Rayna's Jungle Adventure

*Chapter 19: Showdown in the Wasteland*

Rayna hears thunder in the sky as the clouds are getting dark. The rain is coming. She must hurry down to the village to collect the Red Flower. She rushed down to the path and see the bridge that leads towards the village gates. The Red Flower appeared in the middle of the village. Rayna made a look and quietly walk over the bridge and hid behind the stone pillar, she poked her head out to see people gather around the flames.

'I have to get that Red Flower. I need to sneak inside without anyone noticing me. This won't be easy.' Rayna thought to herself. She sees some women wandering around with men, and a few children by their families. As she is trying to come up with a plan, the sound of a gasp is heard from behind her. Rayna turned to see a man with a torch with the Red Flower. But this isn't the same man she saw in the jungle.
Hunar held the fire up to see Rayna's face. He squinted his eyes as he noticed the necklace she is wearing. He gasped. Rayna stood her ground, staring at the shocked man with wonder.

"Where did you get that?" Hunar asked, pointing at her necklace. But Rayna didn't respond. She ran up to the man and snatched the torch and his spear out of his hands. "Hey! Wait!" Hunar called. Rayna ran towards the jungle with the fire. "Stop!"

"Hunar, what is it?" Elias called as he appeared by Hunar's side. "Is it an animal?"

"No, there's a girl! She took the torch and..." Hunar paused. "Elias...she is wearing the necklace I gave my sister. That girl...I believe it's Rayna!" Elias stared at him. Hunar rushed in the village to gather his spear and another torch.

XX

Rayna ran in the jungle with the Red Flower in her hand, she could feel the heat hitting her face. She has a determined look in her eyes as she hurries through the jungle. She is ready for this. There is no going back. Shere Khan must be defeated.

"This is for my friends and family." She says to herself. Rayna jumps over the log and continue on to go where she is supposed to be to fight Shere Khan. "You want me, Shere Khan? Here I come." She hears thunder rumble in the sky. Rayna started to sing to herself.

"Written in stone,
Every rule, every word.
Centuries old and unbending.
Stay in your place,
Better seen and not heard,
But now that story is ending."

The memories of her and Rama started to come back to her. She remembered the good days with him while he lets her ride on his back when she was little, making her laugh as they run through the jungle with the wolves. Rayna held back her tears as she continues forward with the Red Flower and the spear. She will avenge her father, and her human family.

"'Cause I,
I cannot start to crumble.
So come on and try,
Try to shut me and cut me down!"

She stood on top of the cliff to see the view of the jungle as lightning flashed in the clouds. The wasteland is the place where she wants to fight the tiger. It was a little further. Rayna looks up at the cloudy sky as she sings.

"I won't be silenced.
You can't keep me quiet,
Won't tremble when you try it,
All I know is I won't go speechless.
Speechless."
Let the storm in,
I cannot be broken.
No, I won't live unspoken,
'Cause I know that I won't go speechless."

Rayna turned away and continue her journey down to get to the wasteland.

"Try to lock me in this cage,
I won't just lay me down and die.
I will take these broken wings,
And watch me burn across the sky.
Hear the echoes saying,
I won't be silenced!
Though you want to see me tremble when you try it,
All I know is I won't go speechless.
Speechless."