Magnifico

Viruz and the Jaguar

They stopped close to where they saw mountains. There were many mountains around the area and some looked gem-brown while some looked as black as coal tar. Most of the mountains looked crinkled at the top. The crumble floors of the area look as though the mountains have never been visited by people or a place not yet discovered by people. It also looked dangerous to Sun because it looked like a place where dangerous animals like lions or mountain tigers prowl. They decided to sleep there for the night and wait for the next day to phase out their next plan. The place was incredibly terrorized by wild beasts but they had no idea and they didn’t bother themselves to check out the surrounding atmosphere because it didn’t matter and they had no time liberty for irrelevancies. Camping here to pass the night, they had their dinner and went to sleep early. They did this because according to what Timon told them, they had to ride fast if they want to make it on time to Zaphra.

Their tent has been carefully pitched on the ground and they had already slept inside leaving the burning campfire they made outside to continue burning until it extinguishes itself. In the middle of the night, Viruz was pressed so he came outside the tent to settle himself. It was cold and dark, the campfire they made was no longer burning. He could barely see far but yet he decided to move a corner and pee.

While at it, there was this sudden roar that made him turn around quickly. He couldn’t see where the sound came from but he was so sure that he heard something but he couldn’t tell what it was or which animal that had made the sound and it made him increasingly uncomfortable but he decided to finish up nonetheless. Before he was done, a large hungry-looking jaguar emerged from an underlying bush and jumped on him. The crispy and black looking jaguar looked ferocious and fast. When it jumped on Viruz, he managed to block the bite with his right hand. The jaguar bit his hand, inclined his canine deeply into Viruz lower arm, close to his palm. Viruz was struggling to remove his hand from the mouth of the jaguar but the cut was increasingly becoming intense and the pain more severe. Viruz wasn’t even with his weapon when he was attacked so he had no alternative but to keep on screaming to make Sun and Jonas hear him and come to his rescue.

Luckily for him, Jonas made it outside and saw Viruz struggling with the deadly beast. He brought his sword, rushed close to them, and swung his sword across the left ear of the jaguar, and cut it off. The jaguar immediately let go of Viruz's hand and charged against Jonas. Rushing towards Jonas, it has opened its mouth wide to tear off Jonas's skin but he managed to block it with his sword and the jaguar bite the sword instead which tore the mouth of the jaguar and made it bled.

Suddenly Sun came out with his bow and arrow and shot the jaguar. Even though he could barely see the jaguar but he had a bull's eyeshot. The arrow hit the jaguar on the left eye and the arrow penetrate the eyes before forcefully removed his sword from the mouth of the jaguar and cut open the jaguar's neck which killed the jaguar instantaneously. Jonas kept his sword and came to Viruz was sitting on the ground looking very exhausted. Sun also dropped his bow and rushed towards Viruz who was gnashing in pains.

“Oh, Viruz. Bring me some clothes Jonas” Sun quickly said as he holds Viruz arms.

While the jaguar was slowly dying and breathing heavily while on the ground, Viruz hand's was also bleeding and might have been infected by the jaguar's bite. Jonas brought the clothes which were used to control the bleeding for the moment while Sun asked Jonas to bring the alcohol bottle he left in his backpack. Jonas brought it too and Sun-soaked the cloth material Jonas brought with the alcohol and used it to clean the blood on Viruz hands. He brought a pure white cotton fabric and wrapped Viruz hands with it.

How do you feel now Viruz?” Sun anxiously asked.

“Better I guess.”

“I’m so sorry Viruz,” Jonas said with his heart full of pain. He was imagining the type of pain Viruz was passing through. Jonas angrily stood up, took his sword and went straight to the dying jaguar, and caught off its head. He came back and used the remaining piece of fabric to clean up his sword.

“This journey doesn’t just look good. I still don’t have a good feeling about it. You know I am surprised this happened” Viruz said.

“I'm sorry Viruz but no one knew it would happen. I’m happy the jaguar didn’t tear off your hand wholly, it would have been a different story you know.”

“True. If it did, who is going be prepared all those sweet delicacies for us Viruz?” Jonas asked as he laughed. Viruz managed to smile too.

“C'mon Jonas, since you claimed you did the last cooking, I guess you should also take care of this one as well. Huh?” Sun said. They wanted to make Viruz smile and happy and forget about focusing on the severe pains he was feeling. The plan was perfectly working because they have managed to make him join their conversation.

“And Jonas would make a great cook huh?” Viruz asked as laughed.

“I guess Jonas will be the person that would prepare this dead jaguar. Since he is now a self-acclaimed cook, we need to let him prepare it for us so we can have what we will take as breakfast tomorrow morning. Am I correct Viruz?” Sun asked.

“Absolutely General,” Viruz said as he sits up himself and closed his wound with the other hand.

“No. No. This is too much for me” Jonas said as he laughed.

He stood up and went around the surrounding area in search of dried firewood. He secured enough of them and brought them close to their tent. He also brought a ring of rocks, laid firewood around the rocks, and built it up to increase the height before he lit the fire on it. He dragged the jaguar close to the fire and brought his small well-sharpened dagger which he used to cut open the jaguar's stomach. He brought out all the intestines and spread the jaguar on top of the fire to dry it. He came back to where Sun and Viruz were sitting.

“Jonas, you seem to have learned a lot from Viruz? The way you quickly arranged everything made you look like a professional” Sun said while he laughed.

“A professional which he is not” Viruz added jokingly. They all laughed. Jonas and Sun helped prepare the meat in the middle of the night while leaving Viruz to have a rest. They ate the meat as breakfast in the morning and took with them the remaining part of the meat when they sped off the following morning.