Book 3: Breaking the Ice
Chapter 5: Rosalina to the Rescue
Me: Hey, guys! Sorry about the long wait. I've been watching a new anime, and it's a horror/mystery anime. Believe me, I'm not a big fan of blood, but it looked so good I just had to watch it. Plus, I've been trying hard to lose weight. Might as well try the Hydroxycut pills my dad bought me. Don't know what it'll do to me, but I'll find out soon enough. Anyway, to keep myself from boring you all with my excuses and problems, let's start the chapter!
Rosalina's body jolted up as she heard a loud scream from a distance. She groaned as she felt pain all over. She thought about laying back down, but what if that scream belonged to Celine. With that on her mind, she got up with a little difficulty because of her aching legs and walked over to her sleeping sister.
Roxanne could feel her sister's presence and sat up before she could lay a paw on her shoulder to wake her up. "If you're going to wake me up to tell me that you heard Celine scream and that you were going to go out there to rescue her, go ahead."
Rosalina blinked twice in shock. How did she know? She figured that she, too, heard their foster-sister's scream. Shaking her head to shake off the small shock, Rosalina said slowly, "Yeah, okay. So, I guess you heard the scream, too?"
"Yes. Should we alert Buck and Jenna, or should we save her on our own?" Rosalina thought for a second. She didn't think that they should run all the way to the family cave to tell Buck and Jenna that Celine's in danger. As sore as her body was, as well as Roxanne's, she decided that their bodies couldn't take anymore running, but someone had to go for Celine.
Rosalina sighed irritably, not because of the fact Celine was in danger, but because she had to do more running. Oh, joy. As if I haven't done enough running already. She turned to face her sister. "You stay here."
"Why? What if something along? Something dangerous?"
"You shouldn't worry about that. Luckily for us, we're in a safe area. You get some rest while I go find Celine. The way you were when we stopped running worried me, just in case you were wondering why I wanted you to stay. I thought maybe you should rest because I can't have you run alongside me without you nearly having an asthma attack."
Roxanne rolled her eyes with a smile. She knew she was right though. She thought she was going to die if she didn't get any water soon. Roxanne didn't think this would be so bad. Besides, that meant that she could sleep more, much to her delight.
"Sis, if something really does come for you, which I don't think there should be anything coming after you, come find me." Before Rosalina left, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, embracing her tightly. She gasped.
"Rosalina, please be careful. For Buck's sake, please try not to run into Rudy. You know how Buck told us that he likes to find himself a midnight snack? Yeah, try not to be that snack." Roxanne suddenly heard Rosalina laughing.
"Roxanne, you worry-wart, I'll be fine."
"Sis, you mean so much to me and I don't want you get hurt or get eaten, ya' know. Man, what if you get ambushed by huge poisonous spiders or hungry dinosaurs other than Rudy or…" Rosalina shushed her sister. Roxanne instantly kept her mouth shut as soon as her sister's finger touched her mouth.
Rosalina looked at her sister with her shining cerulean eyes. "Roxanne, you know that I can take care of myself. There's no need to worry. Now, I need to go. I'll be back in one piece. I swear to you."
Roxanne gave her a cynical look, causing Rosalina to give her one of her infamous reassuring smiles. Roxanne had so much on her mind right now that she was so anxious for her sister's safety. She really wanted Rosalina to stay with her so she wouldn't worry, but she knew that Rosalina had to do what she had to do. She released a stressed sigh before she finally let Rosalina go.
Rosalina gave Roxanne one last hug then scaled down the tree quickly.
Celine tried to stay as still as possible, hoping that the snake wouldn't attack her. Unfortunately, it tried to strike at her, but the kit got out of the way before its fangs could pierce in to her flesh. Celine tried to run out of the cave, but the snake's tail coiled around her ankle, causing her to collapse.
Celine started whimpering and crying as the snake pulled her towards it. The snake thought it would be a good idea to throw her around before it ate her. Celine stared into the snake's eyes.
"Please," Celine choked up a sob, "please don't hurt me!" She saw the murderous look in the reptile's brownish-greenish eyes. Why even try to beg for her life? She already knew it was going to kill her. Now, she wished she had never hit Jenna and ran away. She was lucky to have a family that loved her. She ran away from that and she now felt regret. She was afraid her foster-family wasn't going to be able to say goodbye.
Tears fell from her forest green eyes and down her flushed cheeks. "Before you kill me, I want to say goodbye and apologize to my foster-family." The snake ignored her and threw her violently against the cave wall. Celine screamed and cried in pain as her body hit the wall hard.
Celine felt something at the back of her head. She slowly took a paw then drew it back. She gasped. Pure, crimson blood covered her paw. Before she had time to react, the snake threw her against another wall. Celine began to sob. Why did she have to say something about her situation being worse? This, by far, was the worst night by herself ever.
The kit felt vomit going up her throat and vomited violently, coughing as well. Her stomach ached, her eyes were glassy with tears, her body hurt and felt broken, and the blood on the back of her head was still trickling down her head to her neck.
She gasped as the snake pulled its tail up to its mouth, making her dangle upside-down. As it bared it fangs, Celine closed her eyes, getting ready to feel the venom enter her body. Mommy, I mean. Jenna, I'm sorry for hitting you. I shouldn't have done that to you. I should have been grateful that I had a mommy that took care of me and loved me. I still wish I got to see my real mommy before she died.
Daddy, I'm sorry for running away. I understand you must be angry with me. Not only for running away, but for hitting mommy, if she hasn't told you already. I wish I got to see your and mommy's face one last time, but you probably don't care about me anymore. I'm sorry I never got to say goodbye to you two.
Rosalina, Roxanne, I'm sorry for causing you to come after me. Right now, you may be worried about me, but I'll be fine as soon as I'm dead. I won't feel any more pain and I'll be with my real mommy and daddy. Thank you two for being the best big sisters I've ever had.
I'll be out of your lives now. I'm afraid I'm not coming home to you and mommy and daddy, but I may be going home to my real parents tonight. Tell mommy and daddy I love them and I love you two so much.
Celine choked after mentally saying her goodbyes and apologies and closed her eyes tighter as the snake now had its tail around her throat. Remy had run out of the cave to find some help. When he saw a white-furred and black-spotted female running past him, he began to screech at her to get her attention.
Rosalina turned around at the sound of a pterodactyl screech and saw a baby dactyl at her feet. She knelt down to it. "Hey, little guy, did you see my little foster-sister running around here?" The baby signaled the she-weasel to follow him. The closer they got, the louder Celine's chokes and sobs got. Rosalina's eyes followed the path and the dactyl as she ran.
They stopped in front of a cave. Rosalina thanked the pterodactyl before running into the cave. What she saw made her eyes widen in fear. In front of her was the snake with its tail coiled around the kit's throat. Her body seemed almost lifeless in its grasp. Her eyes were clamped shut as she awaited the pain that she was about experience. She needed to hurry.
The snake noticed Rosalina's appearance and let Celine drop to the ground with a thud. Rosalina's gasp bounced of the cave walls after the snake dropped the kit. The snake made a move for the she-weasel, but she jumped out of the way. Rosalina did a front flip and landed gracefully on her feet.
The snake's tail coiled around Rosalina's ankle, as it had done to Celine, and pulled her to it. Rosalina screamed as she fell and was being pulled. Without thinking, she bit the snake's tail hard. Her pearly-white sharp teeth bit into the scaly tail, and it was not a pleasant taste, according to Rosalina's perspective. She felt the snake release her ankle and quickly got up.
She looked around for a sharp object. Her eyes scanned the cave until she saw small stalagmite sticking right-side up. She ran towards it with the snake following her. Rosalina could sense the snake's presence and started doing her "special maneuvers", as she calls it. She zigzagged as she ran before doing a flip, not knowing she just dodged one of the snake's strikes.
When she felt the snake's tail wrapping around her ankle, once again, she twisted her body to try to pull her leg out of the snake's grasp. Unfortunately, the snake tugged his tail, making Rosalina fall. She then felt the snake's fangs getting closer to her ribcage once it had her closer to it. She began to panic, that is until a rock was thrown accurately at the snake's head.
It hissed in anger and released the she-weasel to pursuit her twin sister, Roxanne. When Rosalina saw that her savior was her sister, she was surprised, but remembered her task. She couldn't just lay there in shock while a snake was attacking them. Getting up, she quickly ran over to the stalagmite and tried to get the sharp part of it to come off.
Giving the stalagmite one last kick, Rosalina finally got the sharp end to break off. She snatched the stone and ran over to the snake. Blue eyes met with greenish-brownish eyes as the snake and she-weasel caught each other's eyes. Rosalina waited for the snake to get closer to her before she began to viciously stab at its eyes, blinding the snake completely and making its eyes bleed.
To finish him off, she continued stabbing at the snake's scaly body then, with a loud scream, she slit the snake's throat, beheading it. Rosalina panted. Her fur was in all directions and dirty with dust and small gravel pieces, her paw with the sharp stalagmite piece in hand, was covered in blood, as was her face. Her breath was heavy and her heart pounded violently in her chest after the adrenaline rush.
Rosalina was so stunned by what she had done; she didn't notice Roxanne's arms around her in an embrace. "Sis, are you okay?" Roxanne asked, her voice cracking slightly. Rosalina got out of small daze to stare at her sister, who had tears in her hazel eyes that showed anxiety.
"You shouldn't be asking me that." She signaled her sister to turn her attention to the unconscious Celine that lay before them. Remy kept on nudging his companion, chirping worriedly with his chocolate brown eyes tearing up.
The twins ran over to their fallen foster-sister on all-fours. Rosalina supported Celine's head while Roxanne held Celine's beaten up small figure. Roxanne gaped as she saw the damage the snake had done to their little foster-sister. Scratches, zigzagged and bleeding, were all over the kit's arms, back, shoulders, and legs. Her strapped leaf dress was now tattered and dusty, revealing more bleeding wounds on her abdomen and sides.
When Rosalina felt something on the kit's head, she quickly removed her paw to see crimson on her fingers. She gasped. Now, she hoped that snake rotted in the depths of hell.
"Celine, please wake up!" Roxanne yelled, shaking the kit's body gently. No response. Roxanne almost panicked, but Rosalina told her to calm down. Rosalina took Celine from her sister and held her in her arms. Remy nudged the she-weasel's leg, catching her attention.
Rosalina sighed. She carefully knelt down to the pterodactyl and stroked his scaly head. "Don't worry, little guy. Celine will be fine. We're her older foster-sisters. We look out for each other. As soon as we get her back to Buck and Jenna, we'll see about fixing that messed up wing of yours and getting you back to your mom and dad, if you have a dad, that is."
Remy gave Rosalina a trusting look, feeling comfortable around her now. He felt arms wrap around his belly and looked up to see a hazel-eyed she-weasel staring back at him. "Relax, little dude." Remy stared at her for a brief second before he let Roxanne pick him up so he could relax his wing.
Buck and Jenna were resting in their own hammocks when Jenna was having another nightmare.
Jenna's Nightmare
It began when Jenna was alone in the cave when Ben came in to view. She gasped in horror. Her body began to quiver and her eyes began to fill with pure fear. His mischievous grin and lustful hazel eyes made Jenna's abdomen lurch out of nervousness.
"Why so nervous, Jenny Bean?" Ben asked her in a low, husky voice. Jenna wanted to throw up at the nickname he gave her. Since when did he call her that? She guessed it occurred to him. She felt her body tense as the back of Ben's paw brushed up and down her arm.
Jenna shivered. Not in pleasure, but in disgust. "Now, now. I'm not going to harass you this time. I'm just here to tell you I'm getting closer than you think. Actually, I'm just halfway there. See you soon, Jenna."
End of Nightmare
Jenna quickly sat up with a small yelp, waking Buck less violently than last time. Buck sighed. I've got ta' do something about those bloody nightmares. I don't think I can take any more of this. Jennifer is hardly getting any sleep, neither am I. It's time I do something about this.
Buck got up from his hammock to console the frightened she-weasel. Jenna felt tears stinging her bloodshot eyes. Great, another nightmare, another time Buck was going to get up to comfort her.
Her paw reached up to wipe away a tear, but Buck gently caught it. "Jennifer, I'm starting to get really concerned about you, lass. Why are you so worried that he's coming after you?" Buck rubbed her back as she explained why she was having the nightmares and visions.
His eye widened. He never meant any harm with his prank on Ben back then. He didn't think he would make Ben mad enough to get back at him by taking Jenna away from him. Apparently, the lad can't take a prank. Buck thought, annoyed.
"Buck, why did you have to prank him?" Jenna's baby blue eyes stared into his deep blue one. Those eyes. Those innocent, sad, and anxious baby blue eyes that began to lose their hue stared into his single eye. Buck sighed sadly. He cupped her cheek tenderly, feeling her cheeks burn up.
"I don't know. It just came ta' me. Plus, I heard that Crash and Eddie were prank masters so I came to them, and you know the rest."
"Yeah, I know the rest. I ended up with Ben's lips on mine and I'm trying to push him away, only making him want me more." Jenna said with a hint of irritation and repulsion in her tone. Buck sighed again. He knew she had every right to be mad at him for his immature act to prank the male. It was his fault she was having these nightmares and visions. He knew that. Now, he's got to fix this and help Jenna be the happy, sanguine, and innocent female he knew before.
"Hey, I know this is my fault, but I swear ta' you, I will fix this. I know you're still mad at me, and I want you ta' know that I am so sorry for putting you through this." Buck's sincere apology and his wanting to help her was enough to make Jenna cry. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder.
"I love you. I'll be darned if I don't." Buck held her as she cried. He ran his fingers through her hair, shushing her softly. "I love you, too. Please, don't cry."
"I'm sorry. It's just that when I have nightmares and you always wake up to calm me down, I feel so guilty. Here you are trying to get some sleep, and I'm keeping you up with my pathetic nightmares. I really didn't think that you would be that worried for me because of…this. I don't want you to worry. As much stress you're under right now with Rosalina and Roxanne leaving, Celine running away, and my nightmares and visions, to top it all off, you don't need this."
Before Jenna could say more, Buck stopped her. She averted her gaze, ashamed and depressed. Buck lightly kissed the corner of Jenna's mouth then whispered, "Want ta' know why I wake up almost every night ta' comfort you after a nightmare? Do you want ta' know why I worry about you? Do you want ta' know why I try ma' best ta' make everyone happy?"
Jenna turned her head slightly, waiting for what he was going to tell her. Buck turned her head in his direction gently with his paw. He stared into her eyes as he said, "The reason why I get up ta' comfort you is because you're my mate and I don't like that you're living your life in fear when you could be living a normal life.
"The reason why I worry is because I care about you and I want ta' help in any way I can. The reason why I try ta' make everyone happy is because I love you and the girls so much. I will fix this. That's a promise."
Jenna could feel her eyes water, but she blinked the tears away. She was in a mix of emotions: happy, touched, amazed, love-struck, and many more. She pulled Buck into a passionate kiss, letting her held-back tears run down her face. He kissed her back, holding her close to him.
They pulled away, their gazes never leaving each other's. Jenna laughed softly with tears of joy, "You don't know how much that meant to me." Buck smiled as he caressed her tear-stained face.
"Glad you're feeling better. Now, let's get some sleep." Jenna's eyebrow raised in confusion when Buck laid down beside her. Why is he not going to his hammock? She thought until she finally realized what he was doing. She felt heat rise to her face.
"Buck, I-I-I t-trust you a-and all, but…." The embarrassment and awkwardness was too much for Jenna that she stopped speaking. Buck chuckled at her. "I won't do anything, lass. Come on, get some shut-eye."
"I..." She started shyly. There was a silence. Jenna sighed. She thought she would hurt him by saying that she wasn't ready to sleep next to him. She knew he wanted to help, but starting with this plan of his first, she just wasn't so sure.
Buck smiled, "I understand, but if you change your mind, you know where I'll be." Before he got up, Jenna stopped him.
"How did you know?" She asked. He simply shook his head with a comforting smile and got up to sleep in his own hammock, not answering her question. Jenna smacked herself while whispering that she was stupid. Can this night get any worse? She thought sadly as she closed her eyes to get some sleep. Well, hopefully get some sleep without another nightmare. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. She groaned with that thought on her mind.
At last, they arrived at the cave. Rosalina quietly entered the cave to make sure the coast was clear. Nothing was seen. She signaled Roxanne to come in with Remy still in her arms. The twins ran into their room and sighed in relief. They were home. They were safe. Now, they were going to get some rest for tomorrow's quest.
Rosalina gently placed Celine on Roxanne's bed and Roxanne placed Remy next to the unconscious kit. They watched him make himself comfortable before falling asleep, his broken wing held protectively by his other wing.
"What a day."
"You think?" Rosalina replied tiredly. She didn't think so many things would happen in one day. Well, she thought wrong. The twins got in their beds and said their goodnights. Rosalina looked at Celine and whispered, "Goodnight, Celine. Welcome home. Please don't run away again. Almost killed us trying to get to you." Rosalina let her eyes close, feeling grateful for finally getting the rest that she and her sister absolutely deserved after all they had to go through tonight.
Me: Sorry about the snake scene. American Mcgee's Alice inspired me to make the snake have a gruesome death. *laughs* I wish I could get the game, but sadly it's rated M. It looks so awesome, though.
Ugh! I can't tell you how many adjustments I've been doing with this chapter. The part I was adjusting the most was the part where Buck was wanting to lay with Jenna. It was so embarrassing to me! I was trying to make it less awkward, but I still feel awkward. Well, I guess I'll update soon!