Hi, all! Many thanks for all those who reviewed, or even just read, my last chapter (or story - depends where you picked up from).

Booth groaned and reached up to clutch his throbbing head. He felt dizzy momentarily as he tried to sit up, and ending up complaining and throwing himself back onto the ground. The leaves which rested underneath his head were flattened and seemingly uncomfortable now that he was awake. His leg and arm were throbbing but he tried to ignore the pain, focusing all his energy instead on opening his eyes.

He sighed and rolled his head to the left, picking up dirt, fallen leaves and God-knows-what else in his hair. He squeezed his eyes shut and then braved opening one of them.

In a flash, he had jumped up, his body screaming in protest and agony from the sudden movement. He spun around, staring at the floor and into the surrounding flora. But there was no sign of Temperance, except for the small pillow which he had created the night before.

"Temperance?" he cried, straining his ears to hear a response, but none came but the calling of the fauna which possessed this forest. He began to walk, slowly at first as he manoeuvred his way, but quickening as his focus became more intent. He slashed away at the plants around him, leaving a flattened and destroyed path behind him. The sun was low in the sky, and he guessed that he had been asleep longer than a single night. The brilliant yellow star glared into his eyes, making vision difficult.

Once his eyes had begun to adjust, he could see movement in every direction. Animals fought playfully in the trees overhead, and the crunching leaves under his feet made him believe he was being followed by a snake or lizard. He was constantly turning his head - looking behind him, below him, above him, or straight ahead. He hadn't reached the stream, and he hadn't yet reached an open plain of land. He began to pant, and his hacking arms were becoming sore, especially his injured arm.

He slowed to a stop as he contemplated his position. Temperance was gone. He couldn't remember hearing anyone come by them that night, but he had been in a deep coma. He feared that one of the mob may have come searching and found her, taking her away - but he tried to keep that thought out of his mind. The problem was, there were not many other thoughts to take its place. He wondered whether to continue - it was getting dark fast, and he had made no progress. His best option was to get out and get help.

But he had no idea how to get out.

Rotating slowly, the thick flora seemed to press in on him, creating thick air. Knowing he had but one option, he pressed on, now not even bothering to push away the overhanging plants, instead running straight through them, earning him scrapes and gashes over his arms and face. Twigs clawed at his cheeks, and smaller plants itched at his legs. Many times he stumbled over seemingly invisible objects, and a few times he actually landed in the dirt. When this happened he would stay on the ground and wonder if he should get up or just stay there and die. He had to convince himself many times he was doing this for her. He was still confused though as to why he was. Why was he so desperate to save her? A prince in his own fairytale. He barely even knew her.

"Temperance?" he called out again, his voice hoarse. "Temperance Brennan? Where are you?" Not surprisingly, she didn't answer. He continued to run, every scratch or tear searing into his skin, making him feel as though he were running on fire.

He swivelled his head around at the sudden crack of a twig, seemingly broken somewhere rather than from under his bare foot. Not paying attention to his chosen path, he felt the log before he saw it. It slammed into his shins, sending him crashing to the ground. His feet scraped over the top of it, and he could feel his skin being torn. He landed face-down in the dirt. He didn't move, unable to will himself to return to his heroic mission.

He was unaware that his sudden fall had caused the log to roll. His face in the dirt, Booth heard the creature before he acknowledged it. He quickly sat his head up, but the darkness had now completely enveloped him. Despite his disadvantage, Booth scrabbled around and managed to stand up, squinting into the dark to see where it was.

His eyes landed on it. He wasn't an expert on animals, but this fearsome creature looked terrifying. It was a deep brown, yet spotted with blotches of black. It was quite thick, and looked as though it could kill a human being. Booth tried to remember his knowledge on snakes - it was very little. But he did know not to move.

He kept peering at the snake, hoping it would lose interest in him. The snake didn't move. After a few minutes of silence from both him and the snake, he began to walk carefully backwards. He winced as a twig snapped. In the sudden silence, it was as loud as a gunshot. The snake seemed to sense a change, and began to slither out from its hiding place underneath the log. Booth's eyes turned wide as he saw the length of the reptile - it was over a metre long. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and continued to step back slowly, trying as hard as possible not to make any noise. The snake continued to slowly slither towards him. Booth wondered what he should do, and even considered making a run for it.

He began to increase his speed backwards, eager to rid himself of this creature. The faster he became, the faster the snake followed. It hissed, and it seemed as though the sound came from all around him.

Unfortunately for him, he couldn't see what was behind him, for he didn't dare take his eyes off the snake even for a moment. A tree jutted in his path, and he slammed into it.

The snake continued to move towards him.

Booth tried to push himself off the tree, but his body seemed to shut down.

The snake became ever closer. His eye stared intently into the creatures.

Booth shielded himself, waiting for the blow.

The snake struck.

Gotta love cliffhangers :)

So, should the snake attack, or should Booth, using his training, use his reflexes and get away? Your choice!

Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment on your way out!