Cliffhanger

Zima looked back towards the gap; through it she could see the trolls legs. The trolls knew the young sylestis had dived through the gap. They began to bang their clubs against the jagged rocks in attempt to make the wall give way. The pair looked at each other with fear and began to back deeper and deeper into the gap.

"You don't think they'll be able to knock down these rocks do you?" Yae whispered nervously.
"I hope not." Zima mumbled quietly.

The pair had their eyes fixated on the gap, the adrenaline of the chase had worn off but the fear remained. The banging had stopped and the trolls were grunting at each other. The pair felt the ground shake as the trolls began to walk away, when one of the trolls hit the wall one last time before walking away in frustration.

"We're finally safe." Yae sighed with relief.
"Yeah, but where are we?" Zima said curiously.
"I think we've reached the Enigmatic Grotto." Yae replied thoughtfully.

The pair looked around the area. The rocks were covered in cracks which allowed sunlight to fill the cave. The walls around them were adorned with moss which contrasted against the steel grey rocks. A cool breeze was whirling through the cracks surrounding the cave.

"This is such a beautiful yet dangerous place." Yae said in awe.
"Yes it is, we should probably keep going. The Hunter's place is close by right?" Zima replied.
"Yes, let's go." Yae responded.

Word count: 249

Cliffhanger

Past the rocks was a hole and so Zima and Yae fell far far down below. A sea of giant fairy mushrooms cushioned the fall. After several bounces going from mushroom to mushroom, Zima was finally able to stabilize herself.

The cavern was vast and there was a beautiful glow off into the far distance, which was enough to light the area even here. The cries of the trolls were too far to hear.

"...where are we" Zima asked.

"...where are we" The cave echoed back.

Yae didn't answer but instead whispered, "follow me"

Yae slowly led Zima towards the glows of light that seemed to dance, flicker, and float through the air.

Zima's eyes wandered with curiosity. She noticed little doors and lanterns hanging on the mushrooms nearby. A fountain surrounded by flower gardens. Wooden signs with a language she could not understand.

A lightbulb went off in Zima's head as she connected the dots. She exclaimed with a face flush from excitement, "WOW! A hidden firefly lunemara village!"

Cliffhanger.

Zima felt the familiar weight leave her back. She tried to turn back and grab her friend but she slid on some moss and went sprawling. The trolls were towering above them now. The vile smelling behemoths stomped around trying to squash the pair of them. The sight of Yae trying to dodge those horrible huge feet sent Zima into a terrible rage. The small vulnyx never knew what impulse made her leap at the nearest foot and bite with all her strength.
The troll let out a howl and kicked his foot sending Zima spinning through the air. She landed with a thud that knocked the breath from her. She lay there her head spinning, when she felt something small and fuzzy brush by her face. She jerked up with a help to find Yae beside her. "Are you okay?" The tiny lunemara caterpillar asked. Zima nodded, "Yes, but we should get out of here before the trolls figure out where we landed." Just then there was a rustling in the bushes behind them.

Cliffhanger

Zima had somehow managed to jump into the small opening in the rock face. "Yae?" she said excitedly, still thinking the young lunemara was on her back. "Yae, we did it! Well done!". Panic ripped through her as she turned and saw Yae laying on the grass below. "Yae!" she said in horror. It looked like she was unconscious.

Just as Zima was about to jump down to save her little friend the voice of a troll boomed out "Where little cat go? Me want eat little cat! Me want eat!". Zima shrunk back into the small space she was in. A tunnel stretched back behind her but she couldn't just leave Yae to the trolls. Suddenly, Zima heard footsteps approaching her. They were coming through the tunnel. Here it was. Either take her chances with the trolls and try and save Yae. Or wait for the footsteps to reach her and take her chances with an unknown sylesti.

Cliffhanger

Zima tumbled and ended up sliding on her back into the rocks, while Yae tumbled to the left. The fastest of the trolls would be there in a few seconds, but Zima had no chance of getting up, as she was far too dizzy.

The troll arrived, as expected, and looked Zima up and down, not noticing Yae yet. He muttered something indecipherable as the other two caught up.

"Please! Don't eat me, I have to save my sister! She's gone and... I..." Zima began but couldn't finish. The trolls were getting too close for comfort.
"I-I... please..." Zima said, hoping these wouldn't be her final words, as the troll's eyes widened and they backed up. They proceeded to run back the way they came as the cub slowly turned around to see a lighira right behind her.



"Hello. Are you hurt? My name is Umsizi, and I can help." She said silkily, and Zima lifted a paw to where Yae lay. The lighira walked over and gently picked Yae up in her mouth, as a mother would carry a kitten. "Follow me." Umsizi mumbled, still holding Yae.

Word Count: 188

Cliffhanger.

Yae looked in the darkness, Zima had been too big to fit in the crack. She wasn't there. It seemed the trolls weren't all that bad, but they had been talking about soup as they carried her away. Maybe they were planning to eat her, or bring her to a party, but the last didn't seem likely. The dark was cold and chilly. Zima wasn't here to warm Yae. Yae missed her very much, just like her comfortable cocoon at home. She looked back through the crack, and then into the darkness. If Zima was down there, the trolls said something like that, Yae would have to be brave enough to find her. Yae inched down ever so slowly over the sharp cliff drop off. There was a flash of light, and Yae squeaked backing up. The trolls weren't looking her way. Yae peeled herself off the floor, and peeked over the edge. There was a big bonfire - and Zima knocked out cold. Yae gasped, and a troll looked at her. "Master will be pleased. We got both of them." it said, and grabbed Yae.

To be continued (if chosen). :)

Cliffhanger
(I'm just joining now, if I'm not allowed to, just disregard this)

Scrambling to get back on her feet, Zima started after Yae. The little Caterpillar tumbled right into the hole. Just as Zima was about to reach the hole, a troll grabbed her tail. She whipped around and bit the troll. Shocked, he let go. Zima took off. Nearing the rocks, Zima spotted the hole. The leaped in, and landed in a huge cavern. The only light she could see was from the hole. "Hello?" she called, "Yae, where are you?" Her eyes getting used to the dark, she padded forward cautiously. "Yae?" she called again. "Zima!" came Yae's voice. "Are you OK?"

Cliffhanger


Zima roared and stumbled over herself as she tried to run after Yae. She reached her small friend hoping that she was okay.

"Yae? Are you hurt?" Zima asked, sniffing the small lunemara.

"I'm fine," Yae responded, "but look out!"

The huge troll had just rounded the corner into the undergrowth and now was looming over them with a huge snarl spread across his face. Zima snarled back in response and stepped in front of Yae in a defensive stance.

"Get back!" She shouted. "I will hurt you! Keep away!" She continue to shout empty threats, hoping that the troll would leave. It didn't seem to help.

The huge creature just took another step closer, and then another step... and then another step...
When suddenly a blur burst out behind the troll slamming into it's back and making it stumble forward. The troll roared and tried to grasp the blur, but it moved out of it's reach before slamming into it again. The troll growled and swung its arms around aimlessly. Once again the blur slammed into it's head. The troll toppled over and fell onto the ground in front of Zima and Yae, where their savior rested on it's back triumphantly.
With the troll incapacitated on the ground, Zima finally took the time to study who saved them.

"who are you?" She asked, still trying to keep herself in front of her friend- just incase they tried to attack them next.

Cliffhanger

"Yae! Oh no!" Zima hardly registered the trolls quickly catching up behind her as she quickly surveyed the rocks, looking for any sign of her caterpillar friend. "Yae! Where are you?!"

"Quick, over here!" She heard a voice in the bushes to her right and quickly leapt in, not stopping to even think.
Yae was crouched under the bracken, her tail quaking with fear. Behind them, the trolls lumbered quickly. "They're going to find us soon. You need to follow me." Without waiting for a response, Yae pushed aside some of the brush to reveal a large hole in the rock wall. "It leads to a tunnel," she explained, before crawling inside. Zima gulped, she hated small spaces. Suddenly, one of the trolls reached down and began digging through the bushes. His hand brushed Zima's fur and she yelped, quickly following Yae into the darkness of the tunnel.

Cliffhanger
-Yae!- Zima cried out as she felt her tiny friend fall from her back. Zima tumbled down into the rocky crevice, hitting her head as she landed.
~~~
-Zima...- Zima heard a voice but it sounded far off. She groaned, lifting her heavy eyelids. -Zima! Thank goodness youre alive!- This time, Zima could hear the voice clearly. Her blurry vision came into focus, and she realized the voice was Yaes.
-Yae! Im so sorry, I-
-Its okay, I cant imagine how stressful that must have been. No need to apologise.- Yae patted Zimas ear. -You must've got knocked out, we fell pretty far down that hole.-
Zima wobbily got to her feet, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. -This cave...- She looked carefully at the walls. -There is writing etched into this stone, but I cant read it.-
-No, thats not writing...- Yae squinted at the markings. -I think these scratches are a territorial mark. Someone must live here.-