The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 21

Just as Thunderfoot began to dash away a shot rang out, the sound carrying through the trees and deepening the pit in Tani'm's stomach. She was already on the move as the sound of the low caliber hunting rifle filled her ears. Anger at what was happening filling that growing pit and threatening to take over.

A sharp and sudden pain screamed out on Thunderfoot's side, not reaching deep enough to do any real harm and giving them both hope that he had escaped the worse of their attack, but after just two steps, they learned the unexpected truth of the wound. His front paw missed its footing, sliding when it should have gripped and causing the powerful animal to tumble to the side. While Thunderfoot's body grew clumsy, mirroring the clouded thoughts that swam through his head, Tani'm knew what was happening. She could feel it through him, the vile chemicals that coursed through his body were sapping his strength and sending him to sleep. His magic tried to fight it, but seemed ill suited to the task, giving him a few extra moments before darkness took over.

She knew that if it had been a gunshot wound his gifts would have solved his problem, but for some reason the chemicals seemed unaffected, skirting what would have otherwise been a life saving power.

In a matter of moments he was down, his eyes drifting shut as he fell into a deep and dreamless slumber. There were no thoughts in Thunderfoot's mind, or any concern of the world around him. No awareness of the humans who were approaching and the dangers they posed.

Tani'm did not tarry, her body in motion as she blended into the forest and came up on the hunting party that had subdued her companion. They were different from any hunters she had seen before, four of them spread out around their captive, one of them speaking silently into a radio while another came up on Thunderfoot's prone body and nudged it with his boot. The last two were spread out on opposite sides, maintaining a perimeter. Unlike the hunters that she often encountered they were studying their surroundings, paying no attention to the creature that slept behind them.

One of them was crouched behind a log, rifle up as he scanned the darkened forest. The last was similarly concealed, all of them focused on their task, and none of them talking. Normally, hunters would be whooping and hollering after taking down their prey, congratulations being given to the man who took the shot, while the forest that had sheltered them vanished behind their pride and ignorance.

Not these men, they were well trained and distantly spread. If they were surprised by Thunderfoot or what he was they hid it well. Tani'm moved like a breeze until she was close enough to the group to hear the whispered words of the man standing a few yards from Thunderfoot.

"...ell meet at the rendezvous at twenty three thirty."

There was a long pause as the man listened to a voice in his ear, his eyes turning towards the man who was standing above Thunderfoot. Tani'm could see frustration in his gaze, the man shaking his head as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. We saw an opportunity, and we took it. Next time-"

The man's face went white as the voice in his earpiece got louder. Tani'm couldn't make it out, but they were clearly not happy.

"We didn't think about that, sir. You're right, we'll tag it and leave it here."

The heat and anger that had built up within her settled as Tani'm realized who these men were. They were with the Military, and as Eddie had explained a couple of days before, they were searching for supernatural creatures. Thunderfoot was relatively unharmed, and it sounded like they were going to let him go, so she would just remove their tracker once they left and call it a day.

The man who was standing over Thunderfoot seemed upset, his eyes casting down on the slumbering rabbit before returning to the man who had been on the radio a few yards away. They shared a moment, neither speaking but the further man raising his eyes with anger as if he feared what the other man was thinking.

"You heard the boss man, tag it and let's get out of here."

The other man clenched his jaw, once more looking down at Thunderfoot before he huffed and unslung his rucksack. Murmurs escaped his lips as he pulled out a sharp pronged device that reminded Tani'm of a syringe, just much larger.

"Fuckin' catch this thing and now I gotta let it go. Fuck!" he exclaimed as he drove the point of the device into Thunderfoot's upper back.

The sharp pain registered in her friends mind for the briefest of moments before it was drown out by the sea of darkness that cradled him close.

It barely took any time for the tracker to be implanted, the needle removed and device replaced into his backpack. Standing, the large military man seemed to study Thunderfoot for a long few moments, the nearby man whispering a plea for him to hurry while one of the lookouts turned his gaze backward with frustration at the delay.

"We don't got time for your shit, Frank. Let's move out."

The guy who was standing over Thunderfoot looked over at the voice, smiled and then turned his attention back on the jackalope. Kneeling, the man ran his fingers across Thunderfoot's antlers as he thought, his hand resting on the rabbits long and soft ear before he smiled and said, "Fuck this, I'm taking a trophy."

Before he had completed his statement Tani'm finished moving in, Frank's distraction allowing her to get in position beside one of the sentries undetected. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she knew she would not allow them to hurt Thunderfoot, even if Karen could repair whatever damage they might do.

Tani'm remembered what Eddie had told her about the militaries goals; to secure and study supernatural creatures. But, as she witnessed what was happening she knew that Eddie's warning to them would not be heeded. They had been told to treat the forest and its denizens with respect, and were clearly not going to remain true to their promise. She was no fool, and knew that they would need to capture and study supernatural creatures if they could find them, but she had hoped they would not cause unnecessary suffering along the way.

Those dashed expectations prodded her into action. Too many times she had seen events like this play out in the past, stupid humans causing and perpetuating suffering through ignorance or indifference. She could ignore this slight, allow them to leave and have Karen regrow Thunderfoot's ear, but she knew that would be a silent consent to the cruelty that was about to take place, and may lay the groundwork for much more to come.

They had to be taught respect. Respect for her forest, and the creatures that roamed between its tree. The speed with which she considered the situation pleased her, knowing that her emotions were kept under control, when in the past she would have already sprung into action and probably hurt someone pretty badly. It had happened before, a hunter who stood and watched as a deer slowly bled out, it's bleating cries only causing the man more joy until his own suffering wails joined the dying animals.

A smile spread across Tani'm's face at the memory, and while it would be satisfying to recreate that moment she knew she needed to be better than that. So, holding her breath she waited for her moment, hoping she would not have to kill the man who stood over Thunderfoot in order to stop him.

The sentry looked confused as he returned his gaze to the forest, his well trained eye noticing that something seemed out of place, but not able to identify what it was. The moon cast mottled and shifting shadows through the slightly swaying canopy, plenty of light to get basic details of the trees and underbrush but not enough for finer detail. Like all other animals, Tani'm could sense the sentries discomfort of the dark, and growing sense of dread as his subconscious tried to warn him of unseen danger.

"Let's go..." the man intoned through a shudder, his skin crawling as the words escaped him.

The man who had talked on the radio spoke up, "Knock it off, Frank. This shit is funny when we're training, but we're in the field now, and I'm ordering you to move out."

Tani'm didn't want to hurt these men... Well, she didn't want to hurt anyone but Frank she was forced to amend.

Kneeling down, Frank grabbed Thunderfoots ear in his steely grip and responded, "One second, boss man," before drawing his knife from the sheath on his hip.

With those words Tani'm felt her anger grow, only to be replaced by hope as she sensed awareness return to her furry companion, Thunderfoot opening his eyes at the sound of the knife as it was drawn.

Everything happened in a flash, the knife swooping in a menacing arc as the man pulled Thunderfoot's ear taut, the clash of steel on steel as the mighty beast jerked its head and deflected the blade with his antler.

Frank screamed out, "Shit!" with just a hint of pain as Thunderfoot knocked him over with the force of his swipe.

Tani'm wanted to look over, to see what had happened and to figure out why that moment had surprised her. Something about it seemed out of place, but she had no time to spare for those thoughts as she forced herself to focus on the man who stood beside her, concealed behind his log.

Sure enough, the unexpected turn of events was too much temptation for the soldier, who looked back just in time to see Frank falling back while the rabbit bounded off the ground and towards a large bush. It was her moment, and Tani'm was not about to let it slip by. She took a step in, her gift guiding her actions as she made just enough noise to draw his attention. One moment he was watching the vanishing haunch of a three foot rabbit, and the next he was turning back to the forest, knowing that something was not right but never expecting to find a five foot tall woman standing in front of him.

Her fist connecting with his chin the moment he saw her, and everything vanishing behind a bright flash of momentary pain that gave way to darkness. That never grew old to Tani'm, who savored her ability to knock most people out with a well placed punch. Ever since she came into her powers she had always had a knack for knowing exactly where to hit in order to do the most damage.

With a brief glance, she confirmed that the rest of the team was still watching the events with Frank and Thunderfoot, one of the men releasing a momentary laugh before he regained his composure. The man she had knocked out was heavier than he seemed, but not enough to stop her from dragging him off into the darkened forest before the rest of his squad could notice his absence.

"Now that that's over, can we fall out?" the commanding officer asked towards Frank, amusement mixing with his annoyance at the other man's behavior.

Tani'm could not hear Frank's response, but suspected it was a long mutterance mixed with red faced embarrassment.

A few moments later and Tani'm had gotten the sentries limp body to a dark alcove under a fallen tree, and began searching his belongings when she heard a voice through his earpiece.

"Smith, where are you? Report."

He had a sidearm, a knife very similar to Franks, the rifle he had been aiming into the forest, and a series of what looked like darts that she had seen the forest service using before. Looking more closely at the rifle, she could tell that it wasn't a traditional hunting rifle, but had been modified to shoot the darts he was carrying.

"Smith, fall back into position."

The voice in the earpeace was so loud that she could hear the commanding officers voice from where he spoke; back where they had ambushed Thunderfoot. Standing tall and turning her head, she could hear him grumbling, almost picturing his head shaking back and forth as he said, "It's not bad enough I got Florentine pulling this shit, now Smith, too?"

While there was too much brush between them for her to see his face, she could tell that his sentiment was purely a thin hope, and that he knew Smith had not gone off on his own. Picking up Smith's rifle, Tani'm rushed back towards the squad, her coloration shifting until she blended back into the forest, slight shifts in greens and brown the only clue that she was even there.

When she returned they were no longer spread so far out, each of them only a few feet apart as they all trained their weapons on the forest. Their steps were slow as they moved away, fear written on their faces as they tried their best to distance themselves from whatever was going on.

"Sanchez to base, the target scurried, but Smith is gone..." The terror in his voice was barely contained as Sanchez scanned the forest, his sidearm tucked against his chest while he held the walkie-talkie with his other hand. "We're falling out and heading to the rendezvous point..."

With a deep breath the frightened man calmed himself and added, "Send backup in case this goes anymore sideways."

None of them spoke after that, the commanding officer simply gave a few hand gestures indicating the course they should take. Their skill and silent teamwork was remarkable, but did not matter to Tani'm who shadowed them like a specter in the night.

They didn't know the forest well, and had chosen a rather difficult patch of terrain to navigate. As their steps became more challenging, thanks to the soft moss and slippery stones, Tani'm knew it was only a matter of time until they would slip, and wondered if perhaps she could use that to her advantage. A memory from her past came to the front of her mind, from when she had been playing in the woods and discovered first hand just how unexpected the moss could behave. While a soft chuckle filled her throat she realized what she needed to do.

Moving ahead she found a steep slope that they would be forced to trudge across, only one path was flat enough, and lit well enough for them to consider using. For five minutes she ran down that trail, a shadow in the darkness, concealed by magic and leaving no trace as her feet seemed to skim the surface of the soft and uneven terrain. It was near the end of that long and arduous path that she found what she was looking for.

Allowing her concealment to fade she materialized back into view, the soldiers too far to sense her, or stop her from laying her trap. Small rivulets of water were pouring down the slope, making the footing precarious, but in the spot she had chosen there was a seemingly nice flat area that would lead them out and onto safer ground.

To one side was a steep wall of rock that climbed up out of sight, roots and leaves jutting out with water seeping between the cracks. The flat trail was coated in rocks, mud and moss in equal and dangerous degrees, providing small channels for the water to escape down a gentle four foot slope where the terrain once more took a steep decline down into the darkness. It wasn't a cliff like the wall that stood above, but it was steep and covered in bushes and debris just the same.

Standing on the edge and looking out over the forest, Tani'm's enhanced vision allowed her to see far, and despite the thick moisture that hung in the air, she could sense a calm over her home. The wolf's absence was obvious, and for that she was grateful, but turning her head she could hear the soldiers making slow progress in her direction, silent expletives following the breeze, reminding her of how hard it was to travel the forest at night for other people.

Tani'm stepped away from the steep slope and lowered herself down, touching the ground and manipulating the moss that covered the stones and mud, strengthening the roots in some places while weakening them in others. She knew exactly what she was trying to do, and had just enough time to complete her work before she could hear their footsteps drawing close. The well trained military men trudging through the dark and uneven terrain were aided by the light of the waxing moon that watched them from above, and Tani'm smiled knowing that they had no idea what they had started when they ambushed Thunderfoot.

She once more activated her gift, her coloration shifting and blending with her environment as she backed against the cliff wall. Before she pressed herself against it she reached under her arm and touched the glyph that Andrew had placed on her armor, feeling the suit harden and change as the protective magic took hold.

Their fear was present in their staggered steps and labored breathing as they headed towards her. All of them were white faced as their eyes desperately searched the forest for the slightest sign of danger. It was a testament to their training, really, that none of them had succumbed to the fear that stalked them, losing their reason and screaming out into the darkness. In their eyes she could see barely contained panic, and Tani'm knew that the strength of their will was about to be tested.

Sanchez was walking point, his face a mask of determination as he carefully placed each step and moved towards their destination. Tani'm's gift told her of the terror that hid beneath his stoic surface, the scent of it hanging heavy in the breeze that preceded him. Behind him was the other sentry who she had not yet learned the name of, and finally a couple of yards behind him was Frank Florentine, the person who had started everything, and the one she wanted the most.

Tani'm almost laughed at the oddity of the situation, their concealed fright masked from view behind a wall of training and determination, while she was excited and eager for what was about to take place. It's funny how much a difference in perspective makes, one man's torment is another man's joy. Part of her wondered if maybe she was not as different from her parents as she hoped, and that thought widened the familiar pit in her heart, allowing an old and enticing voice to speak out from the past and make her question her actions.

"No," she told herself.

"You are not your parents," Thunderfoot added, a warmth in her mind reminding her of why she was doing this, to protect her friend and ensure that nothing like this happened again.

With a slight smile she pressed herself against the wall, the men drawing close as she watched them like a predator. Tani'm's heart raced as Sanchez approached the trap she had laid, his pistol held close to his chest while he took each step carefully. He was extremely well trained, all anxiety held at bay by years of practice and experience.

To Tani'm's great disappointment, he crossed the patch of moss she had prepared without triggering the reaction she had expected. His footsteps were too soft, too careful to cause the reaction she had desired, but she knew that was about to change, the sentry who followed him was not as concerned with his steps as he was with his surroundings, his pistol held a very short distance from his chest, barrel towards the ground and eyes shifting around him.

After only two steps on the soft moss it happened, a yelp peeling out into the night as a large sheet of moist terrain broke loose, dropping the man to his side and moving with shocking speed down the gradual slope towards the steep decline. Florentine was stunned, pistol held close as his eyes grew wide with surprise as he watched his comrade grasping and clawing at the large section of moss that was carrying him over the edge.

Again, Tani'm was amazed at Sanchez, who holstered his weapon as he drew his knife. Even she would have struggled to act so fast as the man threw himself into the air, lunging head first towards his subordinate, screaming, "O'Brady, grab my hand!"

Sanchez barely caught O'Brady's outstretched arm and was immediately pulled after him, both sliding towards the dark unknown. He slammed his knife into the ground, a grinding sound mixed with the gutteral sounds of the two men screaming as their muscles strained against the forces they were fighting. O'Brady was over the edge by the time they stopped, Sanchez sprawled out and almost crying from the pain in his arms as he struggled to keep his man from falling.