Wolf rock

Power indicator

Yellow-flower jumped the branch and landed in the grass beyond. He kept low as he ran through the grass, the green blades whiplashed across the glass dome of his helmet and he pushed onwards as fast as he could.

There was a deep bass grunt from behind, Yellow-flower didn't dare a look. He knew what it was, and he knew the wolf was close. It had been close all through the chase. He dived left round a small sapling, then right round an upthrust rock.. Yellow-flower tried to concentrate only on running, but when his suit beeped in his ear his eyes flicked to the power-paw next to his chin. Two pads of the display were red. Two power cells drained. Only one pad was flashing pure green, the others were draining fast. He dared not think about what it would mean if the suit lost power here so far from home with a wolf on his tail.

How far was it now, how far to the water? He had no idea, Butterfly-sky had the map, but Butteryfly-sky was gone, most likely dead. Was he even heading the right way? Just keep running, that was his only hope.

The grass started to thin, Yellow-flower could run faster. The pounding of the wolfs feet was there right behind him. The thinner grass could mean he was nearing the slope down to the water. The next power pad winked from green to red. No! Hope was dying as he neared safety.

Then he was out of the grass and the water was there below him only two throws away. He jinked left aware that in the open he couldn't out run the wolf. The monster's jaws snapped on empty air to his right, far too close. He needed a break, something to open the gap or he was dead before he reached the water.

A large rock loomed suddenly in front of Yellow-flower. Grasping his Power-staff he leapt for the rock, smashed into the surface only his power suit making it survivable, and with every ounce of strength jumped straight back towards the open mouth of the wolf.

Too quick for the wolf to react Yellow-flower rammed the staff up it's nose tumbled over its head and crashed to the ground behind it. The power-paw beeped as another indicator flashed to red. He didn't look at it. In an instant he was on his feet and running for the water.

Behind he heard the wolfs snarl turn into a yowl of pain as the power staff discharged. He leaped into the air to hit the water as far out as possible and plopped down at least a wolfs length from the shore. When he bobbed back to the surface already swimming for the island of Searbay he dared a glance back, to see the wolf prowling the shoreline and looking right at him.

Another beep drew hit attention back to the power display. Only one pad had any green left it it. Well, he thought, one problem at a time, and concentrated on swimming smoothly to make the power last.