Sabertooth

Chapter 11) Feeling Fear (Part III)

The sun was hot the next morning. Sweat was already collected to his neck and down his torso. He felt like a worm trying to crawl out of his sleeping bag.

Light climbed through his eyes as he stepped outside. It was only when his eyes started to adjust that remembered the night before. His head swam with confusion, his eyes with longing.

Raika spun around outside, glancing across the beach and even down in the water. He couldn't spot her. Quickly he turned only to bump into something, making him flinch.

When he looked up he expected to see those blue eyes and dark black hair of hers, instead it was who he assumed to be Zed, the extra.

"Sorry!" He quickly said, his hands held firmly out as if he could help in some way.

"You're fine." Raika said, honest, but the newbie still looked startled and frightened.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?" He quickly added.

"No...I'm-" Raika began.

Before he could finish he heard noises that sounded as if the earth were moving. As if the very continent was sliding on its plates. As if a mountain were going for a walk.

"What is that?" Zed cried, his eyes darting around. It was like they were searching for something for something that was everywhere and nowhere.

Then Raika spotted it. It was coming near the towards the other side of the lake where trees hid it from view. And just as Raika looked he quickly wished he hadn't.

A large stony structure bounced across the water surrounded on all four sides by land. It was about the size of a house or a tiny island. But it was so rigid and overpowering it looked almost ten tons in weight, the ferocity of its mass actually like that of a mountain.

It landed with a huge crash that blanketed the bank with sand and dirt clashing everywhere. A storm of dust and decay. When it was finally over a voice called to them, it echoed across the shoreline.

"Yeah there's something you can do!" The voice called.

Raika's senses heightened. How many surprises were going to alert them today?

The lieutenant was outside now alongside Zed and him. This time he wore a polar bear type suit with white slippers. Jesse pointed at the enormous mountain-rock. And there at the top stood a person atop the creature.

"You can lay down and die!" He said.

* * *

"Is that an Animagi?" Zed breathed in amazement.

Raika grunted, his legs taking up dirt as he began to move. Zed, half amazed-half thoughtful took half a minute to realize he should run. The mountain was already moving on them, it's rock-hard body smashing trees flat into the ground.

"Whatever you do Zed, don't look back unless your...!!"

Raika's fist cracked as he strided faster. Either Zed had ran off or he was dead. Dead. The thought made Raika paranoid. His mind flipped, remembering Jesse and Raven. Like a star, he shouted forward even quicker where tripping was a constant possibility.

When he finally made it into the woods adjacent to the beach, Raika hid behind a tree and sat. His lungs were on fire. Hide gasped deep breaths, all of them hurting but still giving him pleasure. At that time, breathing felt like a luxury to Raika.

After long moments of silence Raika heard a noise, the sound of grass being trampled. More followed after, then the crack of a twig.

Questioning his sanity, Raika turned to the side to view what lay ahead.

His nails dug into the bark when he saw it. The ridiculous expression placed on Raven's face that either meant she was faking death or just acting goofy.

Without thinking, Raika grabbed her by the hand and pulled her behind the tree with him.

"What are you doing?" She pursed her lips lightly.

"Where have you been!" Raika found himself yelling. "Can't you hear it? Can't you feel it? It can't be that hard to miss."

Raven blinked, her face turning a light shade of red. "What is it we're talking about?"

"The-"

BANG!

BANNNG!

BANGGGGGG.

Raven looked out into the opening, much to Raika's attempts to stop her by pulling on her arm. She crept back in behind the tree, her eyes telling a story of fright and fear.

"That." Raika said as the mighty sound of the monster moving closer crept into their ears.

"Run" Raven mouthed, her words immediately readable to Raika, who slowly stood up.

Raven joined him and the two found themselves staring into each other's eyes, watching the others eyes respond to the crisis at hand.

Suddenly the world began to stir, and Raika and Raven made a break for it, only for the tree to combust out of its roots and plant it selves on top of them.

The sound of the beast consumed the forest.