Chapter 5: Runaway
John raced after the white tiger. He wasn’t going to let this stubborn prisoner escape. He was right behind her, but she was slowly outrunning him. He knew she had to tire some time soon. “Stop running! You’ll only make things harder on yourself! Surrender now, and I’ll make sure, no one kills you.” He was getting impatient. He had been chasing her for a few minutes. He wasn’t sure if Alpha had caught the other prisoner, but he was going to make sure he caught this one. From behind, he caught sight of every movement she made. She had very good agility, and he could see by her rippling muscles, she was fit. He thought for a minute. If he wanted her to stop, he’d need to change his approach. “Hey, slow down!” He said in a friendly tone. If he had to play nice, he would. He’d need to get her talking. “What’s your name?” He asked. She looked back, with a confused look on her face. She didn’t slow. “Why should I tell YOU!?” She mocked Alphas earlier statement. John agreed with her on that. So maybe he’d tell her some things, to get her thinking. “I’m John.” He said, softly. She began to slow, and now that she had, he did too, so he could gain some energy. “Well…. I’m Moon.” She replied. John took that in. Moon was a pretty name, and it suited her too. “That’s a nice name.” He tried to sound convincing, even though he meant it, she may figure out, he was just playing nice. “Why are you doing this John?” She called back to him. He thought for a moment. She was beginning to slow even more. “What do you mean?” He asked back. “I mean, why do you work for the humans? They only manipulate, and hurt us, why fight on their side?” She coughed. She was losing her breath. John was gaining energy, he just needed to keep her talking a little longer. “Because I get paid. And I’d rather been on the winning side.” He answered truthfully. “And what if you were the one person, that could’ve helped our side win?” She looked back, and he could see in her eyes, she was getting tired. He thought about what she said. “What do you mean?” He asked, still thinking. “I mean, there’s always that one difference between winning and losing, and the results can differ, by one soldier. What if you were that one soldier, that could have helped? That could have won us the war?….. And fought for the humans, sealing our fate of loss.” She finished. He had never thought of that before. She was almost within grasping distance. She may be his prey, meant to be captured, but she had a strong heart, and good intention. And what did he have? A selfish goal, and a contract. He admired her thoughtfulness, and willpower. He had never seen any of his prey determined to find freedom. “I know what your trying to do.” She told him. “Your trying to get me talking, and weaken me…” She accused him. John became aware, that he had kinda lost sight of that goal to slow her down. He had just begun to enjoy talking. But now he realized, he was outwitted. “Well John…. Enjoy the punishment on returning without me.” She shouted, and raced forward, with a new burst of energy. John looked around him, and realized he had been running a long time. The trees were thinning, and the ground under paw was getting rocky. He realized they were nearing a cliff. “Moon, stop! There’s a cliff ahead of you!” He called to her. She wasn’t that much farther ahead, only by several yards. “Not falling for it!” She shouted at him. John raced forward with his gained energy. “Stop! Now! Please!” He shouted at her. “No! Leave me alone!” She called back. She kept running. They were getting close. He didn’t want her to fall. He raced forward and off to the right into the thick jungle. He pulled ahead. She looked back to see he was no longer there. John raced forward as far as he could, then bolted a sharp left. He came back to the path, as she came through a wall of leaves, and collided with her, knocking her to the other side of the pathway. He had slammed into her, just several feet away from the edge. From the edge down, there was a 3000 ft drop to another layer of jungle, in a valley, surrounded by forested Mountains. Moon was underneath him, and on her back. He was on his hands and knees one on either side of her. She looked up at him in fear at what he was doing, but then looked to her left. She stared out at the valley before her. She saw the rocky edge, which she was only several feet away from. A new look of terror entered her gaze, realizing what her fate could have been, if she had kept running for 2 more seconds. She looked up at John again. He looked down at her. He slowly crawled off, and backed away a little. His heart racing. A look of concern entered his face. He had been so scared that he wouldn’t have made it. He panted heavily and relief washed over him. Moon stayed on the ground, sitting up, with a frightened look on her face. “Are you okay?” John asked softly. She didn’t speak. She just stared at him, with concern. “I….. I’m okay….” She looked concerned with something. “W-…why did you save me?” She asked, her eyes scared but curious, and her ears back. “I thought you were trying to kill me…” She stuttered out. Johns ears went back. He had just saved her life. But he had tried to catch her. “No, I….. I wouldn’t have killed you.” He answered. “I just wanted you to cooperate.” He admitted. She looked at the ground, and backed away. “Your going to bring me back to base, aren’t you….” She said sadly. He saw her eyes begin to water, and tears streamed down her cheeks. He thought for a moment. She had made a good point earlier…. About the war with the humans. He was surprised she had even talked to him. He took a moment to really look at her. It was hard to really see her from behind. Now that he had time to take everything in…. He realized, that really, she was quite beautiful. Her blue eyes were entrancing. He didn’t have to work for the humans. But leaving would mean, leaving his friends too…. Alpha and Fang. What would they think, if he told them he had rescued a prisoner. Let alone, actually LIKED one. He just hoped once he found them and explained, they would understand. “No… I’m not bringing you back there.” He told her kindly. She looked up, with renewed hope in her eyes. But then she looked scared. “Are you going to kill me?” She shivered. “No. Never….. I don’t want to hurt you. Not anymore.” He told her. “Then… What are you going to do with me?” She asked cautiously. “I’m want to protect you. Your not exactly defenseless, but your not the best at protecting yourself either. I’d like to be on your side…” John began to feel hot. He was glad he was naturally red, because he was sure he was blushing. “……. Well…. Thank you John…” Moon hesitated. “Where are we going to go though?” She asked. “I was thinking we grab my friends first. They may have a hard time understanding, but, I think they’d help.” John reassured her. He looked up at the sky. It was getting dark out. “Come on, let’s get somewhere warm and safe. It’s getting late. And it’s going to get cold.” John told her. He grabbed her hand gently, and pulled her up to stand. He guided her to tall tree. He looked at the trunk carefully. “Let me see… Is this the right one?” He spoke to himself. “The right what?” Moon asked. “As a kid, I lived in this area, it’s how I knew about the cliff. I also made a tree house. I made a mark- AH! Here it is. Yep, it’s the right one.” He pointed to a cross hash of claw marks. “Okay, you go first, I’m right behind you.” Moon put her hands on the trunk, and stared up. “Go the the third branch up.” John advised. “Okay.” Moon let her claws slide out, and launched at the trunk. She climbed with ease. He stared up at her, in admiration. He jumped up after her. He climbed onto the first branch, several yards off the ground, and leapt several yards to the next. She was still ahead of him. He leapt another 5 yards up, and grabbed the trunk, climbing the last few yards up onto the third branch. She waited for him on the branch. He climbed up next to her, and walked along the yard thick branch to the trunk, and pulled a curtain of leaves away from it, revealing a deep cove in the thick tree trunk. Moss lined the bottom. “Come on in.” He called to her. He stepped in, onto the soft bed, and she followed. “You made this place?” Moon asked. “Ya, I carved it out myself.” John sat down on the mossy bed, with his back against a moss lined slope. “Here, come sit.” He tapped his lap. Moon looked slightly afraid. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. It’s cold out. I’ll keep you warm.” He told her calmly. She walked slowly up to him, and settled down on his lap, her legs between his, and her face on his left shoulder, facing his right. John wrapped his arms around her, and nuzzled the top of her head. “I’m sorry I scared you today. I will help you find your friends tomorrow.” He reassured her. “Thank you.” She answered, and closed her eyes. He closed his, and felt the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. He drifted into a deep, warm sleep.