Polar Yeti And The Beasts Of Prehistory (12 page)

Chapter 15

Gina couldn’t sleep. Yukon, Wen-Ku, even Thu-Ca were all sound asleep but Gina was too preoccupied with waiting for a chance to make a break for it. She looked toward the opening of the cave. From the sunlight that poured into the cave, Gina guessed that it had to be around twelve noon. Wen-Ku had said that the crawling demons did not like the light. If Wen-Ku’s assertion was true, then it would make sense that it would be safer for them to sleep near the mouth of the cave when the sun was out. Gina hoped that the smell of the meat she had placed in the cave walls would entice at least one of the crawling demons to venture slightly closer to the light for an easy meal.

Gina continued to stay close to Yukon and to stare at the deeper recess of the vast cave. She was stretching her senses to the limit in an attempt to hear or see something making its way toward them. Gina also hoped that whatever found the hidden meat would be large enough to draw Yukon’s attention long enough for her to grab the baby and run out into the valley.

She had thought that she heard something scratching the walls but the sound quickly ended and Gina convinced herself that the sound was only her imagination. A few seconds later, she heard the sound again and this time she was sure that it was not her imagination. She focused her vision as much as she could. Gina’s heart raced when she saw a large round shadow in the flickering lights of the dying torches. The sound that she heard changed from a scratch to more of a tearing sound. Gina started to say a prayer that Yukon would hear the sound and wake up to investigate it. She groaned to herself at the irony of praying that a perceived god would wake up and defend her from a so-called demon. The thought had no sooner crossed Gina’s mind when Yukon’s eyes snapped open. The Yeti quickly scooped up both Gina and Wen-Ku in his powerful claw and pushed them behind him. Yukon growled at the shadow, and when he did so, the shadow turned and faced the direction of the cave opening.

Gina could hear something walking toward them as the shadow of the unknown beast continued to bounce along the cave wall. Gina heard a hissing sound and then she screamed when she saw a gargantuan rat come crawling out of the tunnel. Gina quickly sized up the rat. She estimated that it was a little more than two thirds the size of Yukon. She figured that the rat was roughly fifteen feet tall.

Yukon roared at the giant rat and then the Yeti took a step backwards. It was the first time that Gina had seen the Yeti back away from any threat. As an anthropologist, Gina had run into many a rat in tight places and she was well aware that even a normal a rat could be a nasty customer in a tight space. The cave was big and Yukon had some room to maneuver but Gina was sure that the giant rat was better adapted to fighting in the cave then the Yeti was. From Wen-Ku’s description, Gina had guessed that one of the species that she called the crawling demons could be some form of rat. She had just prayed that either her assumption was wrong or that one of the other crawling demons would be the first to show up.

Yukon roared at the rat, and as he did so, the Yeti took another step backward but this time he also took a step closer to the cave wall. Gina gasped when she saw where Yukon had positioned himself. The Yeti had not been backing away from the giant rat out of fear. The Yeti had been making sure that his body was in front of the crevice where Thu-Ca was hidden. Gina had seen Yukon charge every other beast that he had faced. She knew that if a creature was to come out of the cave system that it would have to come at them from a distance. When the cave bear had entered the cave, Yukon had charged the monster. Gina had not considered the fact that when the cave bear had attacked that Thu-Ca was deep in the cave. It seemed that when the infant was close to the danger, the Yeti was determined to make sure that he was safe. Gina’s escape plan included grabbing Thu-Ca when Yukon charged a looming threat but the Yeti had surprised her by taking a completely different approach when the infant was nearby.

Gina was lost in thought when Wen-Ku grabbed her arm and pulled her into the sunlight at the mouth of the cave. The native woman whispered to Gina. “The sunlight will keep us safe and the Yeti god shall protect Thu-Ca. We must stay clear of the battle so that the Yeti god will not have to concern himself with inadvertently hurting us as he fights off the crawling demon.” Wen-Ku then pulled Gina behind a large stalagmite that was bathed in sunlight.

The giant rat hissed again and Yukon growled in reply and stood his ground. The rat moved forward in a flash of fur and teeth. Gina’s eyes had barely registered that the creature had moved before it had reached Yukon. The rat stood up on its hind legs and then sank its two-foot-long incisors into Yukon’s shoulder. The Yeti roared in pain as the rat shook his head from side to side in an attempt to tear Yukon’s arm off. Blood spurted out of the Yeti’s shoulder like a geyser spraying both the cave wall and the rat in the life-sustaining fluid. Yukon shook his head in anger then he wrapped his arms around the rat. With a powerful heave, Yukon tossed the foul beast into the cave wall. The giant rat bounced off the wall and onto the cave floor. The rodent hissed at the Yeti and took a few steps backwards.

It was evident to Gina that the rat had the advantage in speed and agility, but Yukon was by far the stronger of the two monsters. Yukon roared at the rat in another attempt to scare the creature off. The rat hissed then it charged the Yeti again. Yukon was prepared for the rat’s attack, and when the rat reared up on its hind legs, Yukon’s arms shot out and the monster grabbed the rodent by the neck and right claw. For a second time, Yukon threw the rat into the cave wall and once more the rat ricocheted off the wall and onto the cave floor. The gargantuan rodent repeated the process of hissing and preparing to charge the Yeti.

Gina could see how this battle was going to play itself out. The rat would continue to charge Yukon and he would continue to catch the rat and slam it into the wall until the rat’s neck broke or its skull cracked open. Gina looked behind her at the wide open cave entrance into the valley. She considered the fact that Yukon was occupied and that she could run into the valley without fear of the Yeti chasing her. Every sensible thought in her mind told her to run now, to leave Yukon behind, and to try and find Henry. Gina was thinking about running when she heard Thu-Ca crying from within the crevice in the cave wall. Gina’s heart sank when she heard the baby cry. She knew that she would not be able to live with herself if she left the baby with Yukon. She watched as the rat charged Yukon again and for the third time the Yeti grabbed the rat and threw it into the cave wall. This time the rat stumbled after it bounced off the wall. Gina was sure that the horrid creature could not take more than one or two more slams into the wall before it finally died. Gina’s opportunity to escape was quickly slipping away from her. She realized that she needed to change the dynamic of the battle if she had any hope of grabbing Thu-Ca and making a run into the valley.

Gina remembered Yukon’s battle with the saber-toothed cats and how the Yeti had positioned himself between her and the cats to protect her. She hoped that he would do so again, and if not, she decided that she would run out into the sunlight as fast as she could and pray that it was enough to scare off the rat. Gina jumped out from behind the stalagmite, waved her arms, and screamed, “Over here you overgrown rodent! There is a much easier meal right here!” Gina’s pulse was racing as she sprinted to the far side of the cave. The giant rat followed her with its eyes as she ran. When Gina reached the far wall, she turned to see a look of fear and concern on Yukon’s face. Once more, the Yeti had surprised her by appearing to exhibit much more human-like emotions than she would have thought the monster capable of possessing.

Gina’s attention was brought back to the rat when she saw a streak of brown moving toward her. The rat didn’t make a sound. The monster simply ran toward Gina. Gina saw the rat coming for her and behind it she saw Yukon racing after the beast. Gina ran behind and around the nearest stalagmite. Her sharp turn caused the rat to slide into the cave wall. Gina ran past Yukon and toward the crevice that held the screaming Thu-Ca. Yukon turned to look at Gina as she ran past him and it provided that giant rat with the opportunity to pounce on the Yeti and drive its incisors into the Yeti’s hip. Yukon howled in pain, and when Gina saw the rat latched onto him, she pulled Thu-Ca out of the crevice. Gina then turned and ran to the front of the cave.

Yukon was pounding on the rat’s head and neck when Gina stopped at the front of the cave and grabbed a blanket that she wrapped the baby in. She was about to run out into the valley when Wen-Ku stepped in front of her. The native women yelled, “What are you doing? Thu-Ca must stay here in the cave of the Yeti and so must you and your child. Our children are heirs to the Yeti’s power!”

Gina didn’t waste time arguing with the misguided woman. Instead, she delivered a roundhouse kick to Wen-Ku’s temple. Wen-Ku fell to the ground like a ragdoll and Gina quickly stepped over her and ran out into the valley.

Wen-Ku was lying on the floor and looking at Yukon when the Yeti saw Gina run out of the cave with Thu-Ca. Wen-Ku was forced to cover her ears as the monster unleashed a roar that shook the entire cave. The Yeti then grabbed the rat, lifted it over his head, and then he slammed the giant rodent directly on top of a large stalagmite. Blood poured out of the rat and pooled around Yukon’s feet. The rodent squealed and convulsed as it tried in vain to free itself from the pointed rock that penetrated its body. Yukon looked and that creature in disgust. He then lifted his massive foot off the ground and brought it crashing down on the giant rat’s head. The Yeti’s stomp crushed the rat’s skull flat sending a mixture of blood and grey matter splattering around the cave.

Yukon lifted his foot out of the gore that had been his opponent’s head. The Yeti roared once more and then he ran out of the cave. Wen-Ku followed Yukon into the valley. She had expected to see Gina sprinting away from the cave with the Yeti god in close pursuit. Instead, she found both Gina and Yukon standing in the snow and looking to the north. Their eyes were fixed on two snowmobiles that were less than thirty feet away from them and only a few feet behind the snowmobiles was a hungry pack of dire wolves.

Chapter 16

Gina felt as if she was moving in a dream. Everything around her appeared as if it was happening in slow motion. It was the same feeling that she had when her body entered what is known as a
runner’s high
amongst joggers. It’s a state of euphoria that is attained by the combined release of adrenaline and endorphins. The sight of Henry, her husband and the father of her child, speeding toward her filled Gina’s mind with a sense of joy and hope that was beyond the capabilities of words to describe. The sense of joy was at the same time countered by a rush of fear at the sight of the pack of dire wolves quickly closing on Henry. Gina could see Henry yelling and reaching his arm out for her as he slowly came closer to her. She reached out in return for him and she thought that in a matter of seconds, she would be speeding away from this nightmare.

Gina’s mind barely registered that ground was shaking around her as Yukon stepped over her and growled at the oncoming snowmobiles and wolf pack. Henry, Rodgers and Jun-Tuk had nearly reached Gina when Yukon stepped over her, and with two quick swipes of his claws, he knocked both of the snowmobiles to the ground. When the snowmobiles toppled, they sent their passengers tumbling through the snow. The Yeti was facing Henry and he was in mid-roar when two dire wolves jumped onto the Yeti’s chest and two more latched onto his legs with their fangs.

Henry and Rodgers each grabbed a pack off their snowmobiles as well as their weapons. Rodgers yelled, “Into the cave!” He and Jun-Tuk ran into the cave while Henry grabbed Gina. He looked at the baby in her arms with surprise, then he pulled her into the cave. Rodgers and Jun-Tuk ducked behind a stalagmite where they watched the primal battle taking place outside of the cave. The dire wolves were tearing into Yukon. The Yeti would grab a wolf and toss it, only to have another wolf take its place.

Henry saw a native woman starting to sit up at the side of the cave. He turned to Rodgers. “I think that Gina is in shock. Watch her and the baby. I have got to save that woman.”

Henry stood up when Gina reached out and grabbed him. “No, leave her alone. She is totally devoted to Yukon.” Henry stared at his wife with a confused look on his face. Gina sighed. “The Yeti. I named him Yukon. That woman believes that she is his bride. This is her son who she also believes is the son of Yukon. Yukon was an alpha male Yeti who was dethroned. Since then, he has been trying to build a new family for himself by going to Jun-Tuk’s tribe to take pregnant women. He also takes women who are not pregnant to help take care of the mothers after they give birth. When the mothers are recovered, Yukon returns the helpers. The mothers and the infants stay but they have all been killed by the monsters that live here in the valley. That woman feels though that she and the baby must stay here. That is why I was trying to save the baby.”

Henry nodded and pointed to the furious battle raging outside of the cave. He watched in awe as despite the fact that Yukon had two dire wolves attached to his chest, that he was still able to lift a third wolf over his head and throw it at two of its fellow pack members. The wolf and the two beasts that it hit went tumbling through the snow. Yukon then brushed two of the other wolves off his broad chest as if they were flies. Another wolf lunged at Yukon’s leg and the Yeti bent down and swatted the massive canine aside. He stood up just as the three wolves he had knocked down sprang back at his legs and chest.

Henry pointed to the mouth of the cave with his rifle. “We will just wait for the battle to finish. We have enough ammunition to take out the dire wolves if any of them survive. It looks like that Yeti is already hurt I can see numerous wounds on him. We might even be able to take him down if he wins the battle and he is injured badly enough.”

Gina shook her head as Yukon lifted up another dire wolf and tossed it away from him. “All of those cuts are little more than flesh wounds to that monster. I have seen all types of beasts bite and scratch him over the past two days. Yukon’s muscles and bones must be incredibly dense. I have seen monsters with teeth over a foot long bite into him and still not hit anything vital.” Gina sighed. “Those wolves don’t have a prayer. All that they are going to do is cut and anger him. It may take him some time, but he will crush them like he has everything else that he has come across and he will be none the worse for it.” She gestured to Henry’s rifle. “I doubt that your weapons will have much more effect on him than any of the claws or teeth of the creatures that he has slain so far. He will kill the wolves and then he will come in here and kill you three as well.” Gina heard a wolf yelp and she quickly looked back at the battle taking place outside of the cave. She could see three of the dire wolves tearing into Yukon’s legs as he grabbed a fourth wolf by its neck and rear hips. Yukon then lifted it over his head. The Yeti roared then he ripped the helpless wolf in half. Yukon was showered in blood and entrails as he used the two halves of the bisected wolf to beat back the other dire wolves from his legs. Gina pointed to the back of the cave. “Our only hope of getting out of here is through the tunnels. They run throughout the entire mountain range. We can use them to make our way back to the valley pass.”

Henry shook his head. “There are giant millipedes in the caves. They killed several of our team members when we stopped in one of the caves on the way here. Once we escaped them, I sent Dana and Gordon back with the survivors. I told them to start evacuating base camp when they got back.”

Gina pointed outside as Yukon lifted up a dire wolf in each of his hands and tossed them. He then lifted his foot and stomped on a third wolf, crushing it with his tremendous weight. Gina yelled, “Trust me! I have seen Yukon in action and I know what monsters are in the tunnels. Yukon is destroying those wolves and then he will come in here for us. He will follow us through the tunnels and yes, we may have to fight our way through some of the monsters in there, but we have weapons.” She grabbed two of the flares from Henry’s bag. “We also have flares and torches. The monsters in the tunnels are sensitive to light. If we can slip past them, Yukon will have to fight through those same monsters without the benefit of light. Yukon can move like a freight train at full speed. Let’s grab some torches and get going before he gets back in here! The more of a head start that we have on him, the better our chances of survival are.”

Henry looked at his wife and he could see the conviction in her eyes. He knew how intelligent she was. He had also been with her long enough to know when she was sure that her plan was the best option to follow. He loved her and more than that, he trusted her. He ran to the wall and grabbed several torches. “Alright, but we only to need to take the tunnels about half way back to the valley pass. We didn’t see any other caves other than the one that we stayed in and the cave that we found you in. Outside of the first cave, there are several snowmobiles that we can use to make it back to the valley pass. We just have to keep heading north through the tunnels until we find the next cave opening. It should be the cave that the snowmobiles are outside of. As long as we can avoid the teratorns, the snowmobiles are the safest and quickest way for us to get out of here.” Gina nodded and stood. Once more, Jun-Tuk followed the Murella’s lead but Rodgers started moving closer to the mouth of the cave.

Gina yelled at him, “Rodgers, come on!”

He smiled. “You cowards run into the tunnels. I came here for that Yeti and I am going to kill him. When he is dead, I’ll yell for you to come out of the tunnels and then we can all go home with my trophy.”

Gina went argue with him when Henry grabbed her. “He is insane. We would be wasting our time arguing with him.” Gina nodded then she switched the baby to her left hand and grabbed a torch with her right. Jun-Tuk and Henry each slung their weapons over their shoulders then they each grabbed a flickering torch in both of their hands. They nodded and then they started walking into the tunnel system with Gina behind them.

Rodgers crawled closer to the mouth of the cave as the struggle between Yukon and the remaining dire wolves raged on. Rodgers saw the native woman standing next to edge of the cave staring at him but she was unarmed and presented no threat to him. Rodgers crouched down next to a stalagmite and watched as the remaining four dire wolves continued to attack Yukon. The four wolves were gathered around the Yeti’s legs. Two wolves were tearing into each of the Yukon’s legs and the Yeti kept swatting them off. With a swipe from his claw, Yukon knocked away both wolves that were attacking his right leg. He then made a fist and brought it down onto the back of one of the wolves that was attacking his left leg. Rodgers heard a loud crack that he was sure was the dire wolf’s spine snapping in half. The dead wolf fell to the ground. Yukon then reached down and grabbed the second wolf that was still attacking his left leg. The monster lifted the wolf over his head then he turned and faced the cave. Yukon threw the wolf into the rock wall that made up the edge of the cave entrance. The Yeti threw the wolf with such force that when the canine struck the wall, most of the bones on the left side of its body shattered. The dead wolf slid down the outside of the cave wall as the remaining two wolves continued to foolishly attack Yukon.

The remaining two wolves sprang at Yukon again. The first wolf jumped onto Yukon’s chest while the second one continued to attack the Yeti’s leg. The first wolf was biting and clawing at Yukon’s chest until the Yeti wrapped his powerful arms around the animal. Rodgers watched as Yukon squeezed the dire wolf so hard that its midsection collapsed, its eyes budged out of its head, and several other organs shot out of its mouth. Yukon dropped the dead dire wolf then he reached down and picked up the one remaining wolf by the scruff of its neck. Yukon lifted the canine up to his eye level and he roared at it. He then latched his jaws onto the dire wolf’s throat and tore it out.

Rodgers was in awe at the power and ferocity of Yukon as the Yeti threw his arms out in front of himself and roared proclaiming his victory to the world. The Yeti was drenched in blood and entrails as he turned back toward the cave. Rodgers readied his rifle for the kill of his life when to his left he saw the native women laughing at him. He sneered. “We will see who is laughing in a few seconds after I kill your god.”

Yukon entered the cave and Rodgers slowed down his breathing and slowly positioned his rifle under his arm and along his chin. He took aim directly at the Yeti’s right eye and was slowly squeezing the trigger when the native screamed causing Yukon to turn his head to the side. The slight movement caused Rodgers’s bullet to strike Yukon in the side of his head rather than in his eye. The Yeti roared and grabbed his head before turning in Rodgers’ direction. Rodgers didn’t take to time to aim. The hunter just started firing wildly at Yukon. Rodgers could see the bullets burying themselves in the Yeti’s skin but he could also see that they were causing no real damage. Yukon charged toward Rodgers and the hunter sprinted across the cave and into a series of stalagmite that dotted the left hand side of the cave.

Rodgers ducked behind a stalagmite. He then peered out from behind it and fired another shot into the center of the Yeti’s chest. As before, the bullet penetrated the monster’s skin but it failed to make it through the beast’s thick muscles and into its heart. Rodgers screamed as he continued to fire at the Yeti. Yukon roared in pain and anger as each bullet tore its way through his skin. He ran over to the rows of stalagmite and he started smashing them as he forced Rodgers closer to the cave wall. Rodgers was walking backwards as a rain of rock poured down on him from the stalagmite that Yukon was smashing his way through. Rodgers continued to step backward until he felt his body connect with the cave wall. He instinctively lifted his rifle and fired his last two bullets into Yukon’s right shoulder. Rodgers squeezed his rifle again to hear the harrowing click of an empty rifle.

The hunter looked up into the enraged red eyes of the Yeti who was standing above him. The monster stared down at Rodgers and growled at him. Rodgers had been a hunter for his entire life. During his career, he had been stalked by lions, bears, and countless other predators. As recently as the previous day, he had been attacked by teratorns, a wooly rhino, and giant millipedes. In all of those instances, he still felt some sense of control. He knew that he was in danger, but he was confident that by keeping his wits he could escape the situation alive. This time, however, he knew that he was going to die. Rodgers now knew how all of the animals felt that turned to see him pointing his rifle at them right before he pulled the trigger. With his death at hand, Rodgers’ pride swelled up inside of him. He pulled his hunting knife out of his pocket and yelled at the giant towering over him, “Come on then! Finish it!”

Rodgers ran forward wielding his knife in front of him. Yukon roared at the tiny creature that dared to attack him in his own home. The Yeti lifted his fist over his head and brought it crashing down on top of Rodgers. When the monster lifted his hand up, all that remained of Rodgers was a smear of blood, bones, and organs on the cave floor.

Yukon roared then he looked to the back of the cave in the direction that Gina, Henry, and Jun-Tuk had taken Thu-Ca. Wen-Ku pulled two torches off the wall and then she walked over next to Yukon. “Yes, they have taken our children. I will carry the light for you to help keep the crawling demons at bay. We shall track down those who dared to take our children from us. You shall kill the two men, and then we shall bring back Thu-Ca as well as your other bride and the child that she carries within her.”

Wen-Ku started walking deep into the cave, and when Yukon realized what she was doing, the huge Yeti picked up the Quinic woman in his hand. With his bride within his hand and torch in her grasp, the Yeti started sprinting through the massive tunnel system after Gina and her unborn child.