PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom
Part 26
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"Is this ride always so bumpy?" Zeranna asked as Elila introduced the shark to yet another one of the swamp's many transport systems.
There weren't a lot of aerial transports found in the swamp. Most establishments of any patronage or worthiness were found neatly tucked beneath the sea. There was no reason to fly about halfway to the heavens when it was much more convenient to skim across the water's surface.
After a quick walk down the swamp's one and only official beach, Elila had efficiently booked them on the next departing skipper for gator country. Skippers were large inflatable rafts constructed of a material only slightly stronger then latex. A large lumbering fan that whisked the humid air in and out of its metal arms with an alarming speed propelled the raft. And at the very front of the raft sat the captain who was weaving their tiny craft in and out of the ever present human ruins that occasionally jutted up out of the water's surface.
Even though this was a method of travel Elila had used for most of her life it never ceased to unnerve her. Once she had seen a raft skip across the water only to land on some old human structure still proudly bearing its steel edges beneath the murky swamp. The craft instantly deflated and all its passengers went swimming for safety.
Swamp water was dangerous, even for those that called it home. Elila couldn't swim. And as she looked around at the miles and miles of pure water that made up her preferred place of residence, the young heron was beginning to see the cruel irony of it all.
She had tried to learn, time and time again. But she couldn't stand that moment when her head would sink beneath the water's surface and everything would fade to black. That's when she would panic. And her limbs would dance in a wholly choppy and uncoordinated method known only to those that sink rather then swim.
"You all right?" Zeranna asked as she noticed that the young heron seemed to be gripping the sides of the raft for dear life.
"Yeah... It's just that whole swimming thing." Elila answered feeling a surge of gratitude as she saw the looming lights of gator country riding just off in the distance.
At her words, Zeranna seemed to take a careful step closer to the heron. Swimming was something that she had been born to do. But the shark was no stranger to those that didn't possess the rhythm of the sea. To them, it's waters were nothing but a deadly wet grave. And she wouldn't let that happen to Elila. She had promised Pedryn as much.
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"What is it?" Pedryn asked as she attempted to appear busy behind her towering stone desk.
Trying to keep up with the day to day running of the tribe was proving to be a futile task. Carielle was still missing. And her worry for her cousin was only growing with the passing of each and every moment.
"I am sorry to disturb you Alpha but it is the Fasara. They have sent a representative to speak with you. I am afraid she won't take no for an answer." The soft and demure voice of her assistant called out to her.
Pedryn pushed herself away from the desk feeling a rush of excitement course through her body. She had been expecting this. As soon as they realized that Elila was gone she knew they would come to her to find their missing heiress.
It had been far too long since she had had a bit of rough play and blood sport. And the Fasara were always perfect opponents for both activities. Besides this would give her an opportunity to finally meet Kellis, the guardian that had recently proven so terribly in effective.
Though she tried to tell herself that her interest in the golden warrior was one of an official nature only, deep down Pedryn openly admitted the truth. Kellis was the competition, at least as far as Elila's parents were concerned. And she was looking forward to finally meeting her rival for Elila's affections.
"Send her in." Pedryn answered quickly dismissing the assistant who had suddenly become so inconsequential.
Instantly, she stood away from her desk allowing her body to ascend to its full towering height. She didn't move as a method of intimidation. She moved in preparation. With the jungle cats anything was possible, including a full-frontal attack.
But when her assistant reappeared to usher in the Fasara representative, Pedryn was terribly disappointed to find out that it wasn't the infamous Kellis that she would be meeting with. The warrior standing before her was Melaryn, that much Pedryn was certain of. And though they hadn't been officially introduced she knew of this jungle cat warrior by reputation alone. Apparently if Kellis hadn't come along with all her youthful talents and intuition, this warrior would have eventually led the tribe.
Quickly, Pedryn gestured to her assistance that she required privacy and peace. And dutifully she turned to go leaving the two warriors all alone in the shark's lofty office. But Melaryn hadn't come to gaze out at the most breath-taking view of the Gallion Ocean.
She hadn't even come to spar a bit and prove once and for all which tribe was truly the superior. She had come with a far greater purpose in mind. And as her mouth twisted to say the words she had come to utter, Melaryn found her body going numb with grief.
"I've come for her body. If there's anything left of it..." Melaryn managed to gasp out all the while willing herself not to cry.
She didn't know why this was upsetting her so. She had already lost countless sisters to the slaughter of war. Elila should be no different.
But for whatever reason, she was. She was an innocent in all this. She had been caught up in a war that her alpha had started. But it was the young heron that had ended up paying the consequence.
On some level, Melaryn knew that her pronounced grief was because she shared in the burden of the young girl's death. She had been seated next to her at the banquet. And not once did she ever detect the presence of the cobra.
What's worse is that she saw the state that Kellis was in. She watched her drink glass after glass of rollen juice. But despite that and the very real danger of the Gallion Village she left Elila there to fend for herself and now, she was dead.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Pedryn answered as she crossed her strong arms over her chest.
She knew that her physique must seem particularly intimidating at this moment. She was dressed in her normal gray form-fitting attire ready and able to fight. While Melaryn, looked like she had gone a near century without sleep. If they were to battle now it would surely be an unfair fight.
"Elila...her body. If there's anything left of it I...we would like it back. Surely you can grant us the opportunity to give her a proper burial." Melaryn responded knowing that if the shark were to come at her now she would be practically defenseless.
Neisha had urged her to take other warriors along as well. There was safety in numbers. But Melaryn wouldn't hear of it. Thash still had not been told of her daughter's fate.
And Melaryn refused to tell one more member of the tribe until the Alpha had properly been informed. But to tell Thash, they needed to at least have her body. It was their custom. Grieving could not begin until the remains had been buried.
"Of course...but I'm afraid that in this instance I cannot accommodate you." Pedryn answered as she suddenly realized how terribly misinformed the entire Fasara tribe seemed to be.
"Please, Alpha I beg of you to grant this one request. It is our fault that her body has been torn asunder. Don't punish her soul by denying it entrance back to the earth. She must be buried. She deserves that much." Melaryn pleaded all the while knowing that she sounded terribly un-warrior like.
But right now, she couldn't care. At heart, Melaryn was deeply spiritual. And she firmly believed in accordance with their faith that in the end, all souls must be allowed to return to the earth mother. She wanted that for Elila. It seemed like the very least that she could do.
"I'm afraid that I don't agree with you. Because you see at the moment, Elila is still very much using her body. I don't think that she would enjoy being lodged beneath the earth's surface." Pedryn answered as she watched the shocked expression play across the jungle cat's features.
"What? What are you saying?" Melaryn asked as her yellow eyes opened into wide ovals of confusion and hope.
"Elila is very much alive. She's perfectly fine." Pedryn explained as she wondered what the heron would think to know that her own tribe had thought she had passed away.
"Where is she?" Melaryn asked still unable to believe the wonderful news that the shark was giving her.
"I don't know. I'm not her keeper. She left the Fluid nearly two days ago. I haven't seen her since then." Pedryn explained as she began to wonder how well hidden the heron currently was.
"How can I believe you? Maybe this is all some sort of trick???" Melaryn asked knowing that her exhaustion was triggering her inner doubts.
"Fine. Come with me. I'll prove it." Pedryn answered as she rounded her desk to escort the jungle cat from her office.
Melaryn had no idea where she was being taken. But she suspected that this particular shark knew far more then she was willing to say. Even though she had no idea what it was that Pedryn was hiding she inherently knew that her silence bespoke of danger.
Instantly, Melaryn wished that it were Kellis here in her place. Her friend possessed an innate gift to read the body language of the shark. Kellis would instantly know if Pedryn was lying.
But for some reason, Melaryn immediately knew that a meeting between those two particular warriors would result in tragedy. Melaryn couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was something intrinsically deceptive about Pedryn. She might not know exactly what that was but Melaryn was certain that this shark carried a streak of pure violent death.
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"This is all so unbelievable. Are you sure of what you saw?" Kellis asked as she paced the room in long angry strides.
Melaryn was thrilled with her recovery. Since regaining consciousness Kellis' seemed to be returning to health with full strength and vigor. Of course it was far too early to tell but she was beginning to think that her friend might just have escaped the effects of the jolari root relatively unharmed.
There was potential for more severe problems to occur later on, but for now, Melaryn didn't want to think of it. Kellis seemed to be doing just fine, better actually then expected. And she was willing to enjoy her friend's returned health for as long as possible.
"I am positive. The recording was time stamped by the Gallion census. According to the local authorities the figure boarding the transport was Elila." Melaryn answered as she felt her fear wash away in a giant pool of relief. From all outward appearances it would seem that Pedryn had in fact been telling the truth. And because of it, she had been spared the awful task of having to tell her best friend that Elila had died.
"And this shark? Pedryn? She just had this recording lying around?" Kellis stammered as she moved around in clothing that was far too big for her frame.
But right now, she couldn't be concerned with things like white linens that just didn't quite fit. Elila was missing. And her heart had literally wrenched itself into a huge fist of fear.
"Pedryn said that she anticipated our visit. She suspected that Elila had no intention of returning to the Lodge. So, she contacted the Gallion authorities to make sure she bought herself a bit of insurance. Elila was very much alive when she left the Fluid. Where or how she is now is another matter entirely." Melaryn answered as she reclined back onto the dirty mattress that had served as Kellis' makeshift living quarters for the last few days. The room was grungy and dirty. And the aroma of stale illness was almost too much to bear.
"But Lineva and Halauris, they saw her die?" Kellis asked as she once again tried to clarify the exact situations that had occurred since the onset of her unfortunate condition.
"No, they didn't. They saw her begin to suffocate on the venom filling her body. They felt her heart palpitate and nearly stop. When the shark arrived, they left. They were not there to see her take a final breath." Melaryn answered as she began to feel reasonably certain that in this one small area they might actually be able to trust the word of a Midali.
"This is all so unbelievable. Why wouldn't the sharks kill her? Or just let her die? Why would they assist her?" Kellis stammered as she continued to pace the room. She was beginning to think that now might be a good time to have a few careful words with this alpha shark.
"I know, it doesn't make a lot of sense. But Pedryn said they were trying to abide by the guidelines of the peace treaty. I honestly believe that they have no desire to wage war. Rescuing Elila was their way of making sure that such an action didn't have to occur." Melaryn added as she once again felt a wellspring of gratitude that an armed conflict seemed to have been neatly avoided.
"No, that's not true. Thash herself told me that the Midali were planning a full frontal assault. She said that it was only a matter of time before we were at war once more. She said that they would look for any opportunity to violate the treaty.
Having Elila in their midst was practically handing them revenge on a silver platter. Why didn't they take advantage of it? Why didn't they take advantage of her?" Kellis asked truly stupefied by the actions of the sharks.
"I don't know. Pedryn was hiding something that much I'm sure of. What though I really have no idea.
And it is possible that Thash has been misinformed. She relies on a spy network to uncover information about the Wetlands. It is possible that their intentions are honest. Perhaps they have no real desire to go back to our mutual states of violence.
But Kellis, you're also forgetting one other strange detail. Remember the awards ceremony? Elila should up with a shark. And that was the morning after she went missing the first time." Melaryn answered trying to remind her friend of the exact sequence of events.
"This is all so terribly absurd." Kellis muttered as she finally gave into her physical exhaustion and sat down on the bed next to her closest friend.
The young golden warrior leaned back onto the bed covering her bloodshot yellow eyes with the palms of her hand. Her vision was still blurry. And the soft dim light in the room was nothing short of a blinding pain to her still tender eyes.
Ever since she had awakened she had done nothing but worry for Elila. Of course, Neisha hadn't said anything. She had only sat there with those red-rimmed eyes that let her know something truly wicked had transpired.
It was when Melaryn had returned that she truly felt her body wrench in fear. She thought that her friend was going to lean down and whisper to her only the most dreadful of news. But instead, the story that Melaryn told was one filled with holes, deception and distrust. Elila was missing. And Kellis knew that it was all her fault.
She was so preoccupied with thoughts of the heron that she hadn't even focused on her own rather precarious state. Melaryn and Neisha were relatively positive that her symptoms were due to a jolari overdose. But to Kellis, none of it made any sense.
The last thing she remembered was sitting at the award's banquet with Narlene at her side. She had been drinking a lot. But she could handle rollen juice. It had never caused her to black out before.
She didn't even remember leaving with Narlene. But several different sources confirmed that that is in fact, just what she did. And because of the huge gaping holes in her memory she had no idea how it was that she came to be lying on the floor of Narlene's private room, naked and in seizure.
Although Kellis was certain that although this was not her proudest moment, a reasonable explanation would eventually come forth. All she had to do was find Narlene. Surely the young kitten could explain everything.
In fact at this very moment Neisha was out contacting the Gallion authorities. Narlene had been gone long enough to officially report her missing. They would find her. And then, this entire unfortunate episode could finally be put to rest.
"I'll contact Thash. I'll tell her what's happened. And then, I'm off to the swamp to find a wayward heron." Kellis muttered as she inwardly reflected on whether she was going to be insanely relieved or violently angry when she finally found Elila.
The heron had certainly caused a fair share of problems during this trip. So much in fact that Kellis desperately wished that she had never agreed to be her temporary guardian. But Kellis knew that Elila certainly wasn't solely to blame. A cobra had attacked Elila because she had failed at her duty. And that was a grueling kind of guilt that Kellis was quickly making a sister to her soul.
"It might not be that simple. I contacted Thash's people in Black Moon. No one has seen a single trace of her. If she is in the swamp that means that she's hiding somewhere out in the bogs or surrounding marshland. That's not an easy land to navigate, especially for a non-native." Melaryn explained as she realized that it was a possibility that in this one case, the heron would have the tactical advantage.
Elila had run away before. But she had run to family and friends. She had never tried to hide. She had only really ever wanted a break from Thash and the rest of the jungle.
But this time, it was different. Elila was making herself scarce. And Melaryn really had no idea how to even go about locating her. The swamp authorities would never cooperate with them. And the marshland was an unforgiving territory to those strangers that dared to enter its domain.
"Don't worry. I'm sure I can find her. It's not like Elila is from there. She has family there. She lived with them for a while. I'm sure that they guided her through most of the territory and kept her out of harm's way. As far as I know she's never before been all on her own in the swamp. Who knows? She might even come home on her own. I think she's in way over her head and hopefully I'll find her before she has to learn that lesson on her own." Kellis responded as she tried rather unsuccesfully to roll over.
She was going to need more rest before she could go anywhere. The swamp was a criminal battleground. And unless she wanted to get both herself and Elila killed, she was going to need to be functioning at her absolute best.
"Besides...a trip to the swamp might be the perfect vacation right about now." Kellis added as she inflected a definite note of sarcasm into her tone.
"Oh?" Melaryn asked truly not getting what her friend was trying to convey.
"Yeah...after I tell Thash what's happened to her daughter I have a strong feeling that the Fasara Village isn't exactly going to be a safe place for me." Kellis answered as she realized that letting Elila get attacked by a cobra could have lasting and long-reaching consequences for her position within the tribe.
The Alpha's only daughter had almost died while in her custody. That wasn't a crime easily overlooked. And Kellis knew that there would be definite consequences for her failure.
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"This is gator country? What a lovely place..." Zeranna murmured unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.
Their small skipper had docked a few minutes ago and the unlikely duo were currently making their way down the slick gray marshland. There was little in the way of immediate foliage. Only the occasional willow and a few scattered handful of crab grass surrounded the entire marsh. Other then that, the entire area was devoid of trees, bushes, or thickened greenery.
Normally, the lack of plants wouldn't have bothered Zeranna. She was from the sea. She wholly preferred an aquatic environment.
But this place had a strange aura to it. Even the life that preferred to dwell on or beneath the swamp seemed foreign and strange to her. As a shark, her tribe was always on the move. Even when inhabiting their native wetlands she found that they constantly strained for perfect productivity and action.
Yet the swamp seemed to be moving to a rhythm all its own. The dank, dirty and wet marsh that lined the muddy swamp water was bustling with native inhabitants. Most Zeranna assumed were gators. Some were fish hybrids of a mixed variety. There were even a few insect changelings bustling about.
But Elila was right. They had only traveled to one marshland and already Zeranna had seen countless mixed hybrids. Some were strange and extraordinary she couldn't even begin to pinpoint their heritage. In fact, one changeling seemed to actually be a cross between a dolphin and butterfly. The strangest thing was though; this oddly shaped changeling was beautiful. Even Zeranna could recognize her authentic splendor.
It was terribly bizarre for the shark to walk there amongst them. They didn't even look up at her. Normally, a Midali warrior commanded at least a passing glance. But Zeranna imagined that these creatures of the swamp had already seen a changeling of every shape and possible heritage. A purebred shark hybrid was surely nothing special to them.
She followed Elila as they wandered down the marsh. She could see a water village off the in distance. It looked like little more then a poor shantytown but Zeranna kept her mouth wisely shut. Obviously the hovelled grouping of tilted buildings off in the distance was home to many of these people.
And as they walked by, Zeranna found herself studying every single last one of them. It was strange though; she rarely saw a purebred of any kind. There were a few gators that looked to have a pedigree heritage. But she couldn't be certain.
As they got closer to the village, she even saw a few herons, They looked strikingly similar to Elila. And for what had to be the hundredth time she wondered how it was even possible that Elila carried a single ounce of jungle cat blood in her seemingly perfect blue heron veins.
They continued their journey as they past sunbathing possums, swimming dragonflies, and a pair of marsh wrestling gators. Suddenly Zeranna felt a bit overdressed as she realized that much like the Midali, this loose-knit tribe seemed to prefer scant clothing. She even noticed that some of the hybrids swimming and lounging off on the shallow swamp water were wearing nothing at all.
She imagined their clothing decision was one based on practical logic and not intuitive debauchery. She had heard the rumors about the strange sex one could find out in the darkened recess of the swamp. Local legend claimed that every single native inhabitant was an experienced whore born only to act out the most explicit of lusty fantasies.
And while Zeranna knew that that was certainly more myth then actual fact she could see some truth behind the rumor. Reasonably, she knew that any tribe that existed partially in water naturally preferred less clothing. Otherwise the simplest task could take on whole new levels of difficulty when faced with reality of constantly wet clothes.
More then that, the heat of the swamp was unbearable. It was thick and humid. It traveled across the water like a giant sweltering wave of molten lava. The climate alone could make the most devout prude remove every single stitch of their clothing.
But while she understood the logical reasons for their actions, innately she had sensed an undercurrent of raw sensuality. It was like watching a mystical romance unfold right before her very eyes. The waters of the swamp were still and dark. Yet it's people were vivid and bold.
Everyone around her was unique and wholly different then everyone else. And though they were all eclectic Zeranna could practically feel the bonds of their tribe. These were a people that must be handled with caution and care. But though she recognized the obvious danger, it did nothing to stop Zeranna from allowing her soul to envy every single last one of them.
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"I'm afraid you have bigger problems then Thash's anger." Neisha called out as she stormed into the room.
Both warriors sat up on the bed to stare at the disheveled woman. Something was wrong. Neisha seemed downright panic stricken.
"What is it?" Melaryn asked concerned that yet another member of the tribe had gone missing.
"It's Narlene. The Gallion authorities tracked down her last known location for me. Her credit slip was used at a disreputable nightclub called the "Claw" the night of the tribal banquet." Neisha explained as she furtively relayed the information given to her by the authorities.
"The Claw?" Melaryn asked never before having heard of the place.
"It's a seedy dive on the poor side of town. They specialize in all things freaky and kinky. What's happened? Why was she there?" Kellis asked inwardly hoping that her friends didn't ask where she had come across her information. She didn't want to have to admit that she had actually been there before.
"The Sentry went there to find her and check on her whereabouts. The registry has her signing in with you." Neisha asked as she crossed her arms rather sternly across her chest.
"Me? I took Narlene to the Claw??? There has to be some mistake. I wouldn't do that." Kellis answered relatively positive that she would never try to take a young aristocrat to a sexual pit of debauchery, no matter how intoxicated she may be.
"You don't remember anything about this???" Neisha stammered unwilling to believe that Kellis could have committed the terrible actions that had recently occurred.
"No, of course not. I told you the last thing I remember is sitting at the banquet with the rest of the tribe. Neisha, there has to be some mistake." Kellis answered raising her voice to a level that truly indicated her anxiety and fear.
"Neisha, what's happened? Where's Narlene?" Melaryn asked already worried by the fact that her wife hadn't returned with the young kitten in tow.
"The authorities questioned the employees of the Claw. They saw Narlene rent a room with a warrior that matches your description. The problem is that Narlene never checked out." Neisha answered unable to believe that what was supposed to be a nice and pleasant trip to the Gallion had turned into a twisted nightmare of deception and cruelty.
"What do you mean?" Kellis asked in a low-hushed whisper.
"They went up to her room and found the place covered in blood. There's no sign of Narlene. They said that the furniture is overturned and practically ripped to shreds. That said that it is quite obvious that there was some kind of a struggle. They tested the blood. It's jungle cat, young and female." Neisha explained hoping that at some point something she said might jog the memory of the warrior. Kellis was in a lot of trouble. And her previously unconscious state seemed to only be improving the shade of her guilt.
"I don't understand. I don't remember any of this. Where's Narlene? They have no idea where she could have gone. They didn't find anything???" Kellis stammered as she looked to her friend for help and support. Something terrible was going on but Kellis had absolutely no idea what could have possibly happened.
"That's the thing Kellis, there's too much blood to assume that she's gone anywhere. She's either dead or dying. Their medical experts say that she couldn't survive long with that amount of blood loss." Neisha answered as she watched the horror finally overwhelm the golden warrior.
"Oh no... this... it can't be. What's happening???" Kellis asked as she felt Melaryn embrace her in support.
"Kellis, I'm sorry. The Gallion Sentry is waiting downstairs. They're here to take you into custody." Neisha whispered as she leaned down to embrace the warrior as well. She didn't care what their experts or investigators said. She didn't believe for a moment that Kellis could have done the things that they were trying to imply.
"Oh god! This can't be happening..." Kellis gasped as she relied on her friend's to support her weakening frame. This was all too much for someone in her fragile condition. And before she knew what was happening, she had blacked out from the strain of an insurmountable emotional burden.
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"What's going on? Why is everyone following us?" Zeranna asked as they continued on towards the tiny water village. Elila looked at her a bit sideways as her comment hung there in the air between them.
"They aren't following us. It's the weather. Surely, you've heard of our climate?" Elila answered as she gestured to the pooling gray clouds filling the skyline overhead.
"Oh... is it going to rain then?" Zeranna asked as she noticed the appearance of a tiny wooden walkway off in the distance.
It seemed to float gently on the swamp water's surface. It didn't appear terribly stable as it bobbed up and down in the still muddy current. But it seemed strong enough as a steady stream of people crossed its surface to the tiny village beyond.
"Yeah. It's the rainy season here. It rains the same time everyday. Normally it's no big deal. The cloudbursts only last for a few moments. But it's going to be storm. And trust me, if you've never been to the swamp you've never seen real lightning." Elila explained as they patiently waited their turn to cross the tiny floating walkway.
"This doesn't seem terribly safe, does it?" Zeranna asked they finally crossed one right behind the other. The floating wooden boards weren't even wide enough to allow two of them to cross side by side.
"No, I suppose it's not. But the water here is shallow. You can walk right through it if you have to." Elila answered as she looked down to see a litany of hybrids do that very exact thing.
There were bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian hybrids of every shape and size lazily making their way through the humid waters of the swamp. No one was in a particular hurry. They still had a few more moments until the thunder came.
"How do you know it's going to storm?" Zeranna asked as she found her feet suddenly crossing the soggy bottom of an honest to goodness wet marsh.
There seemed to be a particular trick to walking across this substance. Its surface was slick, wet, and deep. She found herself having to take small baby steps to keep from tipping right over. She noticed Elila up ahead, patiently waiting for her. Apparently the heron had no such trouble crossing the surface of this terrain.
"Can't you feel it in the air? The crackling? It's going to be a big one. Look they've turned the burst protectors on." Elila commented as she pointed to the large beams of red light that had recently been activated all around the small village.
"What is that? What do they do?" Zeranna asked as she reached out to the heron hoping that Elila would possess the strength to steady them both.
But Elila only smiled, bemused by the shark's sudden lack of grace. Watching Zeranna try to move across the wet bottom was like watching a four-legged dog try to ice-skate. Though the entire scene was thoroughly amusing Elila was aware that time was of the essence.
She had lived through a great many storms without the benefit of burst protectors. She had always managed to survive relatively unscathed. She just seemed to have a knack for being in the wrong place when Mother Nature chose to have an all out watery temper tantrum.
But those experiences had taught her one thing. If at all possible she would prefer safety during a swamp storm. To accept anything else was to willingly partake in only the most hazardous danger.
Due to Zeranna's unsteady step they were the last couple to remain outside of the village's relative safety. The heron wasn't too terribly concerned. The rain had just broken. They were getting lightly misted and in this heat, Elila didn't mind the impromptu soak.
"Sorry..." Zeranna mumbled feeling terribly awkward as she had to lean on the heron for every step that she took.
"It's all right. It takes everyone some time to get acclimated. Don't worry...I'm sure you'll get used to it in no time." Elila answered trying her best to make the shark feel less self-conscious.The heron truly empathized with her. She knew all too well what it felt like to be the unfortunate center of attention.
"Come on... Let's walk over there. You can rest a bit." Elila suggested as she noticed that the shark seemed to be laboring a bit for breath.
She knew it probably had more to do with the rising humidity and pressure then the actually physical exertion of walking a few mere yards on the marsh. When the swamp had one of its blindingly furious storms occasionally, the rain clouds actually lowered to the very surface of the ground. If they didn't come all the way down they would at least lower to a point directly overhead making breathing difficult for those who weren't used to the sudden change in barometric pressure.
Elila had heard once that things didn't use to be like that, at least not here in the swamp. When the humans occupied this space of land they apparently had to contend with a rainy season as well.
But their clouds had stayed safely in the skyline billowing across the air like giant puffs of gray mist. It was the swamp gas that kept the clouds from reaching the sky. The violent red gas that kept the entire swamp wrapped in a virtual bubble forced these clouds low to the ground causing a veritable cornucopia of hazardous weather conditions.
And today's brewing storm was no different. Elila knew they would need to reach the safety of the village before the lightning began to stir. But they still had a few more moments. For now, she was content to allow the shark a moment's rest.
Wearily, Zeranna leaned her body against the small wooden pylon jutting up from the marsh's surface. She imagined it was here to serve as some sort of water marker. But she didn't give it much thought. Her lungs were struggling for breath. It felt like a two-ton weight had been dropped right onto her chest. She didn't know how the heron could tolerate it. But Elila just stood there smiling, apparently unaffected by their surrounding atmosphere.
"When we get to the village we'll stop at the market and pick you up an inhaler. I'm sorry. I should have thought of it before. I've never seen a shark hybrid before in the swamp. I've only ever known assorted fish. And the pressure changes don't seem to bother them. I just assumed your physiology would be the same." Elila explained wishing that she had thought ahead to get Zeranna the small portable inhaler that many tourists were forced to depend on.
The shark didn't answer. She only nodded her head while coughing a bit to try once again to clear her lungs. Zeranna just felt so heavy. It was like every inch of her body was ready to buckle under the weight of a million tons of pressure.
"I know this is probably quite painful, but it will pass. I promise. It hurts but you're not in any real danger. No one has ever died from the atmospheric pressure." Elila added trying to assuage the supreme look of fear she saw crossing the shark's features. Truthfully, she had no idea what Zeranna was going through. Her own body had no such trouble breathing the air of her native climate.
Quickly, she looked around as she noticed that the crackling in the air had abruptly stopped. Even the light misting rain had suddenly dried up. But the sky overhead had congealed into a giant wash of gray.
Elila knew all too well what it meant. It was the fleeting calm before the storm. And in any given second, the sky would open up drenching them in its anger. The thunder would scream. The lightning would flash. And they would be burnt in its natural fury.
Now she was growing worried, more for herself then Zeranna. The lightning was a true danger to them. But the water was more of a threat to her. If they were to still be standing there when the clouds burst; Elila knew that they would both wash away right down into the water of the swamp.
Zeranna could easily ride out a storm from the safety of the swamp's murky currents. But she couldn't. And Elila didn't want to risk another incident where drowning was a real possibility. She was about to recommend that the shark allow her body to fall right into the swamp waters. The wet bottom was surely slick enough now.
It would only take Zeranna a few moments to reach the water. Surely, the shark could survive the storm that long. But just when she opened her mouth to make that suggestion, a voice called out from behind.
"Hey, you two need some help?" Elila turned around to see gator changelings rapidly approaching from behind.
No one could move faster then a gator across the slick surface of a wet bottom. And instantly, the heron sighed in relief. It looked like they just might actually survive their first storm after all.
"Yes, please." Elila answered as she took a few steps back from Zeranna.
In the blink of an eye, the gators had crossed their path. Zeranna seemed alarmed and unsettled but she was in no condition to put up a fight. Quickly, each gator took one arm of the shark and pulled her along towards the village. Elila followed; content to move along at her own steady pace.
The air had begun to crackle again. But this time the heron wasn't worried. She was mere feet from the village's entry and even she could survive a storm for that long. In fact, the young heron wasn't even concerned with the wailing winds and rising water. Her mind had already paced ahead thinking of the first place she wanted to eat and the best location to find a nice warm bed for the night. Elila was already onto other things as she mentally planned out their next move and action to take.
That's why the voice surprised her so. She was lost in her own little world when the scream began. And with the brewing storm circling her body it took her awhile to detect its cadence over the clashing thunder. But eventually she heard it.
"ELILA!!! HELP ME!!!"
Instantly, the heron spun around looking for the source of the echo. At first, she thought that it had come from Zeranna. But after a few careful steps she came side by side with the gators and the shark.
All of them were stopped, looking around for the source as well. Who ever it was sounded petrified and wounded, almost like a dying animal. Their voice was so shrill and unearthly that without a doubt, Elila knew she was listening to someone's final death wail.
"It's coming from over there." Zeranna whispered still struggling for breath under the weight of the storm's pressure.
Elila looked in the direction that the shark had indicated. She was willing to go along with it. She knew that Zeranna's senses were far more keen then her own.
But what she saw shocked and horrified her. The small inner voice that warned her body of danger began to urgently demand that she take flight. There was something vile and lecherous in the small sleepy village of Glider's Hollow. And it was something so unspeakable that even Zeranna lurched into fits of hysterical screeching sobs.
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The gators had urged Zeranna forward making sure that she was safely within the bounds of the storm protectors. Elila had followed, also knowing that she must seek shelter from the lightning. But even though the red flashing bands of digital pulsed energy kept the dangerous electricity at bay. The small huddled group still had no shelter from the torrential downpour.
Elila turned to face the gators, frightened by the prospect that they would leave her all alone. Zeranna was thoroughly incapacitated by the raging winds and unfamiliar terrain. And the heron didn't want to be left defenseless, not with the sound of that screaming voice filling the air. And certainly not with the presence of that creature walking towards them.
She didn't know if it was decency or curiosity that kept the gator hybrids by her side. And frankly, Elila didn't care. She was at a total loss for form or function. Even now, over the razor sharp wind, that screeching cry could be heard.
"HELP ME - PLEASE!!!" The voice called out as the creature obviously struggled with every step that she took.
But Elila remained frozen in place. The wind and rain was knocking her every different direction but the heron didn't move. Part of her wanted to. Part of her wanted to aid this wounded creature.
Yet Elila knew there was nothing that she could do to help. It was quite obvious that this terrible action could not be undone. And the situation was far too hazardous to step blindly forward. The heron didn't have the first clue as to what was going on. But with the storm brewing confusion all around them, it was impossible to tell if they were actually safe and alone.
"Elila, don't move. Stay with us." Zeranna loudly advised as she inwardly screamed at the fact that she needed the assistance of these two strange hybrids even to stand.
"ELILA" The voice gasped again as it moved even closer. Each step it took the creature grew weaker. The heron knew it didn't have much time left.
And that's when her natural instincts took over. Her mind was telling her to listen to Zeranna and stay with the others. But her heart had other ideas.
So, she ran from their side knowing that it was her solace that this creature was seeking. This action was firmly against her better judgment. But Elila felt that she had no choice. She refused to let anyone die alone, even if it someone whose life had so adversely affected her own.
The heron ran forward in a rush of curiosity, fear, desperation, and empathy. She met up with the creature just as it legs were starting to wobble and give way to the natural gravity of things. Elila only stood there, with a wide open mouth and tearing eyes. She was at loss for the action required of her.
But this creature knew what to do. Her life was cresting right into its final moments. Her eyes were wide open and dilated. Elila couldn't even fathom how she had managed to move this far on her own damaged legs.
"Lies... all lies..." The choppy voice called out to her.
Elila watched as the creature trembled and shook. She wanted to reach out and steady it. She needed to offer this dying hybrid some last moments of comfort.
But Elila knew that she could never support the added body weight. She was helpless to do anything but stare. So she looked on, memorizing every last detail of this creature's painful demise.
She stood there before Elila, a bloody wash of pink satin, white lace and purple bruises. Her normally shiny blonde hair had been swept high atop her head. The design was intricate and appeared to have been done by a seasoned professional.
The long white lace veil that covered her features mostly obscured the creature's face. But Elila didn't need to lift the veil to know whom she was speaking to. She knew all too well who was dying right before her very eyes. Yet she was utterly powerless to stop it.
Under this torrential downpour the veil itself seemed to have the consistency of thick running cream. But it still wasn't enough to cover the smeared red lipstick. Nor was it able to cover the unblinking stare of this hybrid's water-stained eyes.
The satin pink gown that this creature wore was priceless, gorgeous and expertly designed in every conceivable manner. It was strapless allowing Elila to see the dark slashing that covered her shoulders. It's bodice was low-cut allowing Elila to yet again, see the marred and elaborate construction of cuts and bruises.
The satin gown finished its beauty with a gentle pool at this hybrid's shaking feet. The heron couldn't see a single inch of her wobbling legs but she suspected that they had faired no better then the rest of this creature's form. Surely, they were just as tattered and beaten.
Suddenly, Elila looked down noticing the elbow-length pink clothes that the hybrid wore on both arms. There was a large ruby colored ring fitting perfectly atop one satin finger. And that's when the heron had to take a step back to recover her bearings.
If she could only wipe away the smattering of bruises, welts, and cuts then Elila imagined that this creature had never looked so beautiful. This dress that she wore was a lush and stylized wedding gown that any young hybrid dreamed of wearing. And in any other situation or circumstance, the young heron suspected that Narlene would have walked through fire to merely feel its satin upon her skin.
But as it was, Elila knew that this was the very last piece of clothing that Narlene would ever wear. She was dying. The pearl handled dagger jutting out of her chest had seen to that.
The blood was easily flowing now and Narlene had gotten it all over her. Its red drops were running the length of her pretty pink dress. And it was on her hands, as if she had grabbed at the knife to try and pull it away herself. There were even bloody palm prints covering perfect lace Narlene's veil. And the effect, was nothing short of horrific.
This young jungle cat had probably never worn a more expensive piece of clothing. She had probably never looked more beautiful. But now, she was all covered in blood. And all Elila could seem to do was cry.
"Where am I?" Narlene whimpered as her body finally fell to the muddy ground beneath them. Elila only cried louder as Narlene looked around at her surroundings that were obviously quite foreign to her.
"Are you in pain?" Elila finally asked as she knelt down onto the ground next to the dying jungle cat.
"No... I can't feel... I'm scared, Elila... scared... I don't wanna leave..." Narlene whimpered as her words muddled together from an obvious lack of blood.
"Don't be scared. There's nothing to be afraid of. I promise. You're just going to go to a different place now." Elila mumbled as her brain suddenly flashed on all the information she had acquired in her childhood religious education.
But the heron was having such a hard time thinking and talking. She didn't know what to say to Narlene. And she was horrified by her own impotence.
"I'm all alone now... I didn't wan...die alone." Narlene whispered as her bloody satin ran into the mud washing between their bodies.
"You're not alone. I'm here. And my friends are right over there. There's an entire village of people right behind you. It's the rain. You just can't see, because of the rain..." Elila explained as she became hysterical in her own terrified grief.
"Oh, you're crying." Narlene suddenly exclaimed as she lifted a careless bloody hand to the skin of the heron's cheek. Elila tried not to wince at the contact. But it was an odd sensation to know that her own face had just been covered in blood.
"I never liked you. But I can't even remember now...why." Narlene muttered as she removed her hand and lay back in the running ground as if to simply fall asleep.
"It's okay. It's... over now." Elila said as she placed a gentle and comforting hand on the jungle cat's arm. Narlene didn't answer. And even through the creamy veil the heron could tell that Narlene's eyes had suddenly closed. With her other hand Elila wiped at her own eyes knowing that now, everything was over.
"The dragon... Elila... you have to find the dragon." Narlene managed to whisper before she fell into what had to be a final state of unconsciousness.
The heron only looked at her in confusion as she realized that Narlene was never going to speak again. And she had no idea what the young cat had been referring to. It was all over. But with Narlene's passing came a wide berth of questions that Elila suddenly wanted answers to.
What had happened to this young healthy cat? And why in the world was she in swamp? Yet the heron knew that her questions would have to wait because now, she had a tribe mate to grieve for. And with much inner surprise, Elila found herself truly devastated by the loss.
"Oh god... hey call the ERT's we got a problem!" Elila heard the familiar accent of native swamp kin come up behind her.
"Hey you okay?" Elila felt her body roughly turned as she came face to face with a wolf hybrid.
"Yeah... fine." The heron muttered as she felt this stranger wipe away the blood that Narlene had placed on her cheek.
"Did you know her?" The wolf asked wondering what business a heron could possibly have with a jungle cat.
"Yeah... Narlene. Her name... was Narlene." Elila answered as she felt strong arms lift her up and away from the bed.
"Come on...we have to get you back up to the village. Whoever did this, they could still be around." The wolf said as she practically carried Elila to safety.
But the heron didn't mind. She was in no condition to move of her own volition. And she could only stare as Narlene's blood washed away in the falling rain.
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CONTINUED...