Several Hours Later
Rain shifted in his seat, trying to get comfortable. Millikan had fallen asleep about an hour ago and was leaning against his side. His head on his shoulder and snoring right in his ear. It wasn't annoying just that it was uncomfortable trying to sit up straight with a near 250 plus lbs tarkatan laying against you. At least he wasn't acting paranoid anymore that was the bright side of things. One of the horses stopped walking causing the other one to stops as well.
"A pee break, of course." Rain rolled his eyes as he placed the reigns to the side. He looks over at Millikan or tried to, only seeing the top of his half shaved head. There was a noise coming from inside the carriage and the side door opens as Jabari and two other tarks jump out.
"Where are you three going?" Rain called out.
"I have to pee." One of them replied as he searched for a tree to pee on. Rain shrugged, not like they were going to go far anyways. Of course the rest of the tarkatans climbed out to go pee as well. Rain waited a few minutes before calling out to the other tarks "Let's go."
"Idi, where you going?" Jabari called out as he saw Idi walk into the woods. "IDI!"
"Shit." Rain cursed, this wasn't good. Millikan stirred awake and looks around in slight confusion.
"Why did we stop?" Millikan sat up straight, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looks back at the carriage to see the door open and noticed some of the tarks were out. "Hey." He jumped down from the carriage and looks around. "Why are you out? I thought I said no one gets out until I said so."
"We needed to pee." Benzi says with grunt.
"Ok, now everyone inside." Millikan points at the carriage.
"Idi, let's go." Jabari calls out. Millikan grabs Jabari by the arm and shoves him towards the carriage.
"IDI!." Millikan sniffed the air, finding Idi scent right away. He walked in the direction of the scent, tracking him. "Idi, you better get back here." He looks pass the trees and thick bushes, no Idi in sight. It was unlike Idi to just wonder off, he was always the one to stick close to others and the youngest of the group by five years. "Idi…say something." Now Millikan was starting to worry, that paranoid feeling coming back. A loud bark echoed through the forest followed by a familiar growl. "IDI!" Millikan ran into the direction of the sound.
He didn't have to run far as he finds Idi hanging upside down from a tree by a rope that latched around his ankle. Idi was trying to cut the rope with his arm-blade but was having no luck. "Idi. hold on." Millikan looks around, trying to find the front end of the rope. He finally spots the front end attached to some wheel. He runs over and extends his left arm-blades and chops the rope in one swipe. Idi fell to the ground with a yelp, landing right on his back. Millikan rushed to his side and pulls him to his feet.
"Damn Idi, why did you wonder off like that?" Millikan snarled as he headed back to the carriage, a tight hold on Idi wrist.
"Sitikita Mill, I won't do it again I just thought I smelt another tarkata." Idi whimpered with his head low.
"Another tarkata…like a live one?" Millikan gives Idi a strange look. Idi just nods. "Forget it, lets get back." They got back to the carriage and Millikan literally shoves Idi inside and slams the door shut. He climbs onto the front of the carriage next to Rain. "Let's move."
"What happened?" Rain asked as he got the horses moving once more.
"Idi said he smelt another tarkata nearby."
"What if there is another tarkata?"
"I don't care. Not part of my horde so it's not my problem." Millikan sits back crossed his arms. "How long before we reach the town."
"Not too far now, we should get there by sundown." Rain looks at the sky, sensing a rainstorm forming overhead. "You should get in the carriage."
"Nini..no I'm fine out here." Millikan shakes his head, plus it was too crowded on the inside. Just as he said that he felt a droplet of water hit his right shoulder. Looking up as a light rain came down. "Oh. Can't you do something about that?"
"I can only make it. I can't really will it to go away." Rain clutched the reigns in his hands as the rain started to come's down harder followed by thunder. The horses neighed in fright, stopping in there tracks. "We won't be able to move until the storm passes over."
"Great." Millikan huffed, making a sputtering sound as his mask got soaked. He climbed down from the carraige and walks over to the door getting ready to open it. Millikan turned his head to the right as he heard sharp whistling sound then something pierce the right side his neck. He touches his neck and yanks out a small needle. He felt a bit of drowsiness overcome but it quickly goes away as he shakes his head. "Rain, we got trouble." He climbs back on the front of the carriage and snatched the reins from Rain who jolted in surprise.
"What is it?" Rain grabs onto Millikan arm as he got the horses to run at full speed. "Mill."
"I just got shot by some arrow, I think it was supposed to knock me out but…ow." Millikan growled as he felt another needle hit his arm. He reached over and pulls it out, throwing it away. Another bout of drowsiness overcomes him but he just forces it away. "We got to get out of here fast."
"Umm Mill."
"Nini?"
"Tree down up ahead." Rain shouted out. The horses neighed and try to stop but due to the wet ground beneath their hooves, they end up sliding and crashing into the fallen tree. One horse flipped over while the other tries to jump over the log. Rain grabs hold of Millikan and teleports them a few feet behind the carriage. Millikan could only watch as the carriage wheels broke apart and the carriage itself flipped to its side. He and rain ran over to the carriage and climbs up to the side.
Millikan yanks the door open and pulls the tarks out as fast as possible. "Run north and don't stop." He shouted out. The all ran down the path, leaving the horses behind. Millikan made sure to stay in the back so he could keep an eye on the tarks in front of him.
"Millikan, I think we need to find cover." Rain tells him.
"Got any ideas?" he shouted out.
"Head west, there should be a cave nearby." Rain runs off in the direction and Millikan orders the other to follow suit. At least the rain stopped falling so they were didn't have to worry about that. The group kept running as Rain led the way, weaving through the trees and jumping over fallen logs and bushes.
"Ahhh." Jabari roared out in pain as he stepped on hand-made spike trap.
"Jabari!." Millikan teleports to his side and sees the spike trap lodged into Jabari right leg. Breaking off the large piece but leaving the spike in Jabari leg, Millikan hauls Jabari over his shoulder and keeps running. "Gura." He shouted at the others who stopped to wait for him. Rain stops in the middle of clearing and looks around, bouncing lightly as he tried to remember exactly where the cave was. "Rain, we don't have time to sit around."
"I know, ah this way." Rain runs to the left and they follow suit. They ran pass more trees and bushes. Millikan was starting to get more worried, fearing that there were more traps that he and his men could potentially set off.
Suddenly a large brown beast with teeth and claws lunged at one of the running tarks, tackling him to the ground. The poor tark roared in pain as the beast tore at his torso, ripping into flesh and pulling out his innards in one motion.
"Keep it moving?" Millikan commanded. He was pretty sure that was the same dog from earlier. As they continued to run, the dog stops attacking and starts running after the others. "RAIN!."
"There!." Rain finally find the cave, it was small opening but he knew it was spacious on the other side. "Get in." He waited by the entrance, letting the other tarks run inside.
"Chuma, take Jabari." Millikan hands Jabari over to Chuma who struggled to hold the other. "I'm going to kill that fucking mutt." Millikan extends both of his arm-blades and took a few steps forward. The dog was running towards him, its mouth dripping with fresh blood. Rain waited by the entrance, not wanting to leave Millikan out here alone.
The dog lunges at Millikan, its mouth wide as it tried to go for his shoulder. Millikan dips and shoulder tackles the dog underbelly, knocking it back. The dog tumbled across the ground with a whimper. It quickly got up, snarling at Millikan and barking angrily.
Millikan snapped his teeth at the dog in retaliation before running and jumping onto its back. The dog twisted this way and that, its teeth snapping at Millikan. Growling, Millikan dug his claws into the dog shoulders and yanked back causing the dog to yelp and fall over to its side. Wasting no time, Millikan latches onto the dog throat with his teeth. Biting down with all his strength and jerked his head back, taking a large chunk of flesh with him.
The dog whimpers and yelps as blood spurted from its open wound, within seconds the dog stops moving, bleeding to death. Millikan steps back as a black fog envelopes the dog and dissipates, revealing a dark haired man with a gaping neck wound. His body was covered in tattoos and he wore a skirt made of tarkatan skin and teeth. Rain walks over to look at the dead man on the ground.
"So this is the hunter?" Rain tilted his head, a bit perplexed.
"A shapeshifter, he's dead now." Millikan steps over the dead man and heads towards the cave. "Hopefully that's the last of it."