Large palm trees swayed back and forth reaching for the endless blue sky. Long grass that reached the beach were gently brushed aside by the wind, making it look like waves in a sea of green. The blue ocean shimmered in the evening light of the mighty sun's rays. Sounds of majestic colorful birds echoed throughout the jungle accompanied by loud chirps and screeches of large insects.
A lone mother pig and her piglets maneuvered through the grass and around trees. Muffled steps of hooves meeting dirt went virtually unheard in the jungle's natural ambiance. Piglets ran after their mother trying to keep up as they pushed and shoved each other down.
They had reached a small clear creek where the mother began drinking. Small fish swam around her muzzle trying to get past and up stream. The piglets took this as a sign that it was time to eat and started attacking their mothers enlarged nipples, trying to suckle out everything she had to give to them. This was where more shoving and pushing started.
After the mom was done with her drink she stood silently, allowing her litter to get their meal for today. Soon after, the ambiance of the lively jungle suddenly stopped, as if someone had simply pushed the snooze button on an alarm clock.
The mother pig noticed this and lifted her head in confusion and slight fear. In agitation she swept her head and body side to side changing her stance with each movement, looking for the source of this anomaly. The piglets squealed in displeasure from their sudden separation of their meal causing more shoving to reattach them selves.
She stood completely still, waiting for something to happen. That was a bad idea.
A short sudden roar came from behind her with the sound of someone's feet hitting dirt in a hard sprint. Before she could react she was pinned down and felt the penetration of sharp fangs clamping down on her jugular like a vice. The piglets squealed in many different pitches from fear and began to scatter away from the large figure holding down their birth mother.
The pig squirmed and kicked in defiance against her attacker. Fighting a battle she already lost when she drank from the creek. She tried to squeal and snort, but the only sound protruding from her throat was the gurgling of blood filling her lungs and freely pooling around her. The light soon left the pig's eyes only leaving a dull shade of brown in her irises, showing that there was no longer a soul present in the bloody corpse.
The beast that claimed its kill released its grip on the prey and licked its chops, wiping off the crimson liquid. A random tic chewed on its skin under its short orange fur which caused it to use its hind leg and scratched like a dog.
The beast had dark orange fur with black stripes, like a tiger's, on its arms, legs, and ran along its neck to the tip of its tail. Its tail was like a lion in shape and length, there was even a small patch of fuzz on the end like a lions. Three long brown scars laid atop of its eyeless head accompanied by the others on his neck, showing experience in its fighting ability. One of them ran across a gill like glands on the right side of the animal's neck.
A large green and red metal shoulder plate stayed permanently attached to its left shoulder seeming out of place on the primal animal. It was none other than Ben or what he was now, Wildmutt. There was an increase in length to his body now which made him no longer hunched over while he stood.
A rustle in the bushes drew his attention away from the kill. His gills pulsated for a second before he settled down again, now knowing what it was.
Kat squeezed from the many ferns with a dead piglet in her mouth. Ben wasn't the only one that came up successful in the hunt. She came up and stood beside him before dropping and eating her kill.
Ben looked at the mother pig. Slivers of doubt still in his mind of engorging himself on the succulent raw flesh. That was soon cast aside however and he began his meal.
Half hour later
Ben and Kat could be seen laying beside each other on the outskirts of the beach where Ben had his now dead fire pit. It had been a full month now since he saved Kat and she was still as clingy as ever. Ben couldn't go anywhere without her at least a short walking distance away.
Right now Ben was in one of his now rare occasions of thinking logically. So many things had changed since he helped Kat and he didn't know if it effected him negatively or not.
He now acted more animal than human, but he was able to get food now. He ate raw flesh, but his digestive and immune system kept him from getting sick and he didn't have to cook it anymore. Wait, he needed a fire to cook things and that wasn't what he originally used it for.
His thoughts were lost to him trying to remember why he really ever had a fire in the first place. He didn't need it to survive so he ruled it out as now unnecessary.
Ben's physical appearance, rather Wildmutt's, changed greatly also. It might've been like the time the wolf alien scratched the watch and the Omnitrix downloaded its DNA. However, he was already in one of his forms before Kat scratched the Omnitrix dial.
Maybe it warped into Wildmutt's DNA and changed it drastically by mixing and changing his genes. The traits for black fur and his orange fur must've been both dominant for them to come together like they did.
Ben was even dreaming of memories not of his own, like he was remembering experiences in a past life. Those first days of dreams were more like nightmares. So many predatory creatures and plants plagued those nightmares, virtually anything had the potential to kill you. Ben was glad he was here and not on Wildmutt's home planet.
Ben's brain began to hurt from all the thinking again. He was feeling tired and decided to sleep, only hoping to be blessed with another sleepless night. He laid his large head on the soft grass and soon began to slumber. Kat noticed and decided to call it a day as well. She snuggled her head into Ben's neck, following close behind Him to dreamland.
Island, 4:00 in the morning
A small grumble interrupted Kat's sleep. She groggily lifted her head of her 'pillow' and looked around in confusion. The grumble came again, but even louder. Kat knew what it was now, she was still hungry even after eating that piglet.
She looked into the jungle. Ben didn't finish his meal on the larger pig and it was more than likely still there where they left it. Kat then glanced at Ben. She didn't want to leave him for too long still visualizing him as her new mate. Another growl of her stomach sounded out in dismay.
She would only be gone a little while and it wouldn't hurt to go back to the corpse and have a little too eat before coming back. She lowered her head toward Ben's and gave him a short lick before trotting toward the jungle, the nocturnal animal's calls became more clear.
Kat maneuvered around the ferns and other obstacles in her way toward the creek. She knew where a lot of the main landmarks were, mostly because she's been living here for ten years. Technically she was getting old. Panthers only lived for thirteen years, fifteen tops, she didn't have many years left before she died.
Her last mate would've left her for a younger more energetic female even if she was able to escape with him. That was probably another reason why she clung to Ben so fast, she subconsciously didn't want to die alone. He didn't even mind her being there! She was as happy a panther could possibly get.
Kat could smell the kill Ben made not to long ago, she wasn't too far now. She trotted forward now beside the creek. She continued moving until she saw something that made her stop.
Standing over and eating the pigs corpse was none other than her old mate. Four ugly scab like scars were on his front left leg and another pair were on his side. Ben had gotten him pretty good, it was a surprise the panther had survived after Ben's vicious onslaught.
The male finally took notice of another's presence and stopped his consumption. He lifted his head and saw Kat. He recognized her immediately, but gave a few cautious sniffs of her scent and he growled. She reeked of Ben's scent which made him glare at Kat with disdain. He lowered his stance in an offensive position.
Kat copied his actions in return, growling angrily back. How dare he return to Ben's and her territory and how dare he leave her for dead. The other animals knew what was going to happen and were smart enough to now keep quite.
They circled one another not allowing their opponent gain the upper hand. She wasn't going to allow him to escape with his life, not this time.
Kat wasn't paying attention to anything else except the male which caused her to trip up over the Pig. That's when her opponent lunged.
'Camp'
Ben violently jerked out of his slumber panting and heart feeling like it was beating within his very throat. He was visibly shaking and lifted his right hand to rubbed his skull, trying to calm down. He had another memory filled nightmare. In it other larger and older Wildmutts were chasing him down trying to kill him. They had him pinned and were about too before he suddenly woke.
So many unwanted memories, so much remembered pain that wasn't even his own. Ben began to recollect the unfortunate incident of him falling off the cruise ship, all because of Gwen locking him out and blaming him for an incident not even his fault.
Ben dropped his hand and reached for where Kat was laying. Only patting down ground occupying and empty space.
"Wait where's Kat?" as if to answer him, a pain filled cry echoed out of the jungle. "….no."
Ben rushed onto his feat and ran in full gear toward what he was sure was Kat's cry. He needed to get there fast he couldn't bet left alone on this island again, not again. "I gave my time trying to save you, no way in hell am going to allow you to get hurt or die!" Ben strengthened his resolve and pumped his legs with all the energy he could muster.
A bird was sitting on a low branch till it was knocked off by a orange and black blur.
Ben was sure he was almost there from the fresh smell of blood. He recognized where he was immediately, this was close to where he killed that pig.
Ben started repeating a hopeful plea, "please be okay, please be okay please be o-" he stopped prematurely. Anger and disbelief filled his mind at what he saw.
Kat was covered in blood, the crimson liquid staining her usually soft black fur. Her body was littered with numerous scratches and bite marks. Standing over her was his old competitor, the male panther, about to deliver the final blow to her jugular.
Ben would have none of it….
"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAR"
Ben's roar was pumped with pure hatred and disdain. Birds flew out of the canopy in surprise while the pigs, monkeys and other animals began to flee away from what was to be a blood bath. The roar was heard for miles, scaring the rest of the animals into hiding.
Ben was so mad. He clenched his sharp fangs together and gave the male an otherworldly growl. The male seemed to be in shock from Ben's powerful roar and Ben took advantage of that. He charged and head butted the male across the creek and behind the tree's foliage. Ben wasn't going to allow him to get away.
Ben jumped over the creek and through the foliage in one leap. When he got through he saw the male leaning up against some large black stones and staring at him with large fearful yellow eyes. "This is too easy" Ben was going to enjoy this.
He intently prowled slowly over to the male wanting the see his horror filled eyes before he killed the pathetic fleabag. Ben's shadow silhouetted over the panther and he brought his right hand into the air with the intention of striking him down. The male pushed himself farther into the stone trying to stay as far away from Ben as possible.
Suddenly a large horn sounded out from the sea and caught Ben's attention. "What is that? It sounds so familiar," another blast of the horn sounded off "…it's a ship!"
The male noticed that Ben's mind was elsewhere and took a chance. He clamped down on Ben's arm and quickly scurried away. Ben roared in pain and brought his claws down missing the panther, but struck the boulder. It sounded almost like nails on a chalk board as four distinct marks carved into the stone and sparks flew everywhere.
The panther ran around the other side of the bolder with Ben close behind. The male saw a small crevice just barely large enough for him to fit in and he ran inside. Ben shoved his arm inside it and tried to reach the panther only being able to grab air. Ben became even angrier and started striking the entrance with his fists.
The rough stone scratched his knuckles and began to bleed. Ben couldn't allow him to get away scotch free not after he hurt Kat so badly.
He stopped suddenly the gears in his head turning right again. "I forgot about Kat and the boat! Shit!"
As if that wasn't enough the smell of smoke filled Ben's senses, indicating there was a fire. Ben ran around the boulder and saw large flames feasting on the trees wooden flesh and quickly spreading through the jungle.
He needed to get Kat and run before they burned to death. Ben ran around the flames and left to find Kat. He found her where he left her still in a bloody heap. Ben rubbed his head against Kat's in an effort to comfort her which she only gave a pained groan in return.
Flames crept closer to them and started to catch fire to the surrounding foliage. Black smoke rose into the air and started blanketing the ground in ash.
Ben scooped Kat up onto his neck and started running toward the beach. Smoke started to confuse his senses and Ben began colliding with trees and rocks. "Ouch! Gotta keep 'cough' moving!" Ben began coughing in a small fit since his lungs were filling with ash.
Kat didn't appretiate the rough ride with her cuts still openly bleeding though she was happy to see him. Kat's head began to knock against Bens neck and shoulders till it settled on the Omnitrix dial which began to beep.
Ben heard the sound and began to yell in his mind in dismay "What! Now! This cant be happening!" Ben pushed his body even harder which earned him more cuts and bruises from his almost blind run.
Sparks flew out of the dial and surrounded him and Kat. Sending electricity up and down his spine and he felt his body was beginning to change, but for some reason it felt more painful than the other times he turned back.
"come on! Just a little farther!" Light began to shine through the trees from the rising sun. "almost there!"
Ben could see the ocean and felt hope rising up within him, until he tripped over some large roots. Before he and Kat hit the sand their vision was encased with bright green light and it went black.
Benfelt the sand, still cold from the night, against his cheeck. The last audible sound he heard was another sound of the boats horn before he passed out.
(A/N: I must say that I am now actually grateful for the tie in the poll because I have an even better idea than I did before.
Remember to send me some reviews on your thoughts on this chapter and I'll continue my 'job' of typing the storyline.
Also funny little piece of info for ya. If Kat didn't win the poll I was going to kill her. Hehehe, probably would've received some flames if I did that to.)