Chapter 15: Down For The Count

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

The blood flow had stopped long ago, but the pain was still there, just not a prominent as my current thirst was. I was walking through the forest with the guns on my back, but there constant wracking and noise was irritating me; so I opted to take one off and carry it in my hands. While I took a few more steps, I heard something that sounded like whispering, so I instantly got lower as I studied my surroundings. I took another step forward, and my foot sunk down a few millimeters into the moist jungle ground. The whispering was getting louder, so I started to walk faster in hopes of getting away from whoever it was.

After I stepped into a more open part of the foliage, I stopped, and realized what the whispering was; water. This area actually looks kinda… familiar. When I glanced at the water, I saw the miniature waterfall, and it snapped into place, this is where Azure and I first took a bath together.

Memories flooded back into my mind as I walked over to the creek and set the rifle against my hip as I crouched. I held my hands out in a bowl shape as I held them under the water, and then brought up the water to my lips. I drank slowly so as not to get a cramp; having done so a few times before. When my thirst was sated, I repeated the collection process one more time, and then brought it up to my face and splashed as much of it as I could and soaked my skin. I need to get back home so I can get my phone and call Túlio.

Hopefully everything goes fine… I'm too tired to keep this up to much more.

(Valis' P.O.V.)

As Philip, Dinkle, Boras, and I were walking towards the clearing; Arien was flying overhead and repeatedly clicking his beak together. I looked at his stub for a foot, where Wolf had luckily shot it off while he was ahead of us. I had ordered everyone else back to minimize our chances of being held up again while I had went to get Wolf, and in the end, it hadn't paid off. Now as we were making our way to him part of the forest, I was engaged in mental war myself while everyone else, minus Philip; clutched there personal weapons tightly and closely.

"Arien, are we almost there yet?" called Boras. I briefly glanced up as Arien turned and looked down towards us and said back through his synthetized voice, "It is beyond this tree."

Clacking surrounded me as we all cocked our guns to be ready for a potential fight, and then I heard Boras say, "Philip, go around to flank him…"

Before I could object or remind them who was in charge, I was out in the clearing along with Dinkle and Boras…

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

I had already called Túlio, who I was glad had stayed here in Brazil as Linda took Blu and Jewel to Minnesota for some reason. Ok, so police will be there in around five minutes, and so far I haven't seen the smugglers… maybe I will be able to relax and get some sleep already… I yawned tiredly, but choked on my breath when I saw and heard a familiar screech. I heard loud bangs as well as whistling around me. I dove behind the nearest tree just as bullets crashed into its bark, sending wood flying or splintering from the kinetic forces. Before I could return fire however, my shoulder flared in pain again, and I groaned as I clutched it. I hefted the rifle in one hand as I slowly pushed myself up on my feet, and released my shoulder, only to replace the pressure with the butt of the gun.

Muzzle flashes were near the edge of the clearing, so I instantly aimed towards them and held the trigger down, issuing hot lead and burning light from the end of my weapon. Their shots didn't slow down, rather than they started to come in bursts and they spread themselves out. I cursed as my gun clicked, and when I ejected the magazine, I reached for another one, only to realize… I had no more. I swore even louder as I chucked the useless gun away from me and into the clearing. I swung the other one off my back and clicked its safety off and peaked back around the tree.

The sun illuminated the clearing perfectly, but what I didn't notice, was the lack of the falcon. I instead started firing bursts towards the smugglers. Halfway through the clip, it clicked also just as a screech sounded off to my rear, along with rustling to the left of me. I turned and looked behind me just in time to duck, and heard Arien crash into the tree, but when something hit my arm; I yelped in pain and saw that other smuggler, Philip, standing there with wide eyes as he watched the blood start to ooze from my wound in my forearm. I stalked forward and yanked the smaller gun from his hands, but as it discharged, the barrel dug into my palm as the bullet flew backwards and behind me. I yelled even louder as more running noise sounded behind me; but I messed up and dropped the gun. Something solid grabbed the back of my shirt and threw me backwards where I landed heavily.

Now that I was on my back, I was looking up at the group of smugglers, and a hovering falcon. I looked up at them as they each held some type of gun pointed at me. Dinkle had a mixture of glee and excitement in his posture, the skinny man known as Boras held astonishment along with bitterness in his silver eyes while he observed me. Philip held a look of pride and guilt in his stance and pose while the murderous glare filled with hate descended on my from Arien. Finally, Valis face looked confused and her dark blue eyes kept looking away from my own.

The tall and skinny one finally moved his gun and released a shot, and I flinched while dirt pelted the side of my face. When I opened my eyes, his were pleased as he said without looking away from me, "Dinkle, secure our prisoner…"

The bog oaf that was the reason for my escape came forward and grabbed my shoulders, not minding the wounds I had sustained, and hefted me onto my feet and held my arms behind my back. I looked forward as Boras walked over to Valis, who had at some point looked away. I heard him say, "We finally have him… finish him so we can resume our lives again…"

Valis looked towards him as he brandished a blade and held the handle out to her. She took it as she blankly looked into his face, and when she barely nodded, she slowly walked over towards me. When she was standing in front of me, she seemed to try and put a tough look in her gaze as I whispered out, "You don't have to do this…"

"Of course she does! We don't let our enemies or those that cost us problems go without some form of repercussions!" Boras stated.

Valis jaw clenched, and when I recognized the gaze in her eyes as determination… cold and ruthless as it was, I finally just gave up. I'm not going to win against this problem… not this time. I felt my shoulders slump as I bowed my head, and a few tears formed in my eyes and fell into the trodden dirt beneath me as I barely mumbled out, "I can tell you won't change your mind… get it over with already…"

(Valis' P.O.V.)

It may have seemed wrong in all rights, but I felt like my heart had just shattered when the once proud opponent and noble Wolf before me, now looked broken and accepting of his imminent death. I internally sighed as the other side of my mental war won out, and I dropped the knife, and breathed out a sigh of regret as I looked over the child before me. He wasn't as short as Farlun, but he wasn't as tall as Dinkle, and he had bled more in one day than any smuggler I ever knew did. I heard someone sputter before they seemed to calm down, and I heard them saying, "Valis… what are you doing!?"

When I looked up at Dinkle, he wore a confused expression, and I sighed as I shook my head and I said, "Release him." When Wolf was no longer being held, he looked at me, and I saw the shock in his eyes, and the ghost of a smile on his lips.

I heard Boras growl behind me, "I will not let this meddling kid be an issue any longer… even if I must kill him myself!"

I felt someone push me aside and I saw Boras slam the butt of the rifle into Wolf's gut, and when he doubled over, Boras kneed him in the face, and Wolf hit the ground. When he leveled his rifle at Wolf's head, he looked over at me and sneered, "This is how a real smuggler takes care of competition…"

(Beleza's P.O.V.)

When we had heard loud noises erupting from the clearing, we had all piled onto the tree branches near the hollow and looked hopefully, hoping to see my papa returning, but what we saw wasn't what we were hoping for. Viviana was the first to see the red splotch near papa's shoulder as he was hiding behind a tree far away. Before anyone could say anything, I flew towards him as fast as I could, only to hear the desperate shouts from Grandpa and Vivi to get back to them. When I saw him hide behind the tree again, something fell from the gun he was holding, and then I saw the big falcon dive towards him.

Papa moved just in time and the big bird hit the tree hard, but then another human came from the bushes and when a flash of brilliant white light followed by a bang near them occurred, I stopped flying towards them as I heard my papa yell in pain. I watched in horror as when he stormed towards the guy; how mama did when she was mad with papa, yell in pain as the light erupted from under his hand this time. Even from how far I was, I could see the crimson liquid dripping from his arm, and now his hand… blood.

The other humans ran from the other of the tree, and the continued until Papa was being held by one almost twice his size. They seemed to be talking, and when I heard flapping behind me, I quickly spun around and saw auntie Beck come closer as she said, "Get back to the tree before they see us."

I frowned as I looked up at her and said, "No."

After I turned around, I flew towards the mango tree nearby and grabbed a small and mushy one. I flew in the direction of the human holding my papa, planning on dropping this on him to free my papa. Even though it was still small, it was a struggle for even me to carry it.

Before I let go of the mango, I looked down and grinned as I was high above the big human, but I saw that he had already left my papa alone, but before I could move, the mango slipped from my little talons…

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

I was lying on the ground and holding my face, which Boras had just kneed. After he looked away from Valis, I saw something black emerging from the trees, and when I looked over, I saw a bright light illuminate my vision, but I also saw in slow motion as the rifle kicked back and pushed the officers shoulder along with it, and then soon afterwards, Boras was flung sideways as a bullet slammed into his shoulder. As he fell, he dropped the rifle and I heard yelling. I didn't understand what they were saying, but I saw the strangest sight; Túlio was hiding behind a riot armored officer, and had on a Kevlar vest over his chest. I saw his mouth moving, and the officer looked over at me.

When the smugglers were getting down on their knees and holding their hands up, I understood a glimpse of what was being said. I sat up, and while I wobbly made my way up onto my feet, I felt someone placing a hand on my shoulder, and I felt myself steadying quickly now. I looked over and saw one of the policemen looking at me, and on his helmet was a painting of a red cross inside a white circle. He lifted my arm up and I flinched. He looked at me, and I shook my head as I said, "Not here, I will be fine until we get out of the jungle."

He nodded his head as brought my arm back down, and I took off my shirt and tightly wrapped it around my forearm as I looked at my palm. I suddenly felt pressure on my shoulder and I looked over at the supposedly medic, and I saw the shock in his eyes as he was looking at my wounded shoulder. I looked down at it and nearly fainted myself as I saw the clammy coloration to it. I heard her voice say in a deep Portuguese accent, "We must deal with this now, it is already starting to get infected."

I just nodded as I was quickly rushed away, and the smugglers were handcuffed. Before I left though, I passed the one handcuffing Valis, and I got his attention as I said, "Officer, who is in charge?"

He turned and looked towards me and said, "That would be me."

After he said this, I nodded and said, "Well, ok… but before you do anything with them tomorrow, I must talk to you… about t-them…" a wave of dizziness' took over me, and I didn't mean to, but I grabbed the chiefs' armored chest to steady myself. I heard a splat somewhere behind me, and when I looked, I was highly confused. Dinkle appeared the have a mango thrown at him… and was left was a juicy residue that was all over his head. I looked up, and I could make out a blue form taking another smaller one away quickly.

Another wave of dizziness took over, and my hand slipped from the chiefs' armor, and I heard the medic shout, "Catch him!"

I felt a swoosh of air near my arm, but it missed me, and it seemed that I had slowly fell down, and landed softly on the ground near Valis and Philip. Whiteness took over my vision quickly, and I quickly brought up my hand and held it to my head as I got a headache. I felt something wet drip down the side of my face, but I ignored it as I felt my arm grow weaker, and when it slumped to the ground, I felt something or some people grabbing my arms… then I felt my head drop as I lost all thoughts…

A.N.: Here you all go… I was going to write more, but school left me partially burned out… and I couldn't think of anything else to write.