Episode 29-> The Hugh Hunt: Tropical Chaser!

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After parting ways, Deidara loitered above, not bothering to leave too soon.

Risking being seen, he was parked atop the trees with his giant clay fowl, all out in the open, without a care and such.

Obviously he'd forgotten he was supposed to be laying low but here he was in plain sight of anybody who looked up.

Tsk, tsk. That careless clay fanatic was too occupied with cares of the heart. You see, his brain was filled with something he deemed more important.

(I still didn't get another glimpse of Naomi, hmm. It's inevitable that I wouldn't leave, hm, hm.) He nodded an affirmation with nasally grunts. He was clearly dissatisfied by the fact.

However, he sported a slight pink tint to his cheeks which gave away his hidden desires. His dumb teenage brain was filled with daydreams about Naomi in a bikini playing at the beach.

He was lingering and hesitating. He wanted to see her. But he'd pissed her off and he wasn't sure if he had the right to see her...
He decided to be true to himself but he had to resolve their issues first.

(I want to see her... Hm... but does she want to see me?) Moping about, Deidara thought about Naomi.

He'd messed up and made her mad a few times but they had been getting along again. He'd also made her smile a bunch, more than he'd annoyed her for sure.

(Did she hate it then...) He recalled the almost kiss. He buried his face in his palm, agonized by the way he embarrassed himself.

What if she hated him? Did the thought of him kissing her d-disgust her?!

Thinking some harsh thoughts at his own expense, Deidara then recalled some golden information from a wise oracle he knows. ('Naomi never had a boyfriend by the way' is what Natalya said right? Yeah, hm.)

Deidara meditated on the thought of her anger being her trying to hide her embarrassment. It pleased him greatly. (Maybe she isn't used it and didn't know how to handle it... Hmm. Was that it?)

But then he thought of Naomi's straightforward emotions and if she was flustered by his unscrupulous advance then it would have shown on her face.

Deidara mug fell once more.

His thought could send him in circles all day long! He would just have to go ask her himself!

Deidara jumped up, and although he harboured ambiguity and hesitation, his determination spurred him onward. He glared down at the world beneath him with eyes of a conqueror.

(Hm?) As he stood up, blessed with a bird's eye view, Deidara, noticed something peculiar down below.

His action unconscious to some degree,controlled by curiosity, he hopped off his creation and landed crudely on the ground that was salt and peppered by sand and pine needles.

He walk up and glanced around. He was completely alone. It was his imagination, he'd thought, until, suddenly, the bush rustled.

Deidara who'd began leaving then stopped in his tracks. Listening. Waiting...

And that's when it happened.

"Kyaaa...!"

Deidara flinched upon hearing my scream. He reflexively spun toward the direction of my voice in concern.

The moment he does this is when, just ghosting his peripherals, there was movement.

"Wha--?" It moved so fast, ran up from behind him and he could only make out a blurred figure before it vanished into the bushes in front of him.

Momentarily stupefied by the strange happenings Deidara breathlessly whispered, "Unreal..."

There's no way something alive was that big and that close and he didn't sense that. The rustling was the only indication of its presence. Something had been there, something was loitering, that something darted off into the direct of--

"Natalya!" Deidara came back to his senses and broke off running. His long legs got him to where he was going expeditiously.

He skid to a stop, breathing heavily more from panic than exertion.

(This is were I left her, darn, where did she get to, hmm??)

The only thing he found in that place by the fallen tree was a raging raccoon. Deidara assumed what the situation had been and sighed in exasperation. Was that all? He was worried for nothing.

He picked the upset racoon up by the scruff of its neck and brought it up to eye level. His handsomeness smoothed the animal's rabid fury. It squeaked and put its paw to Deidara nose with I'll-follow-you-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-my-love eyes.

Deidara giggled as it had tickled and he smiled graciously at the little trash panda, "Was it you that darted over here to pick a fight with the lil Hugh-grizzly?"

It titled its head.

Not that he expected a reply so Deidara placed the furball at his feet. As it was a wild animal, once Deidara granted it its freedom it scurried off, forgetting all about its love.

(One mystery solved), Dei thought but then something didn't mesh...
(Wait... Natalya screamed before I saw what I saw... Hm.) Which meant that the raccoon made her scream but whatever had darted from the bushes was a separate entity.

Deidara scratched his head of hair. What a mystery.

(Whatever it was might be following her. Hm. How much trouble does she want to give me, hm.) Deidara went back to his ride, hopped on and took to the skies.

(I'm so nice, hm.) Instead of ogling Naomi he would play hero.

A few minutes prior, it went down. Deidara had left my side and I'd ran into trouble.

Well... It was like Dei said. It is dangerous to be mucking through the bushes alone in my undies.

I guess the adventure must be cut short, I'd thought.

So I packed up shop and got a move on.

But, on my way back, unaware of Deidara's close proximity, or of any oncoming danger or oddities, I made a dumb move...

I'd stepped on a raccoon's tail.

"Ooops..."

The raccoon squealed in pain.

I froze in shock.

It slowly turned towards me with crazy in its eyes.

I gingerly stepped off its tail, laughing awkwardly. "I'm sorry?"

The raccoon growled -- or whatever you would call that sound it made. It was right in the way I needed to go and it was pissed.

I backed up, "Nice Mr. Raccoon..."

[A\N: Don't assume its gender! Lol]

The raccoon launched itself at me.

"KYAAAAAhahahahahaaaaa" I made seagulls cry and they took flight to safety which was far away from me.

I hauled my hip through the bushes at Godspeed, like a track star. Giving Usain Bolt a run for his money ole' boiiii! I didn't know where I was going but that raccoon couldn't touch this.

"SMARTS!" I yelped as I came to a painful stop and finally broke my stride. My foot had landed on a particularly pointy rock in the midst of my escape. The pain knocked me out of my adrenaline daze and everything came into perspective. In my head the raccoon was seeking to draw blood but now I realize it didn't care so much about me. I wasn't being pursued at all! I felt dumb for running so passionately without realizing I'm not being chased. 😐😳

I put my weight against a tree and assessed the damage. I pulled my foot up and to eye level. The sole was red but the skin didn't break and the pain wasn't bad and was fading away. I dust my foot off and released it from its awkward position. I reached over my back and started rummaging through my knapsack looking for my shoes and clothes to put on. I should have done this a long time ago.

But interrupting my search just then I could hear something closing in on my location. I escaped the raccoon already but now what?!

I retracted my hand, forgetting about my clothing to deal with my present situation. Then from the bushes emerged an unexpected incomer.

Oh no! It's a hog! Stealthily with a touch of panic, I thought quickly and, as quietly as I could, climbed up the first sturdy tree I could grab. And with my experience from raiding my neighbor's hog plum tree it was a smooth transition.

Clinging to the tree like a little monkey I spied at the creature from above. The hog wasn't mature yet. But no matter the age or size I wasn't taking a chance on my life. Hogs are nothing to play with, I tell ya dat. Wild hogs are dangerous. Seriously, no joke. I wonder how that tourist couple survived long enough for me to run into them twice? That crazy couple, now if they got hurt doing foolishness I bet they'll sue the Bahamas, siiigh.

Wait, I shook my head sharply, here I am thinking about somebody else, I need to get out of here! Catching some sense in my head I redirected my attention and followed the hog's movement with my eyes. It walked under the tree I was in and then it passed by. Perfect! Once it was turned away from me, distracted or eating or whatever, I descended the tree, with silence in favor of speed. My toes sink into the pine needle covered ground. I had barely touched the ground before swiftly pivoting on my toes and dashing away from the distracted animal.

Thankfully, I managed to sneak away. I got a good distance away before I truly relaxed and took a breather. Suddenly finding myself out in the open I was now unprotected from the sun and the sweltering heat beats down on my body. Overheated, out of breath and panting, I fan myself with my hand. When I thought I couldn't take the heat a second more a cool breeze came and engulfed me, washing over me in salty waves. How refreshing. "Ha, ha, whoo, hahahaha! I'm exhausted." 😆 Making a homebody run up and down like this, have mercy Jesus. I haven't tumbled in the bush this much since I was a kid. Wiping off the sweat and nostalgia I took in my new surroundings. "Where did I end up?"

I had left all the trees behind and stood by a cliff that loomed over the beach. I've never been to this spot before.

I walked out to the edge of the jutting land. I didn't bother looking down as that would give my scary self vertigo.

My eyes reflected the beautiful blues, my gaze cast out toward the horizon. What a gorgeous view. I stare out at the gorgeous view for a brief second of adoration and appreciation of nature's beauty. I took in an eye full.

Satisfied, I ended my sightseeing and focused on my location. At this height I could see the distance between where I am and where I had been. This is the opposite direction from the others no less. I was already a bit of a trot from Noami those when I was chatting with Dei but I'm even further away now. Sheesh, I sure ran a good ways away from whence I came. I need to head on back before I'm missed. I need to get back before I get done in by something even more dangerous...

I rolled my eyes at the thought of it, not thinking that my thought was right on the money.

I escaped the raccoon.

I escaped the hog.

But having someone grab my shoulders just then, when I'd relaxed, really startled me. I kid you not, my butt cheeks clenched right up! I lost all my shit again.

"What the-- KYAAAAAAAAA~~!" I twirled in circles like a maniac but somehow they were still latched onto me like what the hell! No matter how much I ran they would not let go. I was in too much of a panic to stop and think and realize that something was a bit off.

"Mine?"

I couldn't believe my ears! I sighed away any cussing that might fly out due to my relief. "Bloody hell-- Sidney, you crazy lil--!"

It was just my seagull friend. He must have landed on my shoulders and his feet felt like hands.

"I should buss you in ya head with a conch shell, you know." I threatened to which Sidney tilts his head innocently like I dare a mofo to try. Oh, like he did absolutely nothing wrong, the little hoe.

Oh well, time to get on my way. Completely done with being spooked so much, I wanted nothing more than to get back to Naomi and my ninja pals. So, I left the overhanging rock ledge and began walking in-between the trees with my seagull friend. I gave Sidney, my only comfort, a pat on the head, glad he is with me out here in this lonesome place. I walked a while before I began thinking... maybe it would have been better to walk the shoreline... because the trees are looking the same here. Fretting about meeting something dangerous or getting lost I throw my gaze about and around me. Heading back in the direction of the cliff was a smart start I think.

"Yup, Sidney me bird, we gotta find the quickest, easiest and safest way to my peeps, ay."

"Mine."

"Glad you agree." I pivot back around and backtracked. I only took a few steps when I heard something jeeringly worrisome and unpleasant sound off behind us.

A twig had snapped somewhere nearby.

It was a horror movie cliche but it made me realize Sidney and I were not alone.

In reaction to the sudden noise I flinched, stopping in my tracks and Sidney flew away. AH! How dare he fly off without me! Nobody gets left behind! Shoots should have named Sidney 'Stitch' instead. Sidney, you ain't no true member! Huff! 😤

I swiftly spun around and I rolled up my imaginary sleeves. Ok, lemme at em! Whether it be raccoon, hog, reckless tourists or the like I would deal with it accordingly. With that confidence I stood, ready to conquer the world alone, ill-clad in my underwear.

Despite my readiness nothing happened. Perplexed, I stood in the clearing peering through the trees. It was as if nothing seemed to be moving out there.

Something strange in the air prickled my flesh with goosebumps. The abnormal silence was off putting. The sea breeze that arbitrarily floated by before was now still, nature's bated breath.

I gasped and the knee jerk reaction nearly made me choke on my spit. I thought I saw a shadowy outline standing in the distance but the bushes rustled as it dashed into the leafy cloak.

I have no help, no one knows I'm out here... If I screamed maybe someone would come and... if I could scream... My throat tightened up. I wasn't able to utter another word. The back of my neck tingled.

Something or someone was clearly there and clearly coming toward me right now. I clung to a nearby tree, my panic filled blue eyes locked on the incoming rustling leaves that revealed its impending arrival.

My voice could barely bubble up my throat, "N-No..."

I wasn't prepared. It was moving way too fast. The distance between us shortening in a heartbeat. I didn't know what to do.

It was coming... Closer! Closer! It's here!

My legs gave way and I dropped heavily to my knees. I cower and cover my head in a pathetic attempt to reject the danger. A loud cry belted out and rose into the air and for a second I didn't realize it was coming from me.

Fortunately, I managed to scream past the lump that had built up in my throat but I don't know how much good that did. If I'm out this far from the others even if someone heard me I doubt they could get to me in time to save me.

I'm totally on my own.

But...

This, is more than I can handle.

(To be continued....)

Happy Valentine/Single Awareness Day!
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