I can barely catch my breathe. What do they mean they'll be fed for a week. Did that...old man trick me!?
I nervously hold my neck and notice the bite marks have become bruises.
The villagers will be searching for me soon enough. I don't want to believe it, but it looks like I just found a cannibal village.
My arms won't stop shaking. I need to make sure I didn't hear wrong. Rustling. They're heading here. Five men. I scramble around the cave for something I can use against them.
There's just bones here. I grab a broken one; firm and small enough to hold in my hand. It looks like it was part of a person but it should do. I tie my sac to my wrist again-tightly this time- that it won't swing ahead or behind.
I pick myself up and staggeringly walk outside the cave. It will be night time soon and they're still far enough to not see me.
I walk beside the cave trying to buy enough time to fully heal and slowly make my way to its top. My healings slowed down because I haven't had any food for too long. I focus my hearing. There!
I duck down and hold my breathe. Anyone can make a plan, not everyone can play it out. I tell myself.
The five men cautiously walk towards the cave; holding spears and machetes. I smell something off about their spears, they must've laced them with something. They all walk like seasoned hunters, with the scent of dry human blood and serious killing intent. I can tell cause my hearing can faintly get them.
Only one of them comes to check for me in the cave, smart. The man, spear in hand, cautiously takes a peek; steps forward and enters. He quickly runs out and signals the other men. They follow behind him and reach the cave entrance too without making much of a sound. There, the first man explains softly, "He was in here a while ago . The lion's head is still in there too".
"We have to sweep this place fast or else one of us will be food for the village", Another man comments.
Now I'm sure! I leap at the man furthest from the cave and pin his skull to the ground with my bone tool.
With the rest of them all being behind me, two holding spears both thrust at me, I tighten my grip on the bone tool and force my body to flip high in the air, backwards, dodging the spears.
And upside-down, I aim my left knee towards one of the machete wielders.
My knee slams his head into the ground and bounces it right back into my knee again. I roll dodging the machete user and use my whole weight to shove my bone tool into the next machete wielders calf so hard it pushes him off balance, giving me enough time to grab his machete.
Shit! They're too close! The spear users both come at me. I shift to the one on my right and quickly slice through his spear and reach close enough to blind him in that same swipe hoping that it's enough to dodge the second one.
The last one stops in his tracks made immobile by what he's witnessed whilst the one I've blinded screams in pain. He throws down his spear and tries to make a run for it but I pick it up and throw it at him and watch as it lands true.
I will end the lives of all those coming after me-
"You're a sharp one aren't you...lion!", A strong voice shouts from the top of the cave where I was. What is someone strong enough to hide that level of psychotic malice doing here! I'm sure of it! He's their leader! My body instinctively tries to hop back only to be met with the spiked end of his club at full force.
It hurls me into the air and I plummet to the ground a distance away. I can't feel my arm and I can hardly make out what he looks like. I think my visions getting blurry.
"Ha ha! I saw you barely block that hit. I reckon you're a great fighter", He sounds amused. It must have something to do with him calling me a lion earlier.
Whatever he is, he's built like a train; with every inch of his toned body moving precisely as his mind imagines. I don't think I I can fight him, let alone kill him if it comes to it-
"Answer me!...Are you a beast like I am?!", the crazed man insists all whilst killing off the men I severely injured.
I spit out blood whilst trying to get on my feet, "I don't know what you're talking about. All I know is I'm going to find that old man and ask him if he really planned on feeding me to a cannibal village".
"Oh. So you're the one the village head brought as food huh", He starts getting closer, "I thought you turned into the lion or something", He's now standing in front me. Despite being unusually tall, he makes me feel average height.
What should I do?! I've never been hit this hard when I'm hungry, I don't think I'll survive a few more hits like that.
Is turning my only way out?