Chapter 16

Danger!

The small creature shot to her feet. Carefully surveying her surroundings, she sniffed the air.

Something was wrong.

It took her a moment to figure out exactly what, and by then it was already too late to hide.

It had been too quiet. She was used to the surroundings being filled with buzz, as countless smaller beings, fought to survive and grow. They wouldn’t bother her, they knew better than to annoy the strong. Still, it was quiet now and a steadily growing unease was filling her thoughts. If only the poison was not clouding her senses, she would not be caught so unprepared. Unfortunately, the last hunt didn't go well and all she had to show for her effort, was paws full of poisoned spikes.

*Thud* *thud*…*crack*

Whoever was coming, had noticed that she was aware of it. The beast had dropped any pretence of trying to sneak up on her and was now running this way.

A split second decision and she was off, dashing into the nearby thorn covered shrubs. Her lithe agile body finding the path even when the previous still bush, now closed in on her. Some of the thorns still managed to leave a mark on her, but it was a price worth paying, as based on the sound of its steps, the one chasing her would have a harder time passing. At least, she hoped that was the case.

The small being kept running, sparing a single glance back, just to see a large beast with 3 horns on its head, bulldoze right through the bush. To her dismay, it didn’t even slow down, its hide too thick to even notice the annoyance. She knew that one, it had been eying her territory for some time now.

There was no time to think, it was a do or die situation. Thus, making a decision she might regret even more. She ran towards the forbidden zone - a place that no sane beast would travel to. A long time ago, it was a land for the greatest of creatures. Now, only smouldering ash remained, spewing poisonous gasses that killed any invading plant life and creatures alike.

There was no other choice, weakened like this, she could not put up a fight, and there was nowhere else to run. It would catch up and devour her essence.

Soon, the ruins of the once beautiful jungle lay before her. Smoke was still raising up as the earth burned, but it couldn’t stop her. Not now, when the only chance of survival, lay in there. She passed the first hole, sparks flying outside as the fire inside consumed what was left of the thousand cycle old plants. There were more holes ahead, all of them just as deadly as the one before.

She heard the pursuer hesitate for a moment, but just as the hope started to rise in her, the thundering footsteps resumed.

She kept going, agile legs carrying her to the safe spots among the false earth. One misstep and she would tumble down into the burning abyss, never to be seen again, she would lose her chance of becoming something greater.

A roar sounded as the 3-horned monster stumbled, but her happiness only lasted a second, as it regained the footing and kept chasing her. Faster, she needed to go faster. Her only hope lay ahead of her.

Soon she could see it, a large pond in the middle of the fire. It was all that remained of the once great lake. There was only one safe road to cross this hellish landscape and while she didn't want to go back to her former territory, she didn't have much of a choice. She just hoped that the 2 legged creature, who drove her away, was gone by now.

Her plan was to use the water to slow down the pursuing menace. She might not have fins like the river beasts, but she knew that she would be faster than the big one behind her.

With a last look behind her back, she leapt. In her haste, she forgot the most important rule for her kind - vigilance is the key to growth. She didn't notice that the water, compared to the time before, now glowed slightly. She managed to cross half the pond before things turned from bad to worse. After that, there was only burning pain and darkness.

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He watched as his prey leapt into the water, and anger almost overwhelmed him. The beast knew she would be gaining ground on his this way, but there was nothing he could do. He stopped short just before the water and gave a last glance in the small beings direction. While it annoyed him to lose the prey, he already got what he wanted - a new hunting ground. Now that the small menace was gone, the 3-horned killer would finally be the greatest in these lands. He would gain what she had lost. It was the way of this land.

A screech brought him back from his thought as he watched in horror as something consumed the small being in the pond. Billions of tiny lights gathered and flowed towards it, and while the creature seemed fine at first, it was becoming clear that the lights were endless. They flew inside her and soon nothing remained.

Danger! - his senses told him.

Not looking back anymore, he turned and walked away. He still had to cross the burning plain before he could savour his prize.