Rising Anew-Chapter 7, part 1-
#23 of Rising Anew
Rising Anew chapter 7
The sun was shining bright the next morning as the three woke. Narcenac was the last one to rise as the sun broke over the top of the hill that hid them. The light slid across his face and teased his eyes slowly open. He sat up and looked across the hallow at the dumbfounded look on Tarsus's face as she sat unable to tear her eyes off of the oblivious Narina as she ate a bloody slab of meat. With a chuckle he picked up the bag with his own food in it and found a peice of meat that suited him. He barely noticed the shiver that ran down the young girls tail.
"I didnt think you ate meat. So what are you going to eat?" he asked her.
"I... i eats fuit and nuts... that.... is scary..." she stuttered as she pointed at Narina as she ripped a peice off.
Tarsus dug into the little bag at her side and pulled out a handfull of nuts and a dried apple. Quietly, she nibbled at the fruit and stared as the two tigers ate there meat.
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Narina smiled as she walked along holding Narcenac's paw. Tarsus bounded along, sometimes on all four paws and at others walking along on her hindpaws.
"This isnt too bad." thought Narcenac. "Narina is happy, the girl is not too bad, and it was kinda funny to watch her see us eat."
Squeezing Narina's paw, he winked and started jogging. She knew what he was thinking and tightened the strap on her bag. Together they jogged up to Tarsus and both grinned.
"Say, Tarsus, how fast do you think you are?" he said with a chuckle.
Tarsus gave him a short stare and raised an eyebrow. "Fast enough i think, i was fastest sibby in home. Why you ask that?"
"Really? the fastest? Well we want to race you." he replied, still smiling.
Tarsus's eyes lit up and a smile snuck its way across her face. With a skipping start, she shot off between the hills. Narina gave a happy shout and bolted after her.
"Better hurry Narcenac!!!" She yelled back over her shoulder.
Narcenac smiled and took off after the girls. His paws pounded the path hard as he sped along. He spread out his strides to make up lost ground and was soon not far behind. He watched as Tarsus and Narina ran side by side. Their tails bobbed from side to side as he caught them. Narcenac knew that Narina was holding back. There was no way he would have been able to catch up to her otherwise.
"Ok!!! Let's GO!!!" he shouted.
Narina roared with excitement and blazed away. He laughed as he jetted past and saw the look on Tarsus's face. She had a pure look of awe on her features.
"I notta LOSE!!!" she yelled as she strived to go faster.
She matched his pace with a bit of a struggle. He looked over at her and the triumphant smile on her face. He looked quickly from the path to the hills. The hills were growing ever closer together. Jumping onto the side of a small hill, he bounded to the next hill. Now they were fairly close, knots of ground about eight feet high and only ten feet apart, perfect for Narcenac. He bounced from one to the next and soon built distance. Tarsus's desperate cries told him she was falling behind.
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The miles had faded quickly that day. Narina had stopped at a large hill on the edge of the grasslands to wait on the other two. Narcenac strolled into the camp she had set up for them. They waited for nearly an hour for Tarsus. She walked into camp sweaty and breathing very hard.
"Yousa mazing speeders. Tarsus soo tiredsome." she said as she laid down on a large rock to rest.
Both of the tigers laughed and sat in the shade while they waited for her to catch her breath.
"Well, where is this water under the hill? We need to fill up the water bottles, and pee ewww, you smell little stinky squirrel." Narina said through her chuckling.
"We closen now, along edge of grassenlands. I needs baff. I IS smelly squirrel!" she replied with a giggle.
Narcenac laid back in Narina's arms as she started brushing his fur. He had grown very fond of these little time spent with her. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her paws running through his fur and dozed quietly.
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"Wake up love." Narina whispered in Narcenac's ear as she kissed his cheek.
With a happy yawn, Narcenac sat up and looked up at the crescent moon. He looked over and saw Tarsus nibbling on a acorn and twiddling her foot paws.
"Ready to go Tarsus?" He asked.
With a nod she hopped off of the rock. Narcenac got off of the ground and helped Narina to her feet. Following Tarsus, they made there way out of the grasslands and followed the edge. Tarsus led them along slowly. Narina noticed that the young girl had grown very quiet.
"Something is bothering her. She looks worried and is very quiet." she whispered to Narcenac.
He nodded and looked at Tarsus, trying to understand if she was tired or scared. He noticed her look around often and perk her ears up to listen now and then. Soon he was looking around as well. He perked his own ears up and listened. There was a quiet grating around them. He knew why she was worried.
"What is that Tarsus?" he asked quietly.
"They the scaly ones, they nots biggers, but they mean and bity hard. They killa quick." she replied with a grimace as she pulled out her dagger.
Narcenac flexed his paws, his claws at the ready. He kept a a watchful eye on the grass and the bushes around as they drew near to a very large hill.
Suddenly, the grass near Narina exploded as a very large snake flew at her. With a shout, Narcenac pushed her out of the way. He saw as the snake's mouth sprang open. Everything seemed to go into slow motion as the fangs spread open flying straight for his chest.