The Big Cats of Bakula

by PantheraMan

Chapter 4: The Mega Jaguar

Once they got to the cave, Applejack took Rainbow Dash off of Banda's back and placed her on the cave floor.

"I'll go get some bone leaves, Tulu, stay here and help them guard our injured guest."

Banda left the cave, leaving the girls alone with his Brown Hyena friend. Nothing really happened, until all of a sudden, the hyena spoke.

"So....what kind of skins are you wearing?" asked Tulu

"Did you just talk? And ALL of us understood you besides Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow Dash

"Yep, it's a gift from a shaman years ago." Answered Tulu

"Wait a minute, a shaman?" asked Sunset Shimmer

"Yes, when I began following Banda around, the shaman used a spell on me that gave me the ability to speak to humans, so I could understand Banda. He could do all kind of spells, disapearing spells, transformation spells, and teleportation spells." Said Tulu

"Teleportation spells?" asked Applejack

"Better believe it, but he died of old age three months ago and he was buried with all his magic stuff like he wanted." Answered Tulu

"Oh, I....I'm so sorry. We though he might help us get back home." Said Twilight

"Where exactly are you all from?" asked Tulu

"We're from Canterlot in the U.S.A." answered Rarity

" Well then how'd you get to this place?" asked Tulu

"You see, Twilight here found an artifact that looked like an owl, and it said for us to go to a land ruled by beasts, she read, and it teleported us here. We tried to use it to get back home, but for some reason it didn't work. Then it just blew up after the green gems in it's eye sockets glowed, then the writing on the aritifact's base changed, and it said that it accomplished it's task, and we've been stuck here ever since." Answered Fluttershy

Before Tulu could say anything else, a pack of wild dogs came to the cave entrance. These dogs were black, had pointy ears, bushy tails, and had brown stripes and light gold eyes. There were about 25 of them at the spot, ready to attack.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

"Pesky dogs." Said Tulu

"I'll take these over killer big cats anyday." Said Rarity

"You said it Rarity!" Replied Pinkie Pie

One of the dogs went in to attack, but Tulu got in the way and grabed it by the back of the neck and threw it into another dog. Tulu then charged right into the pack, and tangled with four of them. Another one tried to get between Rarity and Applejack, but Applejack grabbed the dog by the scruff and threw it to the ground. Rarity used her magic to block the dogs attacking her, Pinkie Pie used anything she somehow was able to put in her hair and threw it at the dogs. Twilight simply lifted any dogs and threw them to the ground and at other dogs. Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy had to use large branches to keep the dogs at bay, Fluttershy wasn't even going to try to use her stare on them due to the last couple times she used it. Since wild dogs are nowhere near as powerful as a group of big cats, they held their own very well. But the dogs were persistent, not willing to give up the chance to kill an injured human, but then Banda came back and changed everything.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

With that one roar, the wild dogs all fled for their lives, knowing Banda would kill them if given half a chance. He entered the cave with the so called "bone leaves" which Banda's paws transformed into hands, and he wraps the leaves around Rainbow Dash's broken leg, and the leaves were able to act kinda like a cast of some sort.

"Banda, do you know how far the coast is?" asked Applejack

"The coast actually isn't far from here." Answered Banda

"Good, because I've just about had it with this place, I'll build us a boat to take us out of here." Said Applejack

"I understand, but Rainbow Dash is in no condition to go out to sea, you'll have to wait for her to recover first. Also, any chance we could come?" asked Banda

"Well of course darling! especially after what you've done for us." Answered Rarity

"Great! we've been wanting to see the world, and I've been wanting to be around other people for years." Said Banda

Six weeks later, Rainbow Dash's leg heals completely, and is ready to go out to sea. With that, everyone gathers lots of wood for the boat, Applejack, being the crafty girl she is, makes the boat and keeps the wood together with a special sap from a tree Banda showed her. After the boat was finished, food had to be gathered, Banda and Tulu hunted as much game as needed for the trip, and the girls under Banda's guidance were able to gather fruit that was edible. Once that was done, the set off at sea, leaving the Hunters Deathtrap.

"Yeah! Good Riddance!" cheered Rainbow Dash

At night, they all saw a blue whale, the biggest animal on earth, breach from the water. After that, they went asleep very peacefully, now that they were out of the place where big cats and hyenas hunted them. But little did they know that they were going to be in a place they would never expect to be. When Fluttershy woke up, she saw they weren't in the sea anymore, but in a river in a thick, tropical jungle resembling the congo.

"Everyone, wake up!" said Fluttershy

They all woke up, only to be left wondering where they were.

"Where in the hay are we now?" asked Applejack

"If I had to guess, either the Amazon or the Congo." Answered Twilight

"Well that's just great." Said Rainbow Dash

As they were going down the river, they encountered a herd of Forest Elephants, a matriarchal herd with females and their calves. Unlike their cousins on the African Plains, these elephants tusks face more downward, so they don't get tangled in the thick vegetation.

"Great, more elephants." Complained Banda

"You REALLY don't like elephants do you?" asked Sunset Shimmer

"I don't hate them, I just have a bit of a negative history with them." Answered Banda

The elephants got wind of Banda's scent, and instinctively they trumpeted like crazy, basically warning them to keep their distance. But things got worse when an angry bull hippopotamus came out from the beneath the waters surface and destroyed the boat with it's powerful jaws that can bite a crocodile in half. Now they all had to swim quickly to the other side and once they did, they quickly got into the trees when the hippo came out onto land. Eventually the hippo did go back into the water when he caught the scent of another bull hippo in his territory.

"UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH, of course something like this just has to happen." Complained Rainbow Dash

When they got out of the tree, they decided that they must find food first before they even tried to build another boat. However, they heard the sound of hooves coming their way, they looked behind them, and it turned out to be a stampeding herd of Jungle Buffalo. Quickly, they had to get back into the trees, but the buffalo ran too quickly for most of them, so Banda had to intervene, getting into the herd and swiping at the buffalo to make sure they didn't trample the girls. After most of the herd had passed, the group saw a female jaguar, weighing about two hundred and eighty leap onto a buffalo, use her weight to get it into a position where she could kill it, and then crush the windpipe with her powerful jaws. The group quickly went on their way to avoid being threatened by the big cat on her kill.

An hour passed on by, and the group still hadn't got any food, not even a fresh carcass. Since their old spears had gone to the bottom of the river due to the hippo attack, Applejack ended up making new spears. But every time they tried stalking something, a monkey or a bird sounded the alarm.

"Tell you what, Tulu and I will go get some food while the rest of you get started on the new boat." Suggested Banda

"Sounds like a plan, though I'm not sure how to keep the wood together this time." Replied Applejack

"Just get the other supplies and after we eat, we'll figure something out." Said Banda

Banda and Tulu went on their way to find some suitable game, Tulu was being used the same way hunting dogs are used. Tulu sniffed the air, trying to get a scent, but it was a tad bit harder since they were in a completely different place.

"Got a scent yet buddy" asked Banda

"Yes, but I'm not sure what animal it's from." Answered Tulu

"Only one way to find out." Said Banda

Banda continued to follow Tulu, when they found their quarry, Banda got close to the ground, and got a good look at his quarry, which was an antelope with black fur, white stripes, and curly horns. The animal was large, weighing about five hundred pounds, so there was enough meat to feed the whole group. Banda got close as he could to the antelope, now he was ready to strike. However, he wasn't the only one hunting the antelope. Out of the tall grass, a huge male Mega Jaguar came charging out from the grass, lunging at the antelope, and killing it with a bite to the back of the neck. The jaguar was larger than the female they first encountered, weighing at least five hundred and thirty pounds, and he had a part of his left ear missing, meaning he was a fighter.

"Great, just nice, I track something and THIS happens." Complained Tulu

"Tulu, don't think of this as a loss, think of this as an opputunity." Said Banda

"What do mean.......wait a minute....I know EXACTLY what you're thinking." Said Tulu

"I know, and you know the drill, if I need help, come assist me." Ordered Banda

Banda came out of the hiding spot, ready to fight for the carcass.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH"

The Mega Jaguar lifted it's head up, folded his ears back, and seemed amazed to see a creature challenging him.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAHHH"

The jaguar charged , and he and Banda were locked in claw to claw combat, Banda, using his experience in fighting solitary Tougarions and Petriasmilus's, reared up on his hind legs and swatted at his opponents face, the jaguar fought back, and struck Banda in the shoulder, Banda, using his superior power, manages to push the jaguar to the ground each time it reared up on it's hind legs. Since the jaguar was smaller and less powerful than a Tougarion, it was eaiser to defeat, and eventually the jaguar had enough, and retreated. Banda then grabbed the dead antelope by the neck and dragged it off into the jungle. When they got back, the girls had gathered all the supplies for a new boat.

"Oh my, what happened to your shoulder Banda?" asked Fluttershy

"I fought a huge cat over this kill, it was the same type as the other one that killed the buffalo, but bigger, and is quite the fighter." Answered Banda

"Sounds like you got into a fight with a male." Said Twilight

Applejack butchered the antelope while Fluttershy got wood to start the fire, Banda and Tulu ate their meat raw, as they were used to it by now, Rainbow Dash walked over to Banda to start a little conversation.

"So....you fought a jaguar?" asked Rainbow Dash

"A jaguar, that's what they're called?" asked Banda

"Yep." Answered Rainbow Dash knowing that Banda apparently never ecountered a jaguar in his old home, so he never knew what a jaguar was.

"Then yeah, I did." Answered Banda

"Could you tell me how the fight went?" asked Rainbow Dash

"Sure thing." Answered Banda

Banda goes on to tell her the story of how he fought the jaguar for the carcass, Rainbow Dash listened, and looked with her eyes wide open, obviously in awe of Banda's bravery. After they were done eating, they started building their new boat, hoping that nothing bad would happen this time when they went out to sea.

MEGA JAGUAR
Height: 4 ft tall
Length: 11 ft long from nose to the tip of the tail
Weight: Males are anywhere from 300-550 pounds, females are anywhere from 120-290 pounds

The Mega Jaguar is the biggest jaguar the ever live, and is the top predator of the jungles it lives in. Unlike many other cats, jaguars love the water, and are excellent swimmers, and they have jaws strong enough to crack open a turtles shell. Mega Jaguars came to Bakula from South America, while some of the prey animals like antelope and buffalo came from Africa, and now, the Mega Jaguar is the only jaguar subspecies that hunts a species of wild cow. The jungle buffalo can weigh 5 times more than a Mega Jaguar, but the cats can kill them with minimal struggle and being able to prey on the buffalo is the main reason Mega jaguars are bigger than their Central and South American cousins. As for competition, they are dominant over their enemies. They prey on crocodiles and caimans, and will kill leopards and the sabertooth known as Megantereon to eliminate the competition. Their diet includes buffalo, antelope, deer, caimans, crocodiles, snakes, tapirs, capybara, fish, and turtles. A female can have anywhere from 1-3 cubs in a litter, then after two years, they leave mom and establish their own territories.

Comments

[Comickook]

Hello there. Sorry I took a while to get around to reviewing, but I DID like the exchanges, future chapter set-up AND the mention of how the girls got to this realm in the first place (thanks very much for that). And I also really liked the info provided about the Mega-Jaguar.

[PantheraMan]

Thanks, and there are plenty more big cats to come. I do wish I knew someone who could do some artwork for this.