PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom
Part 4
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Elila walked off the Lodge grounds trying to stifle her desperate need to run. She didn't want to move too fast. She knew it would attract suspicion. But she certainly didn't want to move too slow, god forbid anyone stop her escape.
Where Elila was going was a place that no jungle cat would dare follow her. She was going to someplace familiar and comfortable. She was going to find someway to get back to the swamp.
She had no intention of disregarding her duty to her tribe. Elila knew she couldn't just get on the first transport back the marshes. She was a part of the tribal council now. And her rather unrewarding title and station came with many duties she'd rather not perform.
But for the moment, she was in the midst of the Gallion village. She knew her people. And she knew how much this sporting event meant to all the gamblers back in the bog. Somewhere in this village the swamp-dwellers were gathering. And Elila had every intention of finding them. Considering the large size of the village, it helped that she knew just where to start her search.
Elila saw the last transport of the night, loading in front of the Lodge. Briefly, she reconsidered her action. If she left the Lodge now, she wouldn't be able to come back until the morning transport. She would be stranded wherever her journey took her. But at the moment, she didn't care about such silly details like distance. All she wanted was to be far from Kellis and her concubine.
She boarded the transport hoping not to be recognized. And for once it appeared that luck was on her side. There wasn't a single familiar face on the entire hoverport.
The driver closed the doors and they zipped off at top speeds. There was something about flying over the very tops of trees that still thrilled Elila. Every time she got on a hoverport she felt like a little girl all over again. It was exhilarating the way the long transport rushed through the air with such speed and grace.
And from her aerial view she could take in all the many celebrations of the village below. They passed over a tribe of cheetahs dancing and singing on a nearby rooftop. They saw a tribe of jaguars already fighting amongst themselves. They even witnessed a horse tribe racing through the village streets at what could only be described as dangerous speeds.
Through it all the hoverport made frequent stops letting passengers disembark to their native tribe. And Elila had every intention of doing the very same thing. She just had to find them first.
They cruised over the village passing many celebrations of loud boisterous cheer and thundering goodwill. And in the midst of a village brimming with people, they even saw a few couples trying to share an intimate moment. Elila was beginning to think her search was proving futile. The hoverport had taken her a long distance and she still hadn't seen anything that vaguely resembled swamp life. Everything was just so bright, loud and fiery. She knew her people wouldn't be found in that kind of hustling environment.
Finally the hoverport came to an area of the village that caught her attention. The buildings were dark, except for the slight flash of a subtle strobe light. There were no bonfires lining the streets with celebrators vigorously rejoicing. Everything seemed murky, quiet, and even a little dangerous.
Quickly, Elila hit the nearest stop button. She knew that if she were going to find anyone from the swamp she would have to get off now. The hoverport stopped and she rushed forward ready to jump off, only to be stopped by the driver.
"Hey, you don't want to get off here. This is a bad place to be. Especially for someone who looks like you. Let me take you further down the line." The driver said holding her arm out to stop Elila's departure. The girl looked her over taking in the changeling's features. She wasn't sure of the exact lineage but Elila thought that perhaps the driver hailed from a raccoon or squirrel tribe.
"Thank you for your concern but I really need to get off here." Elila said in her most courteous tribal council voice.
"Hey, whatever you want girly. I'm just saying." The driver said without turning to give her a farewell glance. And without another word between them, Elila left the safety of the hoverport.
After she disembarked, Elila stood on the seemingly quiet street for several minutes. She just wanted to get her bearings. Everything seemed silent and still around her. But she knew it was just an allusion, her kind always preferred to stay hidden. All she had to do now was perceive the motion in a dark wash of camouflage.
And it only took her a mere second to find it. Not more then a few feet to her left, was a small group of reptiles milling about on the street. They were nearly perfectly blended in with the tall black towering building behind them. Even the building itself seemed to have been camouflaged. It was nearly the seamless color of night.
Walking towards the reptiles she could see the faint flicker of lights coming from the building behind. It was a common tactic used in the swamp. Most casinos and nightclubs darkened their windows so no one on the outside could peer in. It was mostly done to maintain a semblance of privacy and thwart the efforts of law enforcement.
"You going here?" Elila turned to see that one of the snake warrior's had addressed her.
"Uhm, yes." Elila replied realizing that she wasn't really dressed correctly. Her knee length shoulder strapped lavender dress wasn't exactly appropriate attire for a night in the unseemly part of town.
But if the reptile noticed her rather formal appearance, she said nothing. Instead she kindly walked Elila to the nearly invisible entrance of the nightclub.
Once inside Elila couldn't contain her excitement at once again, being amongst the familiar. The first floor was covered in wall-to-wall inch thick red carpeting. There was a bar constructed of cool stone slab jutting out from one corner. The music was soft and soothing and the lights were dimmed. No one even looked at her as she walked across the floor. And for the first time since she returned to the jungle cats, Elila was actually at a place where she truly fit in.
But the girl had one thing on her mind. A definite change in appearance was in immediate order. Quickly, she headed up the nearest stone staircase looking for a bathroom. On her way she passed by snakes, crocodiles, and amphibians of all kinds. Elila was especially delighted to see a small group of heron wandering out onto the dance floor.
Her entrance to the bathroom was coupled with immediate coughs and wheezes for breath. There was a small lounge attached to the stalls, sinks, and mirrors that made up the restroom. And here, a small group of amphibian woman had gathered to smoke their choice of narcotics.
It took her a few moments to adjust to the toxic air. But eventually she recognized the scented herbs and spices being smoked in the air around her. It wasn't an unpleasant aroma, it was simply overpowering. She stood in front of the nearest mirror pulling her hair down around her face. Elila ran her fingers through her long black locks creating an image of disarray and general unkempt. She wanted the exact opposite of her normal pristine appearance to please her Fasara parents. And after a few more moments of teasing, she decided there was no way she could possibly make her hair any more tangled.
"You want?" Elila looked behind her to find that one of the other women had called out to her. The woman was holding out a long rolled paper filled with intoxicating drugs.
"No thanks..." Elila replied wandering into the nearest available stall. It's not that she had a moral dilemma against the use of drugs. Her grandparents had supported themselves for years working in the drug trade. In the swamp, narcotics were simply a way of life. They were something for consenting adults to use with caution. And personally, she just chose not to partake.
Once she was safely locked away in the long narrow stall, Elila set about altering her appearance. The first thing to go was the button down lavender blouse that helped create the soft look of the dress. Once it was gone there was only the thinnest wisp of purple material covering her bra. Her skirt was the next to be dissected. She grabbed the soft fabric in several places trying to rip the cloth. But she just didn't posses the strength. Willing to try anything, she ran the fabric against a rusty nail on the back of the door. Finally it ripped allowing her to create long slits and free room for her legs to move.
She looked her appearance over one more time before leaving the quiet stall. Her midriff was totally bare revealing the long expanses of her pure white skin. Most of her legs were now visible. And Elila knew that her alpha would lock her away for a solid month if she had been caught looking like this at home.
But Elila didn't care about that. Her parents weren't here and she was determined to have a good time. Leaving the remains of her shredded clothes in the nearest trashcan, Elila wandered out to join the rest of the party.
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On the second floor she found a more seductive display of dancing. And it was exactly what she wanted. Wandering into a large open room she found another bar, a small lounge area, and a wide-open dance floor.
Elila sat at the bar for several minutes just absorbing the people writhing to the rhythm. It was just how she liked it. The music was dark, filling her ears with a familiar primal beat that her body instantly recognized. She watched the snake women moving about on the floor. They could create such strange and wonderours dances. There bodies were so limber and fluid it was simply a site to behold.
But once she heard the beginnings of a song that she recognized, Elila decided to join the dancers. She fell into an easy cadence moving with the ebb and flow of the brimming floor. Her hair flew out around her as she created a spiraling circle with her own body. Her hips rocked with the pulsing beat of the music around her. And there could be no question to her beckoning movements. Elila was graced with the raw sexuality of the humid swamp.
She knew they were staring at her. People always watched when she moved to the music. There were very few things in her life that Elila felt accomplished at. The erotic motions of dance happened to be one of them.
But the girl didn't know whose eyes were trained solely on the movements of her body. She didn't know that someone had taken special interest in her from the second she had walked in the door. Elila didn't know that she had carelessly thrown herself right in the midst of danger. Because lurking across the room in the darkened shadows of the cool stone wall, was a shark warrior.
From her point of hidden vantage, Pedryn stared at the girl sliding through the tempo of the music. Elila was coming apart with an unbridled passion. And it was making the shark very uncomfortable.
Pedryn couldn't take her eyes of the girl's seductive and sometimes even sultry movements. Her hair was tumbling down her body in long waves of pure midnight. Her eyes were flashing and her soft pink lips were swollen. The shark let her eyes travel the length of the girl's scantily covered body. Her skin was creamy and white. Pedryn couldn't help but remember how soft it felt under her hands. Or how delicious it had tasted under her teeth.
Looking at her turning body, the shark couldn't even find a trace of her attack on the girl's slight form. Pedryn couldn't find the slightest trace of a scar on the entire expanse of Elila's revealed skin. It seemed strange; Pedryn knew exactly how many times she had given the girl her bite.
Pedryn couldn't stop the feeling of disappointment that welled up within her. It's not like she wanted to leave the girl with a permanent reminder of their harrowing time in the water. She just couldn't help but feel bit territorial when it came to Elila.
"What are you staring at?" Carielle asked her, sloshing her drink in her hands. Pedryn looked down at her cousin in disgust. She hated being intoxicated, especially since the incident. Pedryn couldn't understand how Carielle could still enjoy the taste of rollen berries, considering everything that had happened.
"Look." Pedryn said quietly pointing to Elila's writhing form. Carielle had to squint to take in the dancer from their distance. Her normally keen senses were already suffering the effects of the intoxicating berries.
"Oh my god!" Carielle squeaked surprised by the appearance of the girl dancing around before them.
"Lower your voice." Pedryn whispered looking at her cousin's muddled state. Pedryn knew that Carielle was generally considered one of the more attractive warriors in the tribe. But she suspected that if anyone saw her cousin tonight, they would be sorely disappointed. Carielle's long blonde hair was filled with dirt and grime. Her normally perfect gray pallor was smeared in mud streaks. Her blue eyes were unfocused and hazy. And her mouth seemed unable to stop drooling.
"Sorry… Is that Elila?" Carielle whispered carelessly falling against Pedryn's stronger and taller body.
"Yes." Pedryn answered watching as an attractive snake warrior slithered her way up to the dancing girl.
"What's she doing here?" Carielle whispered to her cousin's rigidly stiff form.
"What does it look like?" Pedryn responded hating to have pointless conversations with the inebriated. Carielle watched for a few moments as the girl allowed the snake to wrap her body up in a heated embrace.
"Shouldn't she be at the Lodge with the other cats doing whatever the hell boring thing it is that cats do." Carielle mumbled becoming a bit alarmed at the chords of tension running through her cousin's body. Even in her drunken state she could tell that Pedryn was growing upset. And the last thing she wanted was to see Pedryn get angry in the small confines of a darkened bar.
"Come on, let's go." Carielle said trying to climb onto her unsteady feet. But despite her less then tactful prods, Pedryn hadn't moved.
"Pedryn!" She called out loudly and exasperated. But the shark still didn't answer. Pedryn was far more concerned with Elila's movements against the snake. She really didn't know why Elila was here. She figured that the girl would be safely tucked away for the night with some big strong jungle cat to stand guard over her sleeping form.
She couldn't imagine that Thash would be so ridiculously stupid to let her own daughter wander through the streets of the village without an escort. Pedryn had intimate knowledge of all the tribal enemies the jungle cats had made. Their recent peace treaty was new and untested. The Midali had little hope of actually making it work. And considering that Elila had already been kidnapped once, Pedryn couldn't imagine that steps hadn't been taken to prevent it from occurring again.
Not only that, but the shark didn't mistake the significance of the girl's creamy bared throat. There was no broach indicating her union to another. Elila hadn't been married off yet and the reasoning behind it stumped the shark. Pedryn knew that Thash desperately needed an heir. She just couldn't imagine why Elila wasn't at home safely locked away in the arms of a loving jungle mate.
"PEDRYN!" Carielle practically screamed worried by the intense focus of her cousin's gaze, especially since it was directed at Elila.
"Fine, we'll go!" Pedryn hissed under her breath angry that her cousin had attracted such attention to them. The shark supported her cousins wavering form as they walked from the darkened bar. But Pedryn couldn't leave without one last look at the girl who haunted every single one of her dreams.
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"Is something wrong?" The snake whispered in her ear. Elila stepped away from the firm body of her recent dance partner.
"I thought I saw someone I knew. It doesn't matter… I need a drink." Elila answered wandering over to the bar. It was the strangest thing; Elila could swear she had seen Pedryn staring at her through the crowd. But she knew her mind was only playing tricks on her.
"What'll you have?" A lizard changeling called to her from the other side of the bar.
"Just water please." Elila answered feeling dehydrated from her rather vigorous workout on the floor.
"Rollen juice, straight up." The snake ordered, taking the seat next to her own.
"Hard drink." Elila mused knowing that few changelings could handle the effects of straight rollen berries.
"Mmh, well I play hard." The snake idled inching her body closer to Elila's.
"What's your name?" Elila asked almost finding the question ridiculous. She had just let the warrior touch in a smattering of nearly intimate ways. It seemed almost comical to make small talk now.
"Licara… And yours?" The snake asked swirling the thick red juice in her crystal glass.
"Elila…" She answered enjoying the playful flirting between them. If felt nice to have someone look at her with kindness. And it felt great to have someone express a more then platonic interest in her. And as the snake leaned closer to her heated body, Elila just couldn't be sure where this night would end.
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"So my dear, how is that we've never crossed paths before?" The snake whispered in her ear, carefully brushing the young maiden with her tongue. Elila gasped at the exquisite sensation. She had never felt anything quite like it. She felt her breath catch in her throat and heart leap in her chest. She knew that snake changelings had forked tongues. She knew that they could move them in rapid vibrating strokes. But never before in her life had she felt such a perfect touch.
"Did you like that?" The snake whispered letting her tongue wander down to the nape of Elila's bared throat. The girl felt hypnotized by the pleasure. She couldn't have moved even if she wanted to. It seemed like the long wet tongue was caressing every single nerve ending in her entire body.
"Imagine what it feels like in other places." Licara whispered using her hand to emphasize her point. Gently, she trailed it up Elila's thigh trying to point out just where it was that she would like to lick the girl.
But reality finally set in and Elila stopped the snake's wandering hand. Despite her anger at Kellis she wasn't about to bed the first changeling that showed her any interest. That's not what Elila wanted for herself. In a way she still considered herself a virgin. Besides being raped, she had never felt a sexual touch. And she knew it was important to her parents and the prospects of any future marriage contract, that she remain celibate.
Yet, she couldn't help but give Licara a penetrating glance. The snake was certainly graced with beauty. Her hair was short, cut high above her shoulders. It was the perfect color of coral. Her eyes were an enchanting hypnotizing red. Her body was lean but very firm. And her soft pink lips concealed the jagged fangs of a pure snake ancestry. And Licara was tall. Not too tall, just tall enough to make Elila feel safe against her wider body.
"I feel that I should tell you that despite your obvious charms and beauty, I don't have sex with virtual strangers." Elila whispered, trying her best to be diplomatic. She didn't let go of the snake's hand though. Licara's flesh felt so very delicious against her own. It was cold but firm, she could practically feel it slither against her own. And for the briefest of seconds Elila had to outright deny her rising need to bed the changeling. Elila just couldn't think of a more intoxicating lover then lying in the arms of a snake.
"I can respect that. You're certainly not swamp trash." The snake relented carefully removing her hand. Licara looked disappointed for a moment but apparently decided that Elila was worth the attempt at genuine conversation.
"So, Elila? Where do hail from?" The snake asked downing another glass of straight rollen juice. Elila gave the question a brief thought. But she had no desire to explain her mixed parentage.
"I'm from the Orari tribe. We live over in Black Moon Swamp." Elila answered thrilled for once to not have to claim her jungle cat lineage.
"Black Moon, that's certainly the heart of everything dark and dirty." Licara replied obviously familiar with the stretch of land that Elila liked to call home.
"It has its moments… What about you? Licara is a forest name isn't it?" Elila asked laughing gently at the description of her home.
"Yes, it is. It's a rain forest name actually. I'm from the Ahloria tribe over in Greenery Basin." The snake answered cautiously staring into the girl's eyes. She wandered if the girl would be able to put the information together. She wandered if Elila realized what she was sitting next to.
"The Ahloria? That's a cobra tribe isn't it???" Elila answered suddenly feeling the effects of adrenaline rush through her body. Elila didn't know how she could have been so stupid. The cobra is one of the most lethal forms of changelings to ever walk the planet. They were also the only tribe that refused to officially join the kingdom or obey any of the laws of the land.
Instead, they stayed on the outside attacking the few unlucky unfortunates that happened to fall through the cracks. Despite all the many dangers lurking about in the swamp her grandparents had only ever cautioned her away from one thing, cobras. Their tribe frequented the marshes just like any other social outcast. Normally they remained innocuous, enjoying the free flow of narcotics and raw sex that Black Moon freely offered.
But there was one thing that could make a cobra give into its most basic need for violence. And unfortunately for Elila, that thing was her own heron blood. Oh, cobras notoriously liked all types of fowl descendants. But they had a special taste for the heron. There was just something about their white creamy flesh that made the snakes get in touch with their more primitive nature.
Elila knew first hand how terrible an ill-fated encounter with a cobra could be. Her cousin, Gandry, had suffered excruciating agony at the hands of an Ahloria warrior. For as long as she could remember, Gandry and her parents had lived in the swamp. Elila loved it there having her grandparents, cousin, and aunt all living so close by.
At the time it happened, Gandry was only 13. She was a few years older then Elila and had made it her personal responsibility to look out for the girl who was so new the swamp. Well one day after waiting for nearly an hour, for the first time Elila had to walk home from school all alone.
She rushed home screaming for her grandparents to find Gandry. But they assured her that everything was fine. In the swamp a woman of 13 was considered old enough to do just about anything. They assured her that her cousin was just down in the bogs enjoying a bit of mischief and play.
But Gandry never made it home that night. It took them nearly 3 days to find her. She had been left in the outskirts of Black Moon, almost beyond the very reach of the swamp. Thankfully she was alive, but barely. A cobra had bitten her. The bite itself wasn't fatal or even that severe. It was the venom that the snake had injected into her soft young heron body.
There was just something addictive to the snakes. There was something almost enchanting about sinking their teeth into the white flesh of a heron. And when they had their fangs firmly embedded in the tender skin, they have to release their venom. They adore the sensation. Elila had even heard that the very act of injecting venom, gave the cobra a better 'high' then all the drugs in the entire swamp. And it was that moment of spellbinding pleasure that caused the cobra to hunt the heron.
And now Elila was sitting dangerously close to what could only be described as her mortal enemy. The snake stared at her widening her large red eyes and flashing her a dangerous smile. Elila looked around the bar wondering if there was anyway she could escape or find someone to help her. But the snake clamped a firm hand down around her wrist forcing her to remain perfectly still.
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"Going so soon?" Licara whispered leaning close to the girl. Elila couldn't believe how very foolish she had been. In her haste to flee her jungle companions she had thrown herself right in front of very real mortal danger.
"What do you want from me?" Elila whimpered desperately searching for a way out of her perilous situation.
"Oh, I think you know heron." The snake replied choosing to finally forego the use of her name. Elila supposed it made it sense. After all to Licara she wasn't really a person. She was just a nameless fowl.
"Now, I had hoped to do things nicely. The bite hurts so much less when given in the throws of passion. And the venom is that much more potent." The snake explained slamming her drink down onto the counter.
Elila looked around again trying to find someone to help her. But the more her eyes peered into the shadows the more danger she saw. The place was literally crawling with cobras. She couldn't believe that she had missed it. She wasn't normally this painfully unaware.
"Mmh, I hypnotized you. I had to do something to keep you from noticing what I really was." Licara idled seeing the sudden realization cross the girl's features.
"I had hoped to leave rather peacefully. But your not all heron are you?" Licara whispered smiling proudly at her discovery.
"No, you're not. Herons can't resist our eyes. That's how we lure them in. But you resisted me. You're not pure at all!" The snake said, looking down at the girl's lap where her hand at rested only moment ago. Elila closed her eyes realizing that for the very first time in her life she was thankful for the jungle cat blood that ran through her veins.
"You're right. I'm impure. I'm not what you want." Elila said hoping to give the snake reason to leave her alone. But her efforts were proving futile. The snake only laughed, once more showing off her large vulgar fangs.
"Now, now Elila… Don't go selling yourself short. I'm sure you'll be just as tasty as a pureblooded heron. But I have to admit I am curious? What is mixed with your blood that could make you so terribly uncomfortable? I saw how you looked when I asked where you were from. You didn't want to tell me. So, what are you hiding my dear? Was your mother a swamp rat? Was your alpha something dreadful like a skunk or a possum? Tell me Elila, what is your secret shame?" The snake rambled obviously enjoying the art of toying with one's prey.
"My alpha is a jungle cat." Elila answered seeing no real reason not too. She looked around the room noticing that the small group of heron's she had scene before seemed to have vanished right into thin air.
"Jungle cat? Mmmh, I've never had one of those before." The snake whispered leaning closer to her bared neck. Elila tried to brace herself against the bar but she knew there was really no way she was ever going to defend herself against the strong limber snake.
"Ohh, there it is. Right there, just beneath the smell of fear. It's faint but very mammalian. So what is it? Lion? Panther? Perhaps even cheetah?" The snake idled feeling that it was good manners to at least get to know one's victim before striking.
"Tiger." Elila answered wishing that at this very moment she was surrounded by hordes of jungle cats. She couldn't get over how her mind had been so easily bended. Looking around the room now, she could tell the herons had obviously been herded together and removed for some sort of ill-fated purpose.
"Where are they?" Elila asked wondering if she would at least be with her own kind when she felt the venom.
"Who?" The snake asked looking around the room at all her Ahloria tribe mates.
"The herons? The ones that were here earlier… Were did you take them?" Elila asked wondering if her fate would be the same.
"Oh them… You saw them when you first came in? Well, we wanted to take them away sooner. You see we had a delicious evening planned. But the sharks were here and they almost ruined everything." Licara explained visibly pouting during her explanation.
"Sharks?" Elila asked. She remembered earlier in the evening when she thought she had seen Pedryn through the smoky dance floor. She thought her mind had only been playing tricks on her, but now she wasn't so sure.
"Yeah, some of their warriors were here and they nearly spoiled all of our fun." Licara answered licking her sharp venom filled fangs.
"Who? Which sharks?" Elila asked suddenly more interested in the location of her rapist. It really made no sense. She was about to die in the hands of snake. Pedryn should be the furthest person from her mind.
"I don't know. They all look the same to me. They're all so tall and brawny with those big teeth. They think they're so great. They don't like us very much. That's why we didn't attack the herons when they were here. They'll use any excuse possible to start something with us." Licara explained. And for the first time Elila began to hear the effects of the rollen juice on the snake. Her speech was beginning to slur and her sentences weren't as crisp or focused as before.
"What are you going to do with me?" Elila asked wondering if there was anyway her life could be spared.
"I'm going to bite you. What do you think?" The snake asked laughing. Elila tried to stop her tears from falling. She didn't want to seem so weak. But she couldn't help but reflect on the very supreme unfairness of life. She had already been through so much. And all she wanted was to be happy. But now she was going to die before she ever had that chance.
"Oh, don't look so sad." The snake cried out rather gleeful over her apparent sorrow. Elila felt her stomach lurch when Licara wrapped an arm around her back. She pulled the girl close gently nuzzling her hair.
"You know you probably won't die. As long as I remember to inject you with the anti-venom serum you'll be just fine. Well, you might be paralyzed or have permanent brain damage but…. Hey? You're a good kid. Even if you do die I'm sure the afterlife will be very kind to you." The snake managed to stutter out through choppy words of intoxication.
Elila tried not to openly weep. She wasn't ready to give up yet. She had survived 6 hours in the deep night waters of the ocean with a frenzied shark. She could survive this; she just had to think of someway out.
"Now you stay here and don't move. Or else I'll break your legs. I'm gonna go get us a room." The snake threatened stumbling away from the bar. Elila looked at the staircase in the corner and suddenly knew all too well where it led. There must be a cobra nest upstairs. And she was about to become their newest victim.
"But I can't! GOD!" Elila looked up to see Licara arguing with another cobra changeling. She couldn't hear the entire conversation. But from what she could tell, things weren't going in Licara's favor.
"Come on! We're leaving!" Licara screamed at her, pulling Elila away from the bar.
"Where are we going?" Elila cried out struggling against the painful grip the snake had put her arm in. She was a bit relieved to find the snake dragging her down the stairs and towards the building's exit.
"I can't believe them! After everything I've been through, they have the nerve to do this to me!" Licara screamed hauling Elila to the heavy double doors of the building. With the stumbling effort it took for the snake to move, Elila realized the rollen berries were having their maximum effect. If she was going to get away, now was the time to try.
"The alpha has never forgiven me! And I've earned their respect. I've earned my place in the tribe! But they won't let me have it!!!" Licara continued to scream into the night air. Elila body's was barely clear of the steal black metal door when Licara slammed it shut.
The snake walked down the deserted village road pulling Elila by her long black hair. The girl stumbled and tripped trying to keep up with the quick pace. But then Elila felt something interesting fall beneath her feet. The very pavement of the road was cracked. There was dust and debris filing under the soles of her shoes.
Knowing that this was her only chance she purposely entangled her legs with the snake. Instantly Licara hit the ground putting a rather viper like hold on the girl. She obviously wasn't about to let her prey get away that easy.
"Nice try…But I'll just have you here." The snake whispered leaning forward to go in for the bite. But Elila reacted quicker. She took a handful of sharp dusty debris and threw it in the sensitive eyes of her captor. Instantly, she felt the strong arms drop from her sides. And then Elila sprang away, determined to flee for her life.
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Elila didn't make it far though. The snake recovered much too quickly. Before she knew it Elila was knocked right back down onto the ground. She tried to scream for help but found that her lungs were devoid of air. She was coughing and wheezing struggling to catch her breath as she felt Licara slither onto her back.
"That's it my little bird. Try to take nice deep breath… The venom goes in so much quicker." The snake whispered. Elila winced hearing the sounds of clearer tones and crisper words coming from the creature above her. The hybrid had nearly recovered from the effect of the rollen juice. And Elila knew she was running out of time.
The snake spread out on top of her, cruelly forcing her face down into the dirty debris of the pavement. Licara ran her hands up and down the length of Elila's back, enjoying the feel of her prey. When the girl somehow found the strength and energy to struggle, the snake lashed out. Roughly, Licara clasped her stronger hand down onto Elila's wrist. The sheer force of the contact led the girl to believe that surely her bone had snapped right in two.
"Now be a good kitty and let me have your throat. It's the best place for the venom you know." Licara said laughing madly at her own words. Futilely, Elila screamed trying to attract attention to her dangerous predicament. But it was no use. The street was empty. And she was alone with the cobra. She tried to thrash and lash out with her limbs. But Licara had firmly trapped to the ground.
But then Elila remembered the word that the cobra had called her. Licara had referred to her as 'kitty.' Oh, the girl knew the snake had only been toying with her. But to Elila the reference was important. She was half jungle cat. Somewhere in the folds of her heron like body beat the heart of predator. She just had to find it.
All jungle cat changelings had one thing in common, their saber teeth. The women that descended from a pure cat lineage also had sharp teeth, but nothing like their hybrid brethren. But it wasn't the razor sharp teeth that interested Elila. It was the fact that all cats, both hybrids and women, could crush an absurd amount of weight with the sheer strength of their jaws. And somewhere in the tiny chromosomes of her DNA, Elila hoped that she too had that ability.
Summoning all of her fear and pulling on her sheer will to survive; Elila moved her mouth close to Licara's hand. The girl realized that she couldn't feel her wrist and she began to fear the worst. But she couldn't think of such minor details like broken bones. At the moment, she had her very life to preserve.
Once she was close enough, she bit into the leathery skin of the snake. It surprised her how easy her teeth slipped into the flesh. And the feeling of power that came with the bite simply amazed her. Elila wasn't certain, but she thought she might even have heard a faint growl come from the very back of her throat.
Instantly, Licara pulled away. It wasn't for long, but it was all the time that Elila needed. This time when she climbed to her feet she bolted at the near speed of light. She had never run this fast in her life and could only attribute her cat-like speed to the intense fear running through her blood stream.
"It's to be a hunt then, is it Elila?" The snake called into the deserted air around her. She didn't hurry after the girl. She didn't need to. She could easily smell the girl's trail. And Licara was far from disappointed at the sudden turn of events. It had been a long time since anyone had really put up a struggle. And hunting a worthy prey was always worthwhile sport.
Deftly, she climbed to her feet checking the size of the wound in her wrist. She was glad to see that Elila had managed to miss her artery. But the wound was severe nonetheless. The girl had taken a large portion of skin and managed to crush several very useful muscles. She tried moving her fingers and instantly the suffered the waves of crashing pain. Despite the profuse bleeding, she held her wrist against her shirt determined to move on with the hunt. Looking down though, she had to admit that she was surprised. The girl really did have some cat in her after all.
Elila cautiously ran down the alleys of what appeared to be abandoned buildings. She couldn't be sure though. She didn't have the time to really stop and focus on them. The entire alley could be crawling with camouflaged amphibians and cloaked reptiles.
She tried to slow her breathing and calm herself. Elila was far from naïve. She knew that the more frightened and distressed she was the better chance Licara would have of finding her. She realized her body had to be emitting all the familiar smells of a frightened prey.
Holding her hand over her mouth, she tried to stop the gagging sound that was trying to come out. She knew she couldn't make a sound. The snake would be on her in an instant if she gave into the noise of her pain. As soon as her blood circulated back through her arm she realized just how damaged her wrist was. She wouldn't be surprised if it had broken in more then one place.
"Oh, Elila??? Don't you want to come out and play? I can smell you here. Oh, are you going to hide from me?" Licara called out feeling her body return to a sober state of awareness.
Elila controlled her need to scream out in terror. Instead, she darted behind the first pile of trash she saw in the alley. Thankfully, she realized what a good decision it had been. The smell of the garbage would surely mask the odor of her fear.
"Elila, E-L-I-L-A…. It's a bit of an unusual name isn't it? Did your mother name you after something dreadful found only in the swamp?" The snake asked carefully walking up and down the alley. She knew the girl had only been there moments before, but now the trail had gone cold. But she was convinced that Elila hadn't managed to leave the alley. There was only one way out and the girl certainly hadn't run past her.
"Mmmh, did you know that venom turns a heron blue? When you think about it Elila the whole thing is really quite poetic. I have the power to revert you to the coloring of your very ancestors. The whole thing is really beautiful. Your black hair will turn the color of a deep sad blue and your lips will swell to the most exquisite shade of sapphire. Even your white flesh will turn the color of sky." The snake rambled for no other reason then to keep her prey intimidated. Licara had worked her way to the end of the alley and had decided that she would actually have to start sifting through the trash. The girl had to be hiding somewhere amidst all the piles of dirty debris.
Elila listened in her concealed spot behind a towering pile of rubbish. From the sounds of the snake, Elila knew that Licara was only mere feet from where she hid. She glanced at the end of the alley knowing the only way to escape would be to announce her presence and make a run for it. But Elila knew that was a horrid idea. She could never outrun the snake.
Cautiously, she backed up against the abandoned building and felt the oddest thing pressing into her back. She turned around and saw the outline of a metal ladder. She took a closer look at the building realizing that it was constructed of old Earth materials like brick and mortar. There wasn't a trace of the more secure and stable plastic and titanium used to construct building today. But if she was right about the building's origin, that meant only one thing. The outline she saw was definately a ladder and she might just be able to use it to escape.
Silently, she stood touching the ladder with only the very tips of her fingers. Thankfully, it didn't make a sound. And under the light of the moonlit sky, it even appeared to be sound. She knew the climb would be difficult with only one good hand. But she had to try. She wasn't going to give up.
"Although, who knows what color you'll turn. I'm mean; you're not of pure blood are you? Perhaps, you get blue strips like the half-breed you really are." Licara called out cruelly. She was growing tired of her searching. Her fangs were literally lurching with the need to release venom.
But Elila just climbed, as quietly as she possibly could. She knew that under the night sky, against a shadowy building, and with her long black hair flowing down around her she should be able to stay hidden for at least a few more rungs. With each successful step she mentally congratulated herself for simply having the courage to live.
Yet, she knew she wasn't scared anymore. Sure the cobra stalking the alley below was a force to be reckoned with. But now, she was more angry then anything else. She had thought Licara was going to be her friend and maybe even more. But instead, the snake had hypnotized her and she felt more betrayed then anything else.
"Elila you're really starting to make me angry. Do you really want to feel my anger?" The snaked hissed stomping back down through the alley. And that's when she saw the heron, futilely trying to pull herself atop a building with only one arm to guide her.
"Oh, Elila… So resourceful." The snake whispered taking a flying leap onto the bottom of the ladder. The girl balked in sudden terror realizing just how quickly the snake was going to catch up to her. Using her fear as a motivation for strength, she pulled herself over the side of the building.
But when she put her two shaky feet on the solid cement roof of the old abandoned building she realized her newest problem. Now there was no place left to go. She broke into a sprint running to the other side of the roof. But when she got there, she looked down in horror. There was no other ladder. She scanned the rooftop feeling herself succumb to defeat. Because for Elila, there was no way down.
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CONTINUED...