"How much longer do we have to walk!" Hayley and I whine simultaneously. "Not much. And why are you guys complaining? We're the ones who have been carrying you two lazy asses this whole time. You don't see us whining," Kyle scoffs, as if appalled by our words.
"We know! But just watching you guys is enough to make us tired!" I reason. "Well tough luck. We still have about another hours walk from here to our destination. So in other words, shut your mouth, or I will do it for you," Kaden threatens, leaving no room for discussion. "Fine Mr. Grumpy Panties," I grumble. "I believe the term you were looking for would be 'Mr. Grumpy Pants,' not 'Grumpy Panties," Kyle smirks in my direction. "Don't question me! I know what I said! Geeze, people these days!" I mumble to myself, making Hayley start giggling from somewhere in front of me, not being able to be seen behind Kyle's wide shoulders.
And that's how it went on for another hour or so before we came to a complete stop in front of a small cave. "What are we doing here?" I question the guys, waiting patiently for their answer. "This," Kaden gestures to the cave, "Is where we will be staying for the next couple weeks until we have to move to a new location."
"And why do we have to stay here?" Hayley wonders. "That guy, Ben, isn't as nice as he portrays to be. He and his father own a lab that specializes in taking the DNA from various animals-predators preferably, and fusing it in with human DNA to try and create 'Superbeings' as they would call it. Well, their plan had never worked. All of their experiments would die off within a matter of a day, until one day, they decided to start from scratch. Taking two eggs from a fertile human female, they injected them with panther DNA and thus created two males. They were born in the form of a human baby but also had the ability to shift into a panther at will. As time progressed, the two boys had mastered their shifts and became tired of all the tests they had to go through so they escaped from the lab. Using their panther forms, they were able to destroy every last shred of evidence that they had even been there in the first place. They thought it had worked too but are beginning to think otherwise."
Taking in the information, "And where are those two males now?" There was a moment of silence before Kaden spoke up, smirking as he did, "Your lookin' at em'" I couldn't help but laugh and Hayley joined in, what do these guys take us for? Idiots? C'mon. I've known Hayley and Kaden for almost my entire life. I would have known about it...wouldn't I?
"Now that's a joke-and-a-half. Come on. Be serious Kaden, who are they? And don't give me that 'it's really me' crap," Hayley grates. On my stomach I can feel a rumble coming from Kaden followed by a growl, "Fine. Don't believe us? Guess we'll have to show you," he bites out, the last part not even sounding like the normal Kaden, but a more animalistic side.
Both guys take us down from their shoulders, gently setting us on the ground. We stumble a little after being slung over their shoulders for so long but soon get our balance back. Looking up at their towering forms, their faces grave, they begin to shake.
"Is it me, or do they look constipated? I told them not to eat that burger at lunch but they wouldn't listen..." I lean over and whisper into Kai's ear, making us both burst into laughter. "Don't. Run." I'm about to ask him what he meant by that before all that can be heard is the tearing of clothing. One moment we are standing here facing both the guys then the next we are face-to-face with gigantic panthers. Their forms only a few inches shorter than the guys' six-something frames.
Their lips scrunch up, revealing their pearly-white daggers of canines and emmit a loud, gutteral growl. "That. Was. Awesome! Why didn't you guys tell us sooner?!" I exclaim, waiting for an answer but only getting a blank look on their faces. Pfft. Using the 'animals can't talk' card to get out of giving me an answer? Low blow dude, low blow. I can tell Hayley's thinking the same thing as she shakes her head, tutting at their rudeness.
Giving her an 'I know!' look, I turn back around and make eye contact with Kaden only to be met with a questioning gaze. "What are you looking at? What, did u expect us to do? Run away screaming bloody murder? Please, we aren't like the bimbos you see in those B-rated horror movies that run for the hills when the front door opens only to find out it was their dad coming home from work. Do me a favor and not degrade me to those pansies will ya'?"
Turning back to look at Hayley, "Can you believe these guys? It's like they don't know us at all! I'm offended, really," she shakes her head in agreement.
Getting bored quickly, I ask, "You guys want to play a game?" Looking skeptical a minute they nod their blocky heads. "Okay. So it's just like tag. You guys are going to be it while Hayley and I are going to be the ones being chased. The losers will have to cook tonight. Make sense?" they all nod their heads. "Kaden and Kyle, you guys have to turn around and count to thirty while Hayley and I get a head start," obeying, they turn around.
All of a sudden I come up with an idea as I send Hayley the look that says, 'On my que.' Reaching down swiftly and grabbing what I am hoping to be Kaden's tail, I tug on it and scream, "Run!" Hayley gets the message as Kaden yowls in pain and both of the big cats turn around to face us, growling as they did. A predatory gleam in their eyes. Uh oh.
Turning and taking off at a full out sprint, Hayley yells from beside me, "Are you crazy?! Look at what you've done! Their going to kill us!" Sending her a reassuring smile I say, "Don't worry Hayley, Kaden knows I was just messing with him," a deep growl from somewhere behind us says otherwise. Making us pick up our speed as I begin to get scared, "Okay. Maybe not so much!" I can see Hayley is as equally panicked as I am before I notice something in the distance.
"Follow me!" I whisper to her. "Are you insane! Why would I follow you when your the one who got us into this mess in the first place?!" Giving her a determined look I say back, "Just trust me on this one!" Looking into my eyes and seeing the sincerity in them, she grumbles, "Fine."
Grabbing her arm, I focus on the crevice in the ground covered by a log that would just be big enough to fit our small bodies inside while preventing the guys' much larger- both panther and man forms, from getting to us. Reaching the crevice I scream to Hayley, "Get in!" we quickly scramble though the opening before looking back up where we came only to find the guys' shocked faces. Aww! They look like little kittens when they make that face! So adorable! I take note mentally to start calling Kaden's panther form 'Fez,' I don't know why, he just looks like a 'Fez' to me.
I begin to giggle to myself picturing Kaden's reaction to his cute pet name and the outcome isn't pretty. Suddenly, the dirt collapses from below us, sending us down a tunnel leading to who knows where. A few minutes passes by with us still sliding down the tunnel as I grab Hayley, not wanting us to be separated if anything were to happen.
There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel, Hayley and I scream in happiness, thankful that there is a way out of this place. Shooting through the hole we are met with a blinding light, our eyes not yet accustomed to it after being in the dark tunnel. Hmmm, that's weird. It feels as though we are free-falling. I look down below us to see a raging river and I assume Hayley has seen it too because all I hear before hitting the water was Hayley cursing, "Ah shit!"
