Sabertooth

Chapter 5) Hunted

Raika whined like a child.

It hadn't even been eight hours since they made it to the cabin. Kalein, her hair jagged and deformed from sleep stood over him like an owl.

Her hands were both down, grasping both his cheeks and wagging them up and down, side to side.

"Come onnn, Raika. Wakey Wakeyy!" Kalein giggled.

Atsuki was on the other side of the room chuckling profusely as he glanced back and forth from Kale and his notebook. He had changed out of his brown hoodie, Raika saw, and wore a plain white cotton tee.

Kalein too, wore one exactly like it along with her black-magenta jacket gripped on tight with the zipper up. She probably had the morning chills.

And so did Raika as he lunged upward doing a sit-up. "What's wrong with you?"

Kale grabbed her arms around her chest, and started to shiver as she hopped back, away from Raika's unsuspecting grip. "I figured you didn't need the sleep."

"No.." Raika hissed, "Grabbing my cheeks like that, you weirdo!"

Kale stopped herself from smiling. "You're a soldier now, aren't you? So you're used to waking up under terrifying circumstances, right?"

Raika stopped himself. "Kale, have I ever told you what a nutcase you are?"

Kalein shook her head, "Nope."

Atsuki smiled in the corner of the room. "Ok you two, it's a new day."

"It's the same day as five minutes ago" Raika grumbled, tossing himself onto both feet.

He rubbed his eyes and started to stretch when he spotted the sheathed knife at Atsuki's side. Remembrance dawned on him. They were going hunting.

* * *

The morning dew was extra visible. So much so, that Raika swore it looked like the forest had sweated up a storm. Birds chirped in the oak trees nearby, singing ballads of life and adventure in the skies.

Kale was the first one outside. Raika, behind her, breathed in the copious amount of air. The forest looked more alive in the morning than it ever did the previous night.

As he fumbled his feet down the steps, he caught a glance at Kalein's short pants. He bit back the desire to kick her in the butt which would sent her spiraling down the stairs. Revenge, he thought desperately, won't solve anything. Revenge won't solve anything.

All three of them stopped in front of the cabin. It crept on Raika that it had been approximately nine hours since Atsuki and him left the town. Was his mother worrying? Or was she ok with it?

Atsuki unsheathed the knife and pointed towards the western plain. "We'll look there first".

"Uh, Atsuki?" Raika started. "Are we going back soon?"

Atsuki looked back. "Oh. Uh. Yeah! Just thought we'd see about getting some food for our families, y'know?"

Kale and Raika nodded only for Atsuki to quickly wade through the grass towards the clearing.

At first they saw nothing, only the wind that blew through and the sky that was a canvas of white and blue.

"There!" Atsuki motioned with the knife. Kale and Raika looked. There, next to a tree was a fox. It looked no more than a few years old. A few seconds later, it's parent came into view. Atsuki gripped his knife affectionately.

Atsuki suddenly charged, giving no sign or warning. Kale stared marbles at him like he was the crazy one now.

As Atsuki neared the animals they picked their heads up slowly and saw him. Though they didn't move.

Atsuki stopped to a striding run pace. The foxes looked apprehensive, as if waiting for him to pull food out and toss it to them.

Kale grabbed Raika's shoulder to steady herself as she moved into a crouching position. "What in the world is he doing? And why is it working?"

Raika smiled. "Animals are curious sometimes."

From afar, the foxes knelt back down, sniffing the dirt and grass soothingly. They both looked so calm and peaceful, it was a shame what Atsuki was about to do. And what they'd have to do afterward.

Raika sighed and Kale grabbed his far shoulder. "It's ok. It's just a couple of foxes. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Raika looked back at her with scornful eyes. "Ok, now you're the crazy one again!" And he promptly tossed her arm back to her side.

She wore a pouting face back at him but he ignored it, watching the foxes and Atsuki closer than ever.

He was more than five feet away when they started to bolt down the hillside to the north. Atsuki went to follow only to stop in his tracks. What was up?

Moments passed and Atsuki finally started running backwards, right towards Raika and Kalein.

Raika could see the fear planted in his pupils. The nervousness in his nerves. And that's when the creature bolted out from below.

It's glowing hide of brownish-yellow and teeth elongated outside its mouth gave off an incredible image. But what really racked him was its monstrous yellow eyes.

"It's..."

Kale gulped and fumbled for Raika's arm. Her voice seemed lost until she grabbed ahold and hulled him backwards. Back towards the cabin. Back towards relative safety.

Atsuki screamed, now behind them more than ten feet. His howls like a girls, they echoed across the forest hills.

"Guys!" Atsuki cried.

A roar tore through the air, spiking nerves into existence they didn't know existed.

Raika looked back even as Kalein's titanium grip locked his wrist unto her hand. He had to know if Atsuki could outrun the beast somehow.

Another beastial roar erupted and Raika's eyes widened as the yellow eyed beast landed on Atsuki with a thud. A second cry of triumph pierced the sky as the beast pointed it's mane skyward.

"NOOOO!" Raika screamed, tearing his arm from Kale.