The Phoenix Colony

Derek rolled to his feet in time to see Harold strike the creature in the mouth with his stick. He stood, adrenaline coursing through his veins from his close encounter. Using energy his didn't know he had, he swung his leg with vigor at the the monster's chin. He shocked himself with his strength as his foot became trapped in the bottom of the monster's mouth. He had broken the skin and bone and now he had lost his foot. "Hey, get me outta here!" he screamed, hopping on his non-trapped foot.

 

Cull was already moving as Harold spoke the words. He moved to the mouth it would be the softest area to hit with the syringe while Harold held the branch. The creature withered and thrashed Cull raised his hand and jammed the syringe in hard pumping the sedative into the grey flesh. He yanked the syringe free not willing to loss it. The creature kept thrashing, its movements beginning to slow. Cull felt anger bubble up within him. That thing was going to eat them. That f****** thing.

“F*****,” Cull roared at it kicking it in the head over and over until exhaustion took him and he stumbled back sinking onto the ground.

 

"Who's hurt the worst?"

"That would be me." says Fox as the blood pours out of the claw marks on the left side of her ribs, and out of the large bite mark on her right shoulder. Britney sits up and says "I'm should be fine, I just won't be able to run for the next day or so." while looking at the hole in her thigh.

"Thanks Pasha. We probably should have lunch while we rest here. Could you build a fire and start cooking it while me and Brit are being patched up?"

 

Pasha nodded, and quickly began running around for firewood. He placed a decent pile near the girls, getting as much kindle in a pile as he could. He found various rocks, placing them in a circle. He placed the firewood inside. Kneeling down next to the kindle, he grabbed the matches from his pocket. He winced in pain as he back seemed to scream. He could feel the blood falling down.

“Ask them to take a look at it.” Yuri mumbled, his voice very irritable. Pasha ignored Yuri, and went back to work.

He quickly stroke one of the match, dropping it down on the kindle. He blew on it, letting the flame take over. In a quick swipe, the kindle was on the firewood, and the fire slowly came to full blaze. He looked at girls as he began to take out the cooked meat. He placed it in various areas around the fire, letting it warm up. He counted a good 12 sticks of weaved meat, enough for lunch. He would have to save the rest for dinner. He sat down next to the fire, his body aching painfully.

 

The scrubby brush, dead grass, tangled tree limbs, and stones were a blur to Reva as she ran, lungs chugging, arms pumping. She had done more running on this planet in the last 12 hours than in the last 12 years. It couldn’t last.

Her lungs burned and she planted the toe of her right boot on the tip of a rock that pointed up from the ground and leapt to a rocky patch, speeding on, hearing the thing’s crackling brushing pursuit behind her.

It occurred to a detached part of her brain that it was a miracle that she hadn’t tripped. Of course, the same little detached part informed her that she was about to die so she ignored it.

She realized she could no longer hear the sound of the thing chasing her and risked a look behind her. It had stopped, turning back, hesitating.

At that point, of course, she tripped.

Reva fell sprawling, bumping her chin and scraping her hands. Above the thundering in her ears she knew the monster would turn back toward her.

Getting a knee under her body she pushed up and flung herself into a staggering run again. The thing gave one of those unearthly screams and pounced after her, scattering the gravel where she had lain.

When she came to a tangle of trees she leapt, swung, and climbed with all the fury of a woman who didn’t want to be lunch.

It circled the tree under her, flexing its claws as though preparing to jump, and then put its ‘hands’ on the trunk of the tree, pushing as though to see if the tree would take its weight.

Reva clung to the branches as the tree swayed and tried to stop panicking. These trees had been victims of the storm the night before and some were split and unstable. If she could just lure the thing and trap it beneath falling timber somehow…

 

.........In Brazil there were some little known creatures that could kill you, Allen wasn't hunting those. He was looking for a Jaguar, one of the most talked about predators in the country this particular one was........trying to climb a tree and kill a woman. It took Allen a moment to recognize her, but when he did, he almost let out a laugh. It was Reva. It looked like he wouldn't have to kill her after all. That was good, he wouldn't have to feel so bad about it. Allen moved closer to see what she would try to do. After she was dead he would kill the creature and have himself a good meal. All of a sudden the beast stopped, sniffed the air, and turned towards him.

 

The small stand of trees where Reva clung, swaying violently twelve feet off the ground, were budding, their leaves not yet grown from the winter. They had taken some damage in the storm the night before. About six feet away from her tree a split, twisted tree had fallen precariously against its healthy neighbor’s branches.

A trap of sorts. But how to bait it and how to spring it?

The monster shook her tree and screamed. Apparently it didn’t care very much for climbing, perhaps because of its bulk.

Reva had no food to throw, no distraction she could think of. And all she could do to spring it was to edge out a limb and drop down onto the slanting tree. IF she could get the gorilla thing to stand in the right place.

She began to despair when the animal stopped shaking the tree, it’s head swiveling, quiet as it snuffed the air. Reva’s heart pounded as it stood upright, taking its paws off of the tree, leaving long cuts in the bark.

What if it did go under the half-fallen tree? Then she would have to edge out and drop because she had already thought of it. Maybe it would just go away.

Sniffing again the gorilla moved two steps away from the tree.

Damn. She would have to do it.

Reva edged out onto a branch that bent under her weight when she got about four feet away from the trunk, clutching other branches, hoping she wasn’t about to break her neck and get eaten.

 

Viva had practically been in coma since Pasha had told her everything he basically knew about Yuri. Yuri Shao, the detective agent for Chinese Metallurgical and Nuclear Supervision Authority, who had been working with her when she first needed training. He had taught her a few nifty things she really valued - and had to keep secret, as per terms and conditions. Viva kept thinking over her next move. Even if she died here, or had to settle here for the rest of her fragile life, her oath to the Spy Agency in Australia remained intact, and they might even send for her someday. She had to do what was decreed to her, regardless of whether she would survive to report back or not.

Her thoughts were disrupted when some green and eerie creatures took their chances on the group. Pasha protected her, and she smiled, trying to escape the scene. She watched with intent the chivalrous and murderous behavior, something she had been warned about in the foreword of her mission. She then mulled about the possibilities of whether Pasha would kill her someday. For some reason she couldn't get herself to agree on it.

Finally, they reached a place where they decided to eat. Though Viva had lost her appetite metaphorically, she was still very hungry for the sake of it, and took a small slab and started munching it quietly. She tried hard to smile, but it always came out as a tense frown. She didn't know how to squeak like a girl anymore - when tough decisions come, tough feelings arise.

She looked at Pasha's wound. She could kill him by inserting her good deal of nails into his bloodied back, and no one would say anything to her. They'd probably just ask her to abandon the group, with which she had no problem. Otherwise, killing Pasha was easy. She just couldn't do it.

Viva placed her hands on his back, at which he winced. She felt the blood slip down on her wrist, and then she stood up, speaking:
"I'll get some water."
Her voice was unhappy and tired. She walked away, into the gulf of trees, and then looked for a water stream. She felt the blood dry out, and then she raised her hands to see the crimson red draw sketches on her skin. She stopped when a torrent of water was found. Pulling off a large, seemingly harmless canopy leaf, she cupped in some water and then dipped her hands in, seeing streams of red dance in the water and then she let it drip down, seeing her white hands return. She got another, larger leaf and filled water for the camp, and headed back.

"He's a murderous schizophrenic who must be killed!"
"And your Mr. Huggles ain't very huggly."
"And he's not even cute that you're all dying for him..."
"You're a singer, omigoshes!"
"Then, get real! He's gonna die here anyway - "
Viva smiled at the last thought. Yes, he was going to die anyway. Exactly why she shouldn't kill him.

She carried the smile back to the girls and then washed Pasha's wounds as he growled.
"There, there, Mr..."
She stopped, not feeling all 'Mr. Huggles'. Instead, she silently played with his hair as the water drained out the blood and then tore off her other sleeve to dress the wound. She then yawned and placed her hands on his shoulders, whispering softly:
"Take care of yourself."
With that, she backed away and fell into thought once again.

 

Chys was startled, hunched, waving a hand anfd hissing again. What to do?! What to do!?

She listened closely to the sounds she heard, then returned them. THe creature stopped.

It was just as shocked as Chrys.

Great, something else that's weird!

 

Allen muttered a swear word under his breath. He gave one quick swing of his sling and loosed the rock at the creature's forhead. It streaked across the fifty yards between it and him only to hit one of the horns. A stone loosed from a sling is every bit as deadly as an arrow from a bow, but only if it hits what you're aiming at. As it was the rock was deflected away from the creature by the horn on it's nose, but it didn't escape unscathed. His throw had easily snapped off the horn and sent a shock into the creature's skull, stunning it for several seconds.

 

Reva was shaking as she tried to keep her footing on the branch as it bowed under her small weight. She kept her eyes on the green beast and the inclined trunk she needed to jump to. There was no way she could do it. Sweat had sprung out on her forehead.

The gorilla thing wasn't quite in the right place. What was it looking at?

She wasn't sure she would be able to let go even if it stepped into the trap. Maybe it wouldn't maybe...

Something blurred into her vision and smashed the thing's face, knocking a horn off and causing it to stumble back with an odd squeaking of pain.

It was in the right spot!

She didn't allow herself to think, she just dropped. A heartbeat went by as she fell, seeming like forever.

Her boot soles hit the inclined tree hard, her momentum breaking it loose so that it dropped onto the beast. Unfortunately she did, too. There were a few confused minutes of thrashing tree limbs and strange noises. Reva realized she was making some of them, anxious little panting sobs as she struggled to right herself and find where her enemy had ended up.

She rolled, grabbed a large dead branch and scrambled to her feet. When she turned she saw Allen, looking behind her. She gasped, an arrow of fear going through her how did he get here? and turned to see the gorilla thing struggling with the fallen timber.

It was hurt but not bad enough and it had almost struggled free.

 

Fox looks around, at the others eating. "I hope Reva is allright." says Britney. "I'm sure Reva will be fine." says Fox.

After finishing her piece of meat, she stands up. Fox says "Everyone, can I have your attention. If we have any hope of survival, then we need to work together. The five of us should form our own tribe. I have the most leadership experience, so if there are no objections, I will take on the role of leader, of our tribe."

 

Smith was done waiting for Ben or Chrys to show up. He'd waited a good part of the day and was starving now. He scowled and heafted his bag. He'd seen many of the groups head into the montains, for one reason or another, but if they thought it was a good idea who was he to dissagree. He walked confidently into the woods and started his own trek.

He hadn't walked thirty yards into the forest when a small creature stepped in his path. It was about four inches tall, with soft brown fur, and looked like a cross between a kangaroo and a mouse. It had a mouse head and tail but it stood on two legs it's back ones a bit bigger than it's front ones. "Kind of cute." Smith said and took a step to the side to try and pass it, it followed him with a rather impressive jump for such a small creature. He stepped back the other way, it followed him again. "You know I could step over you." He told the creature who made a sort of chirping sound in reasponse. Smith laughed and knelt down exstending his hand to the creatures face, who sniffed it carefully and then rubbed it's head against Smiths hand like a cat. "Well what do you know maybe i found my self a traveling campainion after all."

 

Viva clapped her hands, nodding.
"Ooooh, I vote for her! It'll be fun! Will we play truth and dare and tell scary stories? Please, it'll be a lot of fun!"
She begged with her green eyes shining happily. She then showed her marvelously white teeth as a further force in convincing her.

 

Britney raises her hand and quickly says "I think you'll make an awesome leader." Britney looks at the ground and thinks "Why did I say that so quickly, now she's going to think I'm an idiot......damnit why do I care so much about what she thinks of me."

"I guess you've been a pretty good leader so far, so you have my vote." says Raylene.

Fox looks over at Pasha and says "So what about you? Are you willing to accept me as your leader?"

 

Smith rubbed the small creatures head gently and it chriped happily. Smith finaly decided he had to move. He frowned down at the small creature and stepped over it. It seemed worried and chirped excitedly but followed. Then smith saw the small hole in the ground. "Am i messing with your home little guy?" He asked and knelt down near it. Thats when the wessel lept out off the hole at him. Smith managed to get easily out of the way of the rather long jump but quickly noticed the creature paid him no mind and chased after the small animal. "Oh." He said realizing what was happening. The small animal dashed between smith's legs and smith closed them tight as the wessel thing tried to pass. Wessel was the best way to discribe it, everything except the color and markings. Which resembled that of a raccoon. The wessel hissed at Smith barring it's small fangs.

"Back of small fry." He said to it and it leapt forward in a fake attack and backed off again. Smith felt the small animal climbing up the back of his pants. He looked down at it and it seemed rather nimble, using it's front claws to grab onto the cloth without even bothering smiths skin. The animal soon found it's way to smiths shoulder. It looked down at the wessel who had paused in hissing to take a breath and it let out another angry sounding chirp. The wessel jumped forward again and Smith booted it into a bush. "I warned you." He said and felt the small rodent tickling his neck as it rubbed against him. "Hey, quiet that it tickles." He complained and reached up to pet his new freind. "I'm glad i met you too." To which the animal chirped cheerfully.

 

Pasha growled under his breath as Fox turned to him, asking her question. He knew this was a new situation for him, he rarely traveled in a group, and for that matter he rarely made friends. He was a loner, he wasn’t good at following orders, he did what he wanted.

“You can lead, but that doesn’t mean I’ll follow. I’m not use to following and to tell the truth, I don’t know how great a leader you’d be. What do you know about making shelters, fires, weapons and getting and preparing food?” He said to her, as he tossed some more wood into the fire.

“Didn’t we talk about being friendly.” Yuri said.

“Shut up.” He muttered under his breath.

 

Chrys straightened her back, flailing her arms wide, reciting the sound again, yelling it at the top of her lungs.

The creature didn't shy away, it looked at her and made a different sound. Crap, it caught my bluff, it knows that i've no clue what I'm saying... She screeched in return.

The creature plopped down, shaking the groud around them, and appeared to nod its head. "Holy crap!" She said, tilting her head to the rest of the group, "It wants to talk!"

She created another sound, somwhere between her screech, and the tone the creature took to ask her something.

The creature got kinda excited, and ran up towards the river, looking back after a hundred paces.

Chrys turned around, facing the rest of the group, she said, "I don't have a clue what it's saying, but, I think it wants us to follow it. Thing is, I'm not sure if i just asked if there were more, or if there's a shore?"

 

"A good leader doesn't need to know about all of that, they simply have to be able to assign tasks to the right person. But I do know plenty about weapons, just ask all of the goverment agents and soldiers that I've outsmarted and killed." says Fox with a grin, thinking about all of the problems she has caused for the goverment.

"Ok, this is my plan. Britney I need you to search for Reva. The rest of us well keep heading for the mountain." says Fox. She looks towards the mountain and notices a large pine tree at the base of it, about two hundred yards away. Pointing at the tree, she says "We'll head for that tree and wait for you there. Don't take too long. Oh, and try to move as quickly as possible when traveling across the field. Unless you want some more of those ceaders to find you."

"Understood." says Britney as she stands and runs off in the direction that Reva ran towards.

"Ok guys lets get moving." says Fox, as they stand and head for the tree.

 

Harold held his thorn branch tightly. He still wanted to just keep beating the thing. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but lets follow Dr. Doolittle. Besides that thing ain't going to stay up much longer. The Doc's shot's gotta take affect sooner or later. Alright, Chrys you lead. We'll try and pull you out if your new friend decides you'll make a good snack."

 

Pasha didn’t say much as he stayed on the ground. He had mad his decision, he was going to let the girls fend on their own. No one talked to Pasha like that, specially not some little b***h. He growled under his breath as he gently began placing the food back into the furs. His group would still need food, but he knew those girls wouldn’t get any of it, not again.

He looked over at the girls, “No more.” He scowled.

He looked over at Viva, his anger seeming to drain from his veins. His heart seemed to race as he stared down at her. He quickly turned around, and headed towards the tree line, he wondered a bit until he had found enough springy twigs for his new project. His eyes went wide with glee as he came upon a patch of wildflowers. He quickly knelt down, picking as many as he could manage. He quietly walked back, standing next to Viva as he watched the girls walk onwards.

“We’ll follow them, but I won’t help them anymore.” He said, as he worked his way with the twigs. Slowly, he weaved the sticks into a large halo, big enough to fit a top a human head. He weaved in the wildflowers, his fingers shaking. He kneeled down next to Viva, his body seemed to betray him as it shook ever so slightly.

“Viva, Sie ist meine schön furstin.” He said, his voice unsteady as he placed the crown gently on her head. He fell back, his face blushing madly.

 

Ben had been left behind, he didn't know what was going on. The fight, Chad had disapeared, something was wrong, but Ben didn't know, his hunger had gotten to him, that and the pain, he had fainted. For nearly half a day he had laid there, waiting to be murdered or eaten. when he finally came to, it was not long until he wished he hadn't woken up at all.

His head rose from the harsh, unforgiving ground, his back wrought with a deep pain, his legs ached and his stomach growling. Looking around, things were for the most part the same, except no one was around. Ben walked back to the ship, shotgun in hand, looking for any sign of human life. The forest was full of life, birds, rabbits, he even saw what looked like a weasel, if not for only a moment before it vanished like every survivor off the ship. He came to the shanty town only to find half of it submerged, the other half empty. It was like a ghost town, the only sounds to be heard was the running water and the chirps of birds, some sort of song he had never heard before, beautiful. A new sound awoke him from his thoughts as he picked through a pile of junk underneath a steel lean-to. His head jerked up, eyes wide open, only to find a deer had wandered into the abandoned camp, picking through the garbage as well. It hadn't noticed him, so Ben got low and began to approach it, gun up at his shoulder.

He crept up towards it, staying out of sight, hiding behind shacks and boulders as he advanced, head low, catching glimpses of the thing in between cover. Things were going perfectly for once, he hadn't made hardly any noise, and soon he would be eating. As he drew close enough to take the shot, the deer still at forest's edge, behind it a canopy of green. So serene, if it were not for his stomach, Ben didn't think he would have been able to kill such a majestic creature. He had always admired the animals he hunted, but this one was the strangest. As he took careful aim, his finger resting heavily on the safety, preparing to click it and fire, something peculiar happened. A pair of eyes began to blink behind the beast as the sound of footfalls and panting filled Ben's ears. From no where the deer was knocked to the ground, 5 long, bloody gashes along the side of its body, bits and pieces of it began to disappear into thin air as the feral sound of eating echoed in the quiet afternoon. "Jesus . . ." whispered Ben, lowering his gun, his jaw dropped in fear and disbelief. At that, the two disembodied eyeballs looked at him, wide and angry, a low growl coming from the air below, and they vanished, but the outline of footsteps in the sand approached Ben fast. "JESUS!"

Ben looked around frantically, searching for a place to run as he lifted his shotgun and squeezed the trigger, only to find the safety on. His eyes darted around, chasing the sounds that surrounded him, his mind screaming 'Run!'. He clicked off the safety and fired at the space above the latest pair of footprints, and a screech of clawed its way into his ears. The sound of footfalls rapidly increased, the invisible assassin was running now, and so was Ben, for the nearest landmark he could spy, the mountains.

He ran and he ran, sprinting through the woods, not daring to look behind him, swinging his shotgun as he dodged trees and lept over logs. His feet cried out in pain as they continued to fall on the harsh, uneven ground in his dressy but uncomfortable wing tipped shoes. He felt his lungs expand and deflate, gradually getting slower and more difficult, but as soon as he heard the snapping of twigs and breaking of grass behind him God sent him a second wind. He ran and ran and ran like the mother****ing Gingerbread man as a hungry baker nipped at his heels, a horror too evil for his eyes to see. He ran past trees, trying to escape it, panting and panting, worrying about a heart attack, until finally the creature managed to get him.

He had been running for a clean half an hour when the noises stopped, and with that his body gave out, he felt onto the grass, panting, choking down harsh gulps of air, sweat dripping from his brow. "Christ . . . thank you . . . *cough cough*" he managed in between heaves of air. He was able to get to his knees, and examine the area after wiping the sweat out of his eyes. A foothill below the serene mountains above, pine trees all around, grass filling in between, birds chirping. What the **** was that thing?/I] Ben looked around as he got to his feet, the birdsong filling his ears, nothing else to hear, when he felt himself get struck in the chest. He had the wind knocked out of him as the invisible force scratched his face, three long gashes traveling diagonally along his cheek, blood seeping out of them. "You, *cough*, ****!" yelled Ben as he tried once more to swallow in a bit of air. A growl came from his left side as a rush of wind told his ears he was about to be hit again. Ben jumped back, tripping over a rock and landing on his ass.

He heard the thing move forward, saw the grass bend beneath whatever appendages it used, and so he raised his shotgun and emptied the rest of the cliff into the air, the force of the shots nearly suffocating him. Smoke rose from the gun with each shot as the kick landed in his stomach, bringing a tear of paint to his eyes. He shouted with each of the five shots. The first shot he yelled, "****!", with the second he yelled, "You!", with the third, "****ing!", with the fourth he yelled, "Stupid!", and finally, with the fifth he finished, "****!" After that, he let go of the weapon and rolled over on his side and coughed up a small pool of blood, staining the grass and praying he wouldn't be killed. Thankfully, he wasn't. I guess I scared it off. thought the lucky, lucky man as he glanced around nervously, the shots of the guns silencing the forest sounds. He sat there, his stomach hurting in more ways than one, empty gun at his side, begging that someone had heard and would come, praying that someone would help.

 

Chyrs followed the beast cautiously, "Okaaay" she said slowly, watching where it led her.

THe creature continued at steady pace for another hundred or so paces, the began to stumble, the drug had finally hit him. He continued to stumble forward, toward the sound of rushing water.

Chrys toook the question tone again, this time screeching as well.

The creature persisted in moving on, despite it's lagging gait.

Chrys began to worry, she was somehow starting to like this thing.

The roar of water began to drown out her thoughts, it became so loud.

Chrys searched for the source of the sound, focusing hard to it. When the ground shook.

"Mro!" CHrys shreeked, jumping in the air. Looking around, "Oh."

THe creature had finally collapsed, after leading them to a cave.

"Okay, i know I said we might find one, but I soo didn't see this coming." Chrys exclaimed, waving her arms at the waterfall.

 

Viva watched the girls leave in remorse. she wasn't the kind to take a grudge from rude behavior, but she had to stick up with Pasha. For one, she was assigned such a task, and two - what if something unforeseen happened to him? She wasn't sure she wanted to think about his death for the time. But then, she had to fight it. Someday.

Her attention turned to Pasha also when he left for a field and came back with some flowers. It confused her so much that she actually wanted to ask him, but she refrained from doing so. She was a little ripped in between the 'to kill or not to kill' kind of situation. She was still mulling, when suddenly, he walked up to her with a crown of flowers in his hands.

“Viva, Sie ist meine schön furstin.”
He said, his voice unsteady as he placed the crown gently on her head. He fell back, his face blushing madly.

Viva boggled him, confused.
"Wow...thanks Mr. Huggles. But...but what does it mean? I don't get it."
She felt a little afraid, as though he were a cannibal from Africa his ritual being to kill her after adorning her. She pushed past the thought and looked at him curiously.

 

Pasha looked at her, unsure of what to say. It would be awful to just hang that over her head and not tell her the truth.

“Tell her then.” Yuri mumbled.

Pasha feverishly shook his head, putting his hands over his eyes.

“I can’t tell her!” he cried out.

Viva smirked and then jollily pestered him. Secret agent or not, she was a giddy girl. Just a little less dumb in reality.

"No, you must tell me Mr. Huggles. I think Yuri is right."

She winked, and then jumped up in down like a little child.
"Please! I love this little flower bed on my head!!! But what did you say?"

Pasha groaned, his face redder then it had ever been. He took his hands from his face and looked at her, biting his lip.

“Viva. She is my beautiful princess.” He muttered, as he quickly shot himself up, grabbing their belongings. His body shook, not from the pain this time, but from the fear. Fear of his own heart.