The Dawn of Light

(24)The Predator's Jungle Den (Part 2)

The Predator's Jungle Den (Part 2)

The jaguar wasn't a patient animal.

Simos and I immediately split up when the large cat shot out from the bushes and raced towards us; its sharp claws drawn and ready for the attack.

Simos ran left and I dodged right. The clearing was small, but made movement far simpler than if we had to fight among the tall trees and overgrown vines. Although, the free space also gave the jaguar a clear advantage. It chose me instead of Simos and sprinted straight for my back.

I jumped to the side to avoid it's claws and the large beast growled out in anger and hunger. Simos had found a sturdy tree trunk and was busy climbing up it in the hopes of catching the jaguar off-guard from the top. Little did we know, there was more than one predator in the clearing.

The jaguar stormed for me again; it's mouth pulled back and revealing a glistening row of sharp teeth. I rolled away and dodged its attack, which only made the animal angrier. I was fast and my reflexes weren't like those of a mortal. The animal eyed me with frustration and jumped again, but this time, I didn't escape. I didn't want to.

The jaguar didn't see the rock I'd snatched until it was too late.

I smacked the sharp object across the side of its head and the large cat went down on the other side of the clearing. It growled and snarled as it struggled to get back on its feet. No doubt the inner circle would be wondering how in the hell one mortal man could knock a jaguar about twenty feet away, but they were not my concern right now.

Simos was screaming like all hell had broken loose.

"Get the hell off me!" I looked up to find Simos entangled in the thick treetop- a large phyton slithering it's way all around the mercenary.

I sighed. Snakes... Did it really have to be a snake?

"Don't struggle too much!" I yelled up at him and quickly ran over to where Simos was being dragged up.

"Oh, what do you know! Just get me out of here!" Simos growled and attempted to fight back, but the giant snake hissed and squeezed tighter. Simos' face turned red and I knew I had to get there fast. That was honestly the largest and thickest snake I'd ever seen in my entire life. And I was running straight toward it- good gods, what's wrong with me?

"Malreus! Behind you!" Simos shouted down at me just in time.

I ducked my head with a grunt and the jaguar flew over me with a howling shriek. It landed on all fours and jolted around. It's deafening snarl filled the small clearing and I leapt back, reading myself for its coming attack.

"Nice kitty, kitty..." I muttered under my breath and moved slowly around it, watching it's muscles move underneath the spotted skin. It was waiting for some sort of gap, because it knew by now that I could escape it's head-on attacks.

"Stop making friends and help me, dammit!" Simos yelled angrily and struggled against the phyton's grip. I looked up and wondered how in the hell he was still conscious. That thing was pressing him so tightly that even a god would've passed out by now.

"Just sit still and don't fight it!" I yelled up and at the slight movement of my head to look up, the jaguar saw an opening.

It pounced onto me with fury and I fell back onto my back, mud splattering everywhere. I rolled the beast around in the mud, keeping its paws far away from my face. It's sharp teeth tried to bite at my neck and I grunted loudly, exerting a great deal of my strength in keeping the big animal at arm's length.

"S-Simos!" I yelled up at him and he gasped for air; "What is it?"

"I need you to do me a favour!"