City of IF

[Phang]

Her past was returning, and Winger’s head spun, but gathering herself she thought about this more logically. Could this symbol, etched into the beast as it was on the Master, be the same symbol on the chest of all the Laron Slilambra? She thought back, to Mern. Had he had the same scars on his chest? She couldn’t remember.

But it was clear what the beast was, despite her best attempts to try and point it on something else. No beast from the Down Below could be a crawling thing of bladed tentacles, with the markings of the Master on it. It was too much of a coincidence. The Master always created beasts to rule. This was no differe-

“Winger?” a grey paw patted her arm and she looked around. One of the wolf-like creatures was staring at her, confused. In that moment, Winger realised that if her past was returning, it was no use fleeing again, or she would keep running until it struck down the entire stretch of jungle wastelands. She had found her family, and she must protect it.

“…I think I might know something about this beast which threatens us,” she whispered, unsure as to whether this animal could be trusted, or even if the whole tribe could be trusted. But there had to be a way to fight back.

The wolf responded positively, to her good luck. “You have seen much in your empty wanderings, Winger, and we know little about you. If you have any information to help fight this threat, we must report to the Secondary Elders.” The Secondary Elders? Only the Alphas were higher – Winger was beginning to regret revealing her knowledge already. This whole tribe could end up depending on her. But refusing now would be the most idiotic thing to do in a whole line of idiotic things she had done with her life – believing the Master being connected with most of them.


At the burrows and huts of the Secondary Elders, she was questioned hard, but she was also cunning with her answers – revealing too much would show her up as a half-human creature, created by the same creator of the beast that threatened them now. They would think her a spy, a threat from inside, and she would be thrown out or worse, killed. She made up a story of her life with her answers as they went along – she had been a wandering orphan who had strayed too close to the barren rock plains and been captured by the humans. But she had made it clear that the humans were not to blame – just in case her past was revealed. She had told them about the Master, the vicious ruler of the last humans on earth, and how he had experimented on her to the point where she had become like she was now, a humanoid freak of nature. There was much uproar at this point, and many curses towards this ‘Master-beastlord’, which soon calmed down to allow Winger to continue.

She asked them if they had heard of the Slilambra, but the answer was no, so she had to explain about the short creatures of the ‘deep ground bad-cracks’ that had unbelievable powers of ‘magic’ with their mind. They nodded and recognised, calling them ‘mind-beasts’. It seemed to be a good description. So Winger told them about how the Master had turned out to be from a tribe known as Laron, and how one called Mern had rescued her and been killed in the attempt, taking the Master with him. But, she explained, it seemed he was alive, for this beast was clearly his work. The Secondary Elders thanked her, and she left them to ponder her information of the humans and their undead ‘beastlord’ ruler.

*~*~*

A small village-type construction, full of woven huts and burrows. Smoke coils up from the smashed piles of woven grass behind, and I look down at my fingers. Huge, curved blades, smeared to the ends with deep red blood. The darkness of the liquid is almost black in the shadows, camouflaging my pale skin.

I look back up at the tribal village in front of me. It looks just the same as the one behind – and will be just as easy to destroy.

Kill…

*~*~*

A messenger came to Winger the next day, informing her that the Alphas would like to see her. The Alphas?! Winger nearly asked if she had heard wrong, but before she knew it nearly everyone had come to lead her along into the huge grass-palace at the centre of the village, cheering even though they didn’t know why she was being summoned there. Pushed and shoved through the tunnel of crowded animals, she eventually collapsed through the door into a huge hallway stinking with the smell of various perfumes, making her head feel light and her eyes droop. More of the wolf-creatures pushed and dragged her along quickly until she came to a surprisingly small room – even smaller than the huts of the Lessers. The sweet smoke was coming from the shadows in the other side of the room, where a pair of amber eyes glittered in the tiny, flickering purple flame that danced above the pot of dried leaves. “Come in, sit down, we have important things to discuss.” came an old voice, old but not weary. This sounded like Winger had imagined an Alpha to sound, but it was in the wrong language.

“You can speak - ?”

“I can speak? Of course I can speak, everyone can. What you mean is I can speak the tongue of humans – a tongue you are well-versed in too, as you have just shown.” With shock Winger realised that the mixture of barks and one-syllable human words she had feigned when she first came here had just been disproved. What was going to happen now? “Don’t worry, I understand you were fearful that we would hate you like a human – but you are not human, you must realise that. You are one of us, no matter what that Master did…” his voice had the strange effect of making Winger want to confess the truth – or was that just the smoke? “Anyway, my child, we must get on to the important business. Your experiences with this Master are vital at this moment, for our scouts have reported that the beast draws ever closer – there is just one village between it and us. We need your help, Winger. How can we fight this beast?”

Winger felt the whole world land on her shoulders, crushing her in the strain. But somewhere in that weighty duty now upon her was the urge to tell the truth about her past – but could she? The Alpha said she was one of them, but that was only because he thought she had indeed once been one of them. In truth, she was more human than animal – the only resemblance to these creatures she had was a semi-human appearance. The Alpha looked on expectantly as she thought frantically.

What did she do now?

[Shady Stoat]

Good chapter Phang. This is all coming together nicely now :D

Can we defeat this beast without revealing the truth about our origins? I don't see, at the moment, what advantage other than personal satisfaction, we will gain from spilling everything to the Alphas.

I suggest we tell them everything we can about this beast. It's strengths, its weaknesses, how to out-think and outmanoeuvre it, what attacks would be best to use and whether it would be easier to defend the village or go out and meet this creature.

If, in telling any of that, we have to let slip the truth about ourselves, then so be it. They probably need us enough not to kill us on the spot for telling them about ourselves.

If, however, we can wait until we've won the battle against this beast, it would give us the advantage of gratitude as a wedge to secure our place with this pack. Possibly even to persuade them to help her against the Master and his experiments.

[ethereal_fauna]

F5 the Stoat.

No need to tell about yourself. Focus instead on revealing what you can about the beast. Put off any questions regarding how you have this knowledge. Likely none will be asked, and if some are, turn the focus back to the beast.

Perhaps the pack should move younger/weaker members to a safer location? Show your concern for your family and willingness to assist, and questions about your past will seem unimportant.

[Ingrothechundyer]

I agree with Fauna and Stoat. No point in spilling details of the past unless they will help with the fight at hand.

Unless she belives that if she stays they have no hope but if she leaves they will be left alone ;)