OZ: a remake of the tale 1.12

12. Kalidah Pursuit

"Cat, if you know of a good prayer, please do it now." Scarecrow barked to the cat who was fleeing faster on the glass limbs of his. We been pursed by Kalidah.

Who?

Kalidah are a fierce creature of Oz. They are as tall as Droid and have a body frame of what be termed as a brown bear with a tiger for the head. The Kalidah have been pursuing them for over two days and night now. It was all started that morning when we thought the that we had little to worry on.

It was a serious misrepresentation.

Surprising Scarecrow did not speak much on the last incident involving the crows. More to it, the droid is also avoiding her. He seems to be distracted or intentionally evading her.

"Droid, can we talk?" I paced up with the droid. I did not wait for a reply. "What did happened at the field with the crows?"

"Nothing that concerns our journey. I just happened to be there to rescue her." Then the droid paused in reply. "Intruder alert."

The discussed plan for these emergencies were to grouped together on the side of the yellow brick road; Droid would be point with Scarecrow and Dorothy in the back while Toto handles the rear. No one included the Cat.

"I would be back soon." That's the cat reply.

It was Scarecrow who sensed their presence.

"We need to get away. We are in grave danger." She pulled us to the cover in the nearby treeline. Once we are hidden behind the trees, I asked Scarecrow as to what would had scared her so much.

"Its the Kalidah." Scarecrow whispered the name. "The Kalidah is a fearsome creature. One with the killing instinct of the Tiger with the strength of the Bear."

"No creature would harmed you if I am around." Droid spoke up to Scarecrow which the later placed her hand on the droid axe.

"I know you would." She whispered to him. "I am not afraid anymore."

Dorothy smiled at the two which she think may had something good going on. Then Scarecrow reached with her hands to anyone to keep quiet. She then point to the road which now have two new travelers.

The Kalidah stop at where we used to gather. They are sniffing for our scent; trying to picked up our tracks. Then one of them raised its head to catch the faint smell it got.

"I smell something, brother." The Kalidah asked of its kin. "Its not a common scent. Its not Munchkins. Its not of those diggers Nomes. I am baffled."

It stooped down to place its paws on the dark surface there. Its some sort of oily content; slick and dark in the shades.

"Kalin, why are we concerned on how they smell? The Witch wants them captured or to return with their heads." The younger Kalidah laughed out loud. "It did not say much on the body which we can feed on."

"Bulim, your ever unfilled appetite would be your undoing." Kalin roared to his brother. "They go that way."

The Kalidah took to our tracks while Scarecrow pulled us to run. Droid held back as rear guard while we took our way. further in to the trees looking for more cover. We came to a raging river with a narrow bridge across it.

"We can cross it and raised the bridge before they arrived." Scarecrow and myself ran across, while I held onto Toto. I looked back and saw the droid standing there.

"The bridge can't hold my weight. I would stay here to protect her." Droid replied. "Scarecrow, take care."

"No, Droid. We can figure a way for you to come over." Scarecrow replied back. She walked in circles to think. Then she stopped. "Dorothy, I need your help."

Suddenly Droid was attacked by the Kalidah. The two creatures pounced on the droid from both sides, causing it to fight on its two side. The droid swung its axe but the creatures seem to know more of the blade as it evaded it well. When the droid was attending to one of the creatures, the other would sneaked in for an attack.

"System alert. Circuit 345 compromised." The droid took immediately action to protect its rear joint on the left wheel. The creature claws are sharp and able to leave it marks on the surface of the droid. The droid stepped back and re-assess its position. It called for some hard actions. The droid punched in its code to fire up the phaser from its fingers. The blasts pushed the creatures back and the droid took the opportunity to retreat to a safer distance.

"System, adjust the power levels to compensate for the damages." The droid felt the compensation on its system, and then regain its battle advantage. It fired a concentrated fire on an overhead branch and bringing it down on the creatures. The droid ran for the river banks and caught glimpse of Scarecrow.

Meanwhile Scarecrow told me her plan and it was a risky one. I could lose more than Droid. I walked up to Toto and spoke to her.

"Toto, I am in need to help Droid. I also fear if you failed, then you may be in danger." Toto looked at me and yelp out. She can sensed my fear and beginning evolving. Toto changed into the griffin and flex her wings. She flew up and over to the other side.

"Droid balance yourself on one wheel and hold onto Toto. She would carry part of your weight to cross over." Once I told it, I ran to the river banks and held my hands in prayer. The droid did as per request and stepped on the bridge while Toto flew on top of it, holding part of the weight. They made their way slowly, and was making slow progress.

Toto kept on flapping her wings while carrying the heavy droid.

Suddenly, we saw the Kalidah. They found us and rushing over. More to it, above them hovering in the sky was the Witch of the West. Toto immediately started reacting on the presence of the Witch. She almost dropped the droid.

"Toto, I am here. Do not fear her." I shout out to her. I then reached down to pick up the stones at the river bank. I threw the stones at the Witch. I know it cannot reached her but it felt good. Scarecrow did the same.

Toto on seeing me, began regaining her confidence and pulled hard on the droid. They are starting to make progress on the bridge. The next threat was the Kalidah.

"Kalidah, get over there." The Witch of the West command the creatures. "I need to return."

One of the stones thrown by Scarecrow chipped the saucer and the Witch is retreating. Meanwhile the droid is slowly making progress. As it made the crossing, the Kalidah stood at the other bank.

"Kalin, do we cross?" Bulin placed a leg on the bridge and test its strength. Since the droid went on the bridge, it has weaken the bridge.

"Kalin, the bridge is not going to take our weight." Bulin withdrew his leg and stood there. He sees Kalin stepping into the river and then pulled back its leg.

"The current is swift, but we can still managed on it. I think we can swim through. After all, we are part Tiger." Kalin replied. Without waiting for his brother, Kalin jumped into the river. It swam, and tried to beat the current but the current begin to build up. Kalin find itself losing in the current and began drowning.

"Help me, Bulin." Kalin roared in desperation. "I am drowning."

Bulin ran to the river banks and on seeing the strong currents. It paused and then decided to hold back on its rescue. It turned to run back to the yellow brick road.

"Bulin.....you tiger without stripes..." Kalin was swept beneath the water.

Meanwhile on the opposite river bank, Droid and Toto reached the safety of the land. Droid stepped both its lower limbs on the ground, and was hugged by Scarecrow. I walked to the bridge and looked opposite. The yellow brick road lies over there and I am here. Without the yellow brick road,. I would not reached Emerald City.

"Dorothy, there is something you need to see." Scarecrow point to me at the nearby horizon. I can see the top of the towers from afar. They are all emerald in shades. "We can still make it there. Once there, we would find a bridge to cross over."

Scarecrow held my hand.

"If there is no bridge, we would find the way." Scarecrow smiled. "I am a smart person to think of something by then."

We all laughed including Droid whose laugh sounded more like a machine sputtering loud noises.