Chapter 13

To think that a few hours ago I thought that cub was smart. But his thirst must have been making him desperate. Without thinking I leaped out of my hiding place, in my panic, I forgot all about my injury, and landed on just one front paw, got unbalanced and fell.

My muzzle slid across the ground and the wind was knocked out of me. No, No No! I thought. Not now! Feather was in danger! I staggered to my feet, gasping for air, and kept running toward the cub, who had a huge head start. I felt the soil grow damp under my paws. I ran with my claws digging into the ground, and unsheathing as I lifted my feet so that I wouldn't slip and fall again.

The water was now almost up to my ankles, higher on Feather's tiny body, making him slower than me. Ahead of me Feather stopped. He joyfully dipped his head under the murky water and lifted it back up, shaking the muddy droplets out of his fur.

He bent down and took a sip of the precious substance. The crocodiles noticed him. One of them broke off from the huge group gathered in the deeper water and slithered toward Feather stealthily, it's yellow-orange eyes trained on the unsuspecting cub.

My heart beat hard in my chest. I ran to Feather, and yanked him out of the water, mid drink. There was no time to run through the water, I might slip and fall, condemning us both to be killed by the deadly reptile. I threw Feather as far as I could in the direction of the shoreline.

When I turned to face the crocodile, I saw that three more had noticed my presence, and in their serpent-like manner, were moving toward me. I took a step backwards, my back paw slid in the mud, and I struggled to keep my balance. I turned to run, but there were more, silently stalking toward me, blocking my path to the shore, to safety.

I saw Feather; panic was all over his face. "Hobblestep!" He screamed, his pelt puffed out. One of the crocodiles snapped its jaws loudly, and another two began making low hissing noises. There was no way out. They were surrounding me on all sides.

I took in a shaky breath and clenched my jaw, waiting for one of them to grab a hold of my neck, and drag me out into deeper water, like I'd seen them do to prey so many times. I remember the look on the prey's face, as it would be yanked under water, never to feel the warmth of the sun again. I wanted to go out fighting.

I unsheathed my claws and waited for one to attack. Sure enough there was a very loud hiss from behind me, and one of them had a sudden burst of speed and launched itself at me. I whipped my paw under its jaw, where the soft skin of its underbelly was.

The creature fell to the ground, its blood creating a cloud of red in the shallow water. A chorus of hisses burst from the other crocodiles. All of them attacked at the same time now. One clamped its jaws around my leg – the bad one – and another, onto my right back leg. I roared in pain, together they pulled me downward, I roared in pain, and another one clamped its jaws on my belly, pulling me all the way to the ground.

I heard the sound of others edging closer as I struggled to break free. I knew that blood was steadily flowing out of each of the places where the crocodiles held their deadly grips. As more of them piled onto me, my face was pushed under water, I couldn't breath! One tore at my side, and I felt the worst pain ever, and would ever know.

I tried to scream, but the water drowned it out, all that happened was bubbles formed around my face. The sounds above thevwater were blurry but I heard Feather's voice, say something. "Get away from her!"

I heard muffled splashing, then another voice, a female voice. It was snarling and hissing. I wondered what was going on. But the sounds began to fade, and so did the murky scene of the water around me. Fading to black. To the sweet embrace of nothingness.