Chapter 12

Awakening with the sound of water dripping loudly near me, I opened my eyes. The feeling of my body was cold, it seemed the energy that I once had was gone. Growing hungry as time passed, I tried to work my bruised body to move. More then just the pain in my tail foot an a searing headache I found out soon that I also had cracked ribs at minimum.

Sigh~ it was to be expected, my back was the second part of my body to make contact. I thought while slightly shuddering remember my seemingly endless freefall.

Reflecting back on it, I may have not fallen that great a distance. But it did not matter now as my body’s injuries won’t just recover magically. Straining my eyes to see what was byond inside this cave, I could only see darkness as the wind howling and the dripping of water were the only things that seemed to make noise.

Finally getting the strength to prop myself up on my butt, I attempted to sit. This however only caused me more pain as my butt was terribly bruised and once more reminded me that trying to move a broken bone hurt. Especially if that broken bone happens to be a extremely sensitive tail. Instead I rolled forward onto my hands and knees, knowing my elbows have also been bruised. With that effort I began to crawl to the inner parts of the cave in hopes to find some sort of food. I knew that plenty of creatures could survive places like this, so there must be at least some type of flora inside.

After god knows how much time past, I came across a curious sight, an unusual log that was clearly out of place, but on it was a plant I never expected to come across: mushrooms. Ignoring the log, I examined the mushroom to the best of my ability, making sure to the best of my ability that the mushroom was in fact an edible mushroom. Coming across a non edible mushroom could be fatal to me afterall. Unfortunately I could not entirely determine what kind of mushroom it was aside from that it was a type of oyster mushroom. But my gut instincts tell me it was edible.

As a hope of sustaining myself, I ate the mushroom. An unpleasant taste rang out from my mouth. I chose to ignore this even if it could mean it was dangerous, I never actually liked to eat mushrooms in the first place.

Slowly I crawled on top of the log intending to sit on it, its convenient location was near the wall so I could sit on it using my thighs and rest my back against the wall for support if needed. I had not truly wanted to rast on my back however, my back was also bruised after all. I also had some cracked ribs too.

As such I sat there thinking of all the problems I had.once more feeling the despair of my situation I broke down in tears once more. My situation was simply helpless. I could not climb back up the cliff without taking proper measures. I had no idea when the rain would stop and beyond that, my ankle was incapable of use while my hands were cut up. I was in simply no condition to climb. The dripping water continued to haunt my thoughts…

However, the dripping sounded different?...

The usual dripping was there, but, there was a quite pitter-patter that was in line with the dripping noise. Almost impossible to detect without excellent hearing. Hearing I had. Becoming scared I swiveled my ears to where I thought the sound was coming from. Shortly after, I raised my head from its previous hanging position looking toward the noise.

Some days, you just shouldn't look toward imminent death. In the cave was a monster. This monster had an aura of something legendary, it was simply not a monster I could take down now or maybe ever. It appeared as some sort of flying lynx, except it’s coat was blue, and it had dark lines running along its back like a tiger. On its back was 2 white wings. I had no way escape. I had no way to fight. And worst of all, this creature was undoubtedly after blood.

After hearing me sob it was probably aroused and I guess I suddenly became its prey.

Time seemed to slow to a grinding halt then. I saw my impending doom in full glory then.

The legendary creature’s name was: multos opprimet per varia volans. The creature noticing that I had seen it, roared. In the cave the roar echoed throughout and made me temporarily deaf with ringing. Its roar was short lived however, as it soon started its sprint toward me.

Sensing the end I simply closed my eyes.

The world wanted to continue torturing my poor soul, the creature had insane power flowing through its veins, I could feel it move across the floor. The creature pounced a fair distance away. I suppose that's natural as it has wings after all. The world would torture me no more as I felt the creature’s claws tearing into my chest, the force blowing me toward the floor, searing pain coursed through my body as my back it the floor once more.

The shock of the pain made me open my eyes slightly as I saw the creature once more pounce at me.

Serves you right coward, you can only fight the harmless herbivores. I thought, clearly mockingly. Closing my eyes for the final time, I took one last ragged breath. At that last moment the ringing in my ears stopped. Sadly, only to hear a heavy beating of wings.

The claws once more sank into me.