43 The Jadefeathered Bird's defeat.

It took the jade feathered eagle and the three lions one and a half hours to arrive at a bouldery place covered with mist at the foot of a tall hill. The place was void of plants and the gelidity in it made it unfavourable for homos to populate. The four animals entered the fog as if the temperature in there was normal.

They were following the guidance of Sibuor Mang'weya. It didn't take them long before they entered a dark cave illuminated by the flames given forth by a feral beast. The beast looked like a cheetah in terms of appearance and size. It was spotlessly yellow in colour. It's red eyes were incisive and combined with the white flames it was emanating, even without being told, one could tell the beast was ferocious.

"Flame Cheetah, what are you doing here?"

Upon seeing the cheetah, the jade feathered eagle widened its eyes in horror. Its beautiful feathers rose making it look unkempt.

"Are you surprised dear Jade Eagle?"

The cheetah leered insensately. The jade feathered eagle felt its heart beat faster and harder than usual. It did not occur to it that such a powerful beast had arrived here before it. It never occurred to it that its mission was that difficult.

"When did you arrive here? And do you have the map?"

Even though it was dreaded by the other beast, the eagle suppressed its fear and asked the cheetah in a low tone.

"It is none of your business. What you must know is that since I have obtained the map from these meagre beasts, don't think of walking out of this place alive. I don't want trouble hereafter." The cheetah said frostily, the flames in it intensifying radiating an unfathomable heat.

"I have heard of your strength. I have longed for it myself. Since you have given me that opportunity, I won't chuck it out. Make your move." The bird harrumphed, looking sharply at the cheetah.

The cheetah did not expect the bird to have the gumption to issue a challenge to it. It sighed deeply before rising on its feet. It at once quenched the flames on it and the cave was benighted. Being powerful beasts, whether there was light in the cave or not made no difference since they had acute senses of sight.

Roar!

With a loud roar, the cheetah arrived before the bird in a flash. Its speed was so fast that the beasts present could barely see it. It was as if it teleported. The bird however saw it movements though not very clearly.

The moment the cheetah arrived before the bird, it sent a strong punch towards it. The bird dodged by flying out of the cave. Considering its length when it decided to spread its wings, its fighting artistry could be greatly limited since even though the cave was large, it could not host it with its wings spread.

The cheetah did not slack of, it followed closely behind the bird. It did not want to let the bird escape or gain any advantage in this battle. It had to win to retain the map.

The bird managed to leave the cave but scantily after leaving it, the cheetah sank its claws on the bird's left foot, making the bird stick on it's paw like a fish on a hook. The cheetah pulled the bird down with great force. The latter plummeted on the rocky ground with a clump. It groaned in pain before struggling to rise. Looking at its bleeding feet, it shook vigorously with fury.

The bird's eyes became watery and its look became vicious. It then produced a loud coarse sound which made cracks to form patterns like spider webs beneath the cheetah's feet. The lions thrilled before keeling over. The cheetah was however unaffected by the sound, it once again plunged at the bird with great speed, the flames surging furiously on its yellow body. It looked like fireball charging at the bird, its red eyes looking like small round flames on its head.

The bird's expression turned serious. Knowing that it could not devastate the cheetah with its sound ability, it decided to use brute force as well. It stood steadily on the rock, its feathers standing making it look like it had intumesced.

BOOM!

The two beasts collided sending ripples after ripples of strong airwaves which transformed into hurricanes of wind from the point of collision as they broomed through an area of radius of over two hundred metres away. The mist in that area was swept away making the place clear. Small stones and sand in the area were also swept away. The lions that had stood to watch the duel were sent flying before smashing on the wall of the cave they were in by the torrents of the strong winds. They were left in a sorry state after they fell on the floor.

The beasts that collided retreated. The bird several steps behind while the cheetah only two. It was clear from this who had the upper hand in this fight. Furthermore, as the bird retrograded, some of its feathers tweaked forming a beautiful scenery. When it stopped, it spurted blood.

Flee.

Left with no choice, the only thought thatpopped up in its mind was to flee. Could the treasure it was seeking for be better than its own life? Definitely not. It turned to take its flight but at that moment, the cheetah's eyes sent out a powerful energy that sent the bird to the ground once more. It is clear that there was nothing the bird could do at that moment. It looked at the cheetah detestably. If it could, it could tear this bestial cat into a thousand pieces to vent its anger.

"They are too powerful.."

Mudho who had the power to regenerate had already recovered fully from what happened earlier and looked at the two animals its face filled with shock. The most powerful beast it had heard of was the inscrutable horse. According to Mudho, the horse's power at that time was more or less the same as the monsters it was seeing before it. It had only seen the horse execute its abilities when they met it with Ochieng' though it was easily destroyed by the latter.

'If only Ochieng' was around. My brothers could not have been in this state'. Mudho keened.

"I didn't know why the children of these days are so belligerent. You know very well before me you are like an ant but you still insisted on attacking me, are you that tired of living?" The cheetah sneered while pacing gently around the bird on the ground.

The bird was too tired to even utter a word. It only sat on the ground, giving a cold stare at the cat.

"I told you you had to leave your life here, do you think I was joking with y..."

The cheetah continued with its scolding lectures but halfway through, in the mist a streak of powerful lightning suddenly appeared accompanied by a loud thunder before disappearing without trace. If it could have been the normal lightning from the sky, the cheetah could have remained calm. The problem was that the streak of lighting was horizontal to the ground and was at their level.

"Who?"

The cat called out fearfully before turning its head here and there to see who it could be to no avail. It felt its body becoming weak. Never in its life had it witnessed a beast producing lightning. It had to be fearful.

"Jakony! You are here... "

On the other hand, the jadefeathered bird exclaimed in joy. It disregarded its pain and started jumping like a lunatic confusing the Flame Cheetah to its core. The cheetah's mind was in a disarray.