John the mockingbird watched from high above, perched atop a tree, his sharp eyes tracking the fleeing lion and ape. It was a true bird’s-eye view.
"Sire, they’re breaking the rules," Woodie chirped eagerly, hoping for action.
"Shut up. It’s not your place to intervene," Bubble snapped.
Ignoring the exchange between those two oddballs, John sent a telepathic ssage.
"Blackie, stop interfering with their escape. Let them run. Only then can the real hunt begin. Ignore them for now."
Blackie, the black woodpecker, gave a silent nod before retreating. With no further pursuit, the two beasts fled through the sixth ring of fire, then the seventh.
The mont they crossed the final barrier, John let out a low whistle—his signal.
Bubble’s eyes glead with anticipation. "Can I join the hunt this ti, Master?"
John chuckled. "No need. They’re just a pair of cornered beasts. But bringing a horde to our doorstep? That’s sothing I can’t forgive. So watch closely. If my gut’s right—and trust , I’ve read enough cheesy novels on Earth to know how this goes—this is when the big shots show up."
Back to the Escaping Beasts
The lion and ape sprinted across the vast flatland, weaving through towering weeds and tall grasses that stretched to the horizon. They knew the path back ho. Yet, even as the vegetation concealed them from ground-level threats, they had no illusions of hiding from the sky.
Their pursuers were airborne. Their pursuers could breathe fire.
So they ran. Hard.
For half an hour, they pushed themselves to their limits, hope rising as exhaustion set in. But just as they thought they were in the clear, a hauntingly sweet lody drifted through the air.
A chorus of eerie chirps.
Their blood ran cold.
The ape clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. But Anu?
Anu lost it.
"These flying monsters—they’re everywhere. We’re going to die. We’re going to die!" His voice cracked, terror warping his reason. His legs trembled, refusing to move.
"Calm down, Prince Anu. Stop freaking out for your own sake," Mario the gorilla barked. "Ti to carry out the plan you suggested earlier."
"What plan?!" Anu’s frantic eyes darted around.
Mario’s expression twisted with frustration. "Don’t play dumb with now. I’ll remind you, Your Highness, of your own brilliant words: ’If they circle us, we split up and run in opposite directions.’ Well, guess what? They’ve circled us."
Anu’s breath hitched, but he still didn’t move.
Mario shook his head, a mix of anger and mockery lacing his voice. "Ti to bid my farewell, Prince Anu."
Without another word, the ape veered off, bolting in a different direction, leaving the petrified lion frozen in place.
"Run, you idiot! Run, shit-head!" Mario barked, glancing back. His voice was raw with urgency. "Or you’re going to die here."
The word die hit Anu like a bucket of ice water, snapping him out of his trance. His breath hitched. His muscles unlocked. He shot one desperate glance at Mario—then he ran.
A voice descended from the heavens, calm yet absolute.
"You think you can just run away? Enter the ga, break its rules, and leave unscathed?" John’s mocking tone rang from high above the mountain. "That’s a great taboo. There is nowhere to hide. You know our na—Sky Dominating Clan. Nothing escapes the sky."
A dreadful silence followed. Then John chirped again, his voice sharp as a blade.
"Surrender now. Reenter the ga from the start, or my birds will tear you apart. The choice is yours. But don’t take too long—I have little patience."
The white lion skidded to a stop. The ape did the sa. Neither moved, caught in the weight of the ultimatum. Their minds raced, weighing the pros and cons, torn between defiance and survival.
Not far away, a lone figure lurked in the shadows of the flas. The wolf had been carefully navigating the gap between the fourth and third rings of fire when John’s words reached his ears. He paused, eyes narrowing.
Cunning.
The bird’s strategy was ruthless, placing doubt in their hearts just when they thought they had escaped. As he predicted, the lion and the ape hesitated, ensnared by the re weight of John’s words. They will consider it. They have to.
But the wolf knew better. Reentering the ga won’t guarantee rcy. The birds won’t just let them off for breaking the rules.
His eyes glinted with quiet resolve. Since they abandoned the ga without a word to , it’s no longer my place to guide them.
Instead, he seized the opportunity.
This is my chance.
Using the chaos as cover, he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, enduring the heat and smoke as he searched for a safe path down the mountain.
Back on the open field, the ape let out a heavy sigh, breaking the silence.
"Prince Anu," Mario said, his voice calm yet firm, "what shall we do now?"
It was a re formality, a nod to etiquette. But deep down, Mario had already decided—he would reenter the ga. This was just lip service to the prince.
Anu scoffed, his eyes dark with frustration.
"Are you seriously considering backing down from our decision? Why even ask ? I know you’ve already made up your mind. Just do whatever the hell you want."
His voice trembled, not with fear but sothing deeper—resentnt, exhaustion.
"I’ve already lost my honor, my pride. And the funniest part? Those tiny creatures I once thought beneath —things I wouldn’t have spared a glance at in my past life—ate half a pound of my flesh while I was still breathing. You and that damn wolf saw it happen."
He exhaled sharply, his body shivering despite the heat in the air.
"I can’t stand being here anymore. It’s not that I don’t fear them—it’s that every fiber of my being runs cold when I’m near that place. It suffocates ."
Anu turned to Mario, his expression was grim yet resolute.
"Good luck, my friend. Just don’t die too easily. If fate wills it, we’ll et again. And if we do—" he gave a bitter smile, "—I’ll consider you my equal. My friend, not just a subject."
Then, without another word, Anu threw back his head and roared at the top of his lungs, summoning what little courage he had left.
"Listen well, O mighty bird!" His voice echoed across the battlefield. "I am Prince Anu of the Three Fangs Kingdom! I refuse to crawl back and play along with your twisted ga. If you wish, unleash your birds—let them co! If I survive, then maybe—just maybe—I can shake off this humiliation and the trauma I have endured today!"
Anu’s chest heaved as he braced for whatever ca next. Then, without hesitation, he sprinted, his legs carrying him as fast as they could.
John’s chirp rang out from above, laced with mock sincerity.
"Fine. If this is your decision, then prepare yourself. Don’t bla us for being cruel. We, the noble mbers of the Sky Dominating Clan, are peace-loving birds—compassionate and filled with virtue. Non-violence is our motto!"
He sighed dramatically.
"But you lot ca knocking at our door, bringing trouble to our courtyard. And what do we say about that?" His tone shifted into a scholarly one. "One must always reap what they sow, no?"
Woodie, the woodpecker, couldn’t suppress her curiosity any longer. She flitted closer, eyes full of doubt.
"Master, I’m kind of confused here..."
Before Bubble could snap at her for questioning their leader, John gestured for her to continue.
"Alright, tell what’s troubling you, my little Woodie."
She tilted her head.
"Well... haven’t we already beco predatory birds? The top of the food chain? We thrive on carnage." She glanced at the pile of at below, the remains of their past hunts. "That’s proof that we’re a band of at-eaters. But just now, Master, you called us peace-loving. How do we put that together with... well, all this?"
Bubble huffed, about to scold her, but John chuckled instead.
"Ah, that’s where you’re mistaken, Woodie." His voice carried a playful patience. "We’re not a band of evil. We’re just a group of innocent predatory birds, minding our own business. Loving peace. But what happens?"
He sighed dramatically.
"The evil ones co knocking at our door, looking down on us, trampling on our dignity and pride. Now, tell , Woodie—are we supposed to let them do as they please?"
Woodie shook her head.
"Exactly." John’s beak curled into a smirk. "Using violence against violent people isn’t violence. It’s called self-defense."
Woodie nodded in understanding. But just as she was about to ask another question, John cut in with an exaggerated sigh.
"Yes, yes. We are a bunch of at lovers. And what’s wrong with that?" His tone turned to tease. "But rember, our clan’s motto remains untarnished! We never go around causing trouble. They do."
Every bird, including Woodie, chirped in unison:
"Aye, Sire!"
John flapped his wings once, shifting back into command mode.
"Alright, enough chit-chat! Listen up, birds—keep chasing that scaredy-cat. You’re free to land light hits, but nothing serious. He’s just bait for the real ga.
Go."
With that, his birds took off, screeching in exhilaration, their eyes locked onto their fleeing prey.
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