All of a sudden, his neck held a set of jaws. They sunk deep within as his loud bellow filled the dark void of the night. He helplessly kicked, trying to shake him off. Edgar held on, as William grew weaker. He slowly faded as his muscles cramped from the weight. Desperate, he drove himself into the tree as Edgar still held on. He rammed him head first, and he finally let go of his throat. Blood trickled down his sore neck as he stumbled away. He still managed to hold himself off the ground, but his feeble legs shook from under him. He mustered all the anger and hate he had left and dragged himself over. Edgar still laid there, groaning in pain. He noticed William standing next to him and appealed to his noble nature.
“Let’s make a deal. Let me live and I’ll go away. I won’t bother you ever again.”
“It’s over Edgar, no more deals.”
William was fed up with his smart talk. He slowly and painfully lifted his front legs with every strength left. He mustered his agility and endured all that pain coursing through him. It was all for a single hope that he would finally end the tyranny’s reign of terror.
“W...w...w…wait…wait…wait…William…wait!” He made one final plea, but the words escaped him.
Suddenly, he heard a faint shriek emanating from the woods. A shriek he was well familiar with.
“Kelly!” He sighed, his mind imagining every possible scenario.
He turned around with his heart set on her. He tried sprinting off to her rescue but Edgar cleverly tripped him. He now stood on top of his weak and motionless body and wasted no time ripping his face off with his bare claws. A red river washed down the slope as he laid next to it. He could hardly breathe. He listened to every scream for help she made, knowing how helpless he was to save her. The torture alone was unbearable enough to bring a tear to his eyes. With one final strike, Edgar viciously put an end to his misery. He ripped his throat with his bare teeth and forced it out of its socket. Blood profusely gushed out of control as he slowly faded away. His heart slowed down and he lost all his senses.
With his head tilted to the side, he stretched out his hand and uttered one last thought, “Am sorry.”
Edgar stood over him and watched him fade away. He then turned around and walked away, leaving his lifeless body in the hands of mother nature. With a mischievous smile plastered across his face, he disappeared into the forest. From a distance, William laid peacefully underneath that umbrella tree. Lightning brightened the sky one last time and the clouds finally cleared up. The moon shone its bright light down on him, and through it, his spirit rose to the heavens.
Kelly still writhed in pain as she hopelessly laid there. The jaguars had done much damage to her and left her for dead in the middle of the woods. Zafeen crawled out of his hiding spot and came running to her side. He tried as hard as he could to wipe off that explicit horror from his mind.
“Zafeen,” she took notice of him, “What are you still doing here?”
“I couldn’t leave you behind. Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to.”
“You can’t stay here,” she coughed, struggling in between words, “Please go.”
“Mum?” He worried.
“I’ll be okay sweetie. I promise.”
“Mum?”
Her fragile heart suddenly gave out to the agony of the broken ribs and damaged lungs. He laid closer to her and sobbed, crying his heart out. He took her motionless arms and wrapped them around him. For a while, he laid cozied up in her arms, letting the world pass him by. That’s when he heard the faint chatter and laughter of the jaguars. This tore him in two, for he couldn’t decide whether to leave her or not. He knew that crossing the border was the only way he would finally be safe. He reluctantly stood up and took one last glimpse of her, before hastily dashing through the forest. He ran as fast as he could until he bumped himself into a young antelope. He was carrying a piece of a leafy stem. Zafeen still heavily breathed while his heart paced. He moved back and stood across from him. He then noticed two more a few steps ahead. They stopped and came back to see what the commotion was all about. To their surprise, they glanced down at an image long forgotten. Zafeen just stood there and felt out of place. He was so embarrassed that he sought to run away from their piercing stares.
“Whoa!” He gasped and stopped him in his tracks. “Calm down.”
Zafeen still gruntingly pushed on, trying to escape his grip.
“It’s okay,” she lent a hand.
Zafeen reluctantly calmed down and shied away from their gaze.
“Where are you from little one?” He politely asked.
“The border,” he softly replied.
“That explains it.”
He addressed the matter over to his companion. Zafeen then slowly lifted his head and came face to face with the young antelope. He tilted his head to the side and the fawn copied his every movement. He curiously stared back at him.
“Where are your parents?” He resumed.
Zafeen’s heart suddenly skipped a beat as he vividly recalled every single excruciating detail. He once again looked away as tears watered his eyes.
“It’s okay, you’re safe now.” She blindly read the expression on his face.
“My name is Anther,” he introduced himself and his family, “This is my wife Cathy and my son Varn.”
“What’s your name?” She asked.
“Zafeen.”
“Well Zafeen, how would you like to join us for dinner? You look like you’re starving.”
He arguably wanted to reject their offer, but his rumbling tummy made it harder for him to make his case.
“Come on buddy, let’s get out of here before it starts raining again.” He instructed.
“You too Zafeen,” she added.
With large chunks of leaves on their backs, they led the way as the two fawns followed in the back.
“Hi.” Varn suddenly broke the awkward silence between them.
“Hi.” Zafeen greeted back, surprised to hear his voice.
He then took one last glance at his back. He was now leaving behind all the chaos and mayhem engulfing his father’s territory. In this time of sadness, he sought out his father’s words to give him the strength and courage to go on. He remembered his last true shred of happiness. When all was peaceful and his mother laid asleep. When he and his father laughed at the edge of that slope.
“…one day you might even be a better leader than I am…”
Chapter 11: Escape.
“The mighty Saber has finally fallen.” He laughed, gazing down on his hope stricken body.
Saber listened to him boast and could no longer bare to hear another insolent word from his accursed tongue.
“You are nothing without your minions.” He spoke.
“What did you just say?”
“You heard me. You are nothing but a weak minded and gutless brute who hides behind the shadow of his puny rodents...”
Before he was even done, he felt the sudden brush of Aaron’s claws against his cheeks.
“Shut up!” He commanded.
“You think you’re better than me?” Hunter detested.
“He asked you a question!” Kyle growled as he inflicted more pain to his torso.
“I know I am,” he smiled.
This definitely got under his skin. He ferociously growled and clenched his jaw. He clenched his paws into a tight fist and clawed through the sand beneath him.
“Back off your rats and let’s settle this. Just you and me.”
“How dumb do you think I am?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
“That’s it! We’re done talking,” he exploded, “Hold him down…This will teach you not to mess with me.”
Saber struggled in between Aaron and Kyle. Their eyes affixed on Hunter as he drew near. Like a ticking clock, the seconds slowed down into minutes, and minutes soon became hours.
“Ranus! ... Loksi! … Kris! … Leron! … Qelshy! … Daphy! … Lystra! … Caren!”
&nb
sp; They all suddenly heard loud and emotional piercing voices emanating from the forest. The closer it got the clearer it became. The gang could now recognise the familiar voices. Hunter paused his murderous attempt, and focused on it.
“Mum! … Dad! … We’re over here!” The kids continuously shouted out in random through that dark abyss. They hoped someone would hear their shrieks of terror.
“Kyle! Shut them up!” He roared.
He let go of Saber and walked over to the edge of the pit. He jumped out and strolled over to the kids, who still screamed out for help. With a loud roar, he scared their wits out and unresistingly clammed them up. He’s job was done. Distracted, Saber bit Aaron’s arm and forced him to let go of his grip. He hurriedly got to his feet as Aaron limped away to Hunter’s side. Upon seeing that, Kyle came back down and stood beside them. They backed him against the wall and cleverly cornered him. To his right stood Aaron, still sore from the bite. To his left was Kyle, and right smack in the middle was Hunter.
“Give it up Saber. You’ve got nowhere to go.” He insisted.
Suddenly, in the midst of it all, a lion came charging in at full speed and jumped right next to Saber. With all his might, he let out a powerful roar that echoed throughout the entire Red Zone. Things rapidly got interesting. It was now a three on two-handicap match.
“Dad!” Kris yelled.
“You alright kids?” He inquired.
They all nodded in agreement while staring down on him.
“Everything okay here? What seems to be the problem?” He impatiently asked.
“Why don’t you mind your own business lion,” Hunter disrespectfully replied.
“That’s my kid up there. By nature’s law, that makes it my business.”
“This has got nothing to do you with you. Just let me and my good friend over here talk it out.”
“You know these rascals?” He turned to Saber.
“Never seen ‘em before in my life.” He smiled.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. We can still take on the both of you.” He chuckled. “You should have known better than to come alone.”
“Who said I did?”
Bursting out through the forest, came storming in the likes of creatures only heard of in bedtime stories. They stood along the edge of the pit and furiously looked down on the greedy blood-sucking scavenging coyotes. Enraged with so much hate, they continuously growled.
“Looks like the odds are finally in our favour,” Saber gloated, “What are you going to do now?”
“Am not afraid of you,” Hunter argued, “Am not afraid of either one of you.”
He was in a dilemma as he stared at what stood before him: a fox, leopard, wolf, jackal, puma, cheetah, tigress, lion, and sabre-toothed tiger. He was no doubt outmatched. He now stood at a crossroad, torn between what’s right and wrong. What to do and what not to do. The answer laid right before him, but should he choose to accept it?
“Come on Hunter, let’s get out of here.” Kyle commented, after cleverly reasoning with his inner demons. He was ready to accept his defeat.
“Yeah,” Aaron agreed with him.
“Next time Saber…We’ll meet again.”
He eventually gave in to defeat and retreated from the scene. They jumped out of the pit, and together, he and his crew vanished into the woods. His heart was still hell bent on destroying Saber, and maybe one day he will. Finally, it was all over. The kids cheerfully ran into their parent’s warm embrace. They had just escaped the Grim Reaper’s clutches.
“Am Byron,” the lion introduced himself.
“Saber. Thanks for the help.” He acknowledged.
“Don’t mention it. It was my pleasure.”
“Dad! … Dad! … Dad!” Eury and Rycka slid down the pit and ran straight into his arms.
“You okay dad?” Eury politely asked.
“Am okay. Compared to what your mum and I are gonna do to you, this is nothing.” He smiled, toying with them.
“It’s all Rycka’s fault.” She defended herself.
“Hey!” Rycka exclaimed, upset that she had dumped him under the bus. “No it’s not. You were in it too.”
“No I wasn’t. Stop lying.”
They suddenly tuned in to their favourite radio station, the Constant Arguing FM, and completely zoned out everything else around them.
“Alright. What do you say we get these fellas home, huh?” Byron suggested.
They walked side by side through the forest and out of the Red Zone. The obscured sun was now visible. It shone its orange bright light one last time before setting to the west.
Chapter 12: Stand Off.
From the depths, hiding beneath the tall grass and bushes, came out a male and female elk. A sad sorrowful look plastered across their face as tears flooded their eyes. A lioness grasping a lifeless fawn in her jaws escorted them. The two elks reluctantly led the way and stopped behind Derek. The lioness came up ahead and disrespectfully dropped the fawn at their knees. This made them burst out in pain as they embraced each other.
“Mel!” Jayd gasped, forcing his mother to release her grip. He went running to her side.
“Jayd…No!” She yelled out.
He fell hard on his knees and let his emotions flow out. He gently braced her chin and laid next to her. With her eyes shut, she seemed at peace.
“Another one bites the dust!” Derek taunted.
Zafeen felt sorry for his son. He had gone through a lot that day and now to add on that, he had just lost someone dear to him. He looked around and saw his fellow prey mates mortified.
“How about a trade?” He said. “…them…for the wildebeests.”
“Fine.” He reluctantly agreed, after giving it much thought.
“You heard him,” he roared, “Let’s move out!”
One by one, they walked away as they scared the wildebeests in their direction.
“You can’t let them do this to us!” The wildebeests cried out.
Zafeen drowned out their sorrows and all his guilt. He held back his pride and succumbed to defeat. He was so embarrassed that he couldn’t face them. Instead, he shunned away and let the shame overwhelm him.
“Nice doing business with you.” Derek turned around and followed them with a smile on his smug face.
Kart finally came out from behind the triceratops and ran over to her wounded son. She knelt down beside him and gently caressed him. Her warm embrace brought him closure as he sobbed and poured his heart out.
“She was my friend.”
“It’s okay sweetie. She’s in a better place now.” She consoled him.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
She looked up and saw her parents. They were too stunned and heartbroken to let out a sob. She stood up and politely offered them her condolences.
“Am sorry for your loss.”
She then walked over to Zafeen, who still blamed himself for what happened.
“You did the right thing.” She said to him.
“Then why don’t I feel like it?” He wondered.
They stood side by side and watched the day go by. The sun finally set and darkness dusked the entire land of Praemar. Jayd, together with Mel’s parents, took a vow of silence as they bowed in honour of her name.
“What did I miss?” Varn finally came to.
“Those preys are so dumb.”
“Yeah.”
“What a bunch of idiots.”
“Morons.”
“Alright,” Derek belched, “Let’s head back home.”
Suddenly, in the blindness of the night, they heard a loud scream. A lioness then came falling down from the skies and landed at their feet. They were all terrified. An enemy that none of them could see was somewhere amongst them. All they heard were loud hooves stamping them out of the equation. They huddled together, hoping to draw the creature out. Each time they turned around, one of their own was missing. In a flash, he came and in a blink, he was gone. They had never faced such
a creature before. With all their resources, they were still no match for him. They now stood wide open at the lakeshore, easily open to an attack. They all vanished until no one left but Derek.
“Come out and face me you coward!” He roared, fed up with the game.
“So…you think we are dumb, huh?…Idiots?…Morons?…Is that what we are to you?” An anonymous voice echoed all over Lake Guilderm.
“What?…Who said that?” He looked around and couldn’t spot anyone. “Who are you?”
The clouds above abruptly parted ways and the moon’s light revealed it all. To his surprise, it was actually Zafeen. Beside him stood not two, but three triceratops and three black stallions. In front of them laid his entire pack. They were all unconscious.
“Let ‘em go!” He pleaded.
“On one condition…You never come back to Praemar ever again.” Zafeen demanded.
“Let ‘em go first.”
“You are in no place to bargain. You have till the count of three…or one by one I start killing each and every single one of them.”
To a predator, bowing down to the preys was a show of weakness. Him most of all took that code very seriously and vowed never to break it. Now that he held lives in his hands, the pressure deemed too intense for him to bare.
“One … two …” Zafeen grew impatient and began his countdown.
“Wait…wait…wait…” He cried out.
“…three.”
One of the triceratopses walked forward and raised his enormous feet off the ground. He then released it and came down hard on one of the lionesses. He bashed her head into the ground and death became part of her. She bled from her eyes and ears as Derek helplessly stood across form her. The grim look on his face said it all.
“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” he inclined.
A second triceratops came forward and emulated his fellow prey mate. He repeated the same gruesome action on another helpless lioness.
“You can’t do this!”
“I can…and I will!”
Another lioness was gone.
“Fine! You win. I’ll never come back,” he promised, “You have my word.”
He bowed his head in defeat, but Zafeen was not convinced. He let his anger cloud his judgement as he glanced at the hope stricken lion. On his command, the triceratops continued their reign of carnage.