The Burden of Endurance: A Space Colonization Adventure Novella (Under a New Sun Book 2) by R. L. Blalock

Author:R. L. Blalock [Blalock, R. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: R. L. Blalock
Published: 2019-10-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

The trees around the riverbank no longer held the magic and wonder they had before. Now they were menacing. They concealed the threat. The wild were in every shadow. They were every rustling leaf and snapping twig.

Where are all the Chroin? I asked Kuna nervously. We had only seen one. I had expected there to be dozens along the riverbank. Despite the fact that Kuna’s herd had tried to overrun the Endurance’s crash site, they now seemed like rare gems.

They’re out there, Kuna assured me. We haven’t walked very far. The planet is vast.

I felt a tingle creep in at the edge of my mind. Before I could react, a sudden shriek made my hair raise up on end. I whipped back and forth, looking for the source. Kuna’s head moved back and forth as well.

The wild burst from the tree line, running at us at an all-out sprint. It kicked up dirt and leaves in its wake as it galloped toward us. Its head was small and sleek at the end of a short neck. Its body was lithe, making it seem like a missile as it sped toward us. Two more like it burst through the tree line at its flanks.

Without a word, one of the black tendrils snaked up from Kuna’s chest. The instant it was attached, it pulled me back toward the black orb. Our vision blurred, and trepidation ran down my spine as I lost sight of the wild. When Kuna and I stopped to look around, the ATV hadn’t stopped. They were too far ahead now.

The first wild leaped up and easily landed on the ATV, its long toes wrapping around the ATV’s roll bar. The ATV swerved wildly as the driver tried to keep it under control.

We sprung onto another wild as it darted for the vehicle. These wild were smaller than us. They weren’t as strong, but they were faster. The wild dodged then stumbled on a tree root as it scrambled out of our way. The moment of hesitation was all we needed. We charged, our claws scraping down the creature’s hindquarters. Its scream was cut short as our claws tore open the creature’s throat.

Lightning bolts of pain seared through our back, and we cried out. The wild’s tiny claws dug into our shoulders as it struggled to keep its hold on our back. The creature’s teeth scored our neck as its small head managed to squeeze underneath our protective frill.

With another bellowing roar, we shook off the creature, throwing it to the ground. The wild hissed defiantly at us, arching its back as it circled around us. We lunged in, snapping frantically. As the creature dodged, though, our tail lashed out. The sharpened end buried itself in the wild’s side. It whined, and its back legs collapsed as it tried to scramble away.

We returned our attention to the ATV. The wild sat atop the mounted rail gun, preventing anyone from using it. The creature had slashed right through the ATV’s metal roof.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.