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Extract from Jess Corbin’s FAMILY Sci Fi.. Kets Akademy www.ketsakademy.com
WHY the fans know Jess Corbin is one of the most creative of WRITERS.. a MASTER STORYTELLER!
The next morning they had met up with tow of the ones they called ‘rangers’. Looking after the forest and terrain around the main encampment. Their ‘Vestiges’ were armoured and apparently for good reason.
Some of the creatures, that we would know as savage wild animals, far worse than the Gobby? Hmm wild grizzlies or how about the Orai a ‘Jaguar’ like animal with sharp claws and those teeth, those razor sharp TEETH!
We can escort you both to the cave, that leads to the overhang.
We have checked and, it is empty, of any threats. A few spiu (Spiders) rather large and imposing BUT more visual than anything of a threat.
Those things, scampered around in the darkness, the sounds could be quite unnerving ! “I do not like them,” Niaj was not short on voicing, in a whisper almost, hissing at them.
They give me the jitters. Those FOUR eyes, that look like bright black shiny beads AND those legs.. all EIGHT of them?”
Niaj had raised a weapon, to fire into the darkness, maybe ? one or two of them. Before, the rangers could stop him, he had felt a blow from
Ameryst. She slapped him hard, forcing him to drop his weapon.
“NOOO!” She screamed at him. “You will NOT fire that in here. Have they, done YOU any harm? NO!
They, are not toxic, they have no venom and ? “ She went to hit him again, for him to stumble, back against the rock face.
The rangers had another reason for removing his weapon. Trexl! A small deposit of it at the entrance the MAIN entrance to the cave had been noticed by them. Highly explosive if ignited. ‘Frying tonight’ ??? Uhh NOO, not a good idea.
Ameryst along with Suasi grinned. THEY, unlike the ‘males’ had no fear at all of them. “Ours, on Fendiq are much bigger AND, some of them, gave us rides.. Fluffy scaly, but once you put on a light harness?!
Sometimes, we used to race them.” “These are too small for that.” There was a growl from Nai.
“SMALL! There is nothing SMALL about these things.” There was a splash against him, a dripping of ?
Grey slime, thick gunge, strands of it, now slid down the outside of his cloak.
“See they like you! “ More giggles, from both of them, amidst the howls and, the frantic attempts, to wipe the gunge off himself. He moved with some haste, towards the exit, EXIT note, not the entrance from where they had stepped further into the cave.
Light! Daylight, now flooded, that part or the cave. Ahead of them lay a short stretch of rock, flat rock,
A gap at the end of it that led into a cave area beyond? That gap could be problematic.
The rangers, had not, ventured beyond the cave, into that area, so were unaware that part of the main stretch of rock had broken off to leave?
Short. the gap, was not one, you could easily step beyond. IT was on reflection, one of those crazy moments, when you see something that is in itself simple, well..
if, you had the right gear, to close off that gap? Maybe fire a rocket lance, with a rope attached. Yes, that would have worked BUT the noise; would have maybe drawn unwanted attention?
They, stood there and, then moved, to sit on some rocks. Ideas, ideas; solutions? Throwing a rope or similar across the gap would not work.
Nothing to latch the rope onto. A plank of timber. Ah now that would probably work BUT the nearest place to locate something along that ilk? A distance away, a day’s journey!
Ameryst we know was very athletic. She could jump? Nah. Too dangerous, the narrow sliver of rock the other side, had a path, that was to the left, which would widen AND take them, to the cave entrance. 
Yes, you could stand on that, close to the rock surface but that was tight and narrow. One wrong move and down you go..
DOWN to the crevice below. You would NOT survive that fall.
The sound above them, the slithering sound of legs, LEGS and more than EIGHT of them? Naij shifted, his head raised slightly to nervously peer upwards.
Another drip of slime, but this time Ameryst was apparently the target?
She shifted to grip hold of the strands.. STRANDS..
Tight almost strong and, surprisingly NOT torn easily? Then she saw a movement, as one of the Spiu moved into sight to drop in front of them, well one? Actually TWO, no; THREE of them!
Leaning forwards, as Ameryst went to stroke one of them.
Its beady eyes moving to focus on her, before its body moved, to stand in front of the ?
Then, they saw a sight, they would not,in all honesty ever ever forget! Strands shot forwards, across the gap to slap against the rock face. From three of the Spiu all together, thick sticky and ? One of the Spiu, moved, to cross over and as it did, it WOVE, yes WOVE, the strands together. Its body the far side, found something to securely anchor the strands to.
Moving back to stand with the others. ONE of its legs, moved to, they swear, well Ameryst certainly did, to point to the strands.. Carefully she stood up, moved to take hold ot the strands. STRONG ! and anchored to the wall the other side! Stuck like it had been super glued, if you know the power of super glue.. NOT going anywhere.
Slowly, SLOWLY, she crossed to the other side. Hanging mid air he body weight totally reliant on the those strands.
Until at last, feet, resting on the sliver of rock, to let go of the twisted strands and ease her way, her body tight, against the rock face. stepping onto the main pathway. A much wider and more secure one?
The spider, who had originally crossed over, now moved again, to spin another strand or two, that the others had fired. Twisting them, it moved back once again, to join the others. Naij had move forwards, to stand, his hand reaching to grip the strands, pulling at them.
Nervous? Well, glancing momentarily, at the Spiu some hesitation, scared, unsure. Suddenly, a Spiu, dropped literally from the ceiling above him. Hovering mid air its beady eyes on him!
Bigger and more menacing, it seemed the big boss had arrived! Two of the feet shoved, yes SHOVED Naij forward with him, frantically grabbing, at the strands holding on one might say for ‘dear life’. NOT we could say, slow in his transfer to the other side.
He was well we could say ‘petrified’ certainly his body felt it was one solid lump and, unable to move?
Another shove and he found himself SLIDING along the strands, to finally, with a sigh of relief, as Ameryst reached out to grip his hand, pulling him to her side, his feet on solid rock.
Once they were secure, she looked towards the Spiu, noting the big one, was slightly different.
More powerful and definitely in control, as IT hissed the others moved.
She bowed. A wave as the Spiu, followed by the largest one, moved to scatter back into the cave.. into the deep dark recesses. NOT before Suais had felt a leg pull off one of her ornaments. NOT quite a bell, but it had a ring to it.
Placed onto the strands. A pull on them, for it to RING, YES RING!
Ameryst had seen what it had done. Pulling at the strands for it to ring? When and IF, they returned, all they had to do was to ring the bell? That would see the Spiu she suspected return to come to their aid again!
Once again she bowed this time much lower to show deep respect.
A while later, they, were inside the cave entrance. Sat sipping on some refreshing much needed, Frubu washes.
Even Naij had now resumed some sensibilities. Feeling a lot happier. HE had also realized the truth and bore no grudge at Ameryst for slugging him.
He admitted, IF he been that malicious, then they, would not have been helped by the Spui. Looking back at all that had happened they were almost lost for words. SO simple to resolve, when those creatures had spun those strands?
“Sometimes.” Ameryst had muttered. “When all is seemingly lost, or too complex to fathom? The world around us, can deliver some solutions; if we CARE about it, cherish it AND those within it! NOT act in haste or to fuel our own recklessness?
Thankyou Spiu for being OUR FRIENDS.. for coming to our rescue.”
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FAMILY Sci Fi as it should be.
 NO ONE writes Jess Corbin Sci Fi
like Jess Corbin an that?
That’s a FACT.
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