Page 7 (1/2)

CHAPTER SIX

AWEEKafter leaving the desert behind, we entered a jungle of thick cactus plants, long snaking vines, and stunted, twisted trees Very few leaves grew on the trees Those that did were long and thin, a dull orange colour, grouped near the tops of the trees

We’d cos, bones, hair - but didn’t see any until we entered the jungle There we found a curious e creatures Most of the animals were similar to those of Earth - deer, squirrels,Some of the differences weren’t so readily apparent - we captured a squirrel one day, which turned out to have an extra set of sharp teeth e exa claws

We’d picked up dagger-shaped stones during the course of our trek, which we’d sharpened into knives We now er aniainst a panther, but they helped us frighten off the small yellow monkeys which jumped from trees on to the heads of their victims, blinded them with their claws and teeth, then finished them off as they stumbled around

"I never heard of roup of the sie boar-like animal

"Me neither," Harkat said

As atched, the monkeys paused and sniffed the air suspiciously One ran to a thick bush and screeched threateningly There was a deep grunt froer monkey - like a baboon, only an odd red colour - stepped out and shook a long arm at the others The yellow s and snored the the baboon to finish off the boar

"I guess size matters," I muttered wryly, then Harkat and I slipped away and left the baboon to feed in peace

The next night, while Harkat slept - his night to this neorld - and I stood guard, there was a loud, fierce roar froht was usually filled with the nonstop sounds of insects and other nocturnal creatures, but at the roar all noise ceased There was total silence - once the echoes of the roar subsided - for at least five minutes

Harkat slept through the roar He was norreed with hi

"You think it was - our panther?" he asked

"It was definitely a big cat," I said "It er, but my money’s on the black panther"

"Panthers are usually very quiet," Harkat said "But I guess they could be - different here If this is his territory, he should come by - this way soon Panthers are on constant patrol Wehis ti for Seba Nile, Harkat had spoken with several vaht with lions and leopards, so he knew quite a lot about the a pit to - lure it into, catch and truss a deer, and also find some - porcupines"

"Porcupines?" I asked

"Their quills can stick in the panther’s - paws, snout and ht slow it down or - distract it"

"We’re going to need more than porcupine quills to kill a panther," I noted

"With luck, we’ll startle it when - it cohten it into - the pit Hopefully it will die there"

"And if it doesn’t?" I asked

Harkat grinned edgily "We’re in trouble Black panthers are really leopards, and leopards are - the worst of the big cats They’re fast, strong, savage and - great cliher than it"

"So if plan A fails, there’s no plan B?"

"No" Harkat chuckled dryly "It’ll be straight to plan B ?Panic !"

We found a clearing with a thick bush at one end where we’d be able to hide We spent the h tools we’d fashioned from branches and bones When the pit was done, we harvested a couple of dozen thick branches and sharpened the tips, creating stakes that ere going to place in the base of the pit

As ere clie and started to tre another pit that had been filled with stakes, and the friend I’d lost there

"What’s wrong?" Harkat asked Before I could answer, he read it in hed "Mr Crepsley"

"Isn’t there any other way to kill it?" I groaned