PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom
Part 24
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The room was dark and suffocating. The air was old and stale. And Zelsi was beginning to think that she wasn't going to be able to tolerate it for a single moment longer.
She never understood why the Dragon insisted on conducting even the simplest of business with such pomp and circumstance. But then again, she supposed that when it came to the Dragon, there was no such thing as a simple matter. And when she truly gave the matter some thought, she realized that the news she had come to deliver certainly deserved a bit of ceremony. After all, it wasn't every day that the sole inheritor to the Fasara throne turned up dead.
The smallest of sparks could be seen on the distant wall. And Zelsi knew the ceremony was soon to begin. She had only dealt with the Dragon on scant few occasions.
But each time the ritual had been the same. First came the sparking of the candles. And then, it was the lighting of every single one of the innumerous white votives. To this day she had no idea how such a seemingly magical feat was accomplished. And she was far too jaded to believe in such things like mysticism.
Once the candles were lit the shimmering screen would lower revealing the image of the red fire-breathing dragon. The candles would only ever serve to illuminate the fine etching and artistic design of the screen. And though Zelsi had limited knowledge of things like artistry and design, even she had to admit that it was magnificent.
The screen was comprised of a material wholly alien to her. It had the appearance of being as thin and fragile as silk. And yet it shimmered like only the most highly advanced hologram could.
But she had put her hands on its surface. It was comprised of something far stronger then silk. It would always give gently into her questioning touch. Yet, it would never allow her to reach beyond its face.
Its only function was to deceive her with its grand surface and painted design. And the design did intrigue her. It was a beautifully stitched red dragon straight out of human mythology. The hybrids had little need for things like fables and fairytales. Their very existence was mythic enough.
She stood back and watched as the familiar screen was finally revealed. She brazenly walked over to it ignoring the Dragon's previously mumbled request for distance. That visit had taken place long ago. Now she felt a little proximity was in order.
"You've summoned me?" The familiar neutral tones of the speaker called out to her.
Instinctually, Zelsi turned letting her jungle eyes search the darkened room for the stereo equipment that must be hidden. She had searched for it before. And this time was no different. She still couldn't find it.
There was no reason why locating a mere speaker or voice amplifier should cause her such distress. Locating this piece of technology would put her no closer to finally discovering the Dragon's identity. She just had this innate craving to put her hands on it. She wanted to touch the source of the Dragon's commands.
All the Dragon ever did was command her and order her about. But she had no idea what manner of creature she was even working for. The Dragon fully disguised her voice through the use of electronics and tone amplifiers.
The technological result was a voice that betrayed no accent or inflection. It was the result of a speaking computer. And it bothered Zelsi to not even have the slightest modicum of closeness from her most recent of employers.
If she could even hear the shortest of native tones then perhaps she would at least be able to identify the Dragon's tribe of origin. Maybe the Dragon would speak with the humble yet aristocratic lilt of a highborn jungle cat. Perhaps the Dragon would sneer and bark her words like a pureblooded wolf hybrid. Or perhaps she would even hear the familiar lisp of deadly snake.
But Zelsi realized that this speculation would get her nowhere. The Dragon's identity was and would most likely always remain a mystery to her. And that was something that she would just have to accept.
Although the concubine did have to admit that there was a certain of romanticism to the whole thing. Not knowing the smallest of details about the Dragon's appearance did everything to enhance her sexual fantasies.
She had imagined pleasuring the Dragon in a multitude of different guises. She had imagined the Dragon in the form of everything from a lion to a stallion. It really didn't matter what image the Dragon took in her mind. It was the imaginary process itself that served to fuel all her innermost desires.
"I have to come to bring you some news. I think you'll find it very interesting." Zelsi muttered as she reached out with her palms.
She placed the flat of her hands on the surface of the border between them. She ran her hands up and down searching for some clue. All she wanted was some form of contact. She wanted to feel the heat of the Dragon's breath. Or sense the location of the Dragon's presence. She hated this distance and this lack of contact.
It was entirely unacceptable to her. It was her very nature to crave such things. Zelsi supposed that that was why she made such an excellent concubine. She had a raw and ever present need for the tactile.
She truly didn't care if she never knew who or what the Dragon really was. But she ached of the touch of this mysterious hybrid. She had to feel the hands of the person that commanded her so justly. Zelsi had to know the feel of her skin, then and only then would she feel complete.
"Don't waste my time. You know how dangerous that can be. Tell me what you have come to say and then get out!" The Dragon snapped.
The command sounded even more intimidating when issued through the monochromatic tones of a computer. And Zelsi felt her skin tingle at the thought of the threat. Any attention from the Dragon, whether it be negative or positive, was always worth it to her.
"It's about Elila. She's dead." Zelsi said without preamble or illustration.
She never liked the heron. And she made no secret of it. In fact, she was glad that Elila was gone. It would make dealing with Kellis so much more interesting.
"Are you certain? Absolutely certain? There can be no room for error." The Dragon asked in a way that let Zelsi know just how much her news had been appreciated.
The young concubine stretched out her form in a long and luxurious manner. The Dragon was clearly pleased with her news. And Zelsi was wondering if it wasn't about time that she asked for a reward.
"Positive. This comes from a very reliable source. Though I can't imagine that Thash knows yet. We would have heard the explosions, even from down here." Zelsi said laughing a bit at what was clearly on the horizon. This little bit of news was going to rip Thash's world right in two.
"Well done Zelsi. This changes everything. I think it's best if we moved up our timeline." The Dragon said referring to the plans that their hidden movement had endeavored to keep secret from every other hybrid on the planet.
"Before you return to the surface speak with Orica. I have a new assignment for you." The Dragon ordered already preparing to send the young concubine topside.
"Of course, but first I wanted to ask you something." Zelsi began.
She clasped her hands together and bounced back onto her heels. She took the posture of an excited child all the while aware of the fact that her breasts were flopping about with each move that she made. She only hoped that the Dragon was somehow able to see it.
"Dragon?" She asked when no response came after several lengthy minutes of bouncing silence.
She called for her commander one more time but still, she garnered no answer. The Dragon had left without so much as a goodbye or parting word. It wasn't particularly uncommon but Zelsi was disappointed nonetheless.
She wanted so much more from the Dragon. She just didn't know how to go about getting it. Because with this distance and barricade between them her normal sexual charms had been rendered useless. It was beginning to seem like for once in her life she was actually going to have to rely on something other then her sexuality. And frankly, Zelsi found that entire concept to be quite repugnant.
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The transport cruised at top speeds thoroughly illegal in every single part of the kingdom. But they had no choice at the moment. And no one would dare to impede their approach. The Queen herself had summoned them.
They had already traveled a great distance but even now, they were still an hour outside of the royal court. The journey had been one of pure silence. They were virtual strangers to each other. And essentially, they were enemies. It was only for the sheer fact that they were both under royal summons to appear before the Queen herself that they had somehow managed to sit amicably together.
Carielle knew that Pedryn must be out of her mind with worry. The last person she had spoken to was Elila. And when she had left the Fluid she had clearly not been in the best of states.
In fact, she had been inconsolable with grief and soul-wrenching pain. She had gone out into the Gallion Ocean seeking the solace that only the water could provide. But comfort was something elusive to her.
Somehow, she had eventually managed to pull herself together. Her tears had stopped. Her breathing had slowed. And she had found herself finally ready to face both Pedryn and the rest of the Midali tribe.
But as she swam closer to shore she saw the familiar yet shocking outline of a landing royal transport. She thought that surely it was Pedryn who had been summoned. Yet it was she that the Queen had sent for. And Carielle had spent the last five hours trying to figure out why.
She had never been to the royal court before. And the trip there was slowly grating away the last few remaining nerves that she had left. She was beginning to think that at any moment she would surely burst of anticipation. Yet she knew this trip wasn't one of pleasure or joy. Something was terribly wrong if the Queen had moved so quickly and with such stealth. But for now, all Carielle could do was sit and wait through this terrible feeling that something horribly dreadful had befallen the kingdom.
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"You know I heard at one point in history that this entire continent was completely uninhabited. Apparently, it was the only place on Earth untouched by the humans and their ecological scourge." Carielle muttered hoping to engage her silent companion in some small talk. This trip wouldn't be quite so tense if they could just somehow learn to cooperate.
"I think they called it Antarctica. Although, I have to admit that my study of human history is a bit lax. I seem to remember reading though that to them, this whole place was just one giant sheet of ice. Can you imagine? Such a large and fertile piece of land and they didn't even live on it?" Carielle added still noting that her companion seemed to want to have absolutely nothing to do with her.
"You know, I think that's why the first Queen chose to build the royal court here. It was the only place on Earth untouched by their disease, waste, and science. It was pure, pure like the driven snow..." Carielle said laughing a bit at her own attempt to use a human euphemism. It wasn't like her to ramble on so much. She was just so nervous. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it was that the Queen wanted from her.
"Do you always choose to bore your company to death? Or is this just something special for me?" The formerly silent wolf hybrid asked.
Carielle was a bit startled by the sound of the other warrior's voice. Wolves always unsettled her. They all spoke with this low hissing rumble. She had heard women comment on how they found the effect sexy.
She however remained disenchanted by the fluctuating vocal chords. She had a personal problem with wolves. Her tribe didn't. Wolves and sharks had very little cause to intermingle.
The nearest wolf territory was an entire ocean away from the Midali Wetlands. They weren't exactly the type of tribes that constantly bumped into each other. But even though they weren't enemies, they certainly weren't friends.
The Midali were notorious about keeping to themselves. But the wolves were unabashedly one of the most popular tribes in all the kingdom. They were known as social predators. And boasted solid allies on every single continent. On the land, in the air, or even in the sea the wolves had friends. And in some way, Carielle saw the wisdom behind their behavior.
All wolf tribes were revered throughout the entire kingdom for their ability to play nice with others. There were only a handful of tribes in all the world that had been unable to maintain peaceful negotiations with the wolves. Carielle knew for a fact that the Fasara happened to be one of those tribes. Apparently there was a natural rivalry between the two that all the best intentions in the world couldn't unravel.
Once, Carielle had heard one of their own tribal scientists attempt to give a thorough explanation. Pedryn had at one time considered proposing a peace treaty with the wolves. After all, the enemy of thy enemy is thy friend.
The scientist had explained that most of the modern day wolf-hybrids were a result of centuries of genetic evolution in a somewhat reverse manner. Apparently, when the humans spanned the globe their constant companion was the dog. Which was an animal bred down throughout time from its original wolf ancestor.
But now, the reverse was in fact happening. The more docile and domesticated dog traits had virtually vanished from the wolf lineage. Instead, the more ferocious wolf characteristics had begun to emerge. Entire chromosomes had been recovered that at one time were thought extinct.
Apparently, the entire wolf tribe of the Siberian plain claimed their ancestry from a one time extinct breed. The humans killed off many of the animal species that they were just now beginning to recover. Carielle knew that many types of sharks were lost to the humans. Her own ancestors, the great white, had been endangered long before the Great War.
It made her terribly sad to think of it...all those animals that had suffered and died. It was a time from long ago. But if she thought of it and truly remembered all that had been destroyed, she would openly weep for everything that had been lost.
They had nearly destroyed the planet and cut a wide swathe through its natural and defenseless inhabitants. And Carielle was glad that the humans were now extinct. In way, it did seem only fair.
"Do you have any idea why we've been summoned?" The wolf asked glaring at the shark through her lilac tinted sunshades. The light was always so unbearable at the royal kingdom. The sun would reflect in endless and eternal patterns right off the ever present snow and ice.
"No, none. I'm Carielle by the way." The shark added feeling somewhat skittish under the wolf's velvet gaze.
The sensation was ridiculous. She was a Midali warrior. The blood of the sea roared through her veins.
She had nothing to fear from a lone wolf. But she just couldn't seem to quell her physiological response. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her palms would sweat. And her eyes would dart around the solid gray transport looking for some avenue of escape. Plainly, she disliked wolves. Though there was simply no reason for it.
"I know who you are. You know rumor has it that if Pedryn doesn't get herself a woman you may end up leading the tribe. You can't take control of the throne if you have no intention of producing an heir. Isn't that how your tribe works?" The wolf asked allowing her long dark hair to flow around her shoulders. This hybrid was clearly more versed on Midali relations then Carielle had ever imagined. And she found this sudden wealth of information to be quite...unsettling.
"Well, I don't know where you get you rumors from but that's not true. Pedryn will lead the tribe. That's what she's been raised to do. As for an heir, who knows? Pedryn's still young. She could meet someone." Carielle answered giving away far more information then she ever intended. It wasn't like her to be quite so lose-lipped. But this hybrid was having strange and frightening effects on her.
"I see. In case you're wondering it's called cynophobia." The wolf said leaving the shark aching in confusion.
"Excuse me?" Carielle asked trying her best to put some firmness into her tone. But it was no use. Her useless fear was blaringly apparent.
"Cynophobia. It's an intense fear of canines. And although I myself am personally not a descendent of dogs. It would appear that your psyche cares not to make the distinction between a dog and wolf. Must be some sort of defect left over from a rogue human chromosome." The wolf explained all the while smiling rather widely. Proudly, she showed off the large and quite imposing gleam of her distended canines.
Patiently the wolf sat there and waited for some form of response. She really hadn't meant to offend the shark so grievously. It simply amused her that she frightened a mighty great white Midali.
"You shouldn't look quite so pleased with yourself." Carielle muttered in what she hoped was a low imposing threat. But the wolf only laughed, clearly not believing the shark's posturing for one single moment.
"Icelyn." Was the only response that the wolf gave.
"Excuse me?" Carielle snapped back trying her best to intimidate with her voice. But all the while her body tried desperately to sink deeper into the gray seat behind.
"Icelyn. My name is Icelyn. Although, I usually prefer to simply be called Ice. It seems to suite me." The wolf explained finally removing her eyewear.
Carielle gazed into the eyes of a social predator that she couldn't ever hope to tolerate. Because that's when she realized where her fear stemmed from. It was the cold bleak white silver orbs that this wolf used for eyes.
She had once heard that wolves could see so clearly at night that to them, the moon shone as brightly as the sun. And now the shark could fully understand that statement. There was nothing normal about the abject stare of a wolf. In fact, it made Carielle feel like she was gazing into the long night of an icy abyss.
Before she knew it, the mighty shark was trembling in her boots. She wanted off of this transport. She needed an escape from the hybrid at her side before she ripped the very transport apart with the raw strength in her own shark limbs. She was slowly losing control. And if she didn't manage to reign in her fear, Carielle was intensely worried that she would succumb to only the most inappropriate of bloodlusts.
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"My Specter, you've arrived." The soft voice of the Queen called out.
The only other hybrid in the room bowed courteously and loyally at the tone of her royal commander. It didn't matter to her that it was only the Queen's back that she faced. It didn't matter to her that the Queen didn't even witness her act of obedience. She was a loyal servant to the kingdom. And she took great pride in every single one of her actions.
"The ice flows are particularly beautiful this time of year. They make my heart joyful." The Queen commented never once betraying anything other then a perfectly aristocratic tone.
Slowly, the Specter turned slightly so that she too could witness the same sight as the Queen. She didn't have far too go. The inner throne room was four solid walls of glass. And it provided a lush and spectacular view of the floating icebergs as they flowed into the changing sea.
At first blush, the Specter had been uneasy of allowing the Queen to construct a throne room so terribly visible and unguarded. But the Queen's lust for ice would not be denied. And even though Queen lived on a continent covered in frozen sheets of it, she was rarely allowed beyond the walls of her warm castle.
All she wanted was a view of it and that of the sea. She wanted a place to go where she could be alone. She needed a place where her multitude of aids wouldn't dare to follow. She craved the solitude of a room that she could call her own.
So her dutiful servant had constructed a private throne room, one that didn't show up on any topographical survey or blueprint of the castle. It was the Queen's most guarded secret. And only a select few people even knew of its existence.
The room had been carefully hidden behind towering walls of frozen ice and thickened snow. Even a flying transport would never discern its presence from the rest of the continent's frozen tundra. The Queen was surely hidden, of that the Specter had made absolute certain of.
But today, the Queen appeared to be not only alone but lonely as well. Her youthful features were full of sorrow. And even though her body stood tall and proud, it did little mask her exhaustion.
A less discerning visitor would never have noticed. But the Queen couldn't fool the Specter. They had been acquainted for far too long. And even though she was deliberately trying to hide her fatigue, the Specter had noticed the shallowness of her breath and the slight tremble of her hand.
"Come your highness, allow me to assist you." The Specter said with only the utmost of respect.
She reached out trying to gently take the Queen's hand in her own. But the royal woman standing before her only pulled away in open frustration. She hated being coddled. And the Specter knew that. But there were times when she couldn't help herself.
"If I should require your assistance I will ask for it." The Queen said not bothering to disguise the chiding to her tone.
"Yes your highness. I am sorry." The Specter responded immediately apologizing for the error in her behavior. But the Queen only acknowledged her Specter's words with a gentle nod of her head.
Truly, the Specter wondered what it was that had her mistress so troubled. If anything, the Queen was renowned for her joyful and gentle spirit. This behavior was truly out of the ordinary.
"I am only tired. I did not sleep well during the previous moon. In fact, I did not sleep at all." The Queen confessed finally turning away from the window.
Slowly, she began the short walk back to her silvery throne. To anyone else, the walk would have taken a mere two to three steps to complete. But to the Queen, the walk was long and hard and thoroughly exhausting to her bones.
She wasn't particularly proud, despite any protests that the Specter might give to the contrary. She simply saw no cause to ask for the assistance of her humble and loyal servant. She could make it back just find on her own, eventually...
The Specter watched as the Queen moved with careful steps ever closer to her waiting throne. With her, the Queen carried the most beautiful scepter in all the world. It was constructed of hand-blown glass, molded steel, and the finest diamonds in all the land. Legend had it that the scepter sparkled so brightly at night it could be seen from a distance, just like a twinkling star.
But this Queen had a dual purpose for the mythic scepter that she had inherited from her predecessor. To her, it was a lifeline. And she used it as a cane to guide her footsteps across the smooth and slippery floor.
The Queen was young but her body betrayed the ailments of one much older. Her teenage body was riddled with afflictions that no one should ever have to suffer. But even though her form was hobbled and her body crippled, the Specter believed that no one else in the entire world could hold a candle to the Queen's beauty.
The Queen had a lithe frame that illustrated her native owl heritage in bold vibrance. Even now, her facial features were strong and chiseled like those of her ancient feathery ancestors. But her hair was a peculiar shade of dyed red. Her own natural locks had turned stark gray some time around her eighth birthday. She hated appearing older then her years. So the Queen had wisely chosen to turn back the hands of time.
But even still, the Specter found that the Queen's dark eyes would blaze with a beautiful knowledge. Her lips were modest but always serene. And her breasts were ample in their femininity. Sometimes, the Specter got nervous from simply staring at the Queen for too long a time. The servant would become resolutely convinced that her royal mistress could somehow discern the nature of her wholly inappropriate thoughts.
Yet, it made her terribly sad to think that at one point in time the Queen would have been ridiculed and ostracized for her appearance. The humans would have called her retarded, never looking past the limping form of her body. The hybrids stoutly ignored her mismatched limbs and her slurred speech. They ignored the occasional spot of drool because they knew her mouth only overflowed with the words of wisdom. They ignored the strange shape of her wide eyes because they knew that she saw only the truth. They cared not what appearance her body held because it was her mind that the kingdom relied on.
The Specter knew that she could search the entire planet and never find anyone as intelligent as Queen Welaria. The Queen's intelligence was beyond compare. Her astounding intellect was the one treasure that the humans had given them. Welaria inherited her mental gifts from the Queen before. She was created from the perfect fusion of intellect and wisdom. And no one in the kingdom would dare to dispute her rule.
"Please, sit down." The Queen said finally settling into her silver throne piled high with only the softest white silk cushions ever created.
"Thank you, your highness." The Specter answered moving onto the large white sofa facing the throne.
Uncomfortably, the servant looked around the room. She was always a bit uneasy when she was alone for any length of time with the Queen. At times, Welaria would turn the deep penetration of her mental acuity onto those around her. And it never ceased to humble the Specter when she found herself the subject of the Queen's analysis.
The room itself wasn't terribly intimidating or royal in its design. Everything within it was white or silver, to match the surrounding snow. And the room was certainly less formal then the official and well known throne room.
Besides the throne and the sofa, there were several other strategically placed chairs lying about. There was a desk containing mountains of the Queen's work yet to be completed. But she also knew that somewhere in the floorboards lied a small hidden stereo, the Queen one luxury and only escape from the never-ending gruel of running the entire animal kingdom.
"Did you have trouble coming here? I know it is not an easy task to sneak on and off of the Changing Grounds without detection." The Queen asked motioning to the glass walls behind.
Behind that glass and its snowy cocoon lay the Royal Kingdom. This large and bustling town was not only the most densely populated but also the richest tribe in the entire world. The Changing Grounds were home to an eclectic band of individuals who had all come to serve the Queen or the kingdom in one fashion or another.
And being as such, they were the primary conduit for any activity within any realm of the Animal Kingdom. So because of the Queen and the sensitive activities that were conducted within the kingdom, they were the most fiercely guarded tribe on the entire planet. And coming to the Queen's aid without detection was proving to be a challenging task for even someone with the Specter's considerable skills.
"The usual difficulties were entertained." The Specter answered slowly finding the synthetic of her clothing to be most constricting.
The Queen smiled as she watched her servant fumble about in her seat. Though twice her age, the Queen often felt like the Specter was truly the child between them. Her loyal and always anonymous servant could be quite uneasy when she found herself the focus of her royal gaze.
But the Queen never understood such reasoning. The Specter had never disappointed her. There was simply no just cause for such a continual display of anxiousness.
"I apologize your highness. Your summons caught me unexpectedly. If I had known you were going to require my services I would have started the day in a more appropriate attire." The Specter apologized feeling terribly underdressed for a meeting with the Queen.
She had expected to spend the day in training. She had a long journey and a near impossible task ahead of her. She needed to revert to a more patient and persistent pattern. And to do so, she liked to start off every single day with several long hours of punishing and exhausting battle training. Her sense of honor and duty to the kingdom would afford her no other course of action. In the most literal sense, she had been born to serve the Queen.
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Being as such, she had worn her tightest pair of black synthetic pants. She had chosen a small black halter-top to match, which of course left her midriff, inappropriately bare. And her hair, which should be neatly fastened away from her face, was falling down around her in dark swirling spirals.
"You need not concern yourself with such things. The summons could not be helped. We have found more. They arrived just like the others. I'm afraid the death toll has risen." The Queen explained letting her profound sense of sadness fill her large oval eyes.
Instantly, the Specter understood the urgency of the summons. More had been found murdered, just like the others. What they had hoped was nothing more then disputed hunting grounds was slowly turning into an epidemic of catastrophic proportions.
And as she looked up into the face of her ruling mistress, the Specter immediately recognized the real reason for her trip. They just couldn't wait any longer. It was time to move forward with perhaps the most dangerous course of action that their kingdom had ever undertaken. It was finally time to sort through the relics that the humans had left behind.
"The bodies? Where were they found?" The Specter asked never once giving voice to her true grief or haunting fear.
"In the Outlands near Precipice Fall." The Queen answered knowing that her servant was instantly thinking ahead to the duties that she must perform.
"Were there any witnesses?" The Specter asked knowing that either answer to the question she posed would later prove challenging.
Hunting was an avid sport in the Animal Kingdom. Tribes were expected to protect their own. Any killing that occurred was done in the vein of their baser heritage. It wasn't malicious or planned. It was simply predation in its most natural form.
Murder was a concept that died with humanity. The very idea of taking another's life not for sustenance or hunger but for pleasure was an abhorrent concept to the hybrids that now walked the earth. And beyond that, they certainly didn't understand killing done with a weapon.
Their bodies were all the weapon that they needed. They had no use for things like firearms or knives. That's why these killings were so very foreign and obscure. And that's why the Queen had found it necessary to send for the Specter.
"No, we don't believe that there were any witnesses. The nearest tribe is the Dark Nokayans." The Queen answered recalling with ease and mental clarity every bit of information that her sentry had passed on to her.
"A horse tribe?" The Specter asked revealing the fact that her knowledge of the Outlands wasn't exactly perfect. She didn't spend much time there.
In fact, most respectable hybrids didn't. Only the most reclusive and dangerous tribes populated the Outlands. And that's why the Specter found it no great surprise that Black Moon Swamp was quickly becoming the economic powerhouse for the entire Outland continent.
Long ago during the time of the humans, the Specter knew that the Outlands were densely populated and considered to be the practical center of the free world. She thought that she had read once that they had called it the United States. But she couldn't be sure. Her knowledge of ancient human culture was sparse at best.
"Yes... they wander the area from Precipice Fall all the way back to the Blue Diamond. Lucky for us, they were currently on the eastern leg of their journey when the tragedy occurred." The Queen answered smiling a bit at her Specter's question. Her loyal servant prided herself on always being able to research any matter at hand. And the Queen knew that this task lay out before her humble servant was sure to provide her with quite an education.
"Who were the victims?" The Specter asked wondering whom the attacker had found out there in the dessert. Scant few lived in the areas surrounding the Fall. Preying with any amount of anonymity would be a difficult task at best.
"Currently, we are unsure of their exact identities. The bodies were so mutilated that a visual identification would prove useless. We will have to rely on the data from their cyber chips to place them. As we speak, they are being extracted." The Queen explained finding the whole matter to be far too gruesome to contemplate.
"All we know is that they aren't residence of Black Moon." The Queen added knowing that her servant would need that important fact before any investigation could occur.
"How?" The Specter asked missing the pivotal piece of data that Queen Welaria had given her.
"Black Moon has a strict policy on the matter. They stoutly refuse to cyber chip any of their native inhabitants. We can rest assured that these last five victims were not born within the boundaries of Black Moon Swamp." The Queen explained letting her mind go over the thousands of different tribes that the victims could have belonged to.
"What does that bring the death toll up to?" The Specter asked feeling as if someone was slowly punching her in the stomach over and over again.
"Thirty-seven, which we know of. There could be more that we've yet to discover. These ones were found when I sent the sentry to perform a rather unordinary search. When the last ones were discovered I found something odd. There's a pattern to the slayings that I did not discover until it was too late." The Queen said letting her eyes fill with the grief that she was apparently feeling.
"You mustn't blame yourself your highness. I'm sure that you..." The Specter said trying to assuage her royal mistress of the guilt that she was apparently feeling.
"No...this is not the matter that I've brought you here to discuss." Queen Welaria said having no desire to openly converse about her feelings.
"Yes, your highness. The shark and the wolf? Are they on the way?" The Specter asked wondering if the Queen was suddenly having doubts of the course of action that they had earlier planned.
"Yes. But the shark I am still unsure of. The matter lay out before us is one filled with blood and anger. Their bloodlust is notorious. I am concerned that it will interfere with her ability to function in a normal capacity." The Queen said giving voice to an old fear.
Briefly, the Specter wondered if there wasn't more to it then the Queen was revealing. The Queen wasn't prejudiced against any tribe. She led them all with the same justice and fervor for peace that had already become legendary. But the Queen was always reticent when dealing with the Midali. The Specter suspected that deep within the Queen's royal loins hid the older human fear of the sea.
"I understand your highness. And your concerns have merit. But the shark is a necessary component to the investigation at hand. A shark is a virtual scientific laboratory on two legs.
Their hearing and vision is incomparably acute. And their olfactory sense is practically mythic. Carielle will be able to perform in ways that I couldn't even hope to mimic." The Specter said feeling a deep shame that she wasn't born with the skills and advantages of a shark.
"I would still prefer to use Pedryn. I am more familiar with her. I have no previous interaction with Carielle." The Queen said thinking back to her brief exchanges with Pedryn. The alpha shark always made her a bit uneasy. But the Queen trusted her and understood her deep-riding sense of valor.
"I understand your highness. But Pedryn is currently leading the tribe back from the Gallion. And even when she returns I suspect she will be quite busy for some time to come." The Specter explained thinking back to the rumors that she had run across.
"Oh? With what? Please do not tell me that they are preparing to war against the Fasara again? The kingdom cannot tolerate another border dispute. At the present, it would unravel us all." The Queen answered feeling a bit queasy at the thought of having to negotiate yet another treaty with Thash seated at the relative jungle helm.
"Quite the contrary actually. It appears that young Elila has recently come into occurrence with the alpha shark. At first, their meeting was abrupt and impromptu. But it would appear that the beginnings of a relationship are starting to develop." The Specter said pleased that she had least one piece of good news to give to the Queen.
"Are you trying to tell me...? No. That's impossible. The only kind of relationship that those two will ever have is one based on mutual hate and anger. After what happened that night in the Wetlands there really is no other alternative." The Queen said recalling the incident that Thash had tried to keep from her.
"I found it odd myself. So I went to investigate. Don't worry, no one saw me. I know you wanted me to stay away from the Gallion. But I felt that this matter contained the merit of importance." The Specter said inwardly wincing at the Queen's request that she stay out of the Gallion Village.
The Gallion was filled with hybrids from every walk of life and every piece of land, air, and sea throughout the entire planet. Her service to the Queen depended on her ability to remain ghostlike. And traveling to the Gallion was the perfect way to be seen by thousands of hybrids.
"And what did you find?" The Queen asked willing trust that her servant wouldn't have taken such an obvious risk if the situation didn't bear sufficient cause.
"I would use the word love struck to describe Elila. She left the Fluid walking on virtual clouds of romantic ardor. And Pedryn was down right smitten with the girl. You should see her interact with Elila. It's like she's nothing more then some young pup who can't remember how to spell her own name." The Specter said recounting the personal details that she had personally witnessed.
"How is this possible?" The Queen asked not wanting to get her hopes up for possible peace in the jungle. But a union between Pedryn and Elila would solve a violent problem that had plagued the kingdom since its very creation. And the Queen was unwilling to let such an opportunity slip by without doing everything in her power to assure its success.
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"The details I am still unsure of. But it would appear that the forces of fate came forward in the guise of a cobra and found a way to render young Elila unto the care of the Midali. From that point on I am unsure of their personal interaction with each other. I know that Elila came into some information on the true occurrence of the night that she was attacked." The Specter said relaying all the information that she had managed to acquire.
"How? Did Pedryn tell her?" The Queen asked wondering if the alpha shark had swallowed the remainders of her honor and broken her vow of silence.
"No, of that I am certain. All Elila knows is that her parents withheld certain truths. And because of that, she's set course to the Swamp. She's conducting an investigation of her own. And Pedryn is financing it." The Specter said recalling the way that Elila had acquired anonymous passage back to Black Moon.
"What? Why?" The Queen asked allowing her mind to slip into a purely analytical mode.
"It would appear that Pedryn is in quite the rush to have the young heron discover the truth. I believe that she is hoping for forgiveness and perhaps something more..." The Specter answered knowing that her Queen was far too intelligent to need certain facts laid out for her.
"And Elila? How would she feel about such a possibility?" The Queen asked suddenly realizing that perhaps a closed-door meeting with the heron was in strict order.
"All signs seem to indicate that Elila would be most receptive to the idea." The Specter said knowing what this could mean for the Animal Kingdom.
"A union between Pedryn and Elila would be sublime. There would finally be peace between the Fasara and the Midali. All the border disputes could finally be laid to rest. I can't imagine a more perfect form of peaceful negotiation. But what of Kellis? Our sources seemed to indicate that she would wed the young half-breed." The Queen asked trying not to let her hopes soar at the prospect of amicable peace between the sharks and the jungle cats.
"Kellis has gotten herself into a bit of trouble with a young kitten named Narlene. We're not sure how all this is going to turn out. But one thing is positive. When Thash gets a hold of Kellis the result will be quite ugly. I'm not sure that the golden warrior is quite ready to go head to head with the tribal alpha." The Specter said explaining away the somewhat sketchy information she had found on Kellis and her recent romantic dalliances.
"And Pedryn? Is she even in the same league as Thash?" The Queen asked wondering if the alpha shark could survive a direct confrontation with Elila's alpha.
"Yes. All expert opinion indicates that Pedryn would easily triumph. Her scores at the Gallion were amazing. Thash won't pose a problem." The Specter explained knowing that between the three Pedryn was by far the fiercest warrior.
"This opportunity too ripe to allow it to sour. We must assist Elila in her quest. Make sure that doors open for her when she arrives in the swamp. And handle it personally. I don't want anything to go wrong." The Queen said thinking that there was much a royal seal could accomplish in the quest for truth.
"We need to get to her. We need to make her see that between Pedryn and Kellis the former is the better choice. But she can't make such a decision out of duty or desire for simple peace. She needs to believe that it is the best personal choice for her own heart." The Queen said hating the idea of arranging a marriage from afar but knowing that she had no other real choice.
"Yes your majesty. It will be done. I'll see to it personally." The Specter said glad that this one piece of information seemed to have brightened the Queen's features. But the happiness was short lived because now they had to deal with the unpleasantness of murder.
"Were the autopsy results the same as before?" The Specter asked knowing that this was information she had to have before her investigation could begin.
"Yes. The bite marks match no known hybrid on file. It is just as we feared." The Queen answered fully aware that this was not the information that the kingdom needed. A rogue hybrid was stalking their land. And it was going to be up to the Specter to find this changeling before anyone else suffered.
"I brought the recording. I had our people go over it time and time again. But they just can't get any useful scientific data off of it." The Specter said knowing that her royal mistress would want to view this one heirloom of humanity.
"Why did it take so long to decode it? We've had this information for weeks now." The Queen said holding her scepter with a death grip.
Before her crippling had become so severe she had once enjoyed the peace of a good long pace. But now, such an action was dangerous at best. Her only physical outlet for her frustration was to clutch her scepter in a sometimes painful grasp.
"The meeting was recorded on a format known as VHS. According to our data of the time period the humans had taken to using digital recorders. It took quite some doing to get the Natural
Museum to allow us use of their VCR. It was currently on display in their 20th century exhibit. But we made quick work of studying it and built our own. We had it back to them before the very first class of school children even viewed the exhibition." The Specter answered recalling her recent dealings with the museum's curator.
"What was the exact time of the recording?" The Queen asked wondering why it was that they were having to delve into 20th century history to decode its meaning.
"As near as we can tell it was sometime in January of 2004. There's no exact date found in the timestamp." The Specter answered realizing that the date was nearly ancient history to the hybrids that now walked the planet.
"2004... That's nearly three hundred years before the genetic testing supposedly began. And then after that, it was at least another hundred before the first strike of the Great War." The Queen mused realizing that their human predecessors were far more devious then they had ever given them credit for.
"And you're sure about it? The woman on the recording? It's absolute?" The Queen asked hoping that the Specter's initial instincts had been wrong.
"Yes, your highness. We've confirmed it through a thermal graphic analysis of the tape's content. She's a hybrid. But of what type we have no idea." The Specter answered knowing that she was leaving the Queen with only more questions and no answers.
"That's just not possible. The very first hybrid was a shark. And she wasn't created until at least 2354. It's unthinkable that the humans had hybrids before then. They would have declared war much sooner if the option had been available to them. The only reason why they waited as long as they did was because they needed to amass their army of super soldiers." The Queen said explaining all of her logical thoughts on the matter.
"I know your highness. She was a hybrid. But we cannot even begin to speculate as to her animal of origin." The Specter responded wishing that their tracking of human history had been more factual and accurate.
Museums were few and far between. And their history books rarely went back more then a few hundred years. No one wanted to remember the time of the humans. But now, it would appear that they had no choice on the matter.
"I don't even want to guess as to what this could mean." The Queen said knowing that now was not the time to jump to conclusions.
"I know your majesty. But it would seem imperative that we begin tracking down this particular hybrid's lineage. If the humans began genetic testing as early as 2004 there's no telling what they managed to hide from us." The Specter explained already making the necessary mental leap in her mind.
Their history was not as clear as they had previously thought. Their origins weren't as simple as they had once believed. And now they had a rogue hybrid crossing the Outlands leaving a bloody trail in its wake. It matched none of their known predator specifics. And it appeared to be unique in its origin.
But now they also had a recording that had to be dealt with. A lone human relic left over from a time better left forgotten. And in it a lone hybrid was revealed. She was unrecognizable to them but yet she was there. Even though her very existence defied what they had always held sacred about the path of their existence.
"There is one thing your highness. According to the heat her body was generating and the spiking of her internal temperature our scientists have concluded one thing. She was a predator. Her metabolism did reveal that much." The Specter explained knowing that her royal mistress had probably guessed as much.
"Where was this recording found?" The Queen asked never bothering before with the specifics of the issue.
"A group of archeologists found it out in the Dark Sector. Previously, they thought that the war had destroyed any and all signs of life in that quadrant of the Outlands. But it would appear that a few relics survived." The Specter answered pleased in knowing that her Queen was receiving all the relevant information available to her.
"Your highness, I recommend that you send the shark and the wolf after this predator as quickly as possible. They are both experienced hunters. They have skills that I do not possess. Allow them to do what is so very inherent for both of them." The Specter added feeling a strong sense of urgency to the task at hand.
"But your majesty, let me investigate the origins of this tape. If the humans were experimenting with a breed of hybrid wholly unfamiliar to us, we have to know about it." The Specter finished assured that her ruler would make the most informed decision.
"Agreed. Leave me a copy of the recording. I will need to show it to the hunters when they arrive." The Queen said dismissing her Specter. Her servant had a long journey and a difficult task lay before her. She didn't want to keep her for any longer then necessary.
Quietly, the Specter laid the small converted digital disk onto the table before the Queen. Silently she turned to go knowing that she would return as soon as she had information to pass onto the Queen. But before she could leave, she turned once more to look at the saddened ruler that carried the weight of the entire kingdom on her hobbled shoulders.
"We will find this creature your highness. We will make the kingdom safe." The Specter said trying to reassure them both.
The Queen didn't answer. She really didn't need to. She only gave her servant a pained smile that spoke of the volumes that were left unsaid. There was a dark force moving through the kingdom. And it was up to them to stop it.
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CONTINUED...