Twelve- Mix of Good and Bad

The time passed agonizingly slow for Del why he and Aris waited for Dimmit. One minute, two minutes, five minutes, the anticipation was becoming unbearable. time was becoming longer and longer only allowing Del's anxiety more time to build. He was forced to close his eyes and take a deep breath before looking back towards the tent.

Finally, after hearing nothing but deafening silence, Del saw Dimmit re-emerge from the back of the large tent with the older Drenzien in tow, just as he said he would be. Del liked Dimmit. The young Drenzien was growing on him. They both were actually, he realized looking towards Arish. She too saw the movement at the tent and was now watching Dimmit, eyes glued on him.

Dimmit made his way back through the darker areas of the camp. the man appeared to be cooperating with him, which actually caused more concern for Del than comfort. Why would he just cooperate like that?

Soon enough Dimmit made his way out of the fortress with the man and back over to Del and Arish. 

"Who is that?" The man Dimmit was escorting asked upon seeing Del next to Arish. 

"Wait what is this?!" The Drenzien jumped away from Dimmit but it was too late, Dimmit hit the man over the head with a large rock he must have found and been saving for the occasion. the stranger fell to the ground cold. 

"Are you sure that's him?' Del wearily asked trying to get a good look at the stranger but he was currently face first in the dirt. 

"He said he was their leader." Dimmit replied stretching out his wrist he had just used.

"Why did he go with you he was just going to attack?" Del asked, still unable to believe how easy that had appeared to be for Dimmit.

"I lied to him, Said there was a rescue team out here that wanted to talk." Dimmit shrugged.

Well... that was easy enough. Arish stated looking to the Drenzien on the ground then back to Dimmit. She actually looked rather impressed with him. 

"Let's not count our blessings yet." Del muttered grabbing the thick rope like substance given to him by chieftain Tamiri. He bound the strangers wrist and ankles and lifted the man with Dimmit. They had no choice but to carry him like this back to the city. meaning of course it was going to be a long tedious journey, but Del was already prepared for that. 

"Count our what?" Arish asked, a confused look on her face. 

"Our.. never mind." Del said realizing he didn't particularly want to explain earth religion to these aliens. the three then began the long journey back to the city. Del's plan was unfolding nicely, and he was actually ahead of schedule. he never thought he'd be able ton say that about himself. 

one hour into the long walk and it was clear Arish wasn't accustomed to long periods of silence or even being bored. she was asking a lot of questions. Relentlessly del though. some not even worth asking. 

"What about venom? do you think they have antivenom for all the poisonous creatures here?" She asked i her heightened, annoyed voice. 

"I would imagine so?" Del replied, one of several answers to several questions over the last five minutes.

"Well what if they don't?"Arish asked in a higher pitched tone.

"And the plant toxins too!" Arish said waving a hand and trailing off, muttering gibberish, proving further she only wanted to talk and didn't care about any of this. 

"Can we focus please." Dimmit sighed apparently feeling the same way Del did. 

"Fine." Said Arish folding her arms as she did so.

She was quiet for another fifteen minutes. Del rolled his eyes at the girls audacity. it was almost enough to chuckle at but then the three heard a startling roar from the jungle come from their left. The sound was ear piercing, like a shriek but long enough to be considered a wail, whipping all three of their necks in the direction the sound came from almost painfully fast.

"What was that?" Arish asked. this question not meaningless like the others. 

"Something we need to avoid." Del said quickly picking up the pace, Dimmit trying to follow suit but it was too late.

A large grey, horned creature came barreling out of the jungle. Del and Dimmit both dropped the Drenzien to leap out of the way. The creature charged leaping over the strangers body and turning back around. Del and and Dimmit exchanged a quick glance of fear before looking back at the creature, they both then stood up and got a better look at it. It looked to be a rhino like on earth but a little larger, currently staring down all three members of the group. Del sighed even with his heightened adrenaline, as he knew all the three of them combined had to fight this beast was his single simple knife.