The Island From Hell

Chapter 2

In the same city where Moxxie lived, there was a local wildlife sanctuary called Animal Haven, that had been built on an abandoned plantation. The men and women there had spent years, traveling all over the world, rescuing injured or ill animals and bring them to the sanctuary to nurse them back to health. Once the animal had recovered it was returned to it's rightful home. Today's rescue was a snow leopard from the Himalayans. Poor creature had barely escaped being captured by poachers, suffering only a gun shot to the leg.

Watching the creature be careful escorted into the sanctuary was it's newest member. A beautiful and spirited young zoologist, Charlotte "Charlie" Morningstar, who had just graduated from the university. From an early age, she had possessed an incredible amount of compassion and empathy for all of God's creatures and as she grew up she desired nothing more than to help them all. She applied to work at Animal Haven as soon as she could, she enjoyed seeing so many different animals from different places and aiding them the best way she could. But she yearned to be able to travel to these different places and expand her aid. To have a little adventure and discovery with her good deeds.

"He's gorgeous." She awed at the snow leopard. "Almost regal like."

"Most wild cats are." Said Robert Banks, the head of the operation. "They said it's most likely a fracture but we'll run more tests just to be on the safe side."

"Where will you release him?"

"On a wildlife reserve located on the other side of the mountain. He should be safe from poachers there."

"I wish I could have been there when it happened." She said. "I would have made sure that those awful people would never harm another animal again."

"Charlie those people would eat someone like you for breakfast." He chuckled at the idea. "You have no idea what you would be up against."

"I could learn if you'd let me go on the release trip."

"Charlie we've been through this before, you're still a rookie. You not ready."

"But Robert I want to see what it's really like out there for them. To see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat and to maybe prevent the injury or the disease before it strikes. I wanna do more."

"Your enthusiasm for wildlife and it's wellbeing is admirable Charlie. In fact that's why I hired you, but you're still inexperienced. You must be patient."

"I've been patient. I've been here for a half a year and I've learned everything there is to know about an animal's health and behavior. What more is there for me to know?"

"Much more. Charlie being here isn't just about knowing about the animals. You have to know how to make it in their habitats and how to deal with the people we rescue these animals are from. Poachers are brutal Charlie. They are driven purely by greed, living creatures are either a product for them to sell or an obstacle to remove. And I know what kind of person you are Charlie and I know exactly what would happen if you encountered a poacher on one fo those trips. You would blindly rush in to save the animal and a poacher would shoot you dead without hesitation. Now as I said, I admire your devoution and you will be able to join the others on their rescue missions but it will take time."

Charlie sighed. She couldn't deny that Robert's words were neither wrong or unreasonable. She was just so ready to help the world. So ready to leave San Franscico. So ready for a new change of pace. So ready to get away from her parents.

Charlie Morningstar was the daughter and only child of Lucifer Morningstar the president of Morningstar Finance one of the most successful banks in the state and Lilith Morningstar the greatest fashion designer there ever was. Her entire family was rich and elite, and stifling. Now Charlie loved her mother and father, and they loved her, but they never supported her passion for wildlife. They were always grooming her to either run the bank or get into fashion design.