Chapter 5: A Brush of Danger

“Uh…what happened? Why is my head spinning?” Kilara said as she abruptly woke up. She glanced around probing her surroundings and was confused about where she was, or how she had gotten there. All she knew was that she was laying next a river on the outside of the Feceszon Jungle. “Was it all a dream?” she asked herself. Then she panicked and lifted her shirt to examine her stomach. “Fhew…it was just a dream,” she said letting out a long sigh of relief. Kilara realizes that she is missing her mask, her clothes are ruined, and there is a trail leading out of the Feceszon Jungle. She glances over her side and notices Turtwig lying next to her, exhausted. Kilara saw her mask right next to Turtwig and examined it, noticing there was a leak. She then understood Turtwig’s exhaustion. “I must have fallen unconscious because of the fumes, but how am I still alive? I understand that maybe Turtwig must have pulled me out,” Kilara said, “Poor little guy, I’m not fat but I know I am heavier than him. Huh…but it still doesn’t explain why I’m still alive. Hmm…oh! I remember my kryp-tech saying Turtwigs create oxygen through photosynthesis.” (A Kryp-tech is a device that helps Kryptonians identify any type of species and its power.) “Aw…he saved me. I’ll let him rest a little more. He deserves it. In the meantime I should wash up and put on some clean clothes.” She takes a sniff of her clothes and hair and says, “Goddess I stink!” She then walks over to the river with soap from her bag and washes up.
Kilara was just about done and ready to get out of the river when she saw something move on the other side behind some bushes. With no clue as to whom, or what it was, Kilara quickly dropped into the water. Of course all of Kryptonians can breathe under water so it was no problem for her. The only problem that she faced was not being able to see the creature or the direction he was heading while she was underwater. So Kilara found a huge rock to hide behind, but still in good view to witness the creature. As she watched it pop out of the bushes even more, Kilara noticed it was a man. As he came out even further she began to notice his features.
He was a young, tall, and handsome man, with a muscular body and tussled brown hair. His jaw was firm with a 5 o’clock shadow. She could not see below his waist because of the bushes, but just as Kilara got a better look at this man, she was shocked to see that the man resembled the man from her dream. The difference was that Kilara felt no attraction towards him. “So it probably isn’t him,” Kilara whispered to herself. “Still I can’t let him see me.”
She did not want to take any chances for him to recognize her, whether it was a human or not. Not only is she naked, but he would discover that her hair is ash tone and her eyes are violet. That is the way to distinguish who is the actual descendent of Kal-El. In some rare cases, like Kilara, you develop more than one power. “So if this man is one of the Kryptonians who are trying to destroy Krypton, he’ll know that I am the last living descendent of Kal-El, and kill me,” Kilara thought to herself. She was too focused on the man to even notice that Turtwig was waking up. As Turtwig became fully awake, he saw Kilara and made his Turtwig sound, “TURT…TUURT…TUUURT.” It was how Turtwigs talk to one another, or other animals, and humans. Kilara quickly turned around, and became frozen with fear. “If that man hears Turtwig, he’ll come and investigate where the noise is coming from. I have to shut up Turtwig, but how?” Kilara said to herself. “I could…no…that’s not going to work…or maybe…no…ugh I need to come up with a plan. And I need to hurry before that man hears Turtwig.” Turtwig continued to run towards Kilara, unaware that he may put their lives in danger. Finally Kilara knew what she was going to do to shut Turtwig up. “Aha, why didn’t I think of it in the first place? Goddess, I am really dumb,” Kilara said as she slapped herself in the head. Then she concentrated and tried to connect her mind with Turtwig. It wasn’t to read his mind, Kilara wouldn’t mind having that power, but it was to make him see things. One of Kilara’s powers was to make others see what she wants them to see and feel what she wants them to feel; anything. Though, she hasn’t fully developed it yet, she gave it a try. As she connected her mind to Turtwig’s, she showed him that she was okay and that she was just swimming and would be out soon. Turtwig finally stopped calling for Kilara and just sat there and waited for her quietly. Kilara was relieved, but felt dizzy and weak. Few Kryptonians gain a power of the mind. In fact without proper training one can become weak, and this was Kilara’s case. But she knew she couldn’t let it over whelm her; Kilara had to wait ‘til it was clear. She turned around and was relieved. The man hadn’t heard Turtwig and moved away from where Kilara and Turtwig were. Kilara finally relaxed and swam back towards the shore. When Kilara came back Turtwig waited eagerly, handing her a towel which he grabbed with his mouth. “Aw…thanks Turtwig. Did you have a good nap?” “Turt!” he said happily. “Uh…my head is still dizzy, but I think I’ll be fine. Wow…it’s getting late,” (*Kilara shivers*), “and cold. We should gather fire wood and build a fire. What do you think?” “Turt.” Kilara laughs and says, “Okay come on before it gets way to dark.”
When they get back from getting the wood, Kilara starts making the fire while Turtwig rests beside her. About 17 minutes later the fire is made and Kilara finishes setting up her sleeping bag. But before she could finish, she notices Turtwig look toward the forest area. Then she and Turtwig hear something moving within the forest. Turtwig immediately stands up and goes into protection mode. Kilara grabs her bag and pulls out her hat and jacket. So she can hide her identity. Then she stands up, looks around, and yells, “Who are you? And what do you want?” There was no reply, so Kilara yells, “Who’s out there? I’m warning you, I know how to fight and I’m not afraid to kick your ass.” Again there was no reply, but the bushes moved again this time from a different area. It was more to the right now, so Turtwig and Kilara changed their position and faced that direction. Kilara then saw a small glimpse of what looked like a man. “Stop hiding and come out,” Kilara demanded. Nothing happened, but both Kilara and Turtwig knew something was there.
“Turtwig! Razor leaf!” shouted Kilara.
Just as Turtwig was about to attack, the man from the river reveals himself, but from his stomach up. Bushes were hiding his lower features. And yells, “Wait…stop!” While holding out his hand, palm facing towards them.
Kilara commanded Turtwig to not use his razor leaf, at least not yet. “Who are you?” asked Kilara.
“My name is…”
“Alvin?” Kilara interrupts.
“Galen (ga-len),” he finished. “Were you expecting a guy named Alvin?” Galen asked.
“No, just that you have similar features. I just thought,” she answered.
“Oh, well I’m sorry to have scared you and your pokemon. I saw the smoke coming from this area and wanted to check things out,” he explained.
“So what, do you like live around here or something?” she asked.
“Actually I am a protector of this forest,” said Galen, stepping out from behind the bushes, showing his full self.
Kilara’s jaw drops then she says “You are a centaur? I can’t believe it. I heard from three of my closes friends that centaurs went extinct over a decade ago.”
“If that were true, then I would not be standing here in front of you. Most centaurs are gone,” Galen corrected, “I am one of the few still remaining. We have dispersed throughout these forests, still fulfilling our duties.”
“Wow…that’s awful. So it’s just you protecting this forest?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Does it suck being by yourself?”
“At first it did, but you get used to it.” He paused for a moment staring at nothing in particular, “So do you have a name?”
“Yes I have a name what kind of question is that? My name is…uh…” Kilara pauses and thinks about giving him her real name.
Galen hears her hesitation and asked, “It’s only fair that you give me your name. I did after all tell you mine.”
Kilara decides that it’s okay to tell him because she knows that when most of the centaurs were still around they were in alliance with Kal-El. “Centaurs could be trusted,” she thought to herself. “My name is Kilara.” Galen starts laughing and says, “Kilara? Descendent of Kal-El?” “The very last one,” Kilara answered.
As the two were conversing they heard a loud shriek in the distance. It was a horrible sound, like nails on a chalkboard, only louder and more teethe grinding. The sound grew louder and louder until it desisted. A gargoyle appeared, almost as if from out of nowhere, and snatched Turtwig. Kilara and Galen looked and saw the gargoyle, with Turtwig in its claws, fly straight up into the air. Kilara transformed into a falcon and followed after them, not caring if Galen saw, and left him on the ground. Galen trailed behind them, pooling out a beautiful long bow from his side. He was shooting arrows at the gargoyle as he followed. With Kilara closely on the gargoyle’s trail, and Galen shooting arrows at it, there is no way the gargoyle could escape with Turtwig. Finally one of Galen’s arrows hit the gargoyle on one of its claws. The gargoyle shrieks and releases Turtwig. Kilara sees Turtwig falling to his death and dove for him, like a bird of prey diving for its next meal. She knew she wouldn’t get there on time no matter how fast she dropped. But when Kilara sees Turtwig about to hit the ground, Galen jumps and catches Turtwig.
Finally Kilara is on the ground with them and checks on Turtwig. Kilara calls out, “Turtwig…Turtwig…Are you okay?”
Turtwig looks at Kilara and replies, “Turt!”
“Goddess, I thought I lost you,” then she looks up at Galen and says, “Thank you. You saved Turtwig.”
Galen replied, “Don’t worry about it.” Then he looks at Turtwig and says, “Are you sure your okay?”
“Turt,” replied Turtwig.
Kilara looks up at the sky and says, “It’s not over yet.”