Hey, guys. This is actually the first fanfiction I've ever written, but, for the time being, this story is going under heavy editing. Please enjoy and critique; I live for the feedback, lol.
I don't own the characters or the story line, but a lot of these ideas are original.
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~ Gabriel ~
I can't go on like this. . . Not for much longer, anyway. This place has already taken my wife from me, and has left me and my son as scraps to pick up later. I can't protect him for much longer. Every time I take my eyes off of him, another predator lurks around the corner, waiting to strike. He's just a baby - defenseless, and I can't take much more of this.
No one has come to rescue us since my entire crew died when our ship caught fire. It was only my wife, my son, and I who escaped. We even built a temporary shelter in the branches of an enormous tree, but that still doesn't seem to be protecting us as much as we'd hoped.
Then, that dreaded cat. . . that damn leopard. . . Sabor took her from me! With one swipe of his paw, he ended my wife's life. . . and left me behind to suffer and grieve. Well, as long as I'm still stuck in this horrid jungle, Sabor, or any other retched creature that lies in this place, will not lay a finger on my son.
I stood by the makeshift window, staring out through the leaves that clung to the branches that surrounded our "house". The cool, moist breeze that blew up from the waterfalls just ahead danced through the tree, making the house sway peacefully, and the air around me calm and refreshing.
I glanced over at my son. He was laying in an orange crate that I'd turned into a bassinet, cooing quietly as he raised his hands and batted at the air senselessly. I felt a sad smile tug at the corner of my mouth before letting out a small sigh.
'No one will hurt you as long as I'm here, Adrien. You're safe with me,' I thought to myself.
I turned toward him and walked over, peering into his "bed" at the small child within. At only 8 months, he was still one of the biggest infants I'd ever seen. He had his mothers gorgeous locks, a shade of blonde that resembled sun-kissed gold, and her beautiful wide eyes, green like the seawater that lapped at the hull of a boat that pushed through the calm waves of an ocean.
I reached down and held out my index finger above his head, which he grasped with his tiny hands. I smiled as he pulled on my finger, squeezing it and giggling crazily as he kicked his feet up in the air. I chuckled as he started to blow spit bubbled through his tiny lips, and at the way his nose scrunched up as they popped. He smiled and looked up at me with his fluorescent eyes, a look of wonderment crossing over his face.
I reached down with my other hand and scooped him up, wrapping my hands behind his head and around his tiny waist as I cradled his fragile body to my chest. He started to whimper, so I shushed him and lightly bounced him, which soon made his whimpers turn to small coos that echoed through the "house".
I smiled and glanced up as I saw a shadow dart to the side out of the corner of my eye. Keeping Adrien close to my chest, I backed up toward the wall behind me, and slowly reached for my gun, which lay beside the dresser that had washed up from the shipwreck. I heard scratching coming from the planks of wood outside, and shivered. I knew that sound all too well.
I could hear Sabor's low growl surface from just outside the window, growing fainter as he moved around to the back of the "house". As quickly and silently as I could, I hurried over to the corner where we kept the stuff that hadn't been used to build the "house" and dug through the pile. I pulled out a sheet and doused it in a small amount of whiskey so that Sabor wouldn't catch hi scent, then wrapped it around Adrien. I placed the smiling baby back in his bassinet and lulled it over to me, making sure that he wouldn't be near the window.
I loaded and cocked my gun, listening for Sabor. I could hear the sounds of his panting circling the "house" as his claws scraped against the wooden walls. I took another step back and looked all around me, trying to stay vigilant. I could hear Adrien start to whimper, and I quickly stuck my hand out towards him and let him grab hold of my palm. He played with my fingers as I shushed him, listening to the sounds of the advancing leopard. The scratching, panting, growling. . . It seemed to circle the "house", like he wasn't in one spot, but all around me. My breath hitched in my throat, and beads of sweat trickled down the sides of my temples.
And suddenly, the noises stopped.
I gulped and let out a sigh, just a little too soon, before Sabor let out a gut-wrenching snarl and came sprawling through the window, swinging his paws and tackling me to the ground. I used the gun to hold him back as his fangs snapped at my face, inching closer and closer.
I grunted and pushed him off, sending him flying to the side, but he quickly recovered and scrambled toward me again. I aimed the gun and fired at him, lodging a bullet in his left bicep. The cat howled and hissed at me, but continued to limp toward me at an incredible speed.
I aimed again, but just as I was about to fire, Sabor slashed his paw at my arm, tearing the gun out of my hand, and swung again, knocking me against the wall. My entire body shook in pain as I tried to stand, but my efforts were for naught as Sabor tackled me again, this time landing on top of me.
I raised my one good arm to try to push him away from me, but I could tell that it was no use. I was too weak from not having the proper nutrition and staying awake most of the time to protect Adrien. I felt a few hot tears run down my cheek as I glance at Adrien's bassinet, and I smiled. The cat's face drew closer and closer to me as I let out one final sigh.
"I love you, Adrien. . . Stay safe, my son." I whispered. Sabor swept my arm away and clamped down on my neck. I uttered a groan as blood dripped down the side of my mouth onto the floor, and I smiled one last time before the entire world disappeared into darkness.