Evolution- ON HOLD (for now hopefully)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

LUNA'S POV

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James and I had stopped running a day ago. We figured that we had a large enough lead on whoever was following us, if there really was someone following us. We took our precautions and now..... Well we are safe enough now so where's the hurry? Why not spend some quality time with James?  

We had entered the most beautiful area. For the whole trip we had been traveling in a savannah like region. Now it was the greenest grass all around us with rivers of the brightest blue. Then the trees, they towered over us, there leaves just budding with flowers of pinks and blues, oranges and purples, and every other color of the rainbow.  

Birds flew around us, singing their song to the world. Listening to them made me smile like a fool. It was like you could not be sad around them. Also a few animals were curious enough to come out of their hiding places to see us. Mostly rabbits, squirrels, and other small animals, but there were a few deer. The most amazing animal we saw was a bear and then a cougar! Because of that event, James and I had a conversation over whether or not it was a cougar or a mountain lion.  

We walked peacefully through this dream-like land, talking of nothing in particular. When we stopped and made camp, it seemed like no time had passed at all. Like we were at a stand still, caught in an eternal twilight. 

"How far away from the rebels do you think we are?", I asked him. He looked around at the surroundings and shrugged.  

"It's hard to tell in this place that looks like a fairy puked on it everywhere, but as soon as we hit Mt. Friola we will only have about a day and a half walk, less than a day if we run. 

"Sweet, let's get going then!", I say standing up from our camp. 

"Sounds good to me!", he says smiling his adorable smile. I start packing everything up and he does the same on the other side of the fire, when I hear it. James has not heard it because my ears have become slightly advanced because of my animal abilities. I freeze where I am and feel every little hair on my arms stand straight up. I get up from where I was crouching and turn my head slowly around, looking for the disturbance. I feel like a deer about to be shot as my eyes rest on something out of place, way out of place. 

A man is standing in between two trees. He has something over his lower face and a hood over his head so all you can see is his eyes. They look.... Familiar. I shake my head then notice the other man. 

He is standing behind his left shoulder smiling like an idiot and waving a whip..... Oh my god it's that one hunter! I see the claw marks stretched across his eye and feel a twinge of pleasure. Serves him right. But that's not the point. This man he is with, apparently he went back and found this man. Oh shit. 

I crouch down and snarl deep in my throat, causing James to jump up and look around. His eyes widen in shock as he crouches down into a fighting position. 

"Hey y'all! Remember me? Yeah, y'all gonna regret scratching me now!", he sneered at us. I keep staring at the two men, trying to determine their next move, how to attack, and so on and so forth. I redirect my gaze down to the mystery man's hand as he pulls out a long whip like contraption. I watch with a mixture of fear and awe as the thing starts to glow. He glances over at the whip hunter. 

"You take the spare", he says to him, "I've got the girl." Then he starts to walk towards me as the other hunter circles around me towards James. We cannot let them separate us so I start to back up slowly next to James. I growl the whole way back, trying to warn them to back off. Of course it doesn't work so I change into my animal form, cheetah of course. I crouch down and snarl again. He just smiles, I can tell because the corner of the fabric that covers his mouth lifts ever so slightly. He is mocking me.  

That pisses me off like nothing else has before. I prepare to strike when I glance at the glowing whip. Something is wrong here. He is just too confident. Something about that weapon makes him sure he can win. I must be cautious around that.... Thing. He starts to stride forward, his walk like he's gliding across the ground instead of touching it. I start to prowl forward, but not enough to be far away from James. 

I stand my ground as he comes closer and closer. I hear James and the other hunter start to fight. The whip cracking makes me want to scratch at my ears, but I resist. The man stops about 5 feet in front of me. I see him twirling the weapon around and around. I can't help but stare at the motion.... Like it's...... Lulling me.... Into...... Sleep....... NO!!! I yank my gaze away and glare at the man and spring forward. 

I miss. Or I should say, he moves to the side at the last possible second. I hit the ground and roll, for I was not planning on missing him. He is good. Too good.  

Move move move! I gotta get up before he can hit me while I am down! Who knows what that thing does? I stand up and swing around, expecting to defend myself, but instead see something I don't expect. He is just standing there with his arms crossed, waiting. I was at his mercy. 

"Is that the best you've got?" He asks me mockingly, "I thought you would be better". He smiles at me again and in his eyes I see triumph. Oh he hasn't won yet! I crouch down and spring forward. I jump towards him then stop, thinking he will move out of the way again, but he doesn't, so now I look like an idiot. Ugh! Ok try again! This time I run at him the turn to the left and try to flank him but he just turns with me....... Like I planned. I stop immediately and run the other direction around and catch him with his back turned..... Big mistake for him! I spring into the air about to land on him and snap his neck when he swings around. 

I feel my body divert in the other direction, a line of pain burning from my shoulder to my face. Ouch! I hit the ground and the dust in the grass goes up around me in a little *poof*. I have no clue how he is so fast! It shouldn't be possible but then again, when have the tyrants ever followed the rules? 

I turn and look at the place where the whip hit me. What I see though, I cannot comprehend. It broke skin and went down to muscle, but no blood is coming out. I can see the red of my muscle..... No blood. Oh my god what is that thing! 

I look back at him but.... Something is wrong there too! He is moving back and forth, back and forth. Why is he doing that? I start to prowl forward, but then all of a sudden the ground shakes underneath me. I clench the grass with my claws to steady myself and feel it stop, but something is still happening. The world around me is getting fuzzy. Everything is out of focus. Yet I still continue forward preparing to attack again. I jump into the air, but he moves faster than I can see! I spread out my paws preparing to land, but I hit the ground and roll over and over. I lay there panting, trying to get my thoughts straight, because for some reason, I cannot think properly. All my thoughts are a jumble and it's pissing me off!  

"What's the matter?", he taunts at me, "not as good as you think you are?" I turn and glare at him and bound forward again, not even minding that the ground is basically rolling underneath me. I spring at him again, but by the time I notice, it is too late. 

The weapon is flying through the air, looking like a lightning bolt arching towards me. It's too late to do anything other than stare in fear as it wraps around my body. I fall to the ground and scream. I have changed back into my human form because it was a scream. I feel little electricity bolts are zapping up and down my body. Like little needles worming their way through my veins. He bends down and grabs a strand of the whip and lifts me up. I feel my voice break as the pain intensifies and I scream even louder. 

Out of the corner of my eye I see someone fall to the ground and another person running towards us from behind the man. My vision goes black. I feel my self fall to the ground. My vision comes back. I see two pairs of feet scuffling on the ground. Black again. I feel myself being picked up and a motion like running. Back again. I see someone's face and the sky. Someone is running away while holding me. The person looks down. James.  

Then my vision goes black again as I hear him say, "stay with me Luna! Do you hear me! Stay awake!" Why would he want that? When the darkness is so warm and comforting? Out here is only pain and sadness. "If this is dying, it isn't that bad", I think to myself before *BLACK*.