A New World

Fern and various animal companions raced to confront the men approaching the forest and soon silently followed their path. There was roughly fifty men invading a huge number for their small forest. Quickly and quietly they made a plan based upon know ancient hunting practices and various techniques.

The wolves would concentrate on picking off stragglers from the back and sides while the bears would stop their forward passage for brief moments at a time. One bear in front with several running by swiping at the men's limbs before running into the brambles to hide.

Rabbits and chipmonks, mice and rats would set trip traps and vines to slow and confuse and the bearman would attack with spears and clubs. Fern would show up and shoot with her arrows then lead them across the mountain pass into the wild mutated beasts domains.

If she was brave enough to face this new beginning she would be able to heal more animals and beasts as well as learn more about what and why she was. If the humans were determined and enough to follow her hopefully they would met their doom.

Their plan went well at first and man and horse fell and fled from the group but soon they've tightened into groups and fought back. Their bows too accurate and their swords and armour proven to be way more durable then the hunters they had faced before.

She raised her bow to shoot but this time was different than shooting leaves of acorns throw by her animal friends. If a arrow flew it could kill and take life before it's time, she would be going against the natural order of things. This act could be considered as being as unreasonable as these thoughts of man.

She started to shake and could not loose the string and bring death then he saw the man laugh as he cut into the mother wolf's back. This was the first to give her milk, to give her life, a chance to live. She saw her mother wolf blood spray across his face and he laughed and his joy and evil once again flashed through her mind.

The next moment she released the string to stopped this twisted evil man's heart but something inside her changed as well as the man died. She turned to run and she heard their men's roar as they gave chase, she whispered farewell and told her friends to hide.

She felt the tears fall down her face, she cried but did not understand why she cried, anymore then she could understand these men's need to hurt and kill mercilessly. The animals they rode upon were forced to run faster because of pain and fear the men's spurs and whips making them bleed.

She found their minds dulled from abuse and neglect except a few, some even seemed to have been taught how to be cruel as well which was against their inner nature. Most were dominated and scared and had lost the will to fight against their abusers.

As quickly as she could she entered into these animals heads and tried to heal them reminding them of freedom and peace. Slowly more and more of them opened their minds to her and she could quell their fears and started to communicate with them.

Finally she convinced many of them to free themselves when they reached the rivers edge, then led them upward towards a small jump across the river. She swung across easily and just moments later several or the men riding in the front horses jump effortlessly following.

However the next group of horses bulked and throw their riders into the river, the one's directly behind stopped and began to buck as if they were wild Broncos. Most of the men were thrown or jumped off to avoid the fall, only a few could manage to hold their horses reins. Most freed fled back into the forest back in the direction they had came from.

As she exited the forest and started the harsh climb up the mountain side she could only detect about five men following her. Their leaders mind was too chaotic to enter even though it was open only mad and insane pictures reflected outward.

However, the men behind him were focused on money, fame and power all mixed with thought of hurting, raping and various other thoughts. Humans did not seem to need a reason to do many of the things they did except because of their wants.

They were catching up even going up the steep slope because the trees and brush had reduced significantly. Up ahead was a narrow passageway that split the mountains peaks, once across she had to go down into another forested area, hopefully she could lose them there.

Once she entered the new forested area it would be a new world for her and Fern had no knowledge of what she would find there. Her breathing was starting to become erratic and for the first time she felt fear. It made her unstable and nervous feeling she had never known.

The men had gotten closer again and they would more then likely catch up to her at the top of the mountain pass. She stretched her sprital senses and begged for help, even though it probably wouldn't help. Most animals didn't understand the concept unless they were family.

Just as she came to the top of the passageway she had less then a fifty foot advantage in front of her pursuers. Their horses were tiring as well but she doubted that they were more tired then her. Going downward to escape seemed a very unlikely and improbable way to escape now.

Glancing up the shear cliff sides offered little hope except for a small overhang about twenty feet up might be doable. She ran as fast she could muster and sprung five feet upward to bound and twist upward against the opposite side two repeated bounds and she strained to grab onto that thin ledge.

She fell short by a foot but managed to grab hold of a protruding tree root, the men continued to close the distance now shouting and whistles sounded in her head. She tyres to give the root energy so it could help her upward but she had very little left to breath and hold on let alone to transpher to it.

Fern felt her body growing weaker and weaker and know soon she would fall, she braced herself thinking to transfer her life energy to this tree. In this way the men would not have her but suddenly something reached over the edge and grabbed her.

It's claws pierced her and lifted her from sight, that was the last she remembered as darkness closed in. The men only saw her disappear in a flash, taken away by a black furred monstrosity.