Post by ashbaer on Aug 5, 2015 22:33:14 GMT -5
Hopefully this will suffice.
They were behind schedule, a day’s time behind, the tension was burning through the four males hiking through the jungle brush. The heat and humidity was helping to the situation, Valerius held the lead with Lestat hot on his heels, Teival was third with Hannibal taking up the rear. The plan was to cover as much distance as possible, their elder leader was in a rush to get back to his young family and made it very clear he would leave them behind if they started to slow him down.
“We need to break Valerius,” Teival called from behind, nostrils flaring through the thick air. “We’ll pass out before we break through.”
“You break then!” The raspy snap of the Bhelarion silenced the chirping birds overhead and his steely green eyes glared over his shoulder at the two. “I will not wait another moment, either shut the hell up and keep moving or stay behind so I don’t have to listen to your complaining!”
Teival fell silent, he glared back, not challenging but showing he wouldn’t back down, Lestat only snorted, shook his head and kept moving, these pure Bhelarion were immune to the heavy heat of the jungle apparently. From behind Hannibal brushed against his brother, pushing him a little forward, Hannibal looked the worse out of them all. With new wounds in the middle of healing, he too was eager to return home but the wear of travelling at this pace was showing on him.
“Come on Tei, you drank half the creek back there, you’re practically a camel,” he breathed through pants as he stepped past Teival and kept moving along the thin trail that led out of the jungle.
“Oh now you have jokes,” he mumbled back, lashing his tail irritably. The whole lot of them were stubborn and would most likely collapse before sunset.
As Teival stood still for a moment, watching the backs of his companions, he noticed that the birds hadn’t returned to chirping, lifting his head he looked up at the greenery above, ears swivelling, there didn’t seem to be any noise. It was odd, but Teival turned to continue after the group, a few steps forward and something rocked beneath him, paw hooked on a root he launched forward into the dirt. Shaking his head he looked up to see Hannibal looking back confused.
“Did you feel that?”
Hannibal didn’t have time to speak as the ground shook again, this time more violently forcing them all to brace themselves. Somewhere in the distance the ground was splitting open as the earth rumbled and shook around them. Trees were shaking, and whatever wildlife remained began running to the exit. As the tremors worsened a thick tree cracked and came crashing down sending up a cloud of dirt and debris.
“Move it! Now!”
As Valerius shouted he and Lestat lunged forward, while Hannibal took the last steps back to Teival forcing him forward. The younger one out of the group look mortified but Hannibal was at his side shouting in his ear as the world came crashing down around them. Just up ahead they could see the others crashing through the foliage, they weren't that far from the border of the jungle, maybe closer, if they could out run the tremors…
Up ahead the ground was moving before Valerius’ eyes, he could see it swell and crack away into gaping holes. The air was getting thinner, easier to breath in, it was the first thing Valerius noticed in his blitz for freedom; they were close. In the rear Hannibal and Teival were struggling to stay close, the earth was breaking apart closer together, causing them to leap over the gaps as they ran. Another great tremor rocked the ground, dirt was breaking apart before Teival's eyes and Hannibal could see this from just behind.
“Jump Teival!" Making the gap onto solid ground would give them grip they needed to keep running.
Just as he made the leap brute force rammed into the back him, thrusting through the air and over the gaping hole in the earth leading into a dark craves. As he landed he swung his head back to catch Hannibal in mid jump, he landed hard and it only took a second for Teival to see he hadn't made it completely. Gripping onto the dirt with claws extend Hannibal struggled to hoist himself up, even as Teival moved to grab him it was to late. The soil crumbled around him he could only stare back at wide eyes before he slipped into darkness.
"Hannibal!" There wasn't time to grieve, everything was still crumbling around him, reluctantly he turned and continued to run after Valerius and Lestat. There was just no way this was happening, how was this even possible.
They were behind schedule, a day’s time behind, the tension was burning through the four males hiking through the jungle brush. The heat and humidity was helping to the situation, Valerius held the lead with Lestat hot on his heels, Teival was third with Hannibal taking up the rear. The plan was to cover as much distance as possible, their elder leader was in a rush to get back to his young family and made it very clear he would leave them behind if they started to slow him down.
“We need to break Valerius,” Teival called from behind, nostrils flaring through the thick air. “We’ll pass out before we break through.”
“You break then!” The raspy snap of the Bhelarion silenced the chirping birds overhead and his steely green eyes glared over his shoulder at the two. “I will not wait another moment, either shut the hell up and keep moving or stay behind so I don’t have to listen to your complaining!”
Teival fell silent, he glared back, not challenging but showing he wouldn’t back down, Lestat only snorted, shook his head and kept moving, these pure Bhelarion were immune to the heavy heat of the jungle apparently. From behind Hannibal brushed against his brother, pushing him a little forward, Hannibal looked the worse out of them all. With new wounds in the middle of healing, he too was eager to return home but the wear of travelling at this pace was showing on him.
“Come on Tei, you drank half the creek back there, you’re practically a camel,” he breathed through pants as he stepped past Teival and kept moving along the thin trail that led out of the jungle.
“Oh now you have jokes,” he mumbled back, lashing his tail irritably. The whole lot of them were stubborn and would most likely collapse before sunset.
As Teival stood still for a moment, watching the backs of his companions, he noticed that the birds hadn’t returned to chirping, lifting his head he looked up at the greenery above, ears swivelling, there didn’t seem to be any noise. It was odd, but Teival turned to continue after the group, a few steps forward and something rocked beneath him, paw hooked on a root he launched forward into the dirt. Shaking his head he looked up to see Hannibal looking back confused.
“Did you feel that?”
Hannibal didn’t have time to speak as the ground shook again, this time more violently forcing them all to brace themselves. Somewhere in the distance the ground was splitting open as the earth rumbled and shook around them. Trees were shaking, and whatever wildlife remained began running to the exit. As the tremors worsened a thick tree cracked and came crashing down sending up a cloud of dirt and debris.
“Move it! Now!”
As Valerius shouted he and Lestat lunged forward, while Hannibal took the last steps back to Teival forcing him forward. The younger one out of the group look mortified but Hannibal was at his side shouting in his ear as the world came crashing down around them. Just up ahead they could see the others crashing through the foliage, they weren't that far from the border of the jungle, maybe closer, if they could out run the tremors…
Up ahead the ground was moving before Valerius’ eyes, he could see it swell and crack away into gaping holes. The air was getting thinner, easier to breath in, it was the first thing Valerius noticed in his blitz for freedom; they were close. In the rear Hannibal and Teival were struggling to stay close, the earth was breaking apart closer together, causing them to leap over the gaps as they ran. Another great tremor rocked the ground, dirt was breaking apart before Teival's eyes and Hannibal could see this from just behind.
“Jump Teival!" Making the gap onto solid ground would give them grip they needed to keep running.
Just as he made the leap brute force rammed into the back him, thrusting through the air and over the gaping hole in the earth leading into a dark craves. As he landed he swung his head back to catch Hannibal in mid jump, he landed hard and it only took a second for Teival to see he hadn't made it completely. Gripping onto the dirt with claws extend Hannibal struggled to hoist himself up, even as Teival moved to grab him it was to late. The soil crumbled around him he could only stare back at wide eyes before he slipped into darkness.
"Hannibal!" There wasn't time to grieve, everything was still crumbling around him, reluctantly he turned and continued to run after Valerius and Lestat. There was just no way this was happening, how was this even possible.