The Challenge. (Started; accepting w/permission)

Mario/ In tree

I crawl down to Brigid and Andy. Instantly I notice Andy's on a walkie talkie with Katherine. "Rosette got cut," I murmured, "the wolf got her.It looks bad."

"She'll be alright," Brigid answers confidently. I wonder if her confidence is feigned. Then I hear a whimper and glance down to see a few wolves still prowling around out tree. No answer comes from Katherine. Andy continues talking and waiting, while trying to give me a reassuiring smile. I just look away. Finally a buzzing comes from the machine in Andy's hand, then a crackly voice.

"I know guys, things got a little worse than I thought they would. I'll be there as soon as I can, but you need to hold up for an hour or so. I'll be there as fast as I can." Then it goes quiet. I bite my lip before climbing back to Rosette, where I sit and play with her hair as she sleeps.

Brigid|Tree

As Mario climbed back over to Rose's hammock, I reached into my pack and pulled out a bundle of slim metal struts. They were all separate now, but when assembled, they made the skeleton for my wings. I tucked the bundle securely in my belt and began putting the struts together, starting in the middle and working my way out. They snapped together like puzzle pieces, each with its own unique place and function. Once I was done, I collapsed the skeleton, slipping it back into my pack until I needed it. It wouldn't be of any use now, but I felt better knowing I could just put the skin on and take off.

"What were you making?" Andy asked me, shifting a little closer.

"The frame for my wings," I replied. "Kind of a...personal security thing. ...What do you think is taking Katherine so long?"

"I don't know," Andy mused. "I heard her helicopter earlier...maybe she's getting medical supplies, or something." Did Katherine know about Rose? I couldn't decide if that would be a good thing or not. If Katherine did know, Rose might get eliminated, but if she didn't, those cuts could get infected...

Andy

I look at Rylet and smile. She's so brave and strong and she's done stuff like this before. It's not her first time to face danger or have an adventure. Sometimes I hate my life so much. I turn away and display my worst scowl. I've gotten too soft lately. I have to harden up again and stop displaying my emotions. I groan and lean back. My head hurts from no sleep and from the thought of the wolves. Something really wasn't normal about them. My walkie talkie crackles to life and I pick it up.
"Hello?" I ask.
"Andy! Boy am I glad to get through! I've been trying for hours!I'll be down as soon as the sun comes up so I can land. Hang in there and I'll be--" her voice stops abruptly.
"Katherine?" I ask. "Katherine, are you there?"
"Sorry. Bad reception. A little while ago I picked up a sample of the dead wolf and I'm taking it in to be analyzed so we can know how to treat Rose. I'll be there soon."
"Ok will do," I say quietly. We'll hang in here because we have no choice. We will watch Rose writhe in pain 'cause there's nothing we can do. We'll wait for her because there's no other way out. I can't wait until morning...

Katherine

I see the first rays of sun come over the mountains and am relieved. I shouldn't have left the kids in the first place but it was my instinct to take off as soon as we saw wolves. I thought they would be safe in the cave...
"Can you land now?" I ask the pilot.
"Probably but I need fuel so make it quick so we can get back."
"Sure," I say.
When the helicopter finally lands I start looking for the kids. I see them up in a tree. apparently asleep.
"Hello up there!" I say.
"Katherine!" Andy jumps down from his perch. He probably wasn't asleep. Zohan peers from behind a rock and smiles. Mario stays where he is and points to Rose's resting form. Rylet joins Andy and Walter hangs upside-down from a limb.
"Hey I'm really sorry about what happened. We don't usually get wolves here." They all nod and look bored.
"I'm giving all of you the option to back out now. I can take you to a hospital and you can get better. I don't want anyone to suffer."
Andy, Warren, Rylet, Zohan, and Mario think it over and Mario nudges Rose to wake up.
"What huh?" she groans. "What happened? Where am I?" Mario whispers something in her ear and she sits up rubbing her eyes/
"What was the question?" she asks.
I repeat myself and she ponders the idea of going back. I really don't know who will accept and who will decline my offer...

Rosette| Tree
"It's your choice, guys." states Katherine. Everyone stares at me. I look towards Mario who is still beside me. He turns away. I look for support, but none comes. I shake my head no.
"Rose, you need medical-" whispers Mario.
"No. I can't, and I won't. I-- My family needs me to do this..." I state flatly. I sit up, and a pain goes through my neck. I groan and lean back again. I put my hand on my neck, and bring it back, bloody and gross. I groan again.
"Well, at least your leg is better..." says Mario hopefully. I nod. And turn away.

Mario

I wished there was a way I could make Rose leave. Instead I had to press on and do what I could to keep her safe. In the mean time I would try hard to get her eliminated, but without being hurt any more than she already was.

"I'm staying. There's no way I'm going to back out now." However, my voice isn't as confident as I wish it was, and the fear from the night before didn't completely disappear with the arrival of sunlight.

"Andy? Brigid? Zohan? Warren?" Katherine asks, making her way around us all and still glancing with worry at Rose.

Brigid|Trees

"Are you kidding?" I chuckled humorlessly. "I didn't come this far to quit! I don't care how, I'm finishing this thing!"

Quit? Now? The whole point of the challenge was endurance, wasn't it? I had held up so far. Quitting wasn't an option--it never had been, and never would be, for anything. Quitting was worse than failure. At least if I failed, I would have given it my best try. Quitting wasn't even trying at all.

As Katherine looked at the rest of the guys, I shuffled closer to Rose's hammock. "Rose," I said quietly. "Those cuts are going to get infected. I mean, stay if you really want to, but don't think that it won't get worse, because it will." I didn't want to scare her, but I felt like I had to tell her what I knew. "I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I've had crew members die from plant stings, let alone animal bites. So if Katherine offers you some medicine, I'd take it."

Rosette| Trees
Why is everyone wanting me to leave. Why? Bridgid, Mario.... Probably Andy and the others too.
"I'm not quitting. I either win... Or die trying. There's no option for losing." I state flatly. Mario covers his face, and Brigid shakes her head. I slid out of the hammock onto a tree limb. Mario reaches out as if to catch me, but instead, puts his hand back. I sit on the hard limb, waiting.
"What's the next challenge, Katherine?" asked Warren.

Andy

"I'm with Brigid," I say and the rest nod in agreement. "We came here to win, not to give up."
"It's alright with me!" says Katherine. "I hate to say it, but we have to move on. Maybe two of you could carry Rose on a stretcher if she can't walk, but we really have to go now. We have a late start as it is and we don't want to get further behind schedule." She picks up her backpack and turns but then turns back suddenly. "Oh and one more thing, I got news from the hospital and Rylet died in her sleep. Teal and Noah are back at the base camp waiting for you guys when you get back." She spins and heads off. "Follow me. I will explain the next challenge when we get there."
I hoist my pack to my shoulders then walk to join Mario and Brigid beside Rose.
"If we make a stretcher I'm willing to help carry it," I say. "I don't know much about how to make one but if you guys make it, I'll carry it."

Brigid|Woods

"We can use the hammock for a stretcher," I suggested. "Just make sure the knots on the ends stay tied; otherwise the whole thing will unravel." Andy and Mario nodded in agreement, and they stood at the bottom of the tree while I climbed up and untied the ends of the hammock from the branches. "Hang on, Rose," I said. "I'll try not to bump you too much." I pulled the two ends together and lowered Rose down slowly, using one of the branches as a brace to control her descent. Once Mario signaled that he and Andy had Rose, I let the two ends drop, and climbed down.

"We should probably take shifts," Andy said, adjusting the rope around his shoulders. "That way, none of us will get too tired."

"Alright, let's go," Katherine commanded. She started off up the trail, and the rest of us followed.

I walked next to Andy, who was in the front of the hammock. "Oh my God," I said quietly. "Rylet..."

"I know," Andy replied. "I thought she was going to get better..."

"So did I," I agreed, wringing my hands together nervously. "Man, I thought she had a chance to win! God..."

"You okay?" Andy asked, concerned.

"Yeah," I said, nodding, mostly to reassure myself. "She just reminded me of a friend, that's all."

Mario

I help carry Rose, though I know she hates it. If I'd let her she would climb out of the stretcher/ hammock and run ahead. I knew she needed her strength for the next contest, and so did she. I guess that was the only reason she staying laying like we told her to.
My mind spun with the thought of Rylet, but I guess tragedy is a part of life. "Here, I'll take a turn," Zohan murmurs, gently pushing me aside. I let him take it and walk next to him.
"You worried?" He asks.
"Of course, but I'm ready." I put a new piece of gum in my mouth and start chewing, offering some to Zohan and Rosette. They take it, though I have to ask Rose three times before she takes it.
"Alright, we're stopping here for a bit," Katherine announces. All of us fall into a lazy circle and sit quietly, waiting for instructions.

Rosette
I sit on the stretcher patiently, but I know that i'm only doing it for Mario's sake. Suddenly, I jump off the stretcher. I trot as far away from the group as possible. When they all sit down, I go off a way, and sit down alone. I need time to think. I sit there.
So, my plan is to-- win. I just have to- to keep up.....

Katherine

I look at each competitor in turn. Andy and Brigid stretched out on the grass staring at the sky. Mario looking concernedly towards Reyna who is sitting alone under a tree. Warren and Zohan are sharing a sandwich and talking quietly. I hate to break it up but it's time to start the next challenge.
"Ok everyone! As you can all see, we're up higher on the mountain now. We did go down into the canyon but we're back out. All this morning we've been climbing and are about half of the way up. Next we will be taking a winding route that will lead us the rest of the way up. This path is narrow and dangerous so I urge you to be extremely careful. To get to this path we actually have to pass under a waterfall. The waterfall lands a little beyond a rock ledge underneath it and that's where we'll be passing. The ledge is only a foot wide and very very slippery. I need a volunteer who would like to go first. I'm sorry but I can't offer you any safety gear this time but I will be in a raft at the bottom of the falls in case any of you slip. Try your best but know that this is very dangerous and you will most likely drown if you fall. I would also lighten your packs as much as possible since you have very limited space. Whoever is going first please come with me."

Rosette
I grab my pack, and take some stuff. Oranges, apples, vines, bread, some water, and lots of other stuff. My bag is now half empty, and I stand up. Walking forward, I stand before Katherine.
"I'll try first." I say, trying to sound unafraid. Everyone stares at me.
"Rose you can't-" says Mario. I ignore him, and Katherine motions for me to follow. Mario stands up. "Rose. You CAN'T! You'll fall...." he says. I nod.
"If I fall, I fall. If I pass, I pass." I say. "Katherine, I saved the helmet from the TT, can I use it?" I ask as I walk with her. I see the waterfall, and it looks scary. I put my head up, and mumble a quick prayer. Then, I face the challenge.