The Cured

Chapter 21

We can start it all over again...

~•~ Chapter 21 ~•~

The sound of an engine was heard from the distance, meaning Harry was coming. I could see the panther’s tail from behind Ashton swirling. I swallowed hard as another throaty growl erupted from the animal.

“Harry..” I murmured.

“What?” he asked, lowly.

“There's one..here..” I whispered, feeling my heart pick up its pace.

Suddenly, Harry pressed the horn, making the panther roar and jump on the branch over us. “Go!” I yelled, both me and Ashton sprinting away, our footsteps heavy.

The panther jumped on the ground and chased after us. I could hear the horns from far behind the panther, which came from Harry who tried to gain the animal's attention, but failed.

Ashton fell on the ground with a loud thud and the panther on his back, harshly biting into his neck. I gasped and felt my blood turn cold at the sight. I pulled my gun and shot the panther twice in the side and shoulder, making it wince and pull ita claws down Ashton's stomach.

Ashton screamed in agony and pain as I shot the panther one more time on the head, sending it leaning to the side and dropping off of Ashton, dead.

Tears immediately pricked at my eyes as I kneeled down beside Ashton, taking in the awfully bitten flesh on his neck and bleeding wound on his sstomach. “We got - we got Ashton down - he's been bitten.” I stuttered, tears falling down my cheeks.

“What?!” Niall shrieked.

“Where are you?!” Liam shouted.

I took my sweater off, leaving myself in a white tee, and placed the cloth against Ashton’s harsh bite on the neck to stop the terrible bleeding. He needed pressure to survive. Three loud thuds made me turn my head and look at the three incoming panthers. My heart dropped. They walked slowly, watching their prey with hunger, throwing out their tongue and snatching their teeth at me. I froze, while Ashton whimpered beside me, shaking and bleeding.

“Harry..” I said lowly, placing my hand on my  gun hanging on my waistband.

“On my way.” he replied gruffly.

Ashton groaned and I looked down at him in horror. “Ash..” I murmured, sorry flooding through  me.

“Please..p-please..” he choked out, blood dripping from his lips, his neck covered in blood.

“You’re going to be fine..” I whispered, my voice shaky.

Another angry growl came from a panther’s mouth and I closed my eyes shut, the fear creeping up on me. Suddenly, the loud horns reached my ears and they panthers flinched and roared. One of them lunged at us and I screamed as I rolled back on the ground, gun in hand. My chest tightened when the panther landed on Ashton and bit his arm. I shot the panther in the back, making it whine as the other two lunged at Ashton's body, angrily  eating him.

“No! Claire help!” Ashton screamed, the sound breaking my heart to pieces. I shot the other two in the legs and head, but that was when I saw another group of them marching through the bushes, glaring at me.