Of the Wild

Gravity

*Jessa

My father once told me that greed is a poison that feels good while it consumes you. The bounty hunters, assassins and other criminals didn't realize how blinded by greed they were until it was too late. I had already jumped.

Looking down the jagged cliffside at the chchurning water had made me feel sick. But it was my only chance. I thanked God briefly that the hunters chose now to fight amongst themselves.

The Agorian smelled of sweat and hot spices as he held me against his bare, hairy chest. His arms were huge and corded with muscle. I pushed against them with all my might, but they didn't budge. I strained against him and looked up to see a yelling Hageric man throw a knife at us.

Instinct made by countless hours spent mercilessly training with a survival and combat master kicked in and i used both feet to jump up and curl my body up, bringing my knees as close to my nose as possible.

I felt the shudder go through the Agorian as the knife sank hilt deep into his abdomen. His arms slackened around my waist enough for me to shove free of him. I pushed away from him and started running as he collapsed.

All around the clearing men were fighting with each other, screaming and cursing. I whirled around, ducking underneath, the Hageric man's swing and come up with my best right hook. I connected squarely with his jaw and sent him tumbling into another hunter.

I didn't give any others time to grab onto me. I faced the cliff and ran forward to it. I looked around for the deepest spot I could hit the water. I looked up at the sky and then backed up. My heart hammered against my chest like a drum and the blood roared in my ears.

I took a deep breath and ran forward. Have no fear. Be strong enough. Cassius would do it.

"No!!"

I heard it from above and behind me and figured one of the hunters finally realized what I was doing. But iit was too late. I'd already jumped. I was now gracefully arching through the air, black hair flying like a banner.

I did a summersalt in the air and instead of a diving position, I braced myself in an upright pencil like position for entering the water. The river was a lot farther down than I'd thought. The feeling of flight I had waswas completely incredible. It made me smile.

I locked my heels together, clenched my fists and took a ddeep breath as I neared the water. I squeezed my eyes sshut tightly and waited for it.

The impact knocked the breath out of me. It was like slammkng into a brick wall. A freezing cold brick wall. My muscles clenched instantly and cold water filled my mouth. I started kicking and paddling with all my strength. The current was strong and pushed me down sideways as i swam up to the surface.

I broke through and gasped loudly, gulping down air. I treaded the water and looked up at the cliff I'd come from. I could see one or two of the bounty hunters looking down. One of them kept backing up and moving forward like he might jump too.

I drew in as deep a breath as I could before dropping down below the surface and swimming down. My whole body stung from the water, but I ignored it. I had to keep going. Get in a survival zone and stay there. I found a rhythm with my strokes and swam as long as i could before I ran out of air. I came up again for oxygen and looked back at the cliff. I was much farther away, but I could just make out a few of the hunters fighting with each other.

I smirked. I bet they didn't expect so much trouble from a princess.

I took another deep breath before ducking back beneath the water and swimming on.

******

The sun was high in the sky and just slipping downward when I stopped flowing with the current and swam toward a soft bank. I dug my finger into the sandy mud and drug myself out of the water.

I panted like a dog as I crawled along the beachy part of the shore. My arms and legs shook with exhaustion. I'd been swimming for hours. The current had been helpful most of the time, but there had been forks in the river and I'd had to swim against it.

Water streamed down my face and from my hair. I wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep, but I knew if I did, I wouldn't get up for awhile. I had to get dry first.

I groaned and staggered to my feet. I pulled my shirt off over my head but left my sports bra on underneath. I walked towards the trees and hung the shirt to dry. I shucked my pants too and hung them. I squeezed out my hair and started to gather up firewood.

My legs were a bit unsteady as I walked. Kind of like sea legs on the earth. I considered what to do next as I got all the firewood I would need.

I needed to get out of here first and foremost. I had been chased through this foresaken jungle five out of the last five days. I needed to get home as soon as possible to get help. Rally my army and attack the Corvati.

Second, and most trying, I needed to rescue Cassius. He was a prisioner of the Corvati and I didn't want to imagine the things they could, and probably were, doing to him.

But that would have to wait just a little while. I needed enough energy to walk first. I made my way back toto my firepit. Using tthe flint i had in my pants pocket, I lit the fire and laid down in the nearest shady spot.

Unless the hhunters had decided to jump in after me, it would take them quite awhile to catch up with me now. I shut my eyes and was almost instantly asleep.

I slept for hours, long enough for the sun to disappear and the bugs to return. I didn't wake up on my own accord actually. A high-pitched whine followed by a small explosion very close by woke me with a jolt.

I ssat up and looked toward the forest to see a missile headed right for me.