The Snake in the Ice

The Fight For The Jungle Part 2

All around us, the jungle whipped past us almost faster than I could blink. It was hard to breathe with all the air plowing over me and pushing us back.

We held on vigilantly though as Esstaad cleared miles and miles of trees, rivers, mountains, and even her own temple city in minutes.

The ground thundered with shock with her every stepp, sending herds of animals and flocks of colorful birds screaming into the air. many getting knocked aside just from the force of her running past.

I felt Y/S/N's body slightly clinging onto the back of my legs. Helping me maintain a grip on the cat since I only had one arm and a crippled leg.

each moment my heart pounded more and more. We were getting closer, I just hoped she was right and we were able to get there before and if the Outhradii were able to overpower our forces.

I kept whispering prayers in my mind that we would make it. That we have not lost too many people, that our people were still alright. That Bobazo was still alright.

I do not know how much time had passed since we broke through the ice. Perhaps about half an hour like Estaad said it might, but I eventually saw the decayed part of the land that was the Outhradii village approaching fast. Even with how big Estaad was, Karribou's tree loomed over everything in the forest. For size comparison, the tree was like a tall cat tower to the towering cat that I was riding.

Estaad's running became faster. The fight within her flaring up as the battle got closer and closer. When we got close enough to see clearly my heart almost stopped.

We had not arrived before the battle, but the battle had also not been won or lost yet. Far ahead I could see the minuscule figures of people in the middle of battle. Though they were still too far away to tell who belonged to which tribes.

They were getting more apparent as Estaad continued to move. We would be upon them in less than a minute. I looked up at the tree looming far above us and hunched into Y/S/N as Estaad leaped over the final line of trees and into the village.

I could hear many screams, but everyone on the ground stopped as Estaad crashed among them. The ground-shaking for a small moment Staring up with a mixture of awe, horror, disbelief, and joy as they took in the empress.

Estaad lowered her head before raising it to the tree and letting out a roar that would reverberate in my mind for the rest of my life.

I was absolutely certain that even the people back in my home village, who were the furthest away from the Outhradii, could hear this. I would not even be surprised if Urani and Shila up on the ice heard that.

The giant tree branches ruffled for a small moment before a bird shriek much like the sound of an eagle returned the battle cry. Then out came Karribou, her white wings creating hurricanes and tornadoes of wind that swept the warriors on the ground up into the air.

My heart shattered as I saw those people fall back down to their deaths, a few looked like some on our side, but most of them were Outhradii. How she carelessly just through the lives of her own children away for power? I would never know.

Estaad rippled the muscles on her back, sending me tumbling off of her neck and down her gargantuan body until I was slipping down her tail like a slide with Y/S/N only a second behind me.

When I was on the ground I immediately started running so that I did not fall on my face from the momentum. When I was steady I turned just as Estaad leaped for Karribou, who raised herself higher in the air. Estaad was much bigger than her, but she could not fly.