Chapter 7 When dawn breaks
Humphrey's POV
As soon as I heard those three words I rose to my feet wincing at the pain from my back paw. I stumbled to the exit and said, "I'll be back." The pup remained asleep and I pushed myself through the tiny opening as fast as I could. The darkness was full now and I knew before too long the terror was going to finish Kate just as it would have for the pup.
I thought, "It won't kill her until it's sure that there is no one else to hunt." I gulped and thought, "I hope so at least." I stumbled through the woods trying to run and yelling, "I'm coming Kate!" In tears I thought, "You can't die Kate" I ran forwards trying to ignore the pain and kept yelling, "Hang on a little longer!" I ran towards where I had heard Kate's voice crashing through the bushes and going as fast as I could to try to save her. I knew I was getting closer because I smelled blood in the air and I hoped that it wasn't Kate's.
As I got closer my blood turned to ice as the scenarios played through my head, all of them vivid and terrifying. An image of Kate lying dead in a pool of blood flashed through my head and I shook it away not accepting it to be true. I thought, "She may not love me but I still love her!" With those words fueling me I ignored the searing pain in my leg and crashed through the trees and saw the image in my head recreated in the small clearing. I was lost for words as I stared at Kate in the small pool of blood rapidly growing large by the second. I slowly walked over and collapsed at her side. I put my paw on her side and said, "Why did you come to find me." I got no reply and I started to cry.
I examined her wound through tears and made a discovery. My heart started to beat faster as I saw that the wound was not as deep as I had thought. I whispered, "Kate, wake up." She didn't stir and I felt her chest for a heartbeat. I waited and was rewarded with a small slow thumping in her chest. I whispered, "I'll get you to safety." I grabbed her paw and pulled her over my shoulder and slowly limped back to the safety of the den.
I looked behind me and my heart throbbed painfully as I saw the blood trail that was left behind us. I whispered, "You should have just left for Jasper." "Like you did before." I added bitterly. I thought, "Why did she come back, she doesn't love me." I shrugged and thought, "Maybe she just didn't want to leave me on a bad note." The fear if the forest brought me back to reality and I looked around for any sign of the mysterious creature called the Terror. I thought I saw something to my right but discarded it in hopes of the coming dawn would keep us safe.
I dragged Kate closer and closer to the den when the mood of the forest changed, the bugs stopped buzzing and the birds took flight when the wave of fear approached. I knew this feeling and with dread realized the Terror was done waiting and it was coming fast. I desperately tried to drag Kate faster but didn't want to risk hurting her anymore than I had to. I saw the cliff face getting closer but the wave of fear was gaining.
I emerged from the trees close to the cliff face and Kate began to stir. I whispered, "Where almost there, hang on a little longer Kate." She opened her eyes and whispered back, "Humphrey, you're ok." I nodded and continued dragging her to the den entrance. Suddenly the wave of fear broke and exploded all around us. I whipped around and saw little dashes of movement all around us. I thought, "How can it be everywhere?"
Then the movement stopped and a single creature casually left the woods walking towards us. I stared at it and was paralyzed in fear. I saw that the Terror was a massive creature; it looked like a snow white mountain lion but moved faster than anything I had ever seen. It locked eyes with me and looked over to Kate who was silently bleeding out on my shoulder. It began to walk towards us making no sound and picking up speed and I was jolted into action. I abandoned trying to carry Kate softly and dragged her over to the den and pushed her through before it could hurt her again. I turned around and saw the creature was a mere ten feet away.
I stared at it waiting for it to kill me but it stopped. I looked up at the sky and almost cried in relief. The first rays of sun were pushing through the horizon and I looked back to where the creature had been standing only seconds before. I stared at the empty spot and the sun slowly began to warm the forest and push away the terrors of the night. I dragged myself into the den and found Kate and the pup cuddling for warmth. I limped over to them and collapsed protecting them both from harm.
(WOW, I really do hope that qualifies as suspense and danger. (If it doesn't I'll eat my socks) But you guys will soon find out who exactly the pup is and more about the mysterious terror soon. Next chapter coming soon!)