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Authors: Owen Black
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Several of the hyenas broke free from the attack and descended upon the wounded. Hunger outweighed pity in their eyes.
Azil kicked again as another hyena approached, sending the disheveled dog crashing into a tree behind them. The two chimp workers jumped down from the trees above, one of them wielding a large branch as a club. The monkeys were surprisingly strong but greatly outnumbered. They could not hold out long.
“There are too many!” Dugan yelled to the chimps. “Get back in the trees!”
They both refused and continued to swing their arms about as the hyenas swarmed upon them.
***
The two orangutans, Esa and Pilus, stopped on the branch of a giant oak and looked around, now lost in the maze of trees. They quickly climbed to the top, hoping to see clearly in what direction home, and help, waited. Beneath them, three hyenas had followed, patiently awaiting an opportunity to pounce.
As they emerged from the canopy of trees, they could see Avryndale in the distance to the east, peaceful and quiet, yet so far away.
Without warning a pair of vultures descended upon them from the sky, claws outreached as they attacked. Esa was struck in the shoulder but managed to keep from falling. Pilus, however, was not as fortunate. He jumped to avoid the oncoming birds but failed to find a solid branch to land on.
He plummeted through the air as he reached frantically for branches, hoping to catch hold of something to stop his fall. The limbs were too sparse to hold his weight and Esa watched in agony from above as Pilus crashed to the damp forest ground below. Within seconds, the hyenas moved in, fighting with each other for position.
She glanced down at her fallen husband who was now concealed beneath the ravenous creatures feasting upon him. She broke off a branch and tossed it down at them as she screamed. The hyenas were unaffected and focused on their task. Pilus was lost.
The squeal of vultures sounded nearby and Esa whimpered. She had to move on.
***
Thane and Javan sat petrified, frozen by the terrifying sounds coming from all around them. Javan peered back at the opening in the woods and could see their village.
“Don’t do it,” Thane whispered. “Not yet.” He then pointed to a shadowy figure that moved in the trees near them. The stranger’s attention seemed to be directed at the village, unaware of the two concealed boys that watched him. A vulture then descended to the ground beside the man and the boys watched as it morphed into a short, ragged figure. The men gestured to the village and seemed to be discussing something, but neither boy could make out what was being said.
Javan curled up in a ball and struggled to hold off the tears that formed in his eyes. He wanted to go home.
***
The hyenas were everywhere. The chimps that were fighting on the ground had been overwhelmed, engulfed by their hungry, bloodthirsty attackers. Dugan braced himself as Azil leapt over some advancing dogs and ran to where a small pack was scavenging their fallen friends. The hyenas backed off momentarily, sizing up the horse and his rider. They were too late, their friends were dead.
Azil then angrily jumped a fallen tree and started running through a small opening, constantly fighting to keep Dugan balanced on his back. Branches whipped at them from all sides as they searched for a clear passage out of the dense woods, their pursuers not far behind.
They soon arrived back at the camp where they had been working earlier. They knew that the village was nearby and the chance for survival had returned. It was then that Dugan remembered to his horror that the boys had been hiding just ahead. He glanced over at the stump but detected no movement. He feared the worst.
Suddenly Azil reared back on his hind legs, sending Dugan plummeting to the ground. The guard scrambled to his feet and regained his bearings, noticing to his dismay that a long spear had become lodged in the horse’s side. The once magnificent creature
Azil kicked again as another hyena approached, sending the disheveled dog crashing into a tree behind them. The two chimp workers jumped down from the trees above, one of them wielding a large branch as a club. The monkeys were surprisingly strong but greatly outnumbered. They could not hold out long.
“There are too many!” Dugan yelled to the chimps. “Get back in the trees!”
They both refused and continued to swing their arms about as the hyenas swarmed upon them.
***
The two orangutans, Esa and Pilus, stopped on the branch of a giant oak and looked around, now lost in the maze of trees. They quickly climbed to the top, hoping to see clearly in what direction home, and help, waited. Beneath them, three hyenas had followed, patiently awaiting an opportunity to pounce.
As they emerged from the canopy of trees, they could see Avryndale in the distance to the east, peaceful and quiet, yet so far away.
Without warning a pair of vultures descended upon them from the sky, claws outreached as they attacked. Esa was struck in the shoulder but managed to keep from falling. Pilus, however, was not as fortunate. He jumped to avoid the oncoming birds but failed to find a solid branch to land on.
He plummeted through the air as he reached frantically for branches, hoping to catch hold of something to stop his fall. The limbs were too sparse to hold his weight and Esa watched in agony from above as Pilus crashed to the damp forest ground below. Within seconds, the hyenas moved in, fighting with each other for position.
She glanced down at her fallen husband who was now concealed beneath the ravenous creatures feasting upon him. She broke off a branch and tossed it down at them as she screamed. The hyenas were unaffected and focused on their task. Pilus was lost.
The squeal of vultures sounded nearby and Esa whimpered. She had to move on.
***
Thane and Javan sat petrified, frozen by the terrifying sounds coming from all around them. Javan peered back at the opening in the woods and could see their village.
“Don’t do it,” Thane whispered. “Not yet.” He then pointed to a shadowy figure that moved in the trees near them. The stranger’s attention seemed to be directed at the village, unaware of the two concealed boys that watched him. A vulture then descended to the ground beside the man and the boys watched as it morphed into a short, ragged figure. The men gestured to the village and seemed to be discussing something, but neither boy could make out what was being said.
Javan curled up in a ball and struggled to hold off the tears that formed in his eyes. He wanted to go home.
***
The hyenas were everywhere. The chimps that were fighting on the ground had been overwhelmed, engulfed by their hungry, bloodthirsty attackers. Dugan braced himself as Azil leapt over some advancing dogs and ran to where a small pack was scavenging their fallen friends. The hyenas backed off momentarily, sizing up the horse and his rider. They were too late, their friends were dead.
Azil then angrily jumped a fallen tree and started running through a small opening, constantly fighting to keep Dugan balanced on his back. Branches whipped at them from all sides as they searched for a clear passage out of the dense woods, their pursuers not far behind.
They soon arrived back at the camp where they had been working earlier. They knew that the village was nearby and the chance for survival had returned. It was then that Dugan remembered to his horror that the boys had been hiding just ahead. He glanced over at the stump but detected no movement. He feared the worst.
Suddenly Azil reared back on his hind legs, sending Dugan plummeting to the ground. The guard scrambled to his feet and regained his bearings, noticing to his dismay that a long spear had become lodged in the horse’s side. The once magnificent creature
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