Chapter 8
Shriek and Invy took turns watching over Spider, who started to drift into and out of consciousness. He wouldn't wake up enough to be totally aware of what was going on around him...but they were able to get him to eat a few pieces of meat before he slipped back into unconsciousness. Delta was still trying to convince Shriek that they should just leave Spider behind and Shriek still flatly refused. The others just watched them silently, almost like zombies, not knowing who to believe or to follow. Half of the males still went out to hunt and brought back fresh meat everyday and the stream provided fresh water, so no one was going hungry or thirsty....
"Spider seems to be getting stronger." Shriek said happily, "He is staying semi-awake for longer periods."
"Yes and if he keeps this up he'll be back on his feet in no time." Invy said, nodding in agreement, "How is your arm doing by the way?"
"Oh its getting better, I can stand on it for a little while now."
"Good, don't force yourself though."
"I won't."
"I still think we are wasting our time helping him." Delta grumbled from a short distance away, "We have already proved we can hunt and provide for ourselves without him!"
"Can it Delta...no one wants to hear your nonsense anymore." Shriek sneered.
Delta snorted and turned away. Shriek sighed and snuggled up close to Spider, letting herself drift to sleep...
A bit later the hunting party came back, looking a bit panicked.
"What's wrong?" Invy asked, concerned.
"Bounty Hunter...very close!" Kilk gasped.
"Oh no...what do we do?"
"Well we certain can't fight him!" Charr said, "Spider is the only one that knows how to..."
Delta looked at the panicked clan and glanced over and Spider and Shriek, who was somehow sleeping through all the racket.
When opportunity knocks...take it. he thought. He turned toward the rest of the clan with a serious look on his face (though inward he was grinning, almost evilly) and said:
"Calm down my friends...what would Spider do in a situation like this?"
"He would try to evade the Bounty...." Lunic said, his eyes wide and looking around wildly, "....if at all possible."
"He would have us move....and quickly." Felth said, trembling.
"Then lets do so eh? Before the Bounty spots us." Delta said as he started to walk off. Panicky and completely forgetting about their injured, the others followed. Delta only gave a slight parting glance at Spider and Shriek before the foliage obscured his view.
Your stubbornness made you dig your own grave Shriek... Delta thought, You could have lived...but no...you decided to stay behind and die...
A few minutes later Shriek woke up to find that the others had left.
Where did they go? Shriek thought panicking slightly, Why did they leave me and Spider behind?
"Shriek?" a weak voice said beside her and she turned around to see Spider looking up at her.
"Spider your awake." Shriek said as she nuzzled him, lovingly.
"Where is everyone?" Spider said, looking around.
"I don't know..." Shriek sobbed, "I think Delta managed to convince the others to leave us behind while I was a sleep..."
"That bastard...when I get my claws on him..." Spider growled as he tried to stand up, but was still too weak.
"No my love, you must rest. You'll only hurt yourself more."
"Yer right...but how are we goin' ter fed ourselves? Yer arm still looks ter bad ter stand on fer long."
"I don't know..." Shriek said quietly, then looked up, "I wonder how Delta convinced them to leave...."
She got her answer when a huge Big Brother stepped into the clearing they were in. He was heavily armed and covered with ammo.
"A bounty..." Spider mumbled eyes wide with fear.
"Oh no..." Shriek whined .
They must have found out about the bounty...Shriek thought, and Delta used their fear to get them to leave us behind...
"Well well well." the bounty boomed in a brass voice, "What der we have here? A couple of easy targets fer once...."
Shriek…knowing she wouldn’t be able to drive the brute off herself, made the call for help….
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