User blog:Pookiefan/CP Pookie Series: Nightfall: Chapter 3: Stripes

'''Warning: if you don't like books where the main character is in danger or are under 10 years of age, don't read this. '''

The growl sounds again, bouncing off the unseen walls in the black abyss. The pookies scream, and Jenna can hear footsteps on the grass, running in all directions. "No!" yelps Jenna, even though she probably won't be able to stop them. "We need to stay together!" But they already seem to be too far away. Jenna has no idea what to do. She can't see her flipper in front of her face, and, for a dreadful moment, she wonders if there's any escape from the unknown creature standing somewhere around her. But then she remembers the tree.

"Everyone! Climb the trees!" she yells, in hopes of somehow catching the attention of her panicked group. However, she can no longer worry about them; she won't be able to help them anymore, and, every growl, the volume escalates. Whatever it is, it seems to know where Jenna is. It must be able to track her smell.

Abruptly she turns to face in the direction of the tree and eases her flippers forward until she finds the smooth bark. Then, she grasps around, in search of something to hoist herself up with. After several terrifying seconds, Jenna finally feels the bottom of a branch, just above her reach. With a jump, she is able to grab it with both flippers, but she can hear the animal coming closer. She pulls up with all her might and swings her feet upwards. She can feel another branch at about the same level as the one she holds onto now with her foot when she swings up. Once, twice, three more times she swings. At last, on the fourth attempt, the tip of her left foot catches the branch. She gets a grip with both feet and, lurches herself to a standing position, releasing the first branch and leaving it to tremble from her force. Her right foot slips and her body flies forward, but she is able to catch the end of the branch and crawl back up on it. Slowly, she inches towards the trunk.

Then, she hears the growl. This one is quite different from the others; it sounds so close that the creature must be just below her. She squints to see down to the jungle floor, and now make out, barely, the shapes of things. As she looks below, she is sure she sees the shape of some kind of wildcat. No, no ordinary wildcat, as she notices next, when it stretches out large, feathery wings. Wings. And she's hiding in a tree. It takes a minute for it to register that she has no chance. Thoughts of escape rush through her mind. How will she get out of this one? Somehow, the cat has tracked her this far, no doubt it will find her in the tree. Her eyes lock on the animal as it prepares to pounce upward. It seems to be looking right at her, even more nerve-racking.

A sudden whisper coming from behind startles her. "Jenna? Is dat woo?" the voice questions. In the shadows of the branches, she can't make out who it is.

"Wes," she replies, as quiet as she can. "Who are woo?"

"It's Stacey. Maisie ran off after dat gwowl..."

"Oh, Stacey, meh sorry. But all we can do is wope that she and the others are safe..."

"More then I can say for Cassidy. Well, can woo see that tiger?"

For a second, Jenna stares in the general direction that Stacey's voice comes from, confused. "How did woo know it was a tiger?"

"We can talk about dat water. But, seriously, we need to jump. We go any higher, we're done for. Stay here, we good as dead. So, wet's go," says Stacey, finding Jenna's flipper and holding it for the jump. Jenna looks back at what apparently is a tiger, wondering why it hasn't pounced yet.

"Stacey, wait. It would have got us already if it saw us. Besides, it will see if we jump. We should wait and see if it does come."

"Woo got a death wish?" Stacey questions sarcastically. But, when Jenna doesn't reply, she gives in. "Fine. But it will see us in the morning, and we have to get out of this tree eventually!"

"We also need to sweep. Just try to get comfy," Jenna enourages, leaning against the tree's trunk.

"Weah, with a hungry winged tiger watching me? Dat'll happen," Stacey says, but Jenna hears her adjusting her position to something more comfortable anyway.

Finally, Jenna feels gentle sleep as it covers her eyes with blackness.

Jenna wakes up to an agonizing scream. She jerks her head to where Stacey was the night before.

She's not there. Jenna yanks herself up on her hands and knees and crawls to see if the tiger is still there. To her surprise, it's not. It's gone. "Stacey!" Jenna screams at the top of her lungs, unsure how far away the girl is.

"Jenna! Wook behind woo!" Stacey lies on the ground a few feet away from the tree, clearly having fallen out and rolled over. She looks very injured- like she can't get up, even though she tries again and again.

Jenna turns quickly. Shock shakes through her heart as she realizes she's looking into the bright yellow eyes of the tiger. She opens her mouth, mentally screaming but too frightened to actually make a sound. Quick as she can, she turns around and tries to jump off the tree safely, but the tiger's paw strikes her across her back as her feet first leave the branch, causing her to fall straight below the tree. Upon hearing the tiger hit the ground near her, Jenna clambers to her feet, ignoring the sting of the scratch she surely has on her back. She begins to run for Stacey.

Stacey shakes her head avidly. "Mo!" she says firmly. "Woo can't carry me, Jenna, and dere's no use in us both getting attacked."

"Mo," replies Jenna, and that's all she says. She grabs Stacey by her flippers and, with all her might, running as fast as she can, drags her through the tightly packed collection of trees, away from the staircase. Branches scrape her arms and vines entangle her, but she pushes her way through them. She just hopes that Stacey will be okay; there's no time to look back. Every once and a while she hears a groan from behind her, but she can't do anything for her. She runs for what must be at least two hours, unsure whether the tiger bothered to follow them or not, wondering if it could be flying casually above them, waiting for Jenna to stop and give up. Jenna inwardly promises to never stop running if she has to, but soon after her energy and determination dwindle, and, once she finds a small pond in a clearing, she collapses.

Stacey drags her exhausted, worn body out of the jungle by her flippers to lie next to Jenna. "Wow, Jenna..." she says, trully surprised. "Tank woo for saving me."

"Is it behind us?" is all Jenna can get out, every bone in her body aching and worn.

"Mo, it followed us for a long time, just walking, but I heard it squeal a wittle while before we got here... and den it stopped following... I wonder what happened, but I don't care, honestly. It's gone, wight?" she says.

Jenna opens her eyes, looks at Stacey, and groans before lying back down again.

"Otay then," comments Stacey. Jenna hears her get up and slowly limp across the grass.

Jenna wonders where she's headed to, but has no energy left in her to ask. She gives in, once again, to the dark warmth of sleep.

'''A Note from Pookiefan: Please rate this 1-10, as last time! Thanks :)'''