Chapter 6
~
Aegis pounded through the jungle as fast as her weakened legs could carry her. The wind was constantly blowing against her, but she pushed on. Rocket and Viper trailed alongside her, trying to keep up. She leapt through the forest line, into the camp clearing, and wildly looked around. Everyone was gone, but small faraway silhouettes were tracing up Mt. Tiki. Viper cried out a devastated hiss, and slithered over to the shoreline. Aegis stared his way, warm tears gathering in her eyes. Limp and lifeless in the shallow waters, was Siren's bloodied body. Her torn tail drifted with the calm current, swishing back and forth in the crimson water. Slowly padding up to her, Aegis noticed dozens of scratch marks. She carefully closed Siren's open, fearful eyes with her paw, and glanced up at Mt. Tiki. The trees surrounding the clearing began to swirl in the harsh wind, and Aegis looked at Viper. " Help me take her into the forest." She croaked, trying to hold back the tears. Viper nodded curtly, and carefully closed his jaws around Siren's limp, fragile body. She hung like a dead fish as he raised his head to keep her from dragging. Aegis padded alongside Viper, and noticed something attached to Siren's head. It was Blob, her baby Attack Squid that she was raising. Viper hissed mournfully through his jaws, closing his eyes. " We'll bury them together. I don't want anyone else to grieve for her, especially if they coulda done something to stop it." Aegis snarled quietly, stepping into the jungle.
~
Aegis put Viper back into his Stone, and tucked it away. He would need time to mourn. Rocket was still perched on her shoulder, shivering in the wind. The silhouettes of the group were still climbing Mt. Tiki, along with the three of the newcomers. Aegis's paws were brown and muddy from burying Siren and Blob, and she was careful to mark it so she would never lose their resting spot. Shaking off any not-dry mud, Aegis padded over to Forge's empty den. She rummaged for a moment, but found the dusty, un-touched Stone of his forgotten pet. Razor, the Nightmare they had accidentally caught, and never got to taming.