Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

They Move in a Herd

'What is that thing?!?' Was the first thought that raced through Kipo's mind as two glowing red eyes stared at her, getting bigger and bigger through the darkness, and the second was noticing, the huge body that accompanied it, also getting closer by the second. And lastly, Kipo's third thought was a spike of intense fear and adrenaline, and she surged forward, only giving Anne a slight warning of "LOOK OUT!" before she was tackling her to the ground, narrowly missing the monster as it sailed over them. They bounced painfully over the hard ground before finally stopping a couple feet away. Kipo quickly got to her feet again, staring at the monster in a panic, but to her relief, it didn't immediately attack again, only staring back at her in a way that felt like Kipo was no more than a cool toy for a young child. At her feet, Anne groaned, rubbing at her aches.

"Hey, what the- huh?" Anne's annoyed questioning was soon cut off when she raised her eyes, finally seeing the monster for the first time. Her eyes widened, and she glanced behind them at the forest, and at... "Oh no! Fei Fei! Kris!"

Anne scrambled up to her feet, and Kipo watched as she took off to the trees. Kipo almost started following her, but she couldn't tear her attention away from the monster, feeling it would attack at any second. Kipo slowly raised her fists, and they transformed into the jaguar fists. She took a deep breath. The thought of all her friends being in danger... it gave her the courage she needed.

Or so she thought.

When Kipo's eyes finally met with the monsters again, her blood turned to ice, and she found herself paralyzed. She... couldn't understand this thing.

The monster stared back at her, tilting its head in a sharp, jerky motion that might have been curiosity... but Kipo doubted it. Nothing, from the cruel and sunken, merciless, red glowing eyes that blinked at her from the darkness, to the swaying motions of its limbs, suggested this thing had any other emotions than cruel and horrible bloodlust.

Kipo flinched as the monster leaned over, taking a few silent steps, and she raised her fists. But the look of the monster made her pause. Kipo shuddered, her eyes racking over its body. It looked like it might have the shape of some sort of dog, with dog ears and the kind of head shape as a dog, but it walked on two legs, and was human seized. Not to mention that all over it's body, it had sharp, knife-like bits was what looked like metal poking out from all over it, from its claws on it's 'arms', to the teeth that it so proudly displayed when it's mouth fell open, seemingly just for show.

Kipo glanced down at her mega jaguar hands, to the seemingly inorganic flesh of the beast, and she made a decision. Quickly, Kipo changed her hands back to human ones, and turned around, racing back towards Anne, Fei Fei and Kris. She didn't like it, but their swords and arrows would be much more useful...

"Kipo! Over here!" someone yelled, and Kipo's head snapped over in their direction. There! A slight flash of silver. Kipo changed her direction, veering over to her. She quickly passed through the edge of the forest, glancing back to find that the monster was quickly catching up to her. Kipo grit her teeth. Was she leading it straight to her friends-?

"Kipo, jump! Jump!"

Momentarily surprised, Kipo's knees nearly buckled, but she made sure to leap forward, flying over the gaping hole in the ground and landing safely on the other side. However, the monster wasn't so looking, but Kipo hadn't realized until she heard a soft thump. When she turned around, she found it had fallen to the bottom of the pit, and was stalking around in the darkness. All Kipo could see of it now were its two glowing red eyes, glaring up at her.

Kipo backed away hurriedly, and was quickly jumped on and pulled into a hug.

"Kipo!" Anne shouted in her ear. "You're alright!"