The night was clear and quiet again save for the heavy breathing of all concerned. With a weary effort Junebug pressed one hand to the ground and lifted herself to her feet, taking care to keep her weapon free. Smoke drifted slowly from the barrel of the weapon as she scanned the jungle. Taya trembled, holding Neil's smoking pistol in both hands. The girl's eyes were like saucers and Junebug gave it even odds that she was about to throw up. With meticulous care she refastened her patrol sling and slung the submachinegun before picking her way up the slope. With a slow deliberate motion she plucked the pistol from the young woman's unyielding hands, cracked the chamber, closed the weapon and put the safety on before handing it back to Taya. Zalli stood not far away, forearms slicked in blood from the knife she held in a reverse handed grip. The native girl's chest heaved with exertion and excitement which Junebug was objective enough to concede was distracting. She didn't try to take the knife, the girl obviously knew enough to handle the weapon.

The large creature lay sprawled against a grayish boulder projecting from the ridge, greenish blood flowing into the volcanic red dirt. Up close the thing appeared to be more cat like, though given a weird aspect by the unusually long front legs. Its mouth was filled with long razored teeth as well as cartilaginous spurs that ran from the things joints. There was a strange smell too, like a combination of cinnamon and ammonia. Junebug wondered if the things were venomous. Turning her flashlight on she illuminated the things paw and was relieved to find claws but no obvious venom. 

"Well," Junebug commented, voice seeming oddly loud in the quite the followed the moments of frenetic action.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

In the aftermath of the ambush no one was enthusiastic about making camp and they marched through the night, stopping briefly at dawn to eat a quick meal of fruit foraged by Zalli and Neil. Taya marched resolutely head down and grip tight on the gun, though what she thought it would accomplish with no rounds was any ones guess. An hour later Taya stiffened suddenly and Junebug lifted her weapon.

"I have a ping from the Highlander," she said, the first words she had spoken in some hours, voice cracking for want of a drink of water. She seemed to focus for a moment and then turned a few degrees to the north.

"Got a bearing," she reported happily. Another hour later, guided by Taya's radio beacon they climbed over the low rise and looked down upon the crippled ship, still moored to the bank and unmolested.

[@POOHEAD189]