Just Another Job

Dakarai (again)

I couldn't resist the title, teehee! If you don't understand, you should read Cats VS Dogs ASAP. This chapter is dedicated to Weyronther because she just finished her book Cracking Bones and it is UH-MA-ZING! Shes basically almost the best author on Wattpad (that I've read) so you should go read Cracking Bones. And I'm not even doing this as a favor to her, I'm doing it as a favor to you. REally, you'll love it. 

That is the lovely Dak gracing your sidebar! <3

Jo and I lashed together a makeshift stretcher out of two branches, mine and Ian's shirt, and the pack, cut up into strips. Lifting him onto it freaked him out and got him to struggling again. We didn't have enough material left over to tie him down until Jo took the shoelaces out of our boots and tied Ian's arms to his sides. As we picked up the stretcher, he made continuous wimpering noises, like a whipped puppy. I knew he couldn't help it; it was his canine base behavior coming out, but it still made some small part of me want to kick him. 

"Jo, do you know where we're going?" I asked from the back of the stretcher. She had set the two ends of the branches on her shoulders nonchalantly and was checking her phone for the location Cassie had sent her. 

"Yeah," she called back, taking up the branches. "It's this way." She started off into the woods to the west. At first, we had trouble maneuvering the stretcher around trees in cramped turns, but we soon got the hang of it. 

"Are we getting close?" I asked an hour later. 

"Quit being a baby. We'll be there soon," she replied. 

"Can I at least see that map?" 

"No. Now be quiet." 

I turned away, muttering under my breath, when I saw a flash of color. Immediately I searched for the source, but it was gone. Perhaps I had imagined it. 

Twenty minutes later, I was sure that I had spotted orange at least three more times. I didn't know what it meant, but a couple of weeks hanging out with Jo had taught me that unknown things were dangerous. 

"Jo, I think we have a problem," I said in a casual tone. 

"You have ten more minutes to wait until you can take a leak again," she called back. 

"No, it's not that!" I said indignantly. Well, now that she mentioned it, of course...

"There it is!" she said, pointing up the hill to a rustic cabin. I heard a rustling behind me, but of course, I turned around too late. Something else was definitely out here. Something was stalking us. 

"Hurry," I told Jo urgently. Neither of us could fight while carrying Ian, so we had to run. She didn't ask what was going on, she just took off up the hill, almost dragging me behind her. 

"Go!" I yelled, hearing a distinctive growl behind us. My boots kicked up silt and wet leaves as we charged to the door. 

"It's locked!" Jo shouted, twisting frantically at the doorknob. 

"Break the freaking lock!!" I shouted back. A loud hiss froze us both. I turned to see a lean cheetah (yes, an honest to God cheetah) standing behind us, hackles raised and teeth bared. 

"Can you turn into one of those?" I whispered to Jo. 

"Yes, but not holding Ian," she hissed. The cheetah snarled at us and stalked closer to Ian, who could only stare at it with slightly delirious eyes. 

"Stop!" I kicked at it, trying not to jostle Ian. It ignored me. 

"Wait! Are you Dakarai Sarr?" Jo asked. Its attention shifted to her as it cocked its head. We had its attention, but we were nowhere in the clear yet. Another scent was lingering around the door we were locked outside of. Wolf. Whoever Dakarai Sarr was, he had powerful friends.