Shipwrecked || Huening Kai

Chapter 4: Making Camp

The Panther prowls toward us, growling menacingly. It's movements are completely silent, yellow eyes never leaving us.

      "Oh no..."

      I begin to take a step back, but Kai squeezes my shoulder tighter, stilling me. His voice is a whisper at my ear.

      "If we run, it'll chase us, and we'll be done for."

      Kai carefully unsheathes the diving knife at his thigh and takes a cautious step forward, placing himself between me and the panther.

      "What are you doing?"

      At my raised voice, the panther roars and takes a swipe in our direction.

      "You need me to spell it out for you? I'm going to kill it before it kills us? "

      "You can't kill it...you could get hurt."

      "Appreciate the concern, but our options are pretty slim."

      "Your small knife against its claws? You lose every time."

      The panther releases a low rumble as it glares at us with its yellow eyes.

      "You have a better idea? "

      "We need to scare it away. If we stand our ground and look big, we can convince it that we're the predators."

      The panther drops its head, ready to pounce.

      "Whatever we're doing, we need to hurry."

      "Quick, let's link our arms. Make it look like we're one giant creature."

      Slowly, Kai links his right arm through my left. We both raise our free arms wide.

      "Stand on your tiptoes...we'll look bigger."

      I nod, then follow his suggestion, carefully balancing in the sandy dirt. The panther pauses momentarily taken aback by our bigger form. Then its face twists in anger, and it bares its teeth at us. It shifts its haunches rapidly, like it's about to strike!

      "Dammit! It's not working."

      "Scream as loud as you can. AHHHHHH!!!!!! "

      "GRAAAAAA!!!"

      The panther shirks back in the branches as Kai and I shout...then flees into the safety of the greenery! Once we're sure the panther is gone, I unlink my arm from Kai's, then wrap him in a tight embrace.

      "We did it. We actually survived."

      Kai pauses for a moment before returning the hug. He pats my back awkwardly as I release him.

      "Told you we didn't have to kill it."

      "Is this really the time for a 'told you so'?"

      "It's always the time when I'm right."

      I look at where the panther was, then back at Kai's knife.

      "You really would've risked your life fighting that thing?"

      "Yes. It's my job to keep you safe."

      He twirls his knife in his hand.

      "Which includes teaching you how to use this too."

      "You really think that's necessary?"

      "We don't know what else lurks in the jungle... And I can't guarantee I'll always be around to save you."