Ben and Lucy: The Sunken Kingdom
Chapter 14 White Tiger

Max was struggling down the cliff. The snow was deep and his legs sank into the powdery whit stuff and he made his way down. A couple times he had to retrace his steps. He could not stop his quest for Ben. Somehow he knew the boy had survived the fall. Something about Ben and Lucy was special. He could sense it. Where did these strange kids come from? Where are their families? Max pushed on. Suddenly he stopped. He lifted his head up into the air. Something did not make Max feel comfortable. He must replace Ben soon. He continued his journey through the heavy powdery snow.

The cold wind blew across his face. Ben stirred deep in his sleep. After the fall Ben had laid in the snow drifting in and out of consciousness. A dream state overcame him. Soon his was back in the palace and the girl who caught his eye in his last dream was back. He could see her in the distance but she was not noticing him this time. He followed her through the maze of people. He had no idea where he was going but he was driven to continue on. The girl elegantly glided through the crowd, his urgency grew stronger and her pace increased. Where was she going? What was the hurry. He desperately wanted to catch up to her, but as he sped up so did she. Once he lost sight of her. Panic swelled inside. He searched his view first left and then right. He looked up the stairs. No sign of her. He continued looking toward his right. He turned to view more of the palace and there with just a glimpsed of her flowing hair he watched her descend the stairs downward into the palace.

Ben followed her down the large stone staircase and as he continued the bright lights diminished. The noise from the crowd deadened. He could now hear his own footsteps. He paused and listened. Faintly he could hear her footfalls on the stone. Down further she led him. Ben began to get nervous, he was now away from all contact of people. The stairs wound downward until he can upon a door. No where to go but through. He grasped the handle. Cold iron in his hands. The door was heavy and he had to lean into the door to move it. The door swung open. The hallway opened up to his eyes. Faintly lit with torches on the walls. He paused to listen once again. Nothing. His heart sank. Then suddenly he heard something. Be continued through the hallway to another door on the other side. A small clank and then a rusty door hinge. He slowly stepped down the remaining stairs, as he turned the corner he saw another door as it closed ahead of him. He knew she must have come through there. Through the bars on the door he could just see a moving object. He proceeded toward the door, as he placed his hand on the doorknob…

“No!”

“Where is my brother!”

“Lucy, Max is going after him. We could not stay there to look further” explained Growler.

“Why did you leave him?” Lucy was crying as she spoke these words to Growler.

Growler looked away. He could not look into her eyes at the moment. He knew he had to continue on but her sad eyes pierced his heart.

“Lucy, we needed to keep moving. Growler said that at the beginning. The creature that was chasing us does not quit and soon it would have been upon us.” Matilde tried to comfort Lucy. She continued “We believe that moving on kept the creature from going after Ben. There would be no way we could get down to him before the creature could.”

“What creature? Can you tell me? You left my brother alone to die down there.”

“Max is going after him and will protect him. We could not make it down the cliff with this sled.”

Lucy began to cry again. Growler instinctively put his arms around the child. Lucy melted in the huge arms. She needed to feel loved and protected and Growler was the perfect one at the moment. Lucy felt so alone, the strong embrace from Growler was just what she needed.

Suddenly the trees began to move behind them. The limbs crashing down. A terrible roar filled the air. Quickly Growler placed Lucy back in the sled. He began to push the sled with all his might. The huge contraption began to move. Growler pushed and pushed, he began to run behind as the sled gained speed. The trees behind them continue to crash, the creature was gaining on them. Lucy heart beat faster. She had completely forgotten her brother. Her deep instinct knew they had to get away from the oncoming animal. The sled picked up speed.

The trees broke apart, out came the huge white tiger. Max was massive but this was no regular cat. It was larger than any elephant Lucy had seen in the zoo. It came closer. Lucy looked forward the sled was gaining speed but not quickly enough. The cat would surely catch them. Growler prepared for the confrontation. Just as the cat was about to jump, something whizzed past the sled. The object came from the front of the sled and suddenly slammed into the cat. The cat fell in its place and tumbled forward. The sled continued down the slope and soon the cat was out of view.

Growler yelled. “Hang on tight we are about to jump!”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth the sled flew into the air. A huge divide was in front of them and the sled was passing over the valley below. Lucy looked down. Jagged rocks below reached up from the flowing river below. The sled continued to float in air. Lucy closed her eyes. The sled hit the hard ground nearly spilling its riders. Growler held on his one hand, dragging his body on the snow behind. He used all his strength to pull himself back onto the sled. Again the sled took control and began to weave in and out of the trees. Growler ducking limbs here and there.

Lucy then screamed. In front of them appeared a cliff of solid rock. The sled could not possibly stop in time. They were going to crash. The sled then suddenly jerked to a stop as if a powerful wind were blown in front of them, cushioning their momentum. The sled stopped just inches in front of the rock face.

The doorknob felt cold to his touch. Ben continued to pursue his girl. As he opened the door a blast of cold air hit is face. He was now entering a part of the palace that no one hardly ever went into. He reached back and took one of the torches off the walls. Past the door the chambers were dark and cold. He paused again for a sound. Nothing, he waited. Still nothing. He decided to close the door behind him. The door closed behind him with a sound that made his heart sank. Why was he continuing on? This was not safe at all. Still the image of the girl flashed in his thoughts. Suddenly he heard a voice in the distant darkness.

“Help me. I need you.” The girl was calling to him now. He followed the voice through the darkness, his torch illuminating the way through a passage of cells. He stopped and looked into one. He jumped back, a scream rose in his chest, but he remained quiet. There inside the cells was a skeleton hanging from the ceiling. The corpse had long been picked clean by some animal. Cobwebs were everywhere. Again the voice called to him.

“I need you to free me. Come and save me.”

Ben found the cell where the voice came from. He looked inside the cell, nothing but darkness. He tried the door. Locked solid. He called to his mystery girl.

“I am here. Where are you?”

Through the darkness her face appeared at the cell window. The eyes glistening as they met his. He trembled in her beauty. Her eyes were sad and longing. He reached to touch her but she drifted away.

“Come replace me. Ben this is not a dream.”

Ben awoke in the cold snow. The wet snow melting on his face. He tried to move, at first just his fingers could get free, but as he continued to strain and stretch his movement became greater. He moved his head from side to side. Ben blew the snow away from his face. His legs were still trapped. He now realized he was standing upright deep in the snow. He struggled but he was stuck as if in quicksand.

Ben’s eyes were now free to look out. It was dark and grey with only a few rays of sunshine coming through the mist. He was able to make out a few trees and rocks sticking out of the snow. A small animal was moving in the distance. A squirrel perhaps. Ben watched the squirrel move about. Everything was peaceful not a sound in the air. Suddenly there was a crashing out of the trees. The squirrel was quickly devoured by a huge animal. Ben blinked and shook with fear. A huge black wolf stood now where the helpless squirrel had been only a few seconds before. The wolf sniffed the air, blood dripping from its mouth.

Ben was trapped and soon to be a easy meal for the wolf. How could he remain hidden? Ben feared that after freeing his face, he stood out like a beacon. The wolf continued to sniff the air and look about. Its eyes passed over his, then the wolf turned its gaze back at Ben. Now he was seen. Ben’s heart raced. The wolf began to creep closer toward Ben. Its eyes staring directly into Ben’s. Fire appeared to be dancing in the eyes. The wolf continued closer and closer. Ben tried to move, still no freedom. Ben then yelled at the wolf.

“Stay away! If I was free I would kill you!”

The wolf stopped immediately. His eyes turned calm and the fire died away in its eyes. The eyes turned to green. It appeared that the wolf then smiled.

“Ah, you are speaking to me?” The wolf questioned Ben.

“Uh, yes.” Ben was still not used to speaking to animals. Once a person could speak to one animal then it seemed to Ben that all animals could then understand him. He did not like this place at all.

“Why is such a creature such as yourself down here trapped in the snow? Is this a trap?”

Ben thought about his response. This might be the way to keep himself alive. He had to be careful here. Maybe he could trip the wolf into letting him be.

“No, come a little closer and I will tell you why I am here.”

The wolf stopped. “Mmm, nice try. I know of your ways, mankind. You are one never to be trusted. And you never allow yourself to travel alone in these parts. You are lying in wait.”

“Oh my dear new friend. Why would I do such a thing?”

“To catch me and kill me.” The wolf replied trying to send other humans.

“Why would I catch you, you are but a squirrel eater?” Ben realized that this might make the wolf angry but he needed to try to get the wolf to think he was tricking him into a trap.

“Nice try. If you are truly trapped I can come back for you and not be caught by your trickery.”

“No, come a little closer and you will see I am the one trapped.”

“Ha ha ha. Now you do insult me. I will come back later for you my friend.” at this the wolf scampered off.

Ben relaxed. That was close, he thought to himself. He now began to free himself again. His fingers were making progress in the frozen snow. Ben amazingly was keeping warm. The clothes that the backpack had provided remained dry and somehow heated themselves. Ben quickly realized now that his body was actually melting the snow around him. His heart jumped with new hope. He strained more and more against the packed snow and ice. Gradually the snow gave way little by little until he could now move his hands and then his arms. Soon he would be able to get free.

A twig snapped to his right. Ben froze. No, the wolf could not be back so soon. Ben knew that this time the trick would not work and the wolf would know that he was truly stuck. Ben did not try to speak this time. Another twig snapped this time closer. Ben’s breathing became heavy and his heart was pounding. He struggled faster and faster in the snow. First his right then his left arms were free. Quickly he began to dig his legs free. The trees and bushes to his right began to shake. He could now hear the animal moving closer and closer. The animal was now running toward him. Not long before it would be upon him. He must free himself and get his sword. He reached for it on his back, just as he pulled it free the bushes opened up and out bounded the animal.

Ben yelled and swung his sword in front of him.

“Hey! Watch it.”

The voice was familiar. Ben stopped his swing and looked at the animal. It was Max.

“Oh Max! Oh Max Thank god you are here!”

“Yeah, if you were any better with that thing I would be dead.”

“Uh, sorry about that. There was this wolf here just awhile ago.

“You say a wolf?”

“Yes and I talked him out of attacking me. He thought I was a trap. He said he would return later to make sure.”

“Good, but we must get you out of here. If I know that wolf, he will not return alone.”

“I am stuck in the snow, but the clothes are keeping me warm and I am about free.”

Max grabbed Ben’s jacket in his strong mouth and began to pull Ben out of the snow. Soon the boy was free. Ben threw his arms around Max and gave him a big hug.

“Now, now young man. Let’s get out of here first. We still are in a great deal of danger.”

“Ok, how did you replace me?”

“I have a great sense of smell and you my dear friend smell horrible. Good thing other hunters have not found you already. But they will. The snow must have kept your stink from rising. Now that you are fee they will come.”

“My stink? Now that is something coming from a dog!”

“Remember my dear friend you are in our world at the moment and you are the stench.”

“Uh, I guess you are right.”

“Where do we go?”

Max turned back where he came.

“We can’t go back there now. The White Tiger is there.”

“The White Tiger? Is that what was chasing us?”

“Yes, he is now after Lucy and Growler but they will soon be out of his reach. If they can only make it past the river.”

“Why the river?”

“The White Tiger never passes the river. No one knows really why but for over a hundred years he has never crossed.”

“A hundred years, that is an old tiger.”

“Oh my dear boy there are things here that are ten times that old.” Max added nonchalantly. Max was continuing to be on the lookout for predators.

“How do we get across the river?” Ben asked.

“We will need to go through the Dead Swamp Pass.”

“Dead Swamp Pass? That does not make sense. What is so dead about that place?”

“It will when you go through there, If we make it”