The Maut Baugh

A Story by chanze reid

my first story with diolouge in creative writing class "rough draft"

The Maut Baugh

Damon

From underneath the endless undergrowth of the jungle murky against the starlit sky was a battle ground of nocturnal elements. Shadow battling against dawn for dominance as the creatures under their reign lived on in defiance. A graceful paw landed elegantly upon the moss covered earth. Deep in thought this creature walked a god amongst his hated kin. He was the king of this jungle, though called many things the name gifted to him by the goddess Durga stood out to the races of animals living under his rule. Damon the Maut Baugh or death tiger. Deep in thought he happened upon the encampment of humans their fire piercing through his darkness. A growl tugged at his chest as his most hated foes had shown their face once again. A grim satisfied look edged upon his visage. How wonderful he thought all in the region of India looked for the colors orange and black when staying in the depth of the jungle. Ironic he thought that their deaths would come in black and white. Diving headlong into the firelight he filled the night with horrified screams and shouts. Maut Baugh ringing throughout the midnight hour. Ripping at flesh he rummaged through out the aftermath of the camp body’s strewn on the moist ground before his mighty feet.

Deep in thought mighty Damon began to speak,

“Why do they venture here” growling as he went “do they not know death awaits them”.

“My sweet Damon how naïve” the melodic voice snapped Damon’s attention back into reality, spinning to meet whatever foe linger near. Before his turn was finished the mighty cat bowed his head in great respect.

“My goddess forgive me I had not foreseen your visit” Damon said in grief the beautiful eight armed goddess stood unconcerned at the edge of the firelight her beauty radiating life into the jungle. Smiling she spoke again

“Damon my sweet there is much to do and barely the time yet to do it” the massive tiger took upon his face a confused look before he questioned

“What could there be to do I have already dealt with the problem at hand there is no other” he said referring to the human body’s at his feet. Shaking her head the goddess went on

“Your fame has grown oh mighty Maut Baugh things come now to challenge you” pausing she placing her hand upon his head. Damon filled with relaxation and desire to once again stand at the side of his mistress. Sensing his thoughts she continued “a mighty hunter comes for your hide” laughter made its way from the great Baugh

“I have been hunted by many great hunters since you bade me guard the jungle none have proved up to the task of claiming my hide” he said standing tall. The goddess looked to the sky and then back to the great animal

“Keep your wit my pet this hunter strikes with cunning and you are not the only creature about with my favor”. Before Damon could utter response the goddess was gone. Damon burned with fury what human dared challenge his might.

“I am no ordinary Baugh hunter and you to will fear the name Maut Baugh” .

Hendrik fletch

Hendrik looked into the jungle fearing naught the idea of the great beast, he intentionally was ignoring the tribe chieftain. No beast could outlast man he thought and he would not be drawn in to ridiculous superstitions.

“Mister Fletch are you listening” said the older round man who sat in the chair center room.

“Indeed good chief this beast is mighty but I do not fear it now if I may the hunt will begin soon I must go” Said Hendrik as he started for the door.

“you are a fool” the ancient chief spoke aloud “do you know how many have come before you only to suffer the same fate Maut Baugh does not kill children or the weak or even women he kills only the strong who challenge him” now Hendrik was interested by nature predators hunted for the weak and easy to kill if this creature was going only for the strong meant it was killing for another reason than food.

“That is all well and good but no animal can compete with man despite his hunting habits and appetite this beast is of little concern to a hunter as skilled as I”. Shaking his head in disbelief at the hunters brazing attitude, The chieftain went on

“I urge you go then into the jungle after you load your weapons and ready your gear of course unless you mean to rid us of this beast bear handedly” smiling the hunter walked to the door

“My gun is always loaded as is every hunters is if their worth the cost” he said smiling as he left the hut.

“Go then” the chief whispered Maut Baugh awaits your arrival.

The humidified heat stabbed in his direction but the hunter felt none of it this was his legacy hunt this beast this Maut Baugh if rumors served right was beyond anything he had previously hunted before. Excitement flooded throughout his veins as he ventured deep into the jungle for the mighty creature. How glorious this kill would be he thought. In truth he was not worried in the mind of Hendrik fletch no animal could ever compete with a man. As he reached the presuppose of the first mountain he stood defiant in the sunlight the landscape unavailing in front of his eyes to reveal his ultimate game board. Soon the mighty Maut Baugh would be dead and his name a legend in yet another country.

“I’m coming for you mighty tiger” he shouted into the air of the Indian sky “fear me!”

Damon

Standing parallel to this would be hunter mighty Damon listened in rage. How dare he challenge his might he was Durga’s gift. Darting from his rock the mighty Baugh ran down the mountain. The shock of his initial attack would drive this hunter from the land. The jungle came alive as its king sprinted off to war his white and black completion appearing as a blur against the stark green contrasting jungle. Minutes later he waited along the river bank deep in the maw of the jungle away from prying eyes.

He did not have to wait long for the hunter had emerged as expected walking along the bank with determination. This close to the tribe there were still women and children about gathering food and collecting water. How surprised would he be, Damon mused when the might of the goddess strikes before he is ready? Patiently Damon awaited HIS prey. Ten feet before him the hunter stopped as if sensing the beast presence. Damon decided the wait was over and broke from cover like a lighting bold escaping a thunder cloud. He roared as he descended upon his rival.

Hendrik fletch

Walking along the bank he casually waved to the women and children as he went. His spirits were up. Firmly believing no danger could come this close to the tribe he walked with his gun over his shoulder and side arm firmly buttoned in. along the bank he went his mind dancing over the ideas of his most glorious kill. . Soon enough the mighty tiger would be his and he could leave this retched country. The wind snapped at him like the whip of a cattle herder. A smell lingered upon the edge of the wind something alive something that wasn’t like the rest. He pondered for a moment the strange incident. And right as his mind registered the danger and movement quick as a hurricane came at him, he began to react but the sight of the beast stole his breath. It was indeed a tiger but instead of the original orange this beast shown in elegant white, and its size was tremendous. The average tiger was six hundred pounds this beast was double that size and barreling at him at speeds Hendrik never thought possible.

Leaping the tiger roared with such ferocity that the trees quaked in fear. Mere inches from his face the claws descended. At the same time the hunter’s reflexes took control. He spun away the claws racking his face leaving long blooded lines from his hairline to his nose. In an attempted counter he slung his rifle of his shoulder. The massive tiger swatted it away and released another earth shattering roar, that noise the hunter thought so powerful. Rolling away the hunter grabbed a spear that one of the guards that had accompanied the women and children dropped in a fleeted hurry. Spear in hand he faced off against this mighty foe. Never had he seen such a beast and gazing upon it the hunter knew fear.

Damon

His attack had failed, never had he thought this fight would last longer than his initial charge. Now before him stood a human with a spear. Damon paced in front of the hunter waiting and enjoying the kill soon to come,

“Well come now beast and face me” screamed the hunter. Rage filled Damon how this man dare challenge him when he was obviously defeated. The hunter’s outburst was not answered with a mighty roar but instead a collection of words,

“You dare insolent swine I will strike your name from this earth” Damon screamed his deep voice splitting the air like thunder. The blood from the hunters face drained.

“Yo… u but you’re an animal A BEAST!” he stuttered “you do not belong in the world of man I will send you back to the depths”

“What you believe you are the only being granted with the goddesses speech how boastful you are human boastful and dead” thundered Damon. The hunter was stunned. And the tiger struck breaking the spear in the depth of his massive maw he swatted at the man sending the hunter sailing through the air. The hunter landed five deep lines in his chest. Just as Damon began to descend and finish the job he saw her, the goddess standing behind the fallen man. Damon looked from the goddess to the man and back but the goddess was gone. Stunned by recent events the tiger didn’t notice the tribe running down the beach at him hurling spears.

Snapping from his inner thought Damon dodge the hail of spears and ran to the edge of the jungle. Looking back their eyes met hunter and hunter looking into each other’s eyes, both eyes held infinite promises that this fight was not yet finished. He then turned and disappeared into the ocean of green.

Hendrik Fletch

Laying upon the sand seeing the tiger disappear into the jungle Hendrik withered in pain, the tiger’s cuts went deep.

“Mista Fletch u bein ok” an Indian man spoke heavy in accent.

“Help me up d****t” Hendrik responded “do you mean to simply leave me here upon the sand to rot in the sun”. Soon he was standing, his head throbbed each heart beat seeming to crack his head anew. Basically dragging him back the camp the tribe hurried him into a hut near the center of the village. Pain ate at him, tore at him he thought surly he would die. His eyes darkened as the “doctors” worked on patching his wounds. He could no longer feel the pain as he fell endlessly into darkness.

Cold, woke him with a start. He looked around seeing the inside of the thatch hut and taking comfort in his rifle laying on the mat next to him. It was now that the reality of the situation hit him. The tiger had talked to him, how it wasn’t possible it couldn’t be. And it mentioned a goddess. Everything about this situation gnawed at the hunters beliefs. Looking down at his chest he noticed the thickly bandaged lines and in turn reached to his face feeling more wrapping on his face. He heard a commotion in the village but cared little as he lay back on the mat hoping for some rest before he would again go after his new rival. Laying back with his eyes closed until the words being shouted in the village become more clear,

“Maut Baugh”

Damon

“He had got away from me!” Had escaped the mighty Damon. Fire pulled at his hart. Their fires stoking his indomitable rage. He reared up and roared into the twilight. “This isn’t over” he settled as he set himself into a run, a mad dash. For the village

He descended upon the village in a fury of hatred that even he did not understand. He killed a dozen men ripping them apart and throwing them with his mighty maw. It was then that he notice the group of warrior’s masses down the road. The tribe’s entire fighting force had come out to drive him off. And the hunter was not among them. This more than anything infuriated him. In a mad decision he did not flee but instead charged to the group of over fifty men.

They collided like and avalanche meeting a tsunami. Damon crushed through the fleet of flesh killing half before the run had come to a cease his fury was unmatched he cut through their ranks defiling the pathetic idea of their attack and as he finished his latest opponent the rest of the hunters ran in terror. A noise caught his interest behind him and he spun claw descending but altering just before its target. Before him stood a small girl who gently reached out to touch his face after a moment she turned his head to a window not far away and inside was the hunter rifle raised at him.

Hendrik Fletch

Looking down the sights of his rifle the hunter smirked

“Your mine now beast I hope you enjoy death” the fact that the tiger had not killed the girl registered only for a moment it was overwhelmed by the need to be the better of this beast. “I am the victor” he said as he squeezed the trigger. Instead of the ring of the shot the gun merely clicked, empty

“I’m afraid you’re not poor hunter” said the little girl lifting her hand and turning it over letting the bullets drop to the ground…………