Underhowl- Rise of the Pures

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

    Gina and Nala were charging to the arena before Jeda could get a grip on what was happening. Jeda gasped and pushed off, desperate to catch up. But they were too far. Thinking of the last time he had run as fast as he could, with Oliver by his side, gave him the energy he needed. He sprang forward faster, imagining Gina and Nala’s fleeting backs as Oliver’s bike ahead of him, and he dashed forward. He caught up with them in no time, but running was the best feeling. He completely forgot about Gina’s instruction and he sped past her.

     Jeda heard Gina’s gasp and cry of anger as he streaked past her. He smiled to himself. He was about to become the protected one, the weakling, for this? He was almost back with Oliver again, the pillars were trees, and the rock hard floor was flowing grass. The fence surrounding the arena loomed into view, and he galloped towards it. He could see the other team through the fence- and their Leader; Buster. An idea popped into Jeda’s head. They think I’m going to meet them in the entrance way, he realised, I’ll surprise them!

    The fence was getting closer and closer. With his imagination, he believed that Oliver was just over it, and without hesitation, he leaped up. Scrambling and pushing with his front legs, he gave one final push and was looking over the other team. One team mate gave a cry of fear at the sudden sight of Jeda, and the others looked up soon after, shock written on their faces. Buster was the last to look up at Jeda.

    Like a cat Jeda ran along the fence line to get closer to them, and then jumped off the fence, about to smash down on one of the team mates. He didn’t need instructions on how to distract or fight this team, he knew everything. It was as if he always knew.

    The team mate jumped out of the way just in time. Jeda didn’t stop when he landed. He dived under a tall dog and knocked his legs over, and pounced on him with a growl. He was seized from behind, and Jeda squirmed out of the jaws of the team mate he had almost squashed. With his front paws he pushed the dog on his chest down on the ground, only for his ear to get caught in another dog’s mouth. Jeda’s head was dragged around, but he pushed the attacker over with his opposite foot. Jeda caught a glimpse of the opposition he had pinned down. It was Buster. Buster snarled a little and kicked Jeda off his chest and Jeda flew across the sand. He tumbled across it, and then scraped himself back up, charging straight for Busters hunched over form. He rolled under Busters quick blow and pushed his back over, kicking his legs away from the ground, and Buster landed with a thump.

    He heard the dogs behind him before he saw them. He slipped to the left and let the new attackers pass him, and then pounced on one of their backs.

    “What do you think you’re doing?! ” screeched Gina. Jeda jumped off her without saying sorry, and sped through the exit of the arena. He heard pattering paws, and saw Nala chasing after him. He was about to ask her why she was following Jeda instead of Gina, but he answered his own question. He had just taken down Gina, the Leader of his own team- did that mean that he was the new Leader now?

    There was no time to ponder- the Head Defence of the other team was upon them. He dived under and pushed the one on the right off course with his legs, tripping over the middle one with his front leg. Nala took the right one down and used her legs like scissors on the dog’s neck, holding it down. Jeda turned around and growled at the dog bearing down at him. The dog snarled a bark, and Jeda feigned back. Galloping full speed he could hear the dog breathing down his back. Without warning he put on the brakes and curled into as small a ball he could make himself. Like a game of Leap Frog the dog leapt over him and Jeda had time to go the other way.

     He dodged around the blur of Nala and the oppositions fight, and straightaway dashed under the roof of dead leaves. He could see the Sneakers of his team making their way with the oppositions protected one. But a flash of yellow from behind the fence caught Jeda’s senses.