Savage Captive

Skytown Novel Snippet

Before Delgado could draw his gun the Jumper had seized the skillet from the fire and flung it hard, catching Stubs on his headspikes and snapping the tip of one off. The lizard howled with pain and clutched his head as the Jumper seized the end of a burning bit of firewood in one fist and a large rock in the other. He threw the rock at Delgado and missed then charged Spike with the burning branch.
Scott’s eye widened, would the Jumper beat all three of them? He pressed so close to the wood he got splinters in his nose.
The Jumper was mere steps from striking Spike with the burning wood when a lasso was thrown and cinched around his waist causing him to stumble short and drop the wood as he flung his hands out to catch himself from falling to the pebbly shore. The Jumper grabbed the rope around his waist and bared his teeth at its wielder. Stubs had cast the lasso and was holding the rope tight, glaring at the tall mouse with smoldering eyes.
The Jumper rushed towards the lizard to free himself when a second rope was cast and caught around the neck and under an arm, stopping him short once more.
Scott watched in shock as the jumper wrapped his arms around the ropes on either side and pulled with incredible strength, almost jerking the two Horned Lizards off their feet. Scott suddenly found himself willing the Jumper’s escape but his hope faltered when a third lasso thrown from behind caught the Jumper around his neck and pulled tight, cutting off his air.
The Jumper gagged and tried to turn and pull the rope around his neck for the slack to breathe, the other lizards used the opportunity to pulled their ropes tight in opposite directions until The Jumper couldn’t pull in any direction. The Jumper was gasping for air and coughing as Delgado held the final rope and pulled slowly tighter.
“No, no come on…” Scott murmured as the Jumper fell to his knees and pulled vainly as the noose around his neck. He started to slump to the side, gasping like a hooked fish. Delgado tied the rope to the saddle horn of one of the hitched riding quail and strode forward towards the defeated creature.
Scott watched, straining his ears as the blue-tailed lizard pulled out his knife. Bile rose in Scott’s throat. Was he going to kill him!? The young mouse couldn’t tear his eyes away. He watched as Delgado brought the flat of the blade under the Jumper’s chin and forced his face up to look at him, as the soaked creature’s chest heaved for air cut off by the noose. The swooshing noise of the river water and the rustling of the quail barred Scott’s ears from picking up the lizard’s dangerously soft voice, but he gathered he must be asking a question because he straightened impatiently and asked again. Scott could see the Jumper’s face as it glared mutinously up at the lizard with fierce, brown eyes. Wild eyes.
Delgado raised the knife and flipped it in his hand so the hilt was down then brought it crashing down across the Jumper’s head, making Scott flinch as he witnessed it. The Jumper keeled over on the pebbles out cold.

Skytown is copyright 2004-2011 to Christine Ridgway