I'm Not an Animal (Slow Updates)

Chapter 14

"Oh my good Lord!" Zaki and I pulled apart, blushing hard. Ruby was standing I front of us, her brown hair whipping around her shoulders. My cheeks were burning, but I tried hard not to make a scene. Well, no more than had already been made.

"Whatever." Zaki said lightly, flicking a lock of hair behind his ear. Since we were hanging upside down, it just fell back out. I reached out and tucked it under, and it fell out again. I leaned over and kissed him again, and he cupped my face in his hand.

"Still here, you know!" Ruby called. I flipped her the finger and broke the kiss, swinging down off the branch. Ruby flipped me the finger back, a smile on her face and I stuck out my tongue.

"So... Are you two a thing now?"

"I guess so, yeah." Zaki said, looping his arm around my shoulders. His arm was turned just enough that I could see his scars. I took his free hand in my own, a signal that I was here for him now.

"Oh wow, I have to go tell everyone!" Ruby cried, running off. She jumped into the air and I watched as her limbs shortened, feathers sprouted and a tail grew. She soared through the air, her rainbow feathers waving in the breeze.

"Let's give them something to find." Zaki winked. Thoughts flooded my mind, but the meaning of his statement became clear when he shifted into his Lion form and ran off into the trees. I shifted too, and bolted after him.

We charged through the undergrowth, happy and wild and free. I jumped onto a branch then leaped down on Zaki's back. He hit the ground rolling and we both shifted, laughing. I smiled gently and rolled over so my head was on Zaki's chest. He smiled warmly and ran his hand through my hair. I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the beating of Zaki's heart.

~#*#~

"Come on, Tora. We should be getting back soon."

"Mmm..." I trailed off. Zaki scoffed and picked me up, holding me to his chest. He began the long walk back to camp. Several of the tents were half made, others ripped and torn.

"Good job, guys! It really looks like something got us," Zaki said, setting me down. I wobbled on my feet and blinked several times to wake myself up. A flicker of movement in the trees caught my eye.

"So you two are dating?" Eleanor asked, running up to us. Zaki nodded, and the group all started talking at once. Twenty-two voices screamed over the top of Zaki's. I squinted my eyes, trying to see what was in the trees. As I did, I saw something else move to my right, then another to my left.

"Zaki," I whispered, tugging on his sleeve, "when I say run, you run." I took a deep breath, then shouted "Run!" I pushed Zaki away from the creatures and then everyone was running after him. Marion, Ruby, and a boy I didn't know shifted into their Bird forms. The boy was an Eagle. Everyone started shifting. I made my way to the front of the group and turned my head. Three giant Wolf-like creatures were chasing us. They were roughly the size of a Lion, and they were fit to kill.

I leapt forward, but my front leg caught on a root. I roared as I fell and one of the Wolves jumped at me. Zaki spun around but I jerked my head, signalled for him to keep going. He roared and lunged at me, swatted at the Wolf. It barked loudly and snapped at Zaki. While it was distracted, I leapt onto its back and clawed at it. It howled loudly and snapped at me, twisting its neck to bite my leg.

I roared in pain and slashed at the creature's eye. It screamed, and I heard a howl from a few metres ahead of us. I looked up to see the second and third Wolf creatures slashing and nipping and biting at other animals. The three Birds were swooping down, trying to draw attention from the helpless victims.

"We have to help them," I roared. Zaki nodded, then lunged at the Wolf"s hind legs. His claws dug into the Wolf and it screamed. Zaki dragged it to the ground and I leapt onto the ground beside its head. I put my paws on the Wolf's neck and pushed down. It started thrashing and I wanted to let go so badly, but it was a 'kill or be killed' situation. And I didn't much feel like dying. The Wolf looked up at me, and I looked down with sympathy in my eyes. Then I pushed harder on its neck and the beast went still.

We stood up and looked around to see all the Big Cats doing what we had done. The other two Wolves fell still and the group fell silent. Then I heard a scream. I ran towards the source of the scream and stopped, shocked, when I saw what had happened. A girl was rocking on her haunches, hands to her mouth, hyperventilating. I dug around in my satchel and pulled out a scrunched up paper bag.

"Here," I said, handing it to the girl. She looked up at me and took it, breathing into it quickly. Her breathing began to slow and I turned my attention towards what had made her scream. My breath caught in my throat and I fell to my knees. The Eagle boy lay on the ground, surrounded my feathers, in his human form. He was covered in blood and his throat was ripped out. I took a deep breath and my eyes fell on his face.

Short, brown hair.
Deep blue eyes.
Peach cheeks.
Ruby red lips.
Suntanned skin.

Jack.

"Tora. Tora!" I was breathing heavily. Ruby stood in front of me, looking into my eyes, shaking me gently.

"Jack," I whispered. My vision blurred and I realised I was crying. "Jack."

"Tora, it isn't Jack. It isn't Jack!" I looked at the boy again. It was true, he did look a lot like my brother. But the finer details; the larger nose, sharper jaw bone, flatter ears. That wasn't my brother.

Some of the others were asking questions. 'What happened', 'Who's Jack', 'Is she okay'.

I had the answers to those questions.
What happened? I thought it was my brother. I had a memory.
Who's Jack? My brother. My world. My life. My nothing. Dead.
Is she okay? No.