Animorphs: The Hidden Trilogy- The Eighth

Chapter 5

<I commend you for that great offensive, Rachel.>Ax said.

<Yes. It was great, Rachel.> Jake said as he landed over me, his talons at my neck. Then he added privately to me, <Demorph. Or else.>

I tried to claw him with my talons. I can't reach him. I tried to flap my wings and regain my footing, but he stood still over me. <It's hopeless, Caleb, demorph or die as a bird.>

I looked at Cassie, soaring up there in the sky. She promised help. I hope she could see my situation here and decide that I badly needed her help this time. She went on like I didn't. I shouted at her, as far and as loud as a private thought-speak can be, <Cassie, help!>

She still flew around like it's nothing.

I cried for help, not because I'll die, but because I'll die at his hands. At Jake. At the hands of my rival. But the eagle is still the same- fearless, focused, with a fiery yet wise gaze, all of that I saw from the reflection of my morph in the falcon's eyes.

<Demorph.> He gripped my neck tighter.

<Why would you want me to demorph, anyway?> I asked. <I'll die either way, human or not, at your hands anyway, so why bother?>

<Since you'll die or become a Controller later, I'll tell you.> Jake said. <I had a deal with a Controller. Happy?> He cocked his head.

<Who's that Controller you're saying?> I asked. I got a bad feeling about this.

<It doesn't concern you. Now, demorph.> Jake said simply.

<Tell me who he is and I'll demorph right away, okay?>

<Actually,> Jake suddenly seemed unstable. He shifted as he talked.<Actually, I don't know.>

<Then what kind of->

<You're not in any way the one to talk!> Jake yelled. <Now, demorph, or else.>

I didn't.

<Again. Demorph.> He gripped it harder until my neck bled.

Well, I guess I'll die either as an eagle or as a human. Either way, I'll die. I want to die without my parents knowing it and finding my body in a forest someday. It's better for them to look forever and think I'm still alive. So I guess I'll die as a bird.

<Are you really this persistent?> Jake laughed bitterly, as if he really didn't believe what he's doing.<Well if I found you, then I think there's more to come. I would just simply->

<Jake! The Yeerks are moving this way!> Cassie landed on a branch with another osprey. Maybe it's Marco.

<They must have spotted us, no, you.> Marco said. <Tobias is already there, watching them.>

Jake turned to them. Then to Rachel and Ax, who were watching him over me. <Everyone? Battle morphs. I'll follow, right after this.> He said to them, then turned to me again.

<Seems like you're running out of time.> I sneered at him.

I looked at Cassie. She was demorphing from an osprey to human and from human to wolf. All at the same time so that her bird features are retreating to her shoulders and head, while her torso human and a wolf's legs for her lower body. She looked so beautiful amidst the other Animorphs, morphing like nightmares.

<Jake->. She said.

<Go. I'll take care of this. I'm okay.>

With eyes that must have had sorrow she looked at me and bounded after them into the woods.

<Now, where are we?> Jake said. <Oh.>

But during that time while Jake is talking to them, I managed to turn around only slightly, so that I would lie on my left wing. Jake was on my right.

<ARRRGHH!> He stumbled awkwardly backwards as I wildly flapped my right wing. Within seconds I'm up and flying. Jake took off after me but Cassie bounded after him and said, <Jake! Jake! Help us! There's more to come!> She continued bounding after us and added, <Forget him! I heard a new Visser is coming!>

Jake said to me privately, <I'll get you, Caleb, soon.> and with that he left with Cassie.

I followed them once I'm out of their sight. Into the battle. Man, the whole place is burning from Dracon beams. I landed on one good branch and just watched them.

What? I enjoyed it.

TSEEEW!

TSEEEW!

BRAKA-KAK-KAK!

A tree fell!

ROOOOOOOOWR!

Jake's deafening roar is enough to stop the battle, but only for a few moments. Soon half a dozen Hork-Bajirs charged at him, their blades ready to make Jake into something messy. But he simply clawed at one of them and used it as a springboard to jump and join a smashing gorilla and a raging grizzly.

<They're too many and there's still more to come!> Marco said as he smacked two Hork-Bajirs together.

<Bring it on!> Rachel said jokingly as she made a Hork-Bajir do a backflip. At the other side Ax and Cassie are bombed by Hork-Bajirs and were constantly shot by human-Controllers with both Dracon beams and guns. Ax took off to a gallop to Jake's position with Cassie at his trail. On the way he slapped humans unconscious with the flat of his blade then beheaded the rest. Cassie, following him, bit Hork-Bajirs and knocked remaining Human-Controllers unconscious.

From the shadows of the trees a Hork-Bajir emerged. He stabbed another Hork-Bajir and got its Dracon beam, then shot the others. Tobias.

Suddenly a Hork-Bajir, almost halved and burning from Tobias's beam, accidently tripped on Cassie and fell, taking Cassie down with him. Cassie screamed with agony. Blood poured from her flank. She was stabbed and pinned down. And no one noticed to help her. The Animorphs are gradually being outnumbered.

From the distance, I saw the reinforcements coming this way, this time it's all Hork-Bajirs. I needed to do something.

So that's when I landed from the tree as a jaguar.