're with Amanda here. Jade? You're with Marco. The four of you will split up on either side. Tobias, Rachel and I will take the front, and make sure none of them get any further than the spot we're in now) Jake instructed, hoping it would work. If it didn't...
Well, he'd just have to make sure it did.
(Amanda, Jade and Robert, you'll have to use your abilities to keep them confused and keep them guessing. Can you do that?)
(Not a problem) Jade said, and the other two agreed.
(Right. MOVE OUT!!)
---------Break--------------
Jake gave us the order, and nine battle trained...well... animals... went in separate directions, with Robert and Cassie going left with Ax and Amanda to get to the back of the Blade ship.
But not before Marco told everyone how absolutely crazy this all was. Rachel shut him up pretty quickly, and very soon, we were moving towards the Blade ship, and off to the right.
(Ahhh, alone at last) he said as he loped along beside me on the right.
(Too bad it's when we're going into battle) I replied as I sauntered along beside him, my tail twitching every now and then. I was one edgy kitty right then.
(Yeah, you're absolutely right) I think I soured his mood. But then I thought about what Amanda had suggested to me.
(Look, if we... when we survive this, I just want... I mean...)
(Want what?)
I swear if I was human I would have been blushing. That or something like running away from him screaming my head off. Either one was as 'me' thing to do.
Honestly.
(Well, maybe we could... go on a date sometime) I managed to get out, knowing it was something to look forward to... if we survived.
Now, I know he was a gorilla, but the look on his face when I said those words... well, it looked like someone... like me... had hit him with a brick.
(Uh... you ok? I didn't offend you or anything, did I?) Now I was feeling stupid.
I'll never take Amanda's advice on guys again! I mean, she's dating a freakin alien for havens sake!!
(Actually, you just surprised me, that's all. But sure, I'll take that bet) he said, still finding away to smile at me as a gorilla.
(Cool) I said, trying to sound calm. But I was too 'well trained' so you might say. I knew what to expect, and I knew the odds, and they weren't in our favour.
Just like Ithiell taught you. Stay focused...
(Wait a sec, where is he?)
(Where's who?)
(Ithiell. He should be here by now. They should have had the fighter here by now)
(Think something might have happened to him?)
(Yeah, maybe...) I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something missing in this equation. If Ithiell saw the Blade ship, which he most certainly must have because Tobias saw it so easily... then wouldn't he have...
(There it is) Marco said, and I turned to look through the trees to see something that reminded me of the blackest night. Or the Black Death, a Terinan battle ship we only saw once in space.
The Blade ship was dark, maybe darker than even that, and just the sight of it sent shivers up my spine.
(We're supposed to fight that?)
(No, not that. Just the wonderful assortment of deadly aliens that come out of it)
(Ah) we kept walking along, and I kept a close eye on the ship, making sure it didn't see us and decide to fire on us. Thankfully, it didn't, and we kept moving until we were almost out of sight of it, and way past its weapons. At least, I hoped.
We kept walking as an alarm started up, and my tiger senses went into overdrive.
(Whoa! What the...)
(Calm down. It's what we want, remember?)
(Oh, yeah) I felt stupid again. Good thing that only lasted for a few seconds.
(They're sending out their army!)
(What now?!)
(Do what Jake said. Lead them this way)
We watched as various doors began to open, and Hork-Bajir troops began to pile out, all armed with Dracon beams. In seconds, there about twenty coming at us. One aimed and fired, barely missing me.
(I've suddenly got the feeling that this was a bad idea) I said as they kept firing, and we dodged their blasts. Both of us ran to the right of the Blade ship, with the Hork-Bajir still firing at us.
(Well, that's us. Crazy people. Just ask Rachel)
(I think that's true for all of us) I replied as I dodged again, turning around when I couldn't see them. I could hear them, tearing the trees apart, but I couldn't see them. Which was just what I wanted. Marco stopped too.
(The second we start to loose this, we bail)
(No probs to that) I agreed. I readied myself, and Marco did the same beside me, climbing on of the trees.
(Ready?)
(Sure)
(Here they come!) The second I saw one of them begin to emerge from the bushes, I leaped, digging my claws in him, then grabbing his neck with my mouth, twisting slightly. He fell, a lifeless body, and I leapt away.
The second one that came, Marco dropped from the trees, taking him out.
After that, it was madness.
TSSSSSEWWW!!!
(Marco, look out!)
(I got him!)
TSSSEEWWW!!!
TSSSSSEEWWW!!
(Hah! Missed!)
(Don't get too... watch it!)
(Right, thanks!)
Attack! Attack! ATTACK!!
TSSSEWWWW!!
(Ahhhh!) In seconds, my shoulder was on fire, and I saw that I'd been shot. I roared, jumping for the one that had shot me. He tried to bat me away, but it was too late. I was on him! Another one down!!
TTSSSEEWWWW!!!!
TTSSSEEWWWWW!!!
I roared, and Marco hammered away with his two gorilla fists, but we were losing. I saw they had got him too, and I suffered another shot, this time burning my ear off. Blood spilled into my eyes, and I couldn't see the Hork-Bajir as clearly.
(Jade!)
(Marco, look out!)
TSSSEWWW!! They got him, right in the shoulder blade.
(Ahhh!!)
(NO!!!)
Now this fight was getting desperate.
(Bail!) I cried, knocking away a Hork-Bajir that almost shot Marco clear through the chest. He nodded, and we started to move back towards the trees.
(Ah ah ahhh. I don't think so) Came the voice, and from behind the still firing Hork-Bajir, came the one person I didn't expect to see. Visser Three.
(Now, which one of you is the changeling?) he asked, and I noticed he'd recovered from the snake bite.
How did he...
(I am) I blurted walking forward, knowing if I could just...
(No! It's me!) Marco cried.
(What are you doing?! He only wants me!!)
(No way I'm letting them...)
(Look, I have the power. I can get out of there if he really wants me...)
(And if he sticks a slug in your head? What then?! Sorry, but you know too much about us and I won't...)
(He'll never get a damn slug near my head! EVER!!) I screamed, believing in my own words for once in a long time.
(Fine, if you both believe you're the changeling, we'll take you both. We'll just have to wait two hours before we know the truth)
(Oh crap)
(I warned you Marco) I was furious that he'd done this, as well as afraid of what would happen after his two hours were up. He'd be stuck like that forever, and all because of me...
I guess it's up to you now Jade...