Tiger Stripes Part 2

Wouldn't it be nice to sink your teeth into that monkey?

"My name is Shere Khan" He states firmly, catching the movement above him in the swaying of the branches and the gentle descent of a leaf.

The young ape giggled nervously, "Alright your highness, Khannie it is," dropping down a branch to better stare at the tiger.

It wouldn't even be that hard, two short jumps, a quick scramble up the tree trunk, the monkey would panic and try to run, He could just see the way the monkey would bolt, snatching him out the air would be easier than a duck on the wing, and he's done that before.

"Shoo." Khan stated with no heat, "Go bother someone else."

Or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe the monkey would be a challenge, maybe they could have a merry chase through the canopy before he could sink his teeth into that delicious flesh, maybe the monkey would escape.

"Why should I?" The ape asked, with a curious tilt to his head and swinging down another branch, "You don't look all that dangerous to me."

An echo of the past. How many animals had said that and later died by his teeth and claws?

"I find myself questioning your intelligence." Khan stated, before looking away from the ape, scanning the jungle, a flash of memory reminding him of the taste of young orangutan, wondering if the ape was foolish enough to come closer.

"Whatcher doing?" The curious ape questioned, slipping yet closer.

If this was his second life, what did he want to do with it? As a cub he would not have seriously considered hunting orangutan, his friendship with Louie making the thought distasteful, he may have not considered the relationship worth much, but the ape had been amusing and hunting his family would have spoiled that source of entertainment.

As an adult, hunger had sometimes driven him to make other choices. Food over fun after all.

"I am debating the morals of an easy meal when I cannot truthfully claim to be hungry." Khan answered with a sly grin, a flicker of deadly intent in the eyes that met those of the ape's.

The ape gulped. The branch cracked.

"Oh no."

Shere Khan leapt, the ape screamed as the tiger hit him, Khan pushing off the branch as it fell, the additional weight of a tiger cub finishing what the ape had started, sending the branch tumbling down as the tiger and ape barreled into a trunk.

Khan's claws were ready, digging deep into the soft bark, teeth closing on fur and muscle as the ape started to fall.

The ape whimpered and struggled against Khan's grip, the taste of blood flooding his mouth, the sound of the branch hitting the ground hard echoing up, the ape going quiet as the pair of them trembled.

They slid but held, Khan flexed his claws and the ape whimpered, fear rolling off him.

Louie. It was Louie. Shere Khan remembered this scent too well, it wasn't just a random orangutan, this wasn't just a random encounter with a too curious monkey, this cub was Louie.

It would be so easy, just a quick snap of his teeth and Louie would be lunch.

Shere Khan climbed, powerful muscles straining at the unexpected weight and resistance as Louie tried to grasp the trunk of the tree and failed to get a good enough grip.

It would be so easy, but no. He had decided long ago that Louie was worth more than a quick snack, his favorite toys deserved better than that.

Shere Khan dropped the ape on a branch, and backed away, watching as Louie fought against the fear and confusion.

"Aren't you going to eat me?" Louie asked.

Shere Khan huffed, "No." He turned away from the monkey, wondering why he even bothered. He should have let the monkey fall.

"Thanks..." Louie whispered reluctantly as Khan leapt away.

Well. Maybe the ape was worth it. Maybe.

Tiger Stripes Part 1

Shere Khan blinked as his eyes opened on the jungle of his long ago youth, more than a dozen years had passed since he had last awoken in his current resting place, in the jungle's canopy.

He frowned, tentatively clawing at the branch, causing the bark to peal and leaving whitish marks, his claws sharp but softer than he remembered, a cub's paw rather than the adult's he had grown into.

Had he finally lost his mind then? To the man-cub and the red-flower and his entrapment, the trickery of Bagheera's cub.

Or so rumor suggested, when he listened to the whispers. The man-cub who had grown among the wolves, but beloved by the Panther and Bear. Even the Monkey-King had shown an possessive interest in the man-cub, and Kaa, for all his words and assurances had been lying as sure as stripes on a tiger.

It was curious, Shere Khan considered, that all his old friends from his kittenish days should have taken an interest in the man-cub. He wondered if Hathi had as well, it would complete the set.

Why this man-cub? Why any man-cub?

Was Bagheera so desperate to thwart his rightful vendetta that he had gathered their once friends to protect the man-cub from his wraith?

Why did Bagheera act against him, when by all rights Bagheera should be just as angry with man and their actions as Shere Khan? He may have lost a mother, but Bagheera...

There was a sudden scream and a flash of orange fur disappearing upwards into the crown of the trees. A falsely cheerful voice called out from above him, "Um, nice kitty?"

For a hallucination, this was surprisingly life like, the scents and sounds of the jungle evoking memory upon memory, things he hadn't thought about for an age.

Like the voice of the young Monkey king.

Knights Against the Knight Part 65

"What were you thinking?" Chester asked of the mouse. "The dark is dangerous, surely you know that."

"I wasn't thinking." Beano replied, leaning against Mars and the gravestone.

"We just needed out of the Workshop." Mars added.

Chester tilted his head towards the dragon. "And you?"

"I don't remember." Blue said, staring at the sky.

"Blue just dropped off the map a few months after being assigned." Bolt said.

Freddie curled against dragon, yawning.

"It doesn't matter any more, does it?" Freddie asked. "We're here, you're mine, we're... family?" He offered.

Chester shook his head. "I'm just trying to understand."

"Not everyone likes to talk." Freddie said, closing his eyes, "they don't have to."

Chester glanced over, smiling lightly at the boy. "Let me tell you about a special little girl."

"She was wonderful, powerful, joyful. I was assigned to her when she turned four. Over ten years ago. She grew, as all children do. She was mine. I followed her down into the Dark."

Knights Against the Knight Part 64

Chester led them to a patch of green, surrounded by tall metal fence.

It was peaceful.

Trees swayed gently in the breeze.

Lines of stones and statues were placed, pathways leading through the field.

Chester walked through the gate, Freddie paused on the threshold.

“Chester?” He asked, the others crowding behind him.

“She’s over here.” Chester said.

Knights Against the Knight Part 63

They found themselves on an empty street, the faintest glow of dawn in the East, the sky lightening from its dusty blue.

"Wow." Bolt said, rejoicing in the light.

"Where are we?" Freddie asked, eyes darting around, looking for anything he could use to locate himself.

Chester forced himself to step forward into the rising light.

The others backed away from the hint of light, prove it, slipping into shadows.

Small signs.

Freddie tilted his head at them. His dragon, and this new mouse and bear.

"How do I get home?" Freddie asked, worry gnawing at his heart.

There wasn't any signs.

Chester looked over, "It's okay Freddie. I know where we are." He seemed quiet.

He was strangely sad.

"I thought..." The mouse started, looking around, "Shouldn't we be back in the kid's room?"

"No." Chester said. "Trust me, there's a reason."

He started walking, heading North.

"Chester?" Bolt called.

"Come on." Chester gestured. "And stop hiding in the shadows."

Freddie glanced over, stepping towards the dragon.

"Please?" He asked.

Blue sighed, bracing himself, before taking that leap of faith.

It was difficult.

It was  going to burn.

It was... warm?

Blue opened his eyes.

"But..."

"Blame the kid." Chester shouted out.

The mouse and the bear shared a glance, bouncing out towards the light.

Beano hissed, but bounced after the rabbit to catch up.

"Where are we going?" The mouse asked.

Chester smiled. "You'll see."

Knights Against the Knight Part 62

Bolt had gasped when the Nightmare had collapsed into dream dust, an arrow between its non-existent eyes.

It was almost like That was the signal, Freddie yelled "run!", and they darted forward.

Bolt drew his sword, slicing through another.

Teeth snapped too close, hoof made shorter, dangerous.

Bolt ducked and rolled.

Blue took a hit meant for Freddie.

There was a moment of disbelief, a moment pause from Chester, a shudder of his ears before launching back into action.

Then there was a mouse within their circle.

Sword faster than Bolt could believe, nightmares falling beneath the blade.

Arrows fly overhead, deadly accurate.

"Quick!" The mouse said, slashing at the portal.

"Who...?" Chester asked, as he pulled the portal open wide.

"Mars!" The mouse yelled. "Get over here!"

A flame marked bear landed among them, dashing over.

"We're getting out?" The bear asked, scanning the area, not looking at the portal.

"Up to the kid." The mouse said, glancing towards the boy.

Freddie blinked, "Did you want to come home with me?" A small smile on his face.

The strange bear looked startled. "Beano?"

The mouse backed away, "But I'm..."

"Please." Mars said, turning his gaze to Freddie. "We've been in the dark too long..."

"Come on." Freddie said, "I don't care about that."

Blue picked up the mouse, lifting him high, staring eye to eye.

"I was down here far longer than you little mouse."

And tossed the small Ted through the portal. "Go."

Knights Against the Knight Part 61

Beano couldn't, wouldn't believe his eyes.

There was a kid down in the dark.

There was Bolt's kid down in the dark.

And Bolt. What was Bolt doing down here?

Chasing after that other Ted?

If he was, well their party contained two other Teds, both looking dark and lost.

Mars nudged him, "What are you watching?"

"Kid."

Beano pointed downwards, where the small group was approaching the exit.

Mars laughed silently. "Well aren't they the brave brunch."

"Four to one odds, don't look like they have much of a chance..." Beano said, letting the suggestion of action hang in the air.

Mars regarded him seriously, "You wanna?"

"Yeah, I wanna." Beano grinned, "Might have been nice..."

The suggestion hung in the air, and Mars drew out a bow, fitting dull arrows to it and taking aim.

"Say when."

Beano grinned, wrapping his tail around a convinent outcropping and handing off the ledge, ready to spring into action.

The Nightmares were restless.

They could sense something was wrong.

They could probably sense the fear in the air.

Beano wondered if they could feel the threat of violence that was about to fall down upon their heads.

Suddenly one of the Nightmares shifted his head towards the small questing party.

"Now!" Beano demanded, flinging himself off the edge, knowing one of the Nightmares would be gone before he even landed.