The hunt was on.
I stood surrounded by an impenetrable jungle, and I navigated through the densely packed, towering trees, treading silently on the rainforest floor. My keen eyes cut through the shadows.
Nature's ambiance nearly overwhelmed me while I continued my search. A myriad of sounds and smells—the cries of birds, the constant buzzing of insects, a fast-flowing river, and scents of hundreds of different plants and animals—all flooding my senses.
Eventually, my nose twitched at a familiar smell. I bared my teeth with a low growl as his scent wafted through the air; the metallic smell of rotten blood mixed with fish oil.
My enemy, the cause of all the torture my people had faced for years. The Caiman.
I leapt high, my claws sinking into the ragged bark, tearing it further from the tree it clung to. My balance was precarious as I stood tall among the branches, my eyes drawn to Caiman standing so nonchalantly at the riverbank.
But something was horribly wrong.
The Caiman held my younger brother's neck in a vice grip, knuckles turning pale with the fierce, crushing pressure he applied. As I clenched my jaw and forced myself to stay quiet despite the protective rage racing through my system, my hated enemy looked directly at me with a sickening smile.
"Tupananchiskama, Jaguar."
Until we meet again, Jaguar.
The harsh snap of breaking bone filled my ears.
***
I jolted awake with a pounding heart, breathing heavily. It took me a long moment to remember that I was at home, safe in bed.
My eyes swept across the bedroom as I tried to relax. The reoccurring nightmare that haunted me for the past six years was getting more intense lately, and that both confused and terrified me.
Tonight was the first time the horrific dream involved my little brother, Liam. Usually it ended with me fighting against the man in the jungle, both of us fatally wounded. The new addition reminded me of the clock counting down on Liam's lifespan.
Only a year left, I thought miserably as I got out of bed. My sheets were soaked in sweat. He'll be dead in a year if we can't break this curse.
In the past, many of my ancestors tried breaking the curse that plagued my family. Not one of them succeeded, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do in order to save Liam from dying when he turned fifteen.
With a soft sigh, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. There was work to complete, but I couldn't leave the apartment without seeing my brother.
I stepped into the hallway and knocked on my brother's door. He opened it almost immediately, a deadpan expression on his face. We looked similar to each other, with the main differences being that he was half a foot shorter than me and built leaner than I was. We had the same curly black hair, brown complexions, and dark, intense eyes.
"It's six-thirty in the morning," Liam said with an exasperated tone. "What do you want?"
I tangled my fingers in my hair. "Just wanted to make sure you're alright."
He groaned. "I'm fine, you idiot. Just couldn't fall asleep. You're still having nightmares, huh?"
I nodded silently.
Liam rolled his eyes with a huff. "Okay, well, don't worry about it. I'm good. Now leave me alone and do your hero thing somewhere else."
"Okay," I said. "Try to get some sleep."
