The Loupe – The Transdimensional Archives

Disclaimer: I dont own the Power Rangers, Saban does. Unfortunately, Im not making any profit from this, either. 🙁 If youve seen it on the show, it belongs to you-know-who, and if you havent, it belongs to me. Quotes are given credit at the bottom of them. 🙂 Authors Notes: This story takes place several years after the changing of the powers in Turbo. This is not your normal PR fare. If you dont like horror, gore and being scared, go no further. Thanks to those who posted at the board who asked about the PR teams being in horror type stories, this inspired me to do this. And Id also like to add a special thanks to my brother, who helped me with some of the ideas. Thanks, Wildman. 🙂 12-25-2000

The Loupe by Cinders

loup-ga-rou n,: a person transformed into a wolf or capable of assuming a wolfs form [werewolf]: LYCANTHROPE

Prologue

Then a figure, slightly hunchbacked, emerges cautiously from the brush. Tuffs of hair cover the face, reddened eyes peer animal-like from slanty sockets, and the creatures clothing is torn and muddy. The creature suddenly throws back his head and howls, exposing fanged teeth. -William W. Johnstone, "Wolfsbane"

It was a howl, definitely a howl. But it was unlike any howl theyd ever heard from any creature before. And as the two men ran, the howl seemed to come from all around them, and not from any one direction. No matter how hard, fast an far that they ran, they couldnt seem to put any distance between themselves and their pursuer. And every step they took gave away their location. The crunch of dead leaves and sticks cracking and snapping under their booted feet.

Theyd come to the deep forests of Oregon on a hike. Thats all it was suppose to be, but they had become engrossed in the wild life theyd seen. So engrossed that theyd lost all track of time, until they noticed that the forest was becoming darker than usual. Knowing that they wouldnt make it back to camp before dark, they started heading back as quickly as possible, hoping to get back shortly after nightfall, at the least.

Theyd made pretty good progress, until the sun had set. It wasnt too long after that, that the sounds of the night moved in on them. Sounds that were familiar, and some that were strange, but normal night noises, all the same. Turning on their flashlights, they headed off, believing that camp was just a short distance away, and that theyd soon be back in time to assure their wives they were safe, and have a warm meal, as the night had brought on much cooler temperatures.

But, as they walked, and walked, and walked, the camp didnt get any closer, but something else did.

They hadnt noticed the strangeness of the situation, as they had been concentrating on getting back. It wasnt until they heard the snapping of twigs, that they noticed that the forest around them had become deathly quiet. No birds, insects. Hell, even the wind seemed to have vanished. Only their breathing filled the silence. Gulping down their fears, they moved forward, this time at a quicker pace.

They both kept their ears open for any more sounds of their visitor, but they heard nothing as they continued on. Relaxing a bit, realizing that theyd probably scared a rabbit, they chuckled – if a bit nervously- as they continued on.

Thats when they heard the first howl. It filled the night, echoing around them, raising the hairs on their skin. It was a howl unlike any theyd ever heard before. It should have been a wolf, or even a stray dog left out here by campers, but it was too… big, and too vile. And there seemed to be a hunger in it, as well.

With their hearts in their throats, they started moving off in a jog. A jog, that at the moment, didnt seem to have gotten them any further from their pursuer. It, the owner of the howl, seemed to be all around them.

The two men came to a sliding halt in the dead leaves, their breaths coming in gasps. Acting quickly, they placed a tree between them, with their backs to each other.

"Where the hell are we?"

"We should be close to camp."

"Does this look like camp to you? Damn it. Somethings out there, and it doesnt sound like it wants to be friends."

"You dont think Ive noticed!" The two jumped at the sound of the howl, as it rang through the trees, seeming to vibrate the very tree at their backs.

"Shit! Where the hell is it coming from?"

"I dont know!" The flashlight flickered over the face of a watch, illuminating the time. Midnight. A quick scan of the area, with the same flashlight, showed nothing but more trees and darkness.

"We cant stop now. Weve got to keep going. Theres no telling where the hell it is, and how far away it is from us." As if in answer, a stick snapping, somewhere in the darkness, announced the creatures presence.

"Go!" Both men headed into the darkness. They didnt care where they were going. Not any more, just as long as they were putting distance between them and the thing that had been following them.

Suddenly, the darkness seemed to reach out and grab them out of mid-air.

In the darkness, the two men had come across a cliff that rose eight feet above a small gully, and a dried up river. As the flashlights spun out of control through the air, the men caught flashing glimpses of rocks below them, as they seemed to fall forever.

As a deeper darkness reached out for one man, the other lay motionless amongst a pile of rocks, his body too hurt to move. He tried to gaze around him, to assess his location. To his left, he spotted one of the flashlights, its beam pointed up into the darkness of the top of the forest. Above his head, the other lit up the cliff face that theyd just fallen from.

Trying to take a breath, his body jerked at the pain it caused. Where was his friend?

"Jordy! Where are you? Can you hear me?" The pain that came with each word, was excruciating. He sucked in a breath, trying to listen for a response. But, that same breath caught in his throat as something passed in front of the flashlight above him.

"Who-whos there?" A deep rumbling growl was his only response. Fear fueling him, he tried to move, to get up and continue running, but his body wouldnt obey.

With his breath coming in painful gasps, he tried to look around, his survival instincts doing their best to take over. Gazing to his right, he found a large, sharp rock just within arms reach. With fingers that were cold, and becoming numb, he stretched out, reaching for the rock. Feeling its cool-ruffness in his finger tips, he pulled it toward him, and as he looked up, the rock slipped from them as he gazed into the nightmare that loomed above him.

Chapter One: The search

"Theyve found me, and there will be no rest now." -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

The helicopter flew low over the towering spires of pine trees. Its occupants searching the shadows of the forest below, for any sign of life.

"How long did the Search and Rescue teams keep looking after they disappeared?"

"About two weeks. The only thing they found was a back pack that had been torn to shreds. But, it didnt belong to either one of the men. They figured it had been in the forest for a few years. After the continued searches turned up nothing, they called the search off.

"No one has heard from either one of them. Both mens wives are worried sick. The authorities assume that both men just up and left. Left their families, their jobs… everything. Their wives wont believe it, and neither do I. My son and nephew wouldnt do something like that." Chandler Heaton slowly pushed the controls forward, sending the helicopter lower over the trees.

Hed been the only one who believed that the two lost men were still in the forest. When everyone had given up; the funds having run out, he continued on, using his own helicopter and money. He wouldnt give up on them. It was his son and nephew out there. It was already late September and winter was moving in fast. Fast even for Oregon. He couldnt live with himself if he didnt at least look for them.

A hand on his shoulder eased him a bit, but his eyes never left the forest below.

"Thats why were here. To help. We were good friends, and hed do the same for us." Chandler finally looked at the petite young woman next to him, her shoulder-length chestnut hair caught the sun, turning strands into liquid copper. Her warm brown eyes smiling up at him.

Chandler remembered her vaguely. His nephew had introduced her to him at a family gathering some years back. Hed been surprised when shed shown up at his home, offering her help in looking for the men.

"Thanks, Kimberly. I appreciate all the help you can give. Im also glad you three could also join us," Chandler said gazing briefly behind him.

"Were just glad that we could get away to be able to help. Right, Tommy?" The taller man gazed up from the wrinkled scrap of newspaper to respond to his friend.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Adams right."

"What are you looking at?" Dark, slender fingers reached out for the scrap of paper held in his hand. Before the fingers could close around it, Tommy pulled it away, folding it and tucking it in his pocket.

"Youll have to excuse him, Tanya, Tommys been a little… weird ever since he heard about the disappearances. I tried to talk him out of coming, but the more I talked, the more he insisted," Kim stated from the front of the helicopter.

"Okay. Do you know how strange it is to be talked about like youre not there? Jason was a good friend, and I know hed be right here, if it was one of us." Tommy let the anger in his voice seep away as he looked at the started stares cast his way.

"He was our friend as well, Tommy."

"I know, Adam. Im sorry everyone. Ive just been having bad dreams, and even worse feelings about this whole thing. I almost didnt come, because of them. But, then I knew that I couldnt let Jace down. Not when he needs my help."

Kim reached back, placing her hand on Tommys. Theyd been married for just a year, but sometimes it seemed longer. He had his NASCAR, and she had her coaching job at the local Collage. This was the first time theyd spent any real time together in months. Too bad it took a missing friend to make it happen.

"How long were they missing before the authorities were contacted?"

"Jasons wife contacted the authorities that night, when the boys didnt show up by midnight. Theyd been gone on a hike for six hours. She was told that, because they had hiked so far in, a good search and rescue team couldnt be put together until that morning. So, it had to have been less than two hours after theyd disappeared. Whyd you want to know, Tanya?"

"Im not sure." Tanya gazed down into the growing shadows of the trees. It was beginning to get dark, and soon they wouldnt be able to see anything, but she knew Chandler wouldnt give up until he had to. And neither would they.

Tommy pressed his head against the Plexiglas window of the helicopter, trying to look as far below them as he possibly could. Several times his eyes had played tricks on him, making him see shadows moving when there was nothing there. Twice now, Chandler had taken the chopper down lower to examine the shadows, only to find nothing. Tommy had apologized, but Chandler seemed grateful that they seemed to care so much.

He barely remembered meeting Chandler. Jason had introduced them once, when Tommy joined Jason on a family outing in High School. Hed been impressed with the man who towered above him. Chandler was a huge man, in anyones book. Tommy figured he stood nearly six feet four, and probably weighed a good two-hundred and fifty pounds. And not an inch of it was fat.

Jason had told him that his uncle had been in the Air Force during Vietnam. That when the war had ended, Chandler had offered to buy and pilot a helicopter for the search and rescue in LaGrande, Oregon. After all, thats what he had done in Nam. Flew into the middle of battles to save trapped and wounded soldiers.

Jason had also introduced him to his younger cousin, Jordy; who, at the time, planed on joining the Air Force, himself. And he had. A year after he graduated from High School, Jordy joined the Force. He spent six months on an Air Craft Carrier situated in the ocean off of Saudi Arabia.

When Jordy had returned from his tour of duty, he and Jason had gotten together to hike the deep forests of Oregon. To check out the wild life and report their findings to the local Forest Bureau. Both men had other jobs during the week, as well as families. Jordy had married a few months after returning from duty, and Jason had been married a year earlier, to a girl hed met shortly after leaving the team.

In the last couple of years, Tommy and Jason had lost contact, their lives taking different avenues. Tommy shook his head. It seemed so strange that life could become so important that you actually forgot just what was important. Now, that guilt ate at him, and he couldnt stop it.

Closing his eyes, Tommy tried to shake off the feeling, to focus on what was important at that moment. As he opened his eyes, he caught a glimpse of movement in the lengthening shadows below them. At first he didnt want to say anything. He didnt want to send them on a wild goose chase again. Silently he nudged Adam, and pointed out the window.

Looking a little confused, Adam leaned toward the window and glanced down in the direction Tommy was pointing.

For a long moment Adam strained his eyes to see into the darkness below them. He started to shake his head, to tell Tommy that he hadnt seen anything, when he caught a slight movement below. Adam looked up at his friend, and nodded.

"I just saw some movement just behind us, in the tree line," Tommy announced to everyone in the chopper.

"Youre just seeing things. Its getting late and weve been straining our eyes for hours," Kim said, trying to remind him, gently, of the other two times hed seen something.

"Not this time, Kim. I saw something, too." Three sets of eyes looked at Adam, almost as if they were expecting him to tell them he was just joking. When his expression didnt change, he felt the chopper shift as Chandler turned it back toward the area where he and Tommy had seen movement.

Chapter 2: Shadows

All rational thought was wiped out. There was only the raging hunger of the werewolf. -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

Slowly the large black bear lumbered through the thick forest, tearing at dead tree stumps with its long sharp claws, looking for its next meal.

It had been days, perhaps weeks, since she had last fed, but she couldnt remember. Her kind had no understanding of the passing of time, except for the seasons, and it was getting close to the time that she would need to find a place for the winter months.

Finding only a bare minimum of ants and termites in the dead wood of fallen trees, the sow moved on. A short distance away, she stumbled upon a ravine. Stopping at the edge, she gazed down into it, sniffing the air.

There was no water running down its rocky length, not now, but when the green season came, the white, cold stuff would melt, filling it. She would remember this place for when she awoke at the time of the green season.

Slowly she turned away from the ravine, preparing to continue on her quest for food; the forest growing darker around her. As a breeze began to move around her, it brought a new, strange scent to her. A scent the made her afraid.

She had stumbled into somethings territory, and it was close, watching her, waiting.

She gazed around nervously, checking the shadows around her. Immediately she broke to the right of the ravine, headed for the meadow just beyond the forest. There she would be safe.

The bear moved as quickly as her stout legs could carry her. With every step, she tried to force herself to go faster, but the accumulated weight for hibernation was slowing her down, making her huff with effort.

Behind her, she could hear movement in the forest. The creature didnt seem to be much bigger than herself, but there was a sense of evil about it, something that wasnt natural, wasnt a part of the forest. Something that didnt belong there.

Seeing a break in the trees ahead, the sow risked a glance behind her. There, in the growing shadows loomed the figure of something shed never seen before. At first glance she might have thought it was another bear, like her. But they could not run on their hind legs, and this figure was leaner; seemed more… human.

Not seeing the dead tree in front of her, the female tripped, flipping head over heels, rolling down the slight slope.

Slightly dazed, she didnt stop, even when her left hind foot felt odd, sending a jab of pain through her as she stumbled on. Limping painfully, she continued on toward the meadow.

Above her there was a sudden thrumming sound that seemed to vibrate the very air. Shed heard that same sound many time for quite some time. Shed always been afraid of it, taking shelter in the cover of trees, but this time, even with the sound coming from somewhere ahead of her, the thing behind her frightened her more.

As she entered the meadow she didnt slow; even when the strange bird making the noise, appeared in front of her. She just veered slightly, heading for the trees on the opposite side.

<hr>

Everyone in the helicopter watched as the bear headed toward them, changing its path only enough to avoid them, then disappearing into the forest on the other side of the clearing.

"Thats odd," Chandler proclaimed, looking at the forest where the bear had disappeared.

"What?" Tanya asked, scanning the forest where the bear had come from.

"Every bear that Ive seen avoids the helicopter, retreating back into the forest where they came from. They never come near the chopper."

"It seemed like it was hurt," Kim added. Shed noticed that the big beast had been limping somewhat.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Tommy uttered, from beside her.

"Well, theres nothing we can do, here. When we get back Ill radio the Forest Service, let them decide what to do. And, as much as I hate to say it, its getting dark and well have to head in; try our luck tomorrow."

Everyone was silent. They all wanted to continue to look, knowing that the longer the two men were out there, the less chance theyd have of surviving.

No one said a word as Chandler turned the helicopter and headed back to LaGrande.

<hr>

Anger coursed through the creature as the bear escaped its clutches. It had been days since it had eaten, having gorged itself on another animals kill. The flesh of the dead animal had been rotten and had soured in its stomach, but it had been food. It had been a long time since it had had fresh meat, and now, with the intrusion of the noise, it would be even longer.

The creature had been curious about the thing that made the noise, but self-preservation had always taken over, keeping the beast to the shadows of the forest.

Growling with the last of its fleeting anger, the beast lashed out at a nearby tree, dragging its huge, black claws through the trees bark, as if it was nothing more than air.

Frustrated, the creature turned back to the dark depths of the forest to sleep, hoping that the pains of hunger in its stomach would go away long enough for the sleep to come.

Chapter 3: Waiting

In the shadows of the room lurked reminders of that time when insanity seemed the easy way out. -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

Tommy lay in bed awake, Kim curled up next to him. Shed fallen asleep quickly, but she was restless; moving slightly away from him, her face etched with a frown. He thought about waking her, but decided against it, knowing how little rest they had all had in the past weeks.

Gently he moved away from her, as he reached for his wallet on the night stand. Grabbing it, he shifted back into place next to her, flipping the switch on the small light above the bed. Opening the wallet, Tommy skipped past the folded green bills, through several pieces of paper, until he found the crinkled article hed placed inside. Pulling the piece of newspaper from the wallet, Tommy unfolded it, trying to smooth out the wrinkles.

Laying the wallet on the bed beside him, he grasped the scrap of paper with both hands. Two images gazed out from the paper at him, like specters from a bad dream. There, in black and white, were Jason and Jordy, smiling with arms draped over each others shoulders.

For, what seemed like the hundredth time, Tommy began to quietly read the article to himself:

LaGrande Daily September 2, 2000 The search continues… Two men have disappeared in the forests of North Eastern Oregon. Jason Scott and his cousin, Jordy Heaton, disappeared in the forest two days ago, around 3pm, on a hike. When the two men failed to return to camp around mid-night, Ellen Scott, wife of Jason Scott, contacted local authorities, via cell phone, but the search and rescue team was unable to start the search until the following morning. After two days of search, using ground crews and helicopter, there has been no sign that the two men were even in the forest. Authorities have questioned both families, but were unable to come up with anymore leads. As temperatures have started dipping into the low forties at night, concern for the survival of both men grows. Search will continue for several more days. If nothing shows up, a meeting will be held to determine if further searches will be necessary. If you have seen, or heard from either man, in the last forty-eight hours, you are asked to please contact Hal Jordan at LaGrandes Sheriffs office.

Tommy refolded the article. What he hoped to find by rereading it over and over again was beyond him. Slipping it back into his wallet, he was startled by a soft voice next to him.

"How many times have you looked at that?"

"Sorry, Kim. I didnt mean to wake you."

"You didnt. I couldnt sleep. Can I see it?" Kim slid up, resting her back against the headboard of the bed. She took the offered paper from Tommys fingers.

The paper had been in and out of his wallet so often in the past two and a half weeks, that the paper was soft and pliable.

"Its not like Jace to up and disappear like this."

"I know. I dont know what to think, either. I talked with Ellen, she said that everything was fine between the two of them, and Jason was excited about becoming a father. It doesnt make any sense."

"If it had been a few years ago, I would have thought it was Zedd and Rita, or even the Machine Empire. But…"

"There just has to be a logical explanation for it."

"Ive tried to think of all possible explanations and the only ones that seem remotely possible… dont have happy endings."

"It seems more Jordys style of disappearing for a few days, than it does Jasons. Jason use to tell me stories of Jordy taking off for days at a time, not telling anyone where he was going or when hed be back. But those times were only for two or three days, not two weeks."

Tommy glanced at the clock by the bed. The hotel theyd checked into was small but clean, and up to date.

"Its two in the morning. Wed better try and get some rest, weve got to meet Chandler at the hanger by eight."

"I guess youre right. I hope Adam and Tanya are getting some rest." Kim handed the article back to Tommy, then slid down beneath the covers.

"I doubt it. Did you see the bags under Adams eyes. He looks like he hasnt slept for days," Tommy said, laying down next to her.

"Yeah, I did. Tanya looked wiped out, as well."

"Did you ever get a hold of Billy?" Tommy clicked the light off, cuddling down next to his wife.

"His secretary at MIT said he was out of the state on business and wasnt expected back for another week. Said shes give him the message as soon as she heard from him."

"Hopefully hell have good news waiting for him by then."

"Yeah." Tommy kissed Kim gently on the forehead as he wrapped his arms around her.

Tomorrow would be another long day, and he hoped they would find something, anything.

Closing his eyes, he willed sleep to take him somewhere where he could forget about everything, even if only for a few hours.

Chapter 4: Preparations

"What I want is a knife. A knife with a blade of silver." -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

A slight breeze blew in from the coast, covering the morning sky with dark, thick, grey clouds. A gentle drizzle fell, just enough to add to the dreariness of the day.

Adam pulled his jacket tighter around him as he stepped out of the rental car. Tommy and Kim were already heading toward the hanger where Chandler was waiting. Startled by the closing of the car door, he turned to look at Tanya as she rounded the car toward him.

"Almost seems fitting, doesnt it?" she said, pulling the collar of her yellow jacket around her neck.

Adam smiled to himself. He had always thought that wearing clothes the same color as the Ranger they were, had something to do with the powers, themselves. But… even after all these years, his wardrobe consisted mainly of clothes that were either black or green. Apparently he wasnt the only one.

"It does. I didnt want to say anything to Kim and Tommy, but I have this deep feeling of dread, about all of this. I know everyone is trying to remain upbeat and positive, but I just cant shake it."

"Im not really looking forward to hiking and camping in weather like this either-"

"Its not the weather and camping. Ive camped in snow before, in Boy Scouts, its something else. Something I cant put my finger on."

Tanya felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick. She hadnt really felt right about all of it either.

"We dont have to do this, you know. We both have jobs and families to get back to. I think everyone will understand if we change our minds." Adam seemed to think about the idea. He glanced at his reflection in the car window, then at the hanger where Tommy and Kim had disappeared.

"I have to do this. If for no other reason than for Jason. Everyone else has given up on them… I cant let him down."

"I understand."

"So, youll be heading back, then?"

"Are you kidding? And let you guys have all of the fun?" Tanya smiled and looped her arm through his as the headed off toward the hanger.

<hr>

"Hey, Kim, Tommy. Where are Adam and Tanya?" Chandler asked, coming around the side of a small Plane.

"Theyre right behind us," Tommy stated, blowing into his hands to warm them.

"Id like to introduce you two to a friend of mine. This is Lloyd Gainer. Hes the best tracker we have around here. Hes going to help us look for the boys."

"Nice to meet you. Did you help out in the search the authorities did?" Tommy asked the large man.

Lloyd wasnt your regular Joe. He must have been about six-foot-five, Tommy figured, going by his own height of six-feet. Though the man must have weighed well over three-hundred pounds, he seemed well muscled. His hair was dark and long, and looked like it hadnt been washed for as long as it seemed he hadnt shaved. His eyes were dark beneath heavy brows, and they seemed to hold a kind of wildness to them.

His choice of clothing seemed well suited for tracking in the mountains. His body, from head to toe, was covered in layers of buckskins and fur pelts. As he took in the various pelts, Tommy cast his gaze toward Kim. This guy definitely had her hackles up, though she was keeping her opinions to herself. Kim had always been a stanch animal rights activist, and he knew shed let him have the full force of her ire once they were alone.

Turning his attention back to the man, Tommy offered his hand. He was certain that the huge man would crush his hand within the grip of his ham-sized fists, thats why he was surprised when the grip was firm, not crushing, and a smiled curved the mans lips as he pumped Tommys hand. The smile seemed to soften the ruffness of the man a bit. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Chandler hide a smile behind his hand.

"That I did, for a couple of days, until I was asked to leave; because I was not part of the Search and Rescue team. Politics."

"I completely understand. By the way, Im Tommy Oliver," Tommy began as he heard the hanger door open and close. "This is my wife, Kim, and these two stragglers are Adam Park and Tanya Sloan-Jackson. Guys, this is our guide, Lloyd Gainer."

As the man shook each of their hands, Tommy had to stifle a smile as both registered the same look of surprise he had just moments before.

"Glad to meet you all. Jason and Jordy has some wonderful friends." Lloyd smiled and headed out of the hanger to finish his work.

"Im just glad everyone showed up. I just want to give everyone here a chance to change their minds, before we leave. We may be out in this weather for a couple of days. Its going to be cold, wet and it wont be easy. Ill understand if you dont want to join me on this search," Chandler offered.

The small group of friends looked at one another without saying a word.

"Jason was a great friend to us, and we owe it to him to help in the search. Hes counting on us," Tanya uttered.

"He couldnt have asked for better friends." Chandler smiled. "Okay. This is what our plans are: well take the chopper out to the meadow we flew over yesterday. There well land and tie down. From there well hike into the forest, use the path that my son said theyd be using that day. Its going to be hard, the weather will be working against us.

"Keep your eyes, ears and mind open for anything you might think is strange or unusual."

"The supplies are loaded, so if everyone is ready…" Lloyd called through the open door. He glanced at the rag-tag team. They were inexperienced in search and rescue, especially in the wild, but somehow he knew theyd all do just fine.

"Ready?" Chandler queried. He looked at each nod, then grabbed up his pack. "All right then, lets get this show on the road."

The wind pushed at them as they left the hanger, the helicopter tethered a hundred feet ahead.

There was no turning back now, as each former Ranger entered the helicopter, on their way to search for their friend.

Chapter 5: Into the Forest

"There is evil and death in the mountains." -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

The air was vibrating, the creature knew the air-thing had returned. It strained to hear the sound of the strange bird, but within the depths of the cave, all sounds were muffled.

Lazily it shifted from its resting place at the back of the dank, rock room. The unfortunate rabbit it had captured earlier, set like a rock in its stomach, but at least the flesh was fresh and warm, an the pain of hunger was abated for the time.

Carefully the creature neared the caves entrance where the smell of rain, dead leaves and damp earth filled its nostrils. Faintly it could smell something else. A familiar sent mixed with something it couldnt understand. Suddenly the sound and the vibrations stopped. The creature pulled back from the entrance. It understood the unfamiliar smell, now. The strange bird had lit somewhere not far from its territory. The smell was slowly dissipating, blown deeper into the forest by the howling winds.

As the wind shifted, scattering leaves at the creatures feet, it brought a strong scent of the other smell, a very familiar smell. Immediately the creatures stomach growled.

Human.

Not as many as there had been, several suns ago, but enough to feed the hunger. The creatures body began to quiver, the hunger roaring through its veins. It was too light, now, to hunt the humans. For now it would locate them, watch them, then when darkness fell, when they wouldnt see it, it would feast.

Shaking the leaves and dirt from its body, the beast marked the entrance of the cave, then weaved its way through the tree roots to the outside, then, like a specter, the creature disappeared into the drizzle and the forest.

<hr>

Kim listened as the light rain struck the vinyl shell of her coat, nearly drowning out the sound of activity around her. Lloyd secured the rotor blades with lines, to the body of the helicopter so the wind wouldnt cause them to rotate, and possibly bend or destroy them in some way. Adam and Chandler were busy unloading the packs and supplies for the hike.

She was glad that shed continued her gymnastic workouts, even though she had turned to coaching, after the Pan Globals. Shed need all the strength she could get when they headed out.

"Kim, heres your pack." Tommy handed the large pack and frame to her. He started to slip his own on, then stopped when he saw her pensive look. "Are you sure youre up to this?"

"I think so. After all, it is a little late to change my mind." Tommy followed her gaze, watching as Chandler and Lloyd finished tying down the chopper. "Besides," she said, slipping her arms into the straps. "I was the one who kept complaining that life had gotten too boring, after-"

"Zordons death. Yeah, thats why I continued on in the NASCAR circuit; the excitement." Tommy gave her a warm smile, then helped her fasten on her pack.

Chandler watched the small group of kids. Kids. He shook his head. They all were over twenty, and yet, to him they were kids. He gazed up to see grey clouds move slowly across the sky. He headed toward the group, Lloyd trailing behind him.

"I know that this all seems strange, to be out here in this kind of weather, but we cant allow any more time to pass by. If those two boys are still out there, they need us to find them, and soon. Lloyd and I have made sure that we have all the necessary supplies for three days.

"Well search the woods for two days and then head back here. Well be able to get back faster, as we wont be slowed by the search." Chandler reached into a small side pocket on his pack. From within it, he drew a small disk. He held it up for everyone to see. "All of you have a compass in your pack. Take it out and check your position. You will need to remember the location of the helicopter, should any of you, for any reason, become separated from the group." He watched as everyone retrieved their compasses and checked their location. "Well head into the wood to the South-West. Well separate and spread out as we go. That way we can cover more ground and have a better chance of noticing anything unfamiliar. When we do spread out, never; I cant emphasis this enough, never loose eye contact with the person or persons around you. As soon as you do notice youve lost sight of these people, call out, nice and loud, so that we can locate you.

"Okay. Is everyone ready?" Chandler looked at the group, each person nodding and checking their pack straps. He glanced quickly at Lloyd, his lips curved in a slight grin. "Then lets move out. Lloyd, you take the lead."

From the dark cover of brush, two eyes peered out at the motley group of humans as they entered the forest. Entered its lair.

It watched them for some time, sniffing the air and their sent. Its mouth began to water in anticipation of the evenings feast. The creature slipped from the bushes, shaking water from its body. As it prepared to follow the humans, a breeze brought the sound of creaking to its ears.

The creature stopped, sniffed the air, listening. slowly it turned to see the strange bird sitting in the open meadow. Curious, the creature cautiously approached the strange invader, surprised when the bird did not try to fly away, as it drew closer.

Casting a glance back at the forest, the creature proceeded to circle the bird, smelling it, striking out with its claws. The sound of its claws striking the bird, stirred up a faint memory, but as the beast strove to catch the fleeting memory, it disappeared. With a growl, the beast struck out at the birds eyes, causing small fractures to spread over the eye. Still the bird did not respond. Mildly satisfied that it had harmed the strange creature, the beast set off in pursuit of its meal.

Chapter 6: The Hunt

At first it was nothing she could define, just a prickling of the skin and a sort of chill down her back. Then she knew what it was. Someone was watching her. -Gary Brandner, "The Howling II"

Tanya checked her watch. 2:00pm. In one way it seemed like they hadnt been hiking for very long, and yet it seemed like theyd been walking forever.

They had landed in the meadow around 8:30 that morning and had headed into the forest around 8:45 or 9:00. They hadnt yet stopped for lunch, it being unanimous that they wanted to cover as much ground as the light and weather would permit. She was just thankful that it wasnt hot, as it had cut down on how much water she needed to consume, leaving her more for later. She was also grateful that the rain had let up some. The clouds still filled the sky, but the rain had stopped for the time being.

Sighing deeply; adjusting the straps of her pack, Tanya looked to her left to catch a glimpse of Chandler through the trees. He waved to her as he leapt over a fallen tree. She waved back in acknowledgment.

They had yet to discover anything unusual or out of place, but they really didnt expect to find anything this soon.

Casually she glanced to her right. Seeing another figure in the trees, she waved and turned her gaze back to the forest in front of her. Suddenly she stopped. In her mind she went over her placement in the line. Furthest to her left was Lloyd, Tommy, Kim, Adam, Chandler… then… her. With her heart lodged in her throat, she looked back to her right.

Nothing.

Had she been seeing things?

Slowly she took a few steps in the direction in which she thought shed seen someone. Carefully she searched the trees for movement. "Jason? Jordy? Is anyone there?"

The sound of Tanyas voice brought Chandler to a dead stop. Ducking beneath a limb, he spotted her just ahead of him.

"Everyone, stop where you are," he shouted over his shoulder, as he headed toward Tanya.

Hearing twigs snapping behind her, she turned, startled. Holding her chest, she sighed in relief to see Chandler approaching her.

"Whats up?"

"I thought I saw someone… something. But now, I cant see anything. I called out, but there was no answer."

<hr>

The creature watched from the shadow of a large tree. The female human had seen him, and called out before he could get close enough to her. A male human joined her. She stood a ways away from the male, but too close for it to safely attack the female.

From its spot in the shadows, the creature tried to will the woman closer to it. Its stomach growled hungrily at the thought of the warm, fresh flesh.

Patience, the beast chanted within its head. Patience.

<hr>

"What did you find?" Adam called from his spot in the line. He could feel the excitement and dread coursed through him, all at once.

"Nothing. Tanya thought she saw something, but it must have only been shadows." Chandler replied as he scanned the forest. "Wed better get going. I dont think the weather is going to hold back for too much longer," he announced, as he gazed up at the darkening clouds.

"Yeah, I guess youre right."

Tanya continued to scan the forest as she listened to Chandler move off. Sighing in frustration, she turned to join the others. From somewhere in the shadows of the forest, a voice called out to her; like the sigh of the wind calling out her name. At first she thought she was just hearing things. The need to find Jason and Jordy, playing on her mind. She paused briefly. She looked to her left to see Chandler heading away into the forest. Shaking her head, she started to follow him, but stopped once more.

Again she heard her name called, and the voice calling to her seemed distant and distorted. She brushed the hair from her face, the wind picking up, scattering leaves at her feet. "Its just the wind." Tanya gazed up into the tree tops, listening as the wind sighed through their branches.

"Taaannnyyyaaa…" Her head snapped around. It wasnt the wind. Someone was calling to her, she was sure of it.

"Hello? Jason? Jordy?" Slowly she moved toward the sound of the voice, uncertain of what she would find.

<hr>

The creature could sense the female coming closer, and its body began to quiver and tighten like a coil, waiting for the human to draw even closer. Carefully the beast gazed out from its hiding place to find that the human had stopped and was looking around. She was closer, but not enough. The kill needed to be quick, so that there would be little sound to alarm the others.

Slowly the beast called to her, letting its lips form, barely remembered, words around its fangs. "Taaannnyyyaaa…"

Tanya turned to face a thick grove of trees. The shadows deep within their trunks, dark and fear-inspiring. It was within this grove that the voice had called.

A blast of cold wind bit into her, driving her sideways. For a few minutes she held her ground against the blast, then continued forward.

The beast felt the hunger grow within its stomach, as saliva dripped from its sharp teeth. Closer… closer… its time to feed, the creatures mind chanted.

As the female drew near, the beast slowed its rapid breathing, raised unusually long arms up, claws extended, ears listening intently as it prepared for the attack.

The voice had ceased calling to her, and as she neared the grove the hairs on the back of her neck began to raise. Somethings wrong, she thought. But what if its Jason or Jordy? What if theyre hurt? Questions continued to war within her mind as she reached the outer most tree. Carefully she peered into the darkening shadows, trying to make out the slightest movement.

Closer. Closer. The creature could smell the blood pumping through her veins. Could taste the adrenaline in the air. The beasts body stopped quivering and tightened up like a coiled spring, ready for the female to take the few more steps that would bring her to it.

Tanya stepped into the shadows, gazing around the trunks of the trees as she passed them. Suddenly, ahead of her she spotted a slight movement. Holding her breath she watched the shadows, waiting for the movement again.

There it was, so slight that if she had not been looking for it, she would have missed it. Carefully she moved toward the movement, trying to focus on its shape.

Ready…

As the movement became more pronounced, Tanya stopped.

NOW!

Tanya screamed as something grabbed her from behind, spinning her back in the direction in which shed just come. Eyes wide, heart pounding, she felt her legs begin to give way under her, threatening to drop her to the ground.

"We thought wed lost you. What are you doing?" Chandler demanded, releasing her shoulder.

"I-I thought… I heard someone." Chandler looked at the stricken girl, letting his anger subside.

"Im sorry. I didnt mean to scare you."

"Im okay. I thought I saw something moving in the trees." Tanya pointed into the shadows. Chandler stepped forward, gazing into the darkness. Chuckling, he shook his head.

"Its just a few leaves on a broken branch. Come on, daylights slipping by."

Feeling silly, Tanya let Chandler guide her, by the elbow, back to the awaiting group so that they could continue in their search.

As the duo moved away, a deep rumbling, growl followed them on the breeze, from the grove. Never reaching their ears.

STUPID!

The creature had been concentrating so hard on the female, that it had not heard the male approach, and had almost exposed itself to them both. That would have been foolish, it would have lost the advantage of surprise.

Growling again, the beast lashed out at another nearby tree, leaving deep scars in the bark, as the creature put a bit of distance between it and its prey. It would continue to stalk them from a distance.

Chapter 7: The Storm

There was thunder there was lightning then the stars went out and the moon fell from the sky. -Tom Waits, "Earth Died Screaming"

As the evening sky grew darker, the rain began to fall harder. For an hour they had been following Lloyd, who had told them of the location of a cave they could us for shelter for the night. Kim was beginning to wonder if the huge man really knew of such a cave, or if he was just hoping to stumble upon one.

The group had kept the conversations down to a minimum, but she was pretty sure that they all were as miserable as she was. Her coat had only detoured the rain for a short time, but now her clothes clung to her like a second skin. Her boots were heavy with mud and the rain was even beginning to seep into them as well. Thank goodness that her backpack seemed to be keeping her back warm, though the added weight of the water was causing that straps to bite painfully into her shoulders.

Kim looked to her left as Chandler caught up with her.

"How are you doing?"

"Cold, wet, tired. Other than that… fine." Chandler laughed, which made her smile.

"Thats just about the same answer Ive gotten from everyone else."

"Chandler, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Lloyds not leading us around in circles, is he? I mean… weve been trying to get to this cave for an hour now, and…"

"Id be wondering that myself… if it wasnt for the fact that I know Lloyd so well, and trust him." Chandler could see the relief in her smile. "Dont worry. Well be there soon. Youd better turn your flashlight on; makes it easier to keep track of everyone now that its starting to get dark."

"Okay." Kim unclasped the flashlight from her belt, flicking it on with a trembling finger. She glanced to the side, noticing that Chandler had fallen back in line somewhere behind them, bringing up the rear.

A howl suddenly split the silence, causing everyone to jump. Kim growled, "Im really starting to hate that wolf," as she continued on.

When theyd first head the howl, theyd questioned Lloyd and Chandler about it, and they both assured them that the wolves were normal and wouldnt bother them. Now Kim wanted them to define the word bother.

A sudden flash of lightening lit up the sky, causing her to jump; her body tightening up in the anticipation of the thunder that would soon follow. And as the roar rolled over the forest, the rain began to fall in buckets.

"Oh, great!"

Ahead of her the group began to slow, their combined flashlights lighting up the darkness around them. As Kim joined the rest of the team, she sought out Tommy, and the comforting warmth of his arms.

Once everyone had joined the group, Lloyd began to speak as loudly as he could over the pounding rain.

"Im sorry that its taken so long to get to the cave," Chandler must have told him about her concerns, Kim thought as she listened to him continue. "We have less than a mile now, to get there.

"Now, we have to follow along this small ridge, so watch your footing. Its not a sharp drop, but it is a steep one. So just be careful. Are we ready?"

Everyone acknowledged that they were, so Lloyd headed out first, followed by the rest of the group, Chandler bringing up the rear once more.

"Are you starting to regret coming?" Tommy asked Kim as he pulled her tighter to her side.

"Yeah, but Im doing this for Jason. You know he would be doing this if it was one of us missing."

"I know. Thats whats kept me going. And I bet if you were to ask Tanya and Adam, theyd say the same thing."

"I know they would."

Ahead of them a cluster of tress blocked their path, leaving a small trial along the edge of the ridge. Each member of the group moved along slowly, placing the trunks of the trees at their backs as they carefully moved along the small path. As each person passed, pieces of the muddy ridge broke loose, falling away beneath their feet, tumbling down into the ravine below them.

Kim held back, letting Tommy pass in front of her. She held her breath as a piece of the trail broke away, causing him to stumble. When hed finally reached the other side, she sighed in relief and gazed behind her. Tanya had nearly reached their position. Not wanting the rest of the group to have to wait on her, Kim slowly began to make her way around the trees. On the other side, Tommy stretched out his hand for her. Carefully she reached out to grasp it, the space between them growing smaller.

Kim was just mere inches from reaching Tommys hand when another flash of lightning startled her, causing her to jump slightly. That was all the ledge needed, giving away completely beneath her. With a scream, Kim felt the ground give way beneath her feet. Tommy called out to her, trying to grab her as she started to fall. Using years of gymnastic training, she twisted her body, leaping toward Tommys out stretched hand. But the weight of the pack strapped to her back, pulled her back as she felt her fingers slide across the palm of Tommys wet hand.

With a shriek of panic, she dug her fingers into the muddy wall of the ridge, trying to stop the fall or at least try to slow it. She watched, helpless, as the flashlight went spinning into the darkness below her and to her left.

Unexpectedly, her feet hit something below her, flipping her back away from the wall of the ridge, to land her on her back; arched over the pack that was still strapped to her.

As the thunder filled the forest, Kim gasped for air, her heart pounding as the rain continued to sting her face. Blinking her eyes she looked up into the darkness above her, to find a beam of a flashlight flashing in the air above her, then down at her.

"Kim! Are you all right?" came Tommys terrified voice.

"Yeah. I think so. I just need to catch my breath."

"Im coming down-"

"No! Ill need all of you to help me out of here."

Chapter 8: Lost and Found

"A thing." "A thing?" "I think it… must have been a bear." -William W. Johnstone, "Wolfsbane"

As light flashed down at her from above, Kim rolled to her side and staggered to her feet under the weight of the back pack.

"Hang on. Lloyds getting the ropes out. Well toss the end down to you and pull you up," Tommy said looking down at her. Kim waved up to him to let him.

"Im not going anywhere." As she waited, she glanced around trying to locate her flashlight. Catching a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye she reached down to pick up a battery. "Damn." She turned it over in her hand. The flashlight must have broken apart in the fall, she thought.

With nothing better to do, she continued looking around the area for the rest of her flashlight. Feeling something break under her foot, she stopped and backed up. Carefully she plucked a finger-sized piece of plastic from the ground.

"Yep. Broken." Shaking her head, she moved back to the side of the ravine. From above her, out of the darkness, snaked the white length of rope. Stretching out, being careful of her footing, she grasped the end, pulling it to her.

<hr>

The shapes of the humans took on a different look within the confines of the darkness. The beasts eyes shifted, watching the glowing images of the humans. It had stalked them all day, never getting close enough to attack, not since the female, earlier.

It had waited for the darkness, knowing that its time would come then, but as the night closed in, the humans grouped together, one never straying far from the others. So, with hunger cramping its stomach, the creature continued to stalk them.

Now, as it watched, one of the humans had become separated from the group, alone and vulnerable.

A feast.

Carefully, the beast slipped from the trees, gazing down into the ravine. Somewhere ahead, in the dark, was the lone human. The beast could hear the rhythmic beating of the females heart, could smell her adrenaline rich blood. Slowly the creature let its long tongue glide hungrily over the sharp edges of its teeth. It would feed soon. The fresh flesh quelching the ache in its empty stomach.

Letting its thoughts wonder, the beast made its way back the other way, to a point where it would be better able to enter the ravine without being seen by the humans.

<hr>

"I cant get my footing. The sides are too muddy," Kim called up, as she wiped the rain soaked strands of her hair from her eyes. Then she gripped the wet rope once more.

Above her, the group had wrapped their shirt tails in their hands to better hold the rain slick rope.

"Is there anything you can grab onto to help pull yourself up? Like tree roots or something?" Adam asked from above.

"Its too dark. I cant see anything and my flashlight is broken."

"Weve got the rope, Adam. Take your flashlight and shine it down for her," Chandler called out from the front of the rope.

Slowly Adam released the rope, making sure that the other indeed had a hold of it. Then, grabbing up his flashlight, he moved to the side of the ravine, laying down on his stomach in the mud and slowly stretching out his arm and flashlight toward Kim below him.

Carefully he pulled himself closer to the edge, gazing down into the ravine.