Chapter VIII : Stay Alert
A head turned towards the noise, it was Mitch. He was once again out in the open.
"Humans …" he muttered. The simple thought of having a human on his trail made him skimpy. He took no hesitation in making a short run to make himself feel better.
He was pretty high up above sea level from where he was, absorbing the view of the whole island like a proud & accomplished youngster : the arch marking the entry into the cove of the island, lush vibrant landscapes of green, flock of birds emerging from an enormous cave on the far East, auditive hints of a waterfall, and to the west a gigantic glacier, sticking out like a sore thumb among the warm colored forest on Mitch's left.
Cold air coming from the back on the saber made him shrivel instantly. He turned to face the imposing peaks of white mountains, surrounding entirely the piece of land he just witnessed, looking like jaws ready to collapse on its prey. He never saw that much snow in his life, making him exhale a shy 'Woah'.
- Is it clear for you ?
- Yeah
Manny & Shira finally managed to fight their way through the aggressive vines. The effort spent was extraordinary ; they settled down.
An agonizing squeak made them stand up. Shira decided to investigate on her own. It didn't appear to be that far away, making her movement extremely slow and calculated.
She could hear breathing, but it sounded uncommon.
A branch stepped on, breathing was more unclear. She couldn't bring herself to think what to do next, paralyzed.
She peaked above her hiding spot and dove right back ; a hunting stick missed her by a second, whistling until it got deviated by Manny's trunks.
Seeing panic in the feet of the human, she snuck out of her bush and stood against the shocked individual.
A middle aged man, about 1,60 meters tall, was holding a parcel made of ropes containing three dead rabbits, while a recent one was lying on the ground, killed by his stick. He was now unarmed.
Shira didn't know what to do, the man didn't know what to do, but Manny's inclusion a short while after was enough to make the stranger hurry away in fear, knocking out by accident one of his rabbits out of the parcel in the escape.
"That's a big load of red flags" muttered Manny, still attempting to process what he experienced, looking in the direction of the Cro-Magnon's flight with disturbed eyes.
Staring at the two dead animals, Shira quickly turned towards Manny.
- You don't mind ?
Still bewildered, Manny nodded politely and instantly headed to the coast.
-I need some air …
Alright then
From the caveat showing the coast with Precious, Buck drew a myriad of unrecognizable encryptions all around the hole, as if he was coming to a math conclusion.
Crash had his mouth gaping in incomprehension, while Eddie was nowhere to be seen.
- What does this mean ?
With the white stone in his hand, the weasel was scribbling a last drawing of them three, with Buck's elongated arm embracing the two possums to his side. He threw the stone to his side like any physics teacher would do.
"This is the mission" he pointed at the hole with his right hand, while keeping the other one on his waist. Head leaning forth, he was now having the allure of a Scout leader.
Crash was still trying to decipher it all.
- How do you know this is where we should be ?
Making small ovations with his hands multiple times, searching for an answer at the ceiling, he looked back at Crash, letting out a genuine answer, hands altogether with his head tilting.
- A feeling …
Crash nodded back at him, but he still was in thoughts, one hand to his chin. His eyes widened suddenly.
- Oh my, Ed', Manny's gonna kill us
- DUDE CHECK THIS OUT
Both of them jumped, eyes turning towards the source of noise.
- No way, where did you find that ?
- In the sea …
Not paying attention to the sarcasm, Crash was admiring the new weapon Eddie just found.
- Palm branch 2.0 !
"… Coming right in time for the next quest in our journey" his brother was being all medieval for a second, lighting some sparkles in Crash's eyes.
- Can I have it ?
Eddie was now looking amusingly perplex at Crash, a fist on the chin, considering him with little respect.
- I dunno Crash, the palm clearly chose me …
An ugly distortion disrupted the argument. Both possums' hair were on edge. They couldn't move, yet Buck, unfazed, grabbed the palm and headed into the darkness of the conduits.
Fidgeting in the tunnel too was Sid, trying to find a stranger in the dark.
- Hello ? Is there somebody down here ?
- More dark forces …
The three of them were clutched together, trying to find a way through the obscure labyrinth. Sid's voices resonated once more.
- What do we do ?
- Easy boys, I'm trying to think …
- There's light right ahead !
There was an awkward silence for at least 30 seconds, only having creeping footsteps approaching the trio's perimeter.
A cough broke the silence, a clear whack happened too. Sid was down once again.
- You got her, brilliant !
- That palm has a nice swing to it …
Trying to palpate the unconscious body, Eddie got back up.
- She got purged alright.
The problem now resolved, they ran towards the source of light.
The possums were at maximum speed, showing little chance of slowing down.
However, Buck was already bathing in the light, and swiftly cut short Eddie's sprint in time to avoid a fatal accident. Buck was breathing with difficulty, looking at what was populating just 20 meters below.
He was so concentrated on it that he didn't take notice of Crash stumbling upon a rock, and sliding down in the mush. Buck left out a gasp.
Right below were living 5 fully grown saber tooth tigers ; almost all of them were occupied in some way, staying put, except for one, who was clearly looking frustrated.
The place was quite special, it was thinly lit by some sunrays, making the place quite intimate, if not dangerously obscure. A couple of medium sized trees were populating the area, which was covered in the same abundant mush as the conduits. It looked like a crater, populated by dozens of holes of the conduits on its sides. The hills had a good deal of bumps, easing the possibility of climbing out of the area.
Sighing in relief, Buck eyed in concern towards Crash who landed on one of the bumps below, right beside another entrance to the conduits. Two tigers turned in response to the thump, one returned to his occupation, the other one was still searching for the intruder.
- Hungry for a squirel, aren't you ?
The frustrated one responded to the taunt with a shake of his head, staring with a look of disgust at the bigger individual.
Kane was busy carving out the last remains of meat from Frank's leg, laying with his two paws occupied.
His compares was of a pretty towering height, almost as tall as Kane. Despite the anxiety displayed in his attitude, his posture looked always dignified : standing with confidence, head straight, he had the anatomy of a healthy saber, hardly showing any physical flaws. He donned a pretty rare pelt of ocrea for the majority of the body. His chest was painted with a splash of white, with drips of the color spreading on both sides of the fur, along with fragments of a snow leopard's pelt. A more timid mane was grown on the sides of his head, compared to Kane, while a clear spark of hazel was filling his pupils.
- Mitch should be back by now …
The other sighed in disbelief.
Quickly, Buck and Eddie joined Crash by sliding down silently, all now laying down and observing the ordeal.
The frustrated fellow was now eyeing every other saber in the midst.
Not too far from Kane was a slumbering tigress. She had an unusually elongated body, recalling the anatomy of a wolverine. Sporting a pronounced brown, the underlining on each parts of her body were white, while strakes of a spotted leopard were marking most of the upper body, not forgetting some powerful legs. Also possessing a mane, it tied from the back of the neck almost up to the tail. Another unusual feature was the density of the fur, it looked like it was preventing winter, but it was hardly cold right now. The glimpse on her silhouette comforted him.
On Kane's left was sitting a rather innocent individual. He clearly looked like the youngest of the group. Catching glimpse that he was being observed, he looked away, intimidated. The fur had the rarity of being entirely black, save for the chest who had the shape of a white feather covering right down to a small portion of the belly. A thin strake of white trailed from the back of his neck, but it was rather small in size. Startling deep ocean blue eyes stood out, along with small saber teeth, still early in their growth.
He didn't want to stare at him for too long by respect. However, the last of the pack awakened a way more dangerous expression in the frustrated fellow.
Sitting upright, his serene face absorbing the warm rays of past midday, he was showing no signs of stress. The saber was pretty small compared to Kane, coating a bold brown pelt, with elegant and pronounced drips of white on the sides. The back of his legs were outlined with black and white, as was also the case of his mane. He had some facial similarities to Kane. His eyes were confidently shut, meditating.
An exaggerated sigh disrupted his concentration ; the eyes only awakening for a short while. The neck didn't move, there was simply a glimpse of one eye discerning the frustrated individual, it's expression of the most serene. It's the kind of look that would make anyone uneasy, because you could hardly tell what those eyes meant. The pure green in that singular pupil could hide anything. After considering the fellow from top to bottom, it returned to it's formal occupation, eyes shut, letting out a quick spasm of the neck that called the attention of Kane, looking at him with worry.
One detail that I forgot to mention was that Kane was laying on a more elevated ground than the basking and frustrated one, while the tigress and youngling were at his level. He turned towards the black one, eyeing him with concern.
- Kid, you still haven't touched the meal yet.
The blue eyes looked in his direction, but it quickly looked away, a hint of shyness in the body language.
- Not hungry …
Kane was not convinced at all by the answer. He layered the bone and leaned his head.
- Honesty is not my strongest attribute, but you are making it look difficult for me
The other didn't dare look at him, the eyes were looking way too guilty.
- You two barely ate a thing since we arrived here.
The one below Kane turned to him.
- It's not my kind of meat
Kane looked offended by that remark.
- I'd rather hunt my own prey than swallow one that came from your mouth.
Surprisingly, the one he was trying to trigger became amused of that insult. A smile drawn, he returned to his meat carving.
- You clearly envy my skills, that's honesty …
- That's hardly a big prey you got for us, stop showing your ego.
- You're pathetic …
Kane stopped for a second and stared at him.
- Why don't you go prance in the unknown and leave us alone for once ?
The tension rose once more as he stared at the one meditating.
- As long as this freak is still leading, I'm going nowhere.
The audacity in the statement made Kane raise an eyebrow. The place went silent.
Another spasm awoke in the neck of the individual, he was breathing heavily all of a sudden, progressively awakening from his meditation. He turned his neck this time, revealing a peculiar snag. His left eye was of a powerful green, but the other one was clear bronze. He had no emotion displayed, only dread from the look. He took an effortful sigh before adressing the culprit.
- It took you years to finally admit it, how I am supposed to react ?
Zelan's whispers almost sounded harmless, as there was hidden fragility behind all that façade.
The culprit didn't break his eye contact, neither did Zelan, discerning him once again as if he was rediscovering new flaws in his opponent. The look was definitely making it harder for the other one. He finally caught his attention, but what was the plan now ?
- You have not said a word on that ice block for the three days we were at sea, not even did you try to drown me. And now …
- Cut the crap, you can barely lead.
That broke the safe distance between him and Zelan. The latter was now on its four, slowly shortening the gap between them.
- I want to be sure : did you just interrupt me ?
The black one was looking terrified, Kane was done with his bone and was now burying it with one paw in the earth, creating a pattern. The bone was covering itself more and more in dirt as the claws were repeatedly crushing the ground. Not once was he losing the argument out of sight. An impressive yawn broke the silence : the female saber was now awake.
- Red what are you doing ?
- Lin you hear me this instance …
- Give him a break already, he's way too excited to start a fight …
Lin turned towards Kane, still puzzled by the ruckus going on.
- How original is it to hear somebody that has "problems" …
- Shut up Kane
Kane fell silent, stopped his pattern. Daggers …
- You're wasting my air kid.
- Lin, listen to me …
- I did speak.
Red was now back looking at Zelan, who hasn't moved at all. He was expecting a reply.
R – Everything that surrounds your existence is royalty, but there is none of that royalty in you : you're a hack.
Zelan was silent. Slowly tilting his head, he replied calmly :
- It must hurt being you then …
That barely made Red flinch. He was out for blood, teeth were starting to show.
- Red, whatever you're doing, just stop it. We already have enough trouble to deal with.
Lin's heavy voice was the only thing that could break his concentration. He heard that one alright.
"We've always ran through trouble, can't you see ?" Red's voice was losing faith. He is on the edge of tears
Z – Enlighten me.
Once again facing Zelan, he was not going to hold back, shaking his head furiously in frustration.
- We have now spent a total of one day on this island, not having a plan, not having a clue, not even having the slightest idea where we are ... forgetting that we lost ¾ of our pack not one week ago, and all you're thinking about is to lay around, doing nothing … dying …
The air was getting tight. No one was saying a word, Buck was scratching his head with the amount of sweat he was producing, Crash & Eddie were glued to the action. All that you could hear was Kane's sigh and a return to his burying pattern.
- Reith, what are you doing ? You look meek as heck.
Mitch was back, checking on his brother, completely unaware of the pending silence that was occuring.
- Hey folks …
No one answered. Red was closer than ever with Zelan, who still hasn't broke eye contact.
Z - … Which is why we're taking no risk in losing anymore of our own.
Mitch quickly caught up by that moment, he heard that argument a thousand times before.
Z – We're taking little steps in getting to know the land, in which I select one of you each day to achieve a ponctual task that will benefit our progress. Do you follow ?
The condescendence in that inquiry got under his skin. He couldn't continue getting humiliated like that.
Zelan turned towards Mitch for a report. Quite rapidly so, he executed himself.
- Humans, chief. It's not looking good …
Kane stopped fiddling.
- Did they chase you ?
- I wouldn't be here, dummy.
- We never know with you …
- How is it that you're leading this pack, yet you can't look over your own son ?
A pebble In the water
Everybody fell silent once again. Kane was back fiddling with the mud, Lin and Reith were looking worryingly at Red, and Mitch was covering his face, mouthing a slur.
A spasm returned in the center of his neck ; beaming at Red, dead in the eye, Zelan was not breaking. Breathing loudly, unflinching watery eyes, this was the longest stare Red handled. The dread was overflowing.
- Where is he n ….
He couldn't finish. A headbutt to the chest disoriented him, while a fast tackle to the legs brought him to the ground, all in the matter of 5 seconds. When he tried to fight back, he quickly was put to halt with Zelan's huge drawn claws on his neck. Red was subdued.
Everybody but Kane was silent, the former squeezing out the last remains of dirt in his clenched paw, unfazed by what he was witnessing.
Red was ready to die, but Zelan was not even looking at him. Eyes forward, heavy pants, he didn't look normal. It felt as if he was a completely different individual. Another spasm came about, then he proceeded to look down at Red. He didn't look in control.
- Go live ... your miserable existence ... elsewhere, find some lives you deem perfect to ruin, feel good about yourself ; just not here ... it is not a place to win, it is never ... a place to win. Just leave… just disappear … just die.
His face hasn't changed one bit. Red was free from Zelan's grasp at last. He stood up in a flash, staying alert of any attack, but Zelan's mind was lost. He was looking in the same direction as before, sensing something, still breathing heavily. Kane was now standing up, unable to process what to do.
A branch collapsed. Eddie was trying to grab a fruit.
Within a split second, Kane approached the source of noise, tearing down any tiny obstacles in his path with ease. Teeth were shown.
The trio was back into the conduits, escaping by not much sudden death.
Red was so concentrated on Kane's intervention that he didn't see Zelan passing him by, going in the same direction as his comparse, only stopping halfway. A very old stump was beneath his claws.
Nobody could comprehend what was happening : Zelan was pressuring the dying wood, to the point his nails were starting to bleed, to the point he managed to pierce it, leaving it with an enormous crack. His paw was a mess.
The panting ensued, eyes were not responding, until he took one last look at Red from afar.
Those two eyes were all what Red could see.
He looked away, looked at Lin, waiting for an answer. She gave him none. He stared at the ground.
Admitting defeat
He disappeared.