The Creature Triumphant

The peeling lightning from above was the only illumination, but its fury lent the scene before her an almost shifting, stop motion narrative. The sounds of the crashing thunder, bestial grunts, and tearing vines mixed with the splashing water that poured down onto the beasts as the fought. She held her knees to her chest as the hairy thing was violently bashed in the side by a boulder. The very next lightning flash showed it leaping in the air, spear held high. The next, the beast was being held up the the Vines.

Darkness. Silence except for grunting and pouring water. Suddenly, a whooshing sound, and the cave erupted in thrashing tendrils. The lightning flashed and Tara saw the spear jutting out of the oozing eye and out the back as the thing writhed; dying. It was like slow motion to her as the lightning illuminated beast rose from the water, shaking itself dry and roaring in triumph. Its great nostrils flared, and its head rotated so she could see one great yellow eye over its shoulder, staring straight at her.

Tara held still, but she knew her scent had given her away. She tried to stand again, but everything was slick and she only managed to writhe against the smooth wall. Its massive bulk moved slowly toward her now. The wet fur glistened in the lightning. Her breaths came rapidly as it drew nearer and nearer. She winced when she saw a thick, veiny pink tube slide out of a hairy sheath swinging between its legs. Her eyes went wide as it kept sliding.

She tried to stand again as she saw its glistening tusks be joined with a wide, jagged grin as it reached down for her. Tara wanted to scream, but she didn't know if that would anger it. Its massive paw wrapped around her ankle and her world spun briefly before she felt herself come to a rest, now draoed over its massive shoulder backward, her ankles pressed together in one of its huge hands to balance her. She bounced along, rhythmically as it centered itself beneath the hole. She felt it dip, and closed her eyes as it took three running steps, and then lept, sending a massive splash of water in every direction. Its hand found the edge of the hole, and in a whirl of motion they were out.

Tara opened her eyes, watching the hole get smaller and smaller as she was carried deeper into the jungle.