Story: Predators (chapter 25)

Authors: Chimera Bloom

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Chapter 25

PREDATORS pt25 by Chimera Bloom

PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom

Part 25

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"This is unheard of." Ice commented in a hushed and thoroughly disgusted tone. The kingdom was in crisis and apparently she and Carielle were going to be the ones to resolve it.Both shark and wolf had been surprised to learn that they would not be meeting the Queen in her official and quite visible throne-room. Instead, they were escorted to the privacy of an ice-shrouded room were they were to meet with the Queen in the strictest of confidence.

It was there in the large and spacious white quarters that they learned of the terror moving through the kingdom. It was there that they learned of the rogue changeling."Yes, it is. In all the centuries that our kingdom has stood such a thing has never taken place. I assume that now you both can see why it is that I summoned you?" Queen Welaria asked as she gazed into the eyes of her hunters. Instantly, she knew that her specter had been right about Carielle. The shark was unassuming and cordial. But it didn't fool the Queen for a moment. She knew about the bloodlust that the young shark was hiding. She could see it in her eyes.Yet, she could also tell that Carielle would earnestly perform her duty to the kingdom. The shark had listened with a pronounced intensity to every single word that she had uttered. Most of the time she had sat there with a kind courteousy emanating in her manner. But she had asked questions when appropriate. And from her manner of speech the Queen could tell that Carielle's blood was driven by the hunt. There was this hunger that resided in the young woman's soul. And the Queen knew that it was a thirst for blood.The wolf too seemed just as qualified to perform her duties. She was less formal then the shark. But she seemed to have just as much experience in matters of tracking and hunting.But she would bring something important to the investigation that Carielle didn't have. And that was simply the ability to relate to other tribes. The Midali were horribly secluded from nearly every other tribe on the planet. But Ice, her tribe had contacts everywhere. It would help to grease the wheel when they were searching for their prey."What do we tell our tribes? Surely we cannot tell them the truth?" Carielle asked realizing that tracking down this rogue hybrid could eat up large amounts of her time. Pedryn would have to be told something. But she couldn't imagine that the Queen would want the truth widely known."They will be told that you are performing in a manner for the kingdom itself. I will send word of your covert departure." The Queen answered gently fingering the diamonds that encrusted her scepter."Then we are to leave immediately? For the Outlands?" Ice asked anxious to put distance between herself and the Changing Grounds. Now that she knew that somewhere out there a hideous beast hid, she had every intention of finding it. She hated sitting still when there was work to be done. And right now, she wanted nothing more then to hunt down the vilest of predators.

"Yes, but before you depart there is something that you must see." The Queen said holding up the digital conversion that her Specter had left."The recording.... We are to see it then?" Carielle asked unwilling to believe that she had been chosen to view a human recording of only the utmost secrecy."Yes. I feel that this information is relevant to your hunt. And even though this took place several centuries ago. It is possible that there is a connection between the unknown predator then and what is happening within the kingdom now." The Queen explained spelling out for them what truly they had already guessed."You think that there's some unknown breed that's somehow managed to resurface after more then 500 years?" The wolf asked unwilling to believe that some lone human genetic relic could have survived for so long without notice."I am not saying anything. It is far too early to speculate. That is why you two are here. The kingdom needs answers." The Queen responded hoping that her hunters would keep an open mind. If her instincts were accurate, they would need it."Carielle, if you would please?" The Queen politely asked as she handed the converter to the shark.Slowly, Carielle took the outstretched item and moved towards the video display monitor on the Queen's desk. She noticed the way that the Queen had winced at her touch. Something wasdefinitely wrong. She had never even met Queen Welaria before. But it would seem that her young Queen was almost frightened by her."Play." The Queen said activating the recording through an audio control.Carielle returned to her seat next to the wolf and tried to put her strange thoughts far from mind. It bothered her to know that she would frighten the small benevolent Queen. But now wasn't the time to dwell on such matters. Now was the time to save the kingdom. Slowly, everyone in the room turned their attention to the large flat monitor and watched the events take place. There were four people on camera. One was definitely a changeling, a predator of sorts. Easily, the shark and the wolf could hear the sound of her pounding metabolism. This woman who existed nearly half a millennia ago, was definitely one of them. Of that there was no question. They simply had no idea how it was that she came into existence.She was standing next to a long white table. There was a low lamp hanging over its center. But the lighting in the room was brilliant. To the eyes of the sensitive changelings watching the recording, the light was nothing short of obnoxious.Carielle thought that she remembered at one time reading that humans used a form of lighting called fluorescent. Their eyes just couldn't adjust to the darker shade of night. But the changelings of today's world had no such problems. Their lighting fixtures were always muted and only ever softly glowed.But the changeling from so long ago apparently agreed with them. She was wearing a pair of small circular sunglasses hiding her eyes from their prying vision. The wolf couldn't help but wish she would remove them, if only for a moment. Eye color would go a long way in determining her animal of origin.

Other then that, there was nothing noteworthy or evidentiary about her. She was tall, but not disproportionately so for her time period. Her frame appeared to be quite average and from what they could see of her body she bore no distinguishing characteristics. She was a brunette who wore her hair long and straight. Her jacket seemed to be comprised of leather. And her black pants matched it perfectly. Occasionally, she would move allowing the viewers to catch a quick glance of her bare midriff. Her stomach was flat and covered with the indents and ridges of a hard abdominal muscle. It was quite apparent that she obviously spent much time in training. And Ice couldn't help but wonder if she was some sort of prototype for humanity's super soldiers. Even though most of her body was covered, her clothing was quite tight. It was easy to make out the pronounced musculature of her arms, legs, and back. Next to the changeling sat two men, the likes of which hadn't been seen in centuries. They were an odd site to behold to the women so unused to seeing the visage of a gender not their own. They were both of medium height, medium frame and quite enormous weight. One man had dark hair and muted brown eyes. The other was balding with tired gray eyes. Neither of them were particularly captivating to look at. And if anything, Carielle found herself disturbed by their presence. Yet, there was someone else on camera that did catch the shark's attention. She was young, probably the same age as the changeling standing next to her. Her hair was long, thick, and wavy. But it was a startling shade of black. In fact, at times the shark could swear she had picked up the rich hint of blue highlights. This woman mostly kept her back to the camera but they could still make out the pale ivory of her skin and the litheness of her frame. She was thin and delicate. There wasn't even a hint of animal blood running through her veins. And everyone present found the effect to be quite startling. It was easy to forget the fragility of the human female. But this small creature brought it all back for them. She was an example of their most distant of ancestors. She was an example of their heritage.

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And while they may have kept her two-legged form, all their insides had subsequently changed. They no longer had the softer estrogen form of muscle and frame. They were all strong and powerful, filled with the blood of predators.

There was something unique about her though. There was something strangely intriguing about this human female that made Carielle take notice. At one time during humanity's past, it had been legend that sharks contained a somewhat psychic sense.

But later, their primitive scientists had uncovered that this extra-sensory perception could be traced back to a type of electro-magnetic sensor. Essentially, it made it possible for Carielle's watery ancestors to sense vibrations in the sea. To this day some of her tribe mates retained this ability.

Normally, Carielle envied the other shark hybrids like Pedryn who could perform in this manner. Because usually, she could not. But something within her suddenly took notice. She could sense something from this small human female. She was giving off these vibrations that made her seem both human and not. It was almost like she was in a state of flux.

"Wait! That woman next to the changeling, do we know anything about her?" Carielle asked stopping the play of the recording with her voice.

"No. But I have my Specter working on it as we speak. If she uncovers anything of value I will let you know." The Queen answered already having explained the joint nature of the hunt before them.

"What is it? Are you getting something?" Ice asked. She didn't have the same abilities that the shark did. And she certainly wasn't ashamed about asking for help.

"I'm not sure. But there's something about that woman that's off. She's human. I can hear that in the beat of her heart. But there's something else too. There's something different about her. I'm not really certain of what it is yet. But I can sense something not entirely human about her." Carielle explained quickly realizing that they needed the opinion of another shark on the matter.

"Our scientists have already looked into her with fierce analysis. They've noticed that her breathing is a bit irregular. And her body temperature seems to spike and fall quite rapidly. However, all of that is quite normal considering her emotional state during the making of this recording. But her pupils are another story entirely. The scientists say that they display anomalous behavior." The Queen said easily remembering all the information that her experts had given.

"Her eyes? So we will see them at some point?" The wolf asked noticing that at the moment the female had her back to the camera's eye.

"Only for a moment and at the very end. My experts tell me that it isn't long enough for them to get an accurate reading on what is that causes this irregular eye movement. They say that her pupils contract and dilate in a manner incongruous the lighting of the room. This could be nothing more then her anger playing havoc within the frame of her body. Or this could be something more..." The Queen explained suddenly growing quite weary. Her days were long and challenging. And she would need to rest soon.

"But her eyes, are they like ours?" The wolf asked referring to the animal glow that all hybrid eyes contained.

"No, they are quite human." The Queen answered wishing that she had more information to relay.

But she had no more to give. That's why she had sent for the hunters and the Specter. Information was their game now.

Quickly, everyone in the throne room turned their attention back to the scene playing out before them. The changeling was walking around the table in a fashion that could only be described as predatory. The men were sitting there in a manner that bespoke only of frustration.

Yet the girl seemed to be desperate to bring forth some sort of action. From her overt arm gestures and rigid posture, they could tell that she was quite upset. And just when Carielle was about to begin speculating on the subject of the young human's anger, she realized that she wouldn't have to. Suddenly an audio track could be heard. Unconsciously, the shark leaned forward in her seat not wanting to miss one single exchange of words.

"NO! You're not listening to me. Don't you understand? People are going to start to die." The human female screamed at the men seated across from her.

"Did you hear that Donnie? I think she just threatened us." The one man said turning to face the other.

"You know what, I think you're right? You know what happens to people that make threats around here? We take 'em down to lock-up and let them sit on ice for awhile." The other man responded to the balding one.

And then instantly Carielle recognized the setting before her. These people were in a government building of some kind. It was probably a police station of some sorts. Because these men were certainly with law enforcement.

Even after all these centuries Carielle could pinpoint the reason for their surly manner and blatant machismo. The animal kingdom had studied the rise and fall of humanity's criminal justice system. And law enforcement had been a weakness that eventually, the hybrids had only been too happy to exploit. During the Great War it had been the failure of law enforcement and the subsequent failure of the entire government that had eventually brought humanity to its knees.

"Relax super cop, she's trying to help you not hurt you." The changeling said placing two firm hands on the shoulders of the men before her.
Carielle watched as both men winced at the steely grip of her touch. This changeling was definitely strong. And judging from the length of her teeth, she was fierce as well.

"Lady, what you're saying doesn't make any sense." The man known only as Donnie said. From his manner Ice could tell that he thought this woman was clearly insane.

"If you don't believe me, ask them! Call them on the phone and ask to see the reports on RDI-485. You'll see that what I'm telling you is the truth." The woman cried out a bit desperately. But still, the men seemed to only regard her in contempt and a bit of pity. Obviously, they thought that she was insane.

"I know that what I'm saying sounds crazy. And if I were in your shoes I probably wouldn't believe me either. But this is serious. These people are all in danger and if you don't do something their deaths will be on your head!" The woman screamed. Instantly, the men seemed to take offense to her tone and it appeared that at any moment that were going to lead her away in handcuffs.

"This is happening right now!!! Don't you care???" The woman screamed clearly beside herself with desperation.

"I thought you said we had another ten years before doomsday?" The one man asked all the while sharing a silent smirk with his partner Donnie.

"Before it comes here. Yes, we have another ten years. But right now it's happening in Zimbabwe. If you would just call them you would see that what I'm telling you is the truth." The woman said calming down a bit. It was clear that right now she was changing her tactics. Instead of anger, she was trying to beg them.

"Yeah okay... we'll just call down to Zimbabwe and ask them to give us the 411 on some village out in the middle of godforsaken jungle." Donnie answered laughing hysterically at the very idea.

They looked at the screen as the changeling seemed to exchange a silent look with the woman. Things weren't going well for them. And it was clear that they were ready to give up.

"Never mind..." The human woman said with nothing but sheer resignation in her voice.

"Well, now see we can't do that. Because you and your girlfriend over here were caught trespassing on private property." The other man said clearly enjoying the power that his job afforded him.

"We'll pay the fine and leave. If you have any other questions you can direct them towards my attorney." The changeling said drastically altering the tone and frequency of her voice.

The humans didn't appear to notice but Ice did. The changeling had made herself sound melodic and practically hypnotic. And they all watched on as the human men seemed to instantly rise to do her bidding.

Slowly, the changeling and the human female made their way to the door. The changeling kept a firm arm on the human next to her. But it was clearly a gesture of intimacy.

Yet before they left, the human turned around and looked at the men one last time. It was only briefly but it was long enough for them to see her face. And in all her years, Carielle didn't think that she had ever seen anyone with such sad evergreen eyes. It was like gazing into the very depths of a liquid emerald.

And then in an abrupt manner filled with electronic whirs and snowy edges, the recording ended. They were left with only blank stares and beguiling questions. And the hunters didn't even know where to begin.

"Zimbabwe? What is that place?" Ice asked unfamiliar with the terms of geography the humans had used.

"It's on the Inception. Currently, it's jungle cat territory." The Queen answered far better versed in human history then her companions.

"She hypnotized those men. Very few hybrids have that ability." Carielle mused thinking of the events she had recently witnessed.

"Cobras can do that. Cobras can make you believe anything." Ice volunteered wondering if the predator they had just watched was a prototype version of a snake warrior.

"But snake's use their eyes to hypnotize. She never looked at the men, not into their eyes anyways. She used her voice." Carielle added already having ruled out the snake as this creature's animal of origin.

"Some hyena hybrids can do that, to a certain degree anyway." Ice said knowing for a fact that certain hyena changelings could mimic any known sound.

"My experts have ruled out the hyena. They say her skin pigmentation and stature is all wrong for someone of cat origin." The Queen said trying to drive home the fact that this predator matched no known record. She was truly an enigma to them. And if they planned to rescue the kingdom from this strange and current threat, they must unravel the mystery of this ancient predator from so very long ago.

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"Something bothering you love?" Tezara asked as her wife stalked the room in a wild perimeter of anger.

"I'm not sure." Thash answered keeping her eyes glued solely to the jungle landscape found beyond the pane of her window.

Tezara watched her stoic and calm warrior and felt her heart flutter. Even though they had just spent the better part of the evening making love, she was still far from worn out. Her body still craved the touch of her mate.

But even though Thash had a normally legendary libido, tonight she was distant and distracted. Her wife had tried every single charm in her arsenal to keep the tribal alpha secured in their bed. Yet Thash would have none of it. Despite Tezara's obvious attempts to please and pleasure the jungle cat's mind was clearly focused elsewhere.

"You've been distracted all night." Tezara mused as she left their bed, completely naked and wholly uncaring. Her wife normally liked to eye the flesh of her nude form. And Tezara wasn't one to disappoint.

But tonight, Thash ignored her wife's touch as she continued to scan the landscape with her eyes. She could feel Tezara trying to mold her nude form to her wider and stronger back. Usually, this type of blatant display of need and sexuality would arouse her.

Instead, her thoughts were in the Gallion Village and why her tribe seemed to be stoutly avoiding her. Shaenebel had given just about every excuse in the book. But Thash didn't believe a word of it. Kellis was clearly indisposed of. And no one appeared to know how or where to find her daughter.

"Did I tell you I went shopping today? I bought the most delicious little ruby red beaded..." Tezara began trying to tantalize her mate with the newest piece of unorthodox jewelry that she had added to her scintillating collection.

"Not now!" Thash snapped moving just enough to let her wife know that she was tired of being clung to.

Even though she didn't turn, Thash could hear the sounds of Tezara stepping away. She could easily imagine the way that her wife would bring one long delicate hand up to the side of her face. She would breathe deeply trying to refocus her efforts. She would toss her long sandy brown hair over the small delicate curves of her shoulders. Wildly, she would flash her green eyes before taking that one final step towards her wife.

"I'm sorry. What is it? What's upsetting you?" Tezara asked daring to place only one gentle hand on the side of her mate's arm.

"Elila. I've been trying all night to get a hold of her. The tribe keeps giving me the run around. But something is going on. I can feel it." Thash seethed pulling her long white robe even tighter around the frame of her body.

"Well, what does Kellis have to stay?" Tezara asked wondering why it was that her wife seemed to be so concerned about Elila. Thash rarely gave the girl a moment's notice let alone a second thought.

"Nothing. I can't seem to get a hold of her either." Thash answered unable to keep the anger from invading her tone.

But Tezara didn't notice her wife's bitterness. Instead, at the words spoken Tezara felt her heart soar. Both Kellis and Elila were apparently missing. To the heron's mother that could mean only one thing, they were together. And the very idea filled her mind with infinite possibilities.

"Don't get all excited. They're not together. I asked." Thash answered neatly pulling her long platinum locks onto the top of her head.

She hated having her hair lay across her face. It was unbecoming and a complete hindrance when in battle. But she was the tribal alpha. And all alphas were expected to portray a certain image of serenity and beauty. And unfortunately, every single one of her image consultants had told her time and time again that to accomplish that, she needed to keep her locks long.

Thash didn't understand why her hair was so terribly important. Her wife and many others of her lovers had all commented on other more appealing features that she possessed. She had been told that her yellow eyes sparkled like the rising sun. And that her skin was a soft as freshly spun silk. Of course, her breasts were always large and fully ideal in their proportions. She had even been told that her body was so perfectly exceptional that there had never been an alpha before with such innate grace and confounding beauty.

"If they're not together then where is Elila? Has she run off again?" Tezara asked thoroughly worried that her daughter had tried once more to return to the familiar stomping grounds of her boggy home.

"I'm not certain but somehow I doubt it. I contacted my usual people down in the swamp. No one has seen or heard from her. If she is there she's keeping an awfully low profile." Thash mused unable to determine exactly what was bothering her.

"Well, I'm certain that Elila will turn up. Kellis wouldn't let anything happen to her. And besides, I never get to spend time with you anymore. I don't want to waste this one evening that we've been given." Tezara added allowing one of her long delicate hands to find her way beneath the robe of her wife.

"I guess you're right." Thash answered pulling her wife even closer instead of pushing her away.

This time the mighty tribal alpha ran her flat palms up and down Tezara's body. She cupped her shoulders, her breasts, but stopped at the tightened swell of her wife's stomach. Her fingertips traced the long scar that cut across the abdomen of her mate.

"She did this to you." Thash seethed referring to the emergency procedure that had to be used to remove Elila from the womb.

"Well, she hardly did it on purpose." Tezara countered scoffing at the suggestion.

The animosity between her wife and her daughter was gigantic in proportion. And it was a tired old tune that she was sick to death of listening to. Besides she had no intention of bemoaning a prehistorically old situation when she could be taking her wife to bed. After all, now was a time for love not the bitterness of familial discord.

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She awoke to find herself in a small dirty room that she couldn't seem to recognize. The air in the room was stale and humid. Her body was naked and tired. And instantly, Kellis could tell that something horrible had happened.

Neisha was precariously perched on the side of her bed. Her eyes were tired, red, and swollen. And her body was rigid and trembling. The woman had been crying. But Kellis truly had no idea why.

She rolled her eyes back and forth trying to clear the focus of her vision. She couldn't imagine that she was even still in the Lodge. But as she looked at her surroundings the young warrior found that she couldn't seem to recall much of anything.

"Oh god...you're awake. I'll get some water. Hold still." Neisha rambled immediately slipping into the comfortable role of the constant healer.

Immediately the woman returned to the warrior holding a large glass of ice-cold water. Kellis was far too weak to hold the liquid up to her mouth. But Neisha didn't mind nursing the warrior a bit. She was good at this. Neisha had always been told that she was a natural born nurturer. And after Kellis learned of Elila, the woman suspected that the golden warrior would require quite a bit of coddling and care.

"Where are we?" Kellis asked finally managing to use her voice after the fluid cooled her throat.

"The Lodge. This is an abandoned area. I hear it's being torn down after the Gallion. They're putting up another spa or something like that..." Neisha muttered looking at the warrior with abject pity and a breaking heart. Kellis would not take this news well. In fact, Neisha was beginning to wonder how the warrior would survive this at all.

"What is it Neisha? What's going on? Why are we here?" Kellis asked struggling to prop herself up on the bed. She didn't care that her breasts were bouncing about or that her legs had been splayed in a somewhat undignified manner. She had no time or care for things like modesty.

"Oh...it's...Kellis something awful has happened." Neisha managed to get out.

But she couldn't stop her tears. She had mourned for Elila ever since Lineva had told them of her fate. But truthfully, it wasn't only the heron that she wept for. It was Kellis as well. This would destroy the warrior in ways that she doubted Kellis was even aware of.

"What is it?" Kellis asked feeling this looming sort of dread enter her heart.

Neisha was a formidable woman. And from the looks of things she was practically undone. Whatever had happened clearly was just as dreadful as Neisha proclaimed it to be.

Unconsciously, Kellis found herself fisting the sweaty sheet beneath her body. She glanced around the room looking for some sign of Melaryn but found none. It wasn't like her friend to her leave her in an obvious state of distress. And she suddenly seized with fear at the thought that something horrid had befallen her friend.

"What's the last thing that you remember?" Neisha asked knowing that she needed to stall a bit.

It would be inappropriate for her to Kellis of the heron. That was news better left for Melaryn to deal with. It was information that needed to be passed warrior to warrior.

Besides, Neisha had no idea how to even broach the subject. Elila's death would come as a complete and total shock to the golden warrior. And Neisha suspected that Kellis' grief might literally consume her.

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It was always so majestic and magical to behold. It quickened her pulse and set her body afire with the prospect of possibility and excitement. It contained the pure nexus of sin. And it carried the hope of the masses. It hid the dark and dangerous. And it screamed of wet and wild. It was a place to get a lost. And it was a place to be found. It had adventure, romance, and the shameful realism of a people scorned. With all its waters, bogs, marshes, and sandy inlays it proudly stood displaying its technicolor name to all those that would pass it by. It was the swamp and it welcomed all that would dare to brave its criminal currents.

But to Elila, it would only ever be home. And she nearly wept at the mere site of it. She couldn't count the number of times that she had docked at Jupiter Bay.

Yet it never ceased to amaze her. This land stretched out before her had such a deceptive serenity. From all outward appearances it was calm, humid and lush.

But Elila knew the truth. There were many dangers awaiting her just beyond the wooden dock. And she would be an absolute fool if she didn't recognize that her personal aggressor would come in the form of a jungle cat employee.

Oh, Elila knew of her alpha's secrets. Thash thought she was so smart finding cast-out jungle cats to do her dirty work. She would pay them for their dutiful service. Or worse still, she would promise then readmission to the tribe.

Tonight the flashing bold lights of Black Moon looked like a personal beacon welcoming her back. And despite her best effort to the contrary, she found her eyes welling up at the site. It was so wonderful to be home. Her heart hadn't felt this peaceful since the very day she had been forced to leave.

"There you are. Could you not leave me alone with these people? You know two separate people tried to sell me jolari root. Another person asked if I wanted to sample some crystallized cobra venom. These people are not right. My god... I thought the Gallion Village was filled with lowlives but this is ridiculous. And we aren't even on land yet! I can't wait to see that population..." Zeranna complained coming up to stand next to the heron.

Elila only smiled as she listened to the beleaguered chatter of her newest friend. She didn't take offense to the shark's comments. She knew that this would be an experience for the somewhat prim and altogether proper warrior.

"What are you doing up here? You know, I always thought that Fasara Territory was undoubtedly the hottest territory in all the world. But my god Elila, this place is making my blood simmer." Zeranna added pulling at the sweat-saturated fabric of her silk tank top. All she wanted to do was rip away the confines of her tight black pants and leave the bottom portion of her body delightfully nude. But even though this was the swamp, she doubted that event those criminally native folk would approve of her dire lack of propriety.

"At least down below the air is climate controlled. Although it is only slightly cooler then up here. What's the deal with that? Maybe I should talk to someone in maintenance?" Zeranna rambled as she gazed at the distant shoreline.

Black Moon Swamp was still several miles in the distance. She would be stuck on this transport for at least another hour or so. And the shark just didn't know how she was going to tolerate it.

"I'm up here because I'm enjoying the view." Elila said never once taking her eyes from the flashing neon lights in the distance.

Zeranna only scowled at the idea. The swamp was filled with garish displays of pink and lime green neon. And if that wasn't bad enough, they adorned every single building, bridge, and sandy road with the large flickering yellow bulbs of stale brightness.

Half of the swamp looked like it hadn't been updated since the humans died. And the other half surely didn't warrant a visit. The shark looked over at the heron as if to silently ask for clarification. Because to her native Midali eyes, this murky place looked thoroughly dirty and disgustingly cheap.

But Elila apparently saw so much more to its absurdly bright lights and run-down buildings. To her, it was home. And when Zeranna saw the tears of utter relief and complete happiness filling her eyes she could identify. She felt the exact same way about the Wetlands. And as a warrior who had fought fiercely for her land, she truly understood the value of having a place to call home.

"I'm sorry... you know I'm sure that from this distance I'm just missing its charm." Zeranna quickly said realizing that she had just insulted the girl's home.

"It's okay. I know that people like you don't fully appreciate the swamp. But it's okay, you're not meant to." Elila said as she felt her soul literally rejoice at the site of the twinkling lights on the distant waterline.

"People like me? What's that supposed to mean?" Zeranna asked a bit harshly.

Normally, she would never have taken such a tone with the small girl. But she was tired, hot, and cranky. And besides, she wrongly assumed that Elila had been referring to sharks in a derogatory manner.

"Oh stop... I didn't mean it in that way. When I said people like you, I meant people that are purebred and happy within the confines of their very own tribe. I don't have that, not with the Fasara anyway.

I don't look like them and I never will. These are my people. And this is my home. And to everybody else I know that Black Moon looks like this poor little shantytown with nothing to offer but some illegal jolari and a quick ride on a cheap whore.

But I know your territory. I've been to the Wetlands. And I've met your tribe. You don't understand people like me.

But there are more of us out there then you might think...half-breeds that is. In fact, that are some full on mutts. I've met people that can't even begin to guess at their original animal ancestry. Can you imagine not knowing if you come from the land, the air or sea? You can't, can you?

Well, I can. Because they come here. The swamp is filled with hybrids and changelings of every single conceivable type of life. And we all have one thing in common.

And let me tell you, it's a powerful thread that binds us all. None of us have any place else to go. We're the criminals, the half-breeds, the cast-offs, the dishonored, and the all out scorned.
But we can go to the swamp. No matter who you are or what you've done you can always go to Black Moon. You're life won't be easy or filled with fun and games. But if you really try you can see the beauty all around you. If you truly open yourself can find other people that you can call friend. And if you work really hard and never give up on hope you can make a life for yourself.

And it won't be just some normal run of the mill predictable life. It will be exceptional. Because simply surviving within the boundaries of Black Moon Swamp is a feat to celebrate year after year. There are two types of people that live at the swamp; those that have given up and those that are ready to fight..." Elila finally finished. She looked up at Zeranna's startled expression and felt her cheeks flush with shame.

She hadn't meant to prattle on like that. She was simply overcome with vivid memories of a life she had greatly missed. And in her rush to feel her past it would appear that Elila gave Zeranna quite an earful.

"So, which are you?" The shark asked amazed with the information that Elila had so willingly imparted. Elila was a woman of many colors. And Zeranna was just now beginning to witness their vibrancy and hue.

"Well, surprising even myself I would have to say that I'm a fighter." Elila answered mouthing the words as if they were nothing short of foreign to her.

"Now I don't know why that would surprise you. I believe a devious cobra named Licara most recently helped you prove that point not only to yourself but to every shark at the Gallion Village." Zeranna answered a bit shocked to find that the heron didn't really see herself as strong or resilient.

Because resourceful, strong, and fortuitous were all words that she would use to describe the small heron. Elila very clearly had a steely mettle that surrounded her heart and soul. And Zeranna was certain that it was that determination that had saved the heron from the literal fangs of death not once but twice.

Originally, she had figured that any offspring of Thash would have certainly inherited a bit of bravery and courage from the proud tribal alpha. But now she could see just how wrong that assumption was. Elila's courage wasn't inherited. And the young heron certainly didn't bear that pompous streak that inflicted her alpha.

Her strength was honest, pure, and whole-heartedly earned. Nothing about her emotional make-up bespoke of jungle cat heritage. On the contrary, Zeranna could now see what clearly made Elila the tough little heron that dared to actually bite a murderous cobra.

It was this place with its drug dealers, cheap whores, desperate poverty, and criminal vein that taught Elila how to fight for life. And it was this sinful pit of debauchery that had turned her into a kind, charming and compassionate young woman. The more she thought of it, the more Zeranna boiled with excitement to dock at the swamp. She was anxious to fully partake in the place that Elila proudly called home.

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"Here we are, home sweet home..." Elila muttered as the transport prepared its finally docking procedure. Their approach included one last trip down the magnetic bar that served as a bridge between the mainland and its surrounding swamp marshes. This was the part that the heron liked best. This was when the beauty of the swamp could truly be seen.

Even Zeranna seemed a bit taken with the site. The mainland was a glittering display of rich texture and bold personality. While the surrounding marshes were softer in their illumination. From the distance, they almost looked romantic as they demurely glowed under the light of the blood red moon.

"My god, I had heard of the effect but to actually see it..." Zeranna whispered as she gazed up at the red moon and twinkling ruby red stars.

"It's the swamp gas? It makes everything in the sky look red?" Zeranna asked unable to tear her eyes away from a sky that suddenly seemed foreign and altogether creepy. The whole skyline looked like some sort of horrific creation.

"Yes, it's the swamp gas. It's lays like a thin cloud over the entire area. And no, it doesn't make everything red. If a transport flies above the gas line it will still appear to be a normal shade of silver. The gas only affects the coloring of the celestial bodies. You know, to this day I'm not really sure why. I think it has something to do with distance and the water reflection." Elila explained as she ushered Zeranna off the still docking transport.

"Elila, what are we doing? The transport hasn't even docked yet." Zeranna commented as she allowed the heron to pull her at a steady pace.

"We have to hurry. We only have a few minutes left." Elila added in a rush of hurried excitement.

"What?" Zeranna asked finally pulling her attention away from the sky above.

They walked at a steady pace around the observation deck to the exit of the transport. Zeranna was surprised to find that the bottom cabin area had already been mostly cleared of passengers. There was a steady stream of people running towards the waiting exit. There was such a feeling of panic in the air it was almost like they were running for their very lives.

"Elila, what's going on?" Zeranna asked as she clutched the nearby wall and firmly dug in her heels.

"Come on... It's all right. We have to jump." Elila answered laughing a bit at the shark's blanched expression.

"JUMP??? Why? We must still be at least 30 ft. off the ground." Zeranna answered as she looked down over the side of the nearby railing.

"Transports to the swamp never dock. If they did, local gangs or mercenary groups would board them. I can think of twenty different local militia factions that would love to get their hands on a transport.

Now come on... We don't have much time left. They only allow five minutes for disembarking. Any longer then that and some gang would have time to try an aerial assault.

You have two options. Since you're a shark you can jump the railing. We're over deep waters here.

Other wise, you have to jump the exit. That's what I'm about to do. There's a safety net waiting below. Just let yourself fall. You don't need to add any momentum to your drop. Once you hit the netting, you need to flip over the side as quickly as possible." Elila explained as she watched the few remaining passengers exit the hovering transport.

"Elila, I don't understand. Flip? I don't..." Zeranna rambled on as her feelings mounted into a steady stream of panic.

"There's no time. The netting or the water, the choice is yours!" Elila snapped as she felt the transport reverse its throttle. It would only be a matter of seconds now before it left orbit.

"The water..." Zeranna gasped out as she heard the transport reverse its power flow. She walked over to the side of the railing and glanced at Elila as the heron ran to the now vacant exit.

"GO! I'll meet you on the beach." Elila screamed as she allowed her body to fall nearly thirty feet to the waiting dock below.

Zeranna watched the heron fall before she too jumped the transport. Her body had no sooner emerged in the air than the transport reversed its position at top speed. Elila had been right. They had clearly been running out of time.

Her landing in the water was graceful and streamline. And she had been lucky. These were deep waters although, a bit too polluted for her liking. She opened her mouth to inhale a few deep lung-fulls of water. It had been hours since she had last wet her lungs. And they were beginning to dry and crack.

Some sharks didn't mind inhaling dry air for days on end. She knew that Pedryn was never bothered in the least by such an action. But she was a traditionalist at heart. And when at all possible, Zeranna preferred to sustain her life from the sea.

But as soon as she swallowed her first gulp of water, Zeranna suddenly realized that this water was certainly not what she was accustomed to. Aside from the crippling pollutants, its salt content was surprisingly low. Instead of easing the dry ache of her lungs she found that it only made her gasp and wheeze on the water in her throat.

She struggled to get to the beach where she knew the heron would be waiting. Zeranna didn't get far though. She stopped right where the water met the sand and collapsed right onto the ground. She coughed and gasped until she was certain that she finally cleared all the water from her system.

"You all right?" Elila asked easily finding the waiting shark.

Zeranna couldn't even answer. She only nodded her head as she waited for her gasping lungs to take nourishment from the humid salty air. She noticed the lights of the docking bay off in the distance. There were a few other transports circling in the air above. But other then that, she didn't see any signs of the brightly colored debauchery that she had noticed from the transport.

"Where are we?" Zeranna asked as she finally reclaimed the ability to speak.

"This is Jupiter Bay. The actual village of Black Moon is over there. See. It's on the other side of the swamp land." Elila explained as she pointed across the dark murky waters to a space of land that even Zeranna couldn't see. But the shark resolutely decided to believe the heron. She certainly had no idea what was going on.

"I thought we were going to Black Moon. Isn't that where you're from?" Zeranna asked as she suddenly began to feel like they had been dropped off in some sort of deserted ghost town.

This place seemed nearly devoid of life signs. And the shark didn't trust their surroundings for a moment. She could sense life somewhere off in the distance. She could hear the rush of blood and the beat of a heart.

But she couldn't see anything. In fact, she could only clearly see a few feet in front of her in any given direction. Elila had told her that the swamp gas would impede her vision. But she hadn't expected anything like this. The effect was startling and all together frightening.

"Yes, that is where I'm from. But nobody that is actually from the swamp docks in Black Moon. It's more of a tourist trapping. It's also the quickest way to get mugged, raped, or beaten by the local populace. We natives dock out in her Jupiter Bay where you can actually walk away from the transport with your belongings and dignity in tact." Elila explained as she watched the shark finally find the energy to stand.

"Well, I don't know about dignity. We did just have to jump right out of the very sky." Zeranna answered still reeling from the effects of her first contact with true swamp water.

"That we did... Now come on. Let's get out of here before we attract the local danger." Elila said as she began a steady walk down the rather soggy marsh.

"Great. Where are we going?" Zeranna asked as she realized that they were walking in the opposite direction of where Elila had indicated Black Moon resided.

"Gator country." Elila answered as they continued at a steady pace.

"What? Elila, that sounds like a terrible idea." Zeranna explained suddenly feeling a bit insecure. She had never before encountered a gator hybrid. But she had heard the stories. And she was suddenly beginning to wonder about her own abilities.

"Don't worry... In a one on one situation you'd come out on top." Elila added in a solid attempt to ease the worry of Zeranna's mind.

The shark hadn't openly voiced her concern. But Elila didn't need her to. She had grown up around predators and she always knew of their innermost worry. No self-respecting warrior liked to be in a situation where they could be easily trounced.

Yet, Elila was a bit startled that Zeranna even questioned her own abilities and physiology. As far as Elila knew there wasn't a predator in the entire kingdom stronger or more deadly then a shark.

Even though Elila truly liked Zeranna and was beginning to trust her more and more with each passing moment. The heron found it difficult to forget that her newest friend possessed the pure blood of nature's most perfect killing machine.

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CONTINUED...

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