Jaguar (Working Title)

[Caragia]

Prologue

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"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls." -George Carlin


"Ugh! Sara Elizabeth Gossen, where are you!" Madison grumbled as she stumbled over yet another tree root, walking through night forest. She'd been out here for hours she'd guess, for the sun had set long ago. "When I get my hands on you...." she promised under her breath. Madison stopped, sighed and looked up; the tall sentinel-like trees covering most of the night sky. The eerie full moon showed down through small breaks in the canopy. One such rays illuminated her face, while giving her a view of the starry night. She looked down long enough to look at her surroundings to find a suitable place to rest.


Finding a nearby boulder, she flounced down exhausted. Madison placed her flashlight in her jeaned lap; hugging her cold arms. Why does my sister have to have her head in the clouds? Why is it that everyday is an adventure, I have to clean up after, she questioned herself. Here I am again, chasing after her when I should be at home looking for a way to get us out of this backwards town. Shaking her head, she paused for a moment, wondering: Doesn't she want that too? Madison sighed. She was tired, cold, miserable, frustrated, angry.... All those emotions coursing through her, running through this forest at night was beginning to be too much. Soon, a sole tear fell down her face. "Momma," she sniffed. Her mother had died from a complication during child birth when she was six.


That morning she'd saw her leave for the hospital to bring her baby sister into this world, only not knowing what awaited her. Madison's mother gone, leaving behind a baby and herself. Her father left soon after, leaving them with their grandmother. He'd said he'd be back soon, and for a while Madison had believed him. But no, he never came back. Right when she needed her father most, he left. Leaving them in this backwards town of Sheensville, Montana.


Madison wiped her tears away, sniffling as she took deep breaths. "Now's not the time to fall into self-pity," she admonished herself. She shook her head to try and get herself back in order and looked around. It's really late, she thought. I should have found her by now...I hope she's okay. Biting her lip as she stood, worry taking root, Madison resumed her search.


"Sara!" She called, "Where are you! Answer me!" And so this is how she went about, calling for her sister. "Sara?!" She called again, "It's late and it's time to g-" A twig snapped behind her. With all her calling, she hadn't noticed the forest go eerily quiet. "Sara?" She called tentatively. Madison stopped and shook her head. "It's just a squirrel," she assured herself and walked on.


"Sar-" She was cut off by more crackling of twigs and underbrush other than her own. Suddenly she heard several growls all around her; a howl not too far out in the distance. Just then, Madison remembered the whole reason she'd warned her sister to avoid going into the forest at night. People had been going missing lately, a few of them teenagers like them who'd gone out into the forest. She'd known a couple of them from the local community college/high school she attended.


Rumors had been circling around town about how someone or something had taken them. A bloody shoe found on one occasion. Remembering that caused Madison's already frightened and frayed nerves rise. Maybe I should go home, she thought as she looked around frantically. She was about to take a step in the direction where she'd come from when, she thought better of it. No matter how scared I am, I can't leave her out here.


Madison picked up her pace and started briskly walking around the trees, her search continuing. "Sara, please come out already," she whispered to herself. She looked around as she started to feel like she was being watched.... Unable to stand it any longer, Madison soon began running through the forest; panic in her eyes.


She looked behind her, only to get a glimpse of something...hideous--evil. This only proved to frighten her more as she ran as fast as she could. Darting in and out of the trees, Madison ran. A howl sounded behind her, followed by panting and growls.


So terrified was she that Madison didn't notice a protruding tree root, falling to the ground with a CRACK and a cry of pain. My ankle, she cried. Madison touched it briefly for a moment. Oh no! She sobbed. It's broken! Madison pulled herself up, panting hard, and hobbled as best she could to get away; but it was too late. The thing had caught up to her.


Madison fell again, backing away this time only to be caught with a massive tree trunk behind her. Intangible fear in her eyes, a sob in her throat, as she saw what had been chasing her. It looked like something only out of a horror movie, standing at least five feet tall at the shoulder. A werewolf? Madison wondered, way beyond panic. Eyes as red as the deepest pit of hell, a fur coat that was speckled with black spots, yet looked like a wolf's pelt. Ears rounded like a cats, yet the muzzle had a canine quality to it. It's fur hid muscle she was sure that was nothing but raw power. Massive paws with long, sharp claws...and to her dismay, it wasn't alone. At least three others just like it appeared around her.


Madison looked to the monster standing in front of her and stared it into it's eyes. Tears ran unchecked as she feared that she'd be mauled or eaten. As it lunged, she fainted. Mommy, Sara, Grandma...Daddy, she called, help me, was her last thought. Then darkness.

 

[Caragia]

Chapter One

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"What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement." -Napoleon Hill


A white tailed deer grazed on underbrush, nosing through dead leaves and debris. It paused and looked up, it's ears twitching this way and that. Satisfied that it perceived that it safe, the animal continued foraging.


All of a sudden, a large jaguar male jumped from a tree branch from above; pouncing on his prey. He immediately tried to go for the throat, but failed. The deer had kicked the cat hard in his stomach with the animal's powerful hind legs. Not wasting time, the deer ran off into the woods, wounded; the metallic scent of blood wafting through the air. The cat gave chase but soon tired out, letting the animal go.


You did it again didn't you. Came a voice in his head. Despedas, Miguel, he answered back with an annoyed and exhausted tone.


No I won't lay off. The rainy season will be here soon and here you are lolly gagging around! The voice cursed. You always have your head in the clouds! We don't have much money as it is and we can't earn more with out those pelts! Plus the meat could've been added to our stores! Another male jaguar soon appeared in front of him growling his frustration. In a blur of a moment, the cat was replaced by a man.


"I'm tired of doing all the work, José." The man had a youthful look about him. He was tall with bronzed skin and dark brown eyes. His face was framed by dark brown hair that had natural highlights. A small scar ran down the lower part of his cheek to the left side of his strong jaw. Strong shoulders that helped frame a lean, well muscled body. Chest hair partially hid surgical scars and puncture wounds long since healed.


The other cat jumped down and growled his annoyance as he too shifted. Miguel looked to his brother, frowning. "I had the deer hermano. Besides he'll be dead soon anyway. You know well as I do that out here, infection will kill you before anything else does." Miguel rested his hands on his lean hips then lifted his hand and pointed off in the direction of the deer. "How 'bout you go chase him down. I'm tired. I've been out here all night," he complained as she yawned. Miguel's eyes narrowed in scrutney as he changed the direction of his finger, pointing it at José. "Besides, did you get anything," he asked expectantly with a sardonic smirk on his face.


José frowned and flustered a bit, his body language saying he didn't do much better. "Ah ha!" Miguel exclaimed smugly. "Don't go bothering m-" He paused. Looking about he turned around, listening. "Did you hear that," he asked his brother. Help me!


José looked around as well, using his keen hearing as an aid. "I think so..." The sound rang out a little louder once again. "It sounds...like someone's running and screa-"


HELP ME!! SOMEONE PLEASE! A panic-filled voice filled their minds. A moment later a scream was heard as panting and the frantic running of feet. The brothers looked to each other and started running in the direction of the voice. What they found was a disheveled girl running from something.


Lobovos, Miguel said to his brother. Looks like the good Dr Kriesling is looking for a new specimen.


Yeah, you said it. José agreed. What do you say we take 'em down?


I couldn't of said it better myself dear brother, Miguel answered with a sly grin. Besides...rescuing damsels in distress is my specialty, he said jokingly.


Oh get on with it and just change already, José said, rolling his eyes. He had already began the shift and was soon running in his jaguar form. Grin still plastered to his face, humor in his eyes, Miguel followed suit.

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Help me! Madison called out, desperate. She kept her frantic gaze forward as she ran faster than she could ever have run before. Behind her, was those things that had taken her from her home a year before. From the cage she'd been in for so long she heard that...that monster had called them lobovos. His failed experiments that were once human but no more. Remembering that made flashes of torture, experiments, and the horrific things that had been done to her and her sister. Sara, she sobbed.


HELP ME!! SOMEONE PLEASE! She cried. Madison had no idea where she was, but she did know she was no longer in Montana; let alone the US. She ran through an exotic land, a dense jungle. Vivid colors everywhere, lush greens above and below. A tall fallen tree lay in her path. Oh no, she thought. I don't want to go back there! The next moment it was no longer there. Confused and frightened, Madison looked behind her. Somehow she'd jumped it.


Madison and Sara had escaped that horror show of a compound two days ago, only to find themselves in the middle of no where. They had emerged different...not totally human. Not having any other option, they ran and ran as fast and far as they could. But to no avail those things caught up with them. Sara was caught and dragged back. Madison had kept running hoping to find some semblance of rescue.


Suddenly two very large jaguars appeared from above in front of her. No! She thought. But to her surprise they didn't attack her. They went straight for her pursuers. Wanting to run away but unable to decide between staying to watch what would unfold, Madison decided to find a nearby tree to climb. In no time, with a strange strength to help her, she was up on a high branch above the battle.


The lobovos were caught by surprise as well as the larger of the two cats took down one of them in seconds. The other took down two more. Two left, she thought amazed. The remaining monsters and the two jaguars began to circle each other. The smaller jaguar looked to the other, an intelligent light in it's eyes. The other seemed to nod and in a blur, the larger jaguar lunged at one lobovo while the other launched himself at the remaining one.


Fighting back, the lobovo scraped the larger cat with it's fore paw, but it wasn't enough to deter the animal. The cat gouged the monster and brought his full weight down on it. With astonishing speed, it struck; bringing it's powerful jaws down on the lobovo's neck. The monster fought ferociously, scratching and gouging; trying to cause as much injury as possible in order to free itself from the cat's bite. But it wasn't enough, for soon an excruciatingly audible SNAP was heard as it's spine was broken like a twig; blood pooled everywhere. The larger cat loosened it's hold and looked to the other cat. During his fight, from the looks of it, the other jaguar had disposed of his monster as well.


Both animals were wounded and bloody, not all of it theirs, as they walked over to each other. To her astonishment, they were replaced by two men. One with black hair, the other with brown. And to her horror they both looked up at her. Both said something to her in what sounded like Spanish. Terrified, Madison tried to climb higher to get away from them.

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"Come down from there before you hurt yourself," Miguel prompted. The girl's terrified, he said to José frowning.


Well I would two if I saw two inordinately large jaguars, even if they saved my life, suddenly changed to two naked men. José answered back. Looking to the girl high up in the tree, "We're not going to hurt you," he added. The girl just tried to climb faster. Hmm, I don't think she understands us. Strange enough though she doesn't look Hispanic but American. How'd she get all the way down here in Peru?


Do you even have to ask José? Miguel replied. Obviously, Kriesling has brought her here. She either escaped before he got a chance to experiment on her, or she didn't and he already has. Either way we have to get her down from that tree.


Miguel switched to English, "Hey! We're not going to hurt you. Come down from there befo-" Suddenly she slipped on some moss and came crashing down.Quick! Catch her!


José ran in a blur, arriving just in time to catch her and break her fall. The girl looked up at his face, he smiled reassuringly, and...she fainted.


"Oh great, you scared the girl even more with your ugly mug. Well now you have to carry her back home," Miguel said as he threw his arms up in the air.


"No I didn't, no I'm not," José replied, "and no I don't. Besides, I thought rescuing damsels was your specialty?"


"It is," Miguel replied grinning smugly, ear to ear. "And your specialty is to scare them and carry them home." He let out a booming laugh as he changed into a cat. The jaguar then jumped up into a branch and began traveling the jungle highway made of nearby trees. A cat-like snicker could be heard as he went. See you at home, ugly.


Get back here Miguel! José grumbled, but his brother was long gone. He looked down at the girl in his arms. Her hair face was white, framed by lanky and dirty reddish blonde hair. Her eyes were a bit sunken, her lips were dry, cracked and bleeding. Freckles dotted her cheeks and nose. Hmmp, he thought. Looks like she was a real beauty. Sighing he began the long journey back home.

 

[Caragia]

Chapter Two

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“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.” -Anonymous





Madison awoke to find her in a dark place. "Where am I?" She thought to herself. Soon a bright happy scene unfolded before her...


A smaller Madison sits with her mother next to the door in the living room. Her ear pressed to her mother's pregnant stomach, Madison grins with excitement. "A dream?" The older Madison thought. Today was the day of the long awaited arrival of her baby sister. She saw her mother wince as a contraction ripped through her abdomen.


Astonished, Madison watched her six year old self as events unfolded.


"Momma?" The girl asked, caught between excitement and worry.


"I'm OK my little honeycomb," her mother reassured her after the contraction had subsided. "Everything will be fine. I promise. I'll be home soon with Sara." The child's worry melted away as a ear-to-ear smile spread across her face. "You stay here with your Grandma and be a good girl. Can you do that for me?" Her mother asked.


"Mmhmm!" Madison replied as she jumped up and down. Soon her father came over, patted the top of Madison's head and kissed her forehead. "Just as your mother said, we'll be back soon." Her grandmother then came over, hugged her Madison's mom & dad, and then walked over behind Madison to pick the child up.


Smiles on their faces, worry on her father's, her parents wisked out the door to the car. "Grandma can I go wave bye-bye?" The child asked.


"Sure you can dumpling," she replied smiling as she set the girl down. Excitedly, Madison ran out the door and down the driveway; waving all the way. She could see her dad waving as they drove swiftly down the lane.


Suddenly events quickly flashed around her. "Oh no...not again," she whispered. "It can't be happening again..." Her mother died in child birth...the funeral...all the despair. Now Madison was crying, having to witness this part of her life again. "Momma! Don't leave me again!" she sobbed.


Another scene then replaced another. This one of her father patting her on the head. "NO! I don't want to see this!" she screamed as she put her hands to either side of her head, shaking it. Nonetheless, it continued as she watched helplessly.


"I'll be right back honeycomb," he said as he hugged her. "You take care of your Grandma and Sara ok? I want you to be my big girl." He smiled as he kissed her forehead and hugged her again.


"OK Papa," she said as she puffed up her small chest, "I'll be big and brave."


"Good girl," he replied. He stood and then walked out the door without another look back. Strangely, as he walked away, the scene changed from her old house to the forest where she was kidnapped. Not noticing it, Madison's younger self vanished; leaving her to replace her. Unable to stand it any longer, Madison ran after her father; but he vanished. "Daddy!" she screamed, "come back! We need you!"


Moon high in the sky, trees around her, Madison fell over a tree root and fell to the ground. Oblivious to her surroundings, she gave into her sobs. Suddenly, howls and growls could be heard. Now frightened, Madison pulled herself up and ran screaming as she finally noticed that lobovos were chasing her....

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A blood-curdling scream could be heard as Madison shot up in a strange bed and place.