Chapter 34

Roomies

One of the white raptors was scanning Unseen's face. Head hanging, her downcast body language suggested submission as she refrained from returning eye contact. Good. A broken spirit implied a compliant captor. However, he wasn't convinced. He sniffed the nape of her neck, too close for comfort. The raptor could still smell traces of her battle pheromones, even after the alpha put her in her place. It was hard to be sure, but if he was correct, then this female still had some fight left in her.

Unseen would have loved to show him just how much 'fight' she had left, but with several raptors escorting her, it didn't take a half a brain to know how it would end, not to mention the exhaustion and bruises from which she was recovering. If not for the armour ...

As they walked, a compounded sound reached the edge of her senses, triggering deep, instinctive fear. She briefly halted before picking up the pace, correctly guessing that a pair of jaws were opening to spur her on. The click of closing teeth confirmed her theory.

The noise was growing louder: the incessant twitter of a thousand voices. Now she could identify it: a sound that populated cautionary tales of her former pack. Most raptors had been lucky enough to avoid the source, but there were accounts from scouts who barely escaped with their lives.

Past a final corner, she was stunned by the sight of a giant cage with a sturdy mesh fine enough to keep a young compey at bay. Within that cage was a cloud of saurian birds much like those from Unconditional's story: capable of stripping a dinosaur to the bone like flying piranhas. They swarmed like a whirlwind, but there was order within the swarm: It rose, it fell, expanded, contracted, shifted left, right and even interlaced flight patterns when its occupants flew in opposite directions. A handful of raptors stood outside, but one gazed intently into the organised chaos, mouth slightly open as if he were speaking to it. Controlling it.

Unseen had stopped walking entirely. The lead raptor stilled those moving to punish her, his feathers raised in pride. If their 'guest' wanted to witness their terrifying achievements, who were they to stop her?

She tilted her head. So, the raptor at the cage was directing the swarm like a deadly weapon, but how? She couldn't hear a raptor voice, but there was something else piercing the storm of twitters with its song. It was like a raptor, but neither utah nor veloci. More than that, it was vaguely familiar.

Unseen squinted. What was that in the raptor's mouth? As her eyes focused through the darkness, she spotted a saurian bird's small head protruding from his jaws, its body firmly clasped between them. Hmm ... he wasn't eating it. The creature appeared to be of a different species from the piranha birds. Twittering for all it was worth, it responded to vocalisations the raptor released through his teeth. What exactly was she witnessing?

"Ziz's kind possess a complex form of communication," Taberah explained, "though not nearly as complex as yours. This instrument simulates a pteranodon voice, and allows me to communicate with him over distances."

Of course! The saurian bird must have been serving as a living 'instrument', tasked with aiding in communication between the raptors and the piranha birds! She didn't know how they managed to relay complex instructions through the creature, but it must have been quite intelligent in order to comply. More than 'quite', actually. Perhaps its mind was at least close to that of a utahraptor.

The dino bird's weary eyes shifted towards her, managing a mischievous glint in spite of its predicament. Then it mimicked a very specific bird call her pack often used to bait similar creatures: the bird call she had used to lure a potential meal after fleeing the pack!

Unseen's jaw fairly dropped. No! That couldn't be the same archieopteryx, could it?

The creature's distraction caused the piranha birds to fall into disarray. She flinched as it quietly gagged when its handler tightened his jaws in punishment. After a few seconds, the raptor relaxed his grip and the dino bird drew raspy, broken breaths as its neck dangled from his mouth.

Before she could stop herself, Unseen had growled under her breath. She looked around. Maybe no one heard it. When the eyes of the surrounding raptors fixed on her, she dropped her hopes.

The leader told her that if she had something to say, she should say it.

She lifted an eyebrow. This was clearly one of those no-win situations. After mumbling her thoughts, she nearly flinched under his glare as he told her to speak up for all to hear. Unseen returned his glare, rocking on her feet before casting her voice at the raptor with the living instrument, telling him that if he wasn't going to eat the bird, then stop torturing it!

The raptor with the dino bird in his mouth and company gave her a stunned stare laced with resentment. She'd even caught the attention of the bird, who vaguely cocked his head at her - a gesture she would have expected from a raptor in thought.

Hissing that he'd heard enough, the leader stated that they might as well throw her in the piranha bird cage. It would save the alpha the trouble when he realised what a piece of work she was.

It was Unseen's turn to tilt her head. He actually sounded like he meant it, but there was no way he'd be able to get away with-

Unseen rescinded her thoughts as the raptors shoved her towards the cage. Thinking quickly, she suddenly cackled as though this were the most hilarious situation on Earth. They paused, blindsided by her chutzpah. She stated that they obviously weren't paying attention: the alpha had allowed her to live even after a nasty fight. Did they really think he would take kindly to this?

Her opponent paused before replying with a rancourous cackle of his own. Did she understand nothing about the Shadows of Death? She was a 'Sunwalker', and they hated her for her ability to live in the light of day: every single one who laid eyes on her colourful scales, if they were even worthy to be called a 'Shadow'. Their driving passion was to make themselves stronger, and assimilating a Sunwalker would no doubt qualify, but if she proved to be useless, which she did, the alpha would be more than happy to hear that his subordinates had disposed of her.

Forcing a bold, if not merely unfased body language was a staggeringly difficult challenge. Unseen had never heard such palpable hatred from a raptor. Whether he realised it or not, the 3rd Tongue had turned his voice into teeth and killing claws. Oh ... he realised. Taking a breath of her fear pheromones, he purred with the utmost satisfaction. What he didn't realise was that watching him savour her fright was just the push her fighting spirit needed. After a moment or two, he choked on her scent as the pheromones developed teeth and claws of their own. Taking a step back, the raptor looked to see Unseen burning holes in his skull with a glare piercing enough to give a troodon pause.

For several seconds, the raptors locked eyes like fangs. Then came the battle of tongues. When the leader realised Unseen wasn't going to shrink back, he hissed for the others to just shove Unseen in the cage and be done with it!

Unseen's retort was instant and incisive as she asserted that he was right: every single white raptor she'd come across had shown signs of deep-seated hatred, except the alpha. He was bluffing, wasn't he? What was he hoping to accomplish? A simple scare?

The alpha was good at hiding his emotions, the leader argued. After all, he had mastered The 3rd Tongue.

Maybe, Unseen agreed, but he'd made his intentions clear. He wanted her alive. Did his subordinate hate her enough to face the wrath of the alpha?

The leader conceded that she had a point, but she was forgetting something. Didn't they all look more or less the same? Didn't they all smell the same? How would the alpha identify him for what he had done?

Unseen glanced at the markings placed on his side by a scribe when he left the alpha's presence. They were somewhat more complex than those of her pack - difficult to read, but based on what she could discern, they served the purpose of marking this raptor for the task of escorting her. Perhaps they would be removed over time to make room for new designations. Perhaps he knew how to remove them himself - scrubbing the evidence. More than likely the alpha had his ways of investigating such matters, but just in case ...

Without warning, she flicked her tail blade into his hide. He stiffened in surprise, but barely flinched at the shallow wound.

Unseen lifted her chin, eyeing his new marking with smug satisfaction. Nothing made a wound like that, except her tail blade. That was how the alpha would identify him, she assured.

The way he snarled at her couldn't quite ruin the small sense of victory. When he and the surrounding raptors grabbed her with their jaws, she was sure they would have hurled her into the piranha bird cage. Instead, they dragged her out of the room, shoving through doors, snapping at all who dared give them inquisitive looks. Then they tossed her into a very different cage, the leader bolting it shut with his jaws. After giving her one more glare normally reserved for carcass festering beyond edibility, he departed.

Unseen released a breath of relief. That went well, all things considered. Nonetheless ... ow ... She couldn't thank Taberah enough for the armour.

Now to give her 'cozy' new, hopefully very temporary nest a once-over. She instinctively sniffed the air, only to be reminded that her nose wasn't much good in this place. Fine. Her eyes would have to do. Lit by the fungus adorning the corners, one thing stood out to her: the enclosed nest built at the far side. Hmm ... curious. Best case scenario, they had built a nest for 'guests' such as herself, allowing them privacy when they wanted it. Worst case scenario, someone had used the loose nesting materials carpeting the ground to build a nest of their own. Oh boy, there had better not be a raptor hiding in there.

Unseen throbbed a greeting: peaceable, but with enough confidence to avoid sounding like an ingratiating omega fruitlessly trying to avoid abuse (been there, done that).

No answer.

Unseen crouched to a lying position, resting her sore legs while poised to spring into action at a moment's notice. If someone was gearing up for a jump scare, she would be ready.

Several hours later ...

The young raptor shook the creeping sleep from her drooping eyelids. Every hour or so, she fidgeted, breaking the the silence with the rustle of her body on the dry twigs and grass. However, she hadn't heard a peep from the nest. Not even the quiet, steady breathing of a sleeping utahraptor. Seriously, was there even a raptor in there? Would it kill her to get a little shuteye? Yes, possibly. She had to remember that this was Silence's former pack, and Silence seemed to have an endless reservoir of patience and all else that made for a supremely stealthy raptor. It was clear that the Shadows still had a lot in common with her.

Unseen winced as a hunger pang sliced through her gut. What she wouldn't give for one of Taberah's packed goodies. Or another manna fruit. Actually, she preferred the latter, no offense to the human.

Unseen's eyes went wide as an epigaulus wandered in front of her, yanking every iota of her predatory instinct. Much like rats, these small, 'horned gophers' had a tendency to find their way into pretty much any place they pleased. Unlike rats, they were notoriously stupid, which was balanced by a birth rate that would put any modern rodent to shame. She'd spotted a few others during her brief stay, never daring to chase them. What made this different? For starters, this was the first time one had wandered that close, and this particular specimen appeared to have been eating very well. It wasn't the most filling of meals, but beggars weren't choosers.

The rodent was gnawing on a twig when Unseen surged towards it. After fairly jumping out of its skin, the horned gopher bolted deeper into the room. In less than three seconds, it was in her jaws. In half that time, she dropped the rodent as she found herself smashed into the wall and pinned there.

What on Earth?!

Oh ... no ...

The chase had led her close to the nest, which practically exploded when its hidden occupant emerged. She was quite certain that the cement cracked when she hit it ... or was that a bone?

The raptor stepped back and Unseen collapsed, coughing. Okay, time to get a look at the competition. Feathers, lots of them, bedecked her head, neck, back, tail and forelimbs - a sign of frequent shedding, perhaps nearly as frequent as the alpha. Unseen had picked up the scent of a female during the ambush. Apparently this raptor hadn't been taking her sulphur baths: something only noticeable within adequate proximity. Something about her scent bothered Unseen. Her build boasted everything Unseen possessed, and then some: more streamlined muscle, more height, more length. Add a splash of colour and she'd be the envy of females across the island. Unseen couldn't help but notice the way she carried herself. Like an alpha.

The female looked Unseen up and down, purring her opinion. So, this was the alpha's shiny new beta to be? An interesting choice. What was she wearing? She couldn't have acquired a second skin like that herself. Had a human played the tailor?

Unseen's toes twitched as she considered climbing to her feet. She still needed a moment to collect herself. No harm in small talk, especially if it delayed a fight. Yes, she replied. A human had given her this skin. In fact, he was within pack territory as they spoke.

The female's feathers briefly lifted: the equivalent of an acknowledging grunt. She thoughtfully looked off at nothing in particular, stating that the alpha had been wanting a human for a while. They were useful. Sunwalkers, on the other hand, were easy to acquire, yet the alpha had disposed of all hapless souls who found themselves in his territory ... except her. Why did she think that was, asked the female?

Slowly rising to a stand, Unseen stated that she had some unusual skills. Maybe that caught his attention.

The female cocked her head. Fighting skills? She accentuated the question with a click of her killing claw.

Unseen released a silent sigh. Her body wasn't up for another battle. Not now. It was best to fight with her voice.

No sooner had she opened her mouth to reply before the female had flashed in and out like a lightning strike, leaving her slumping against the wall once again. She was almost as fast as the alpha, but unlike the alpha she wasn't holding back.

The female eyed Unseen's outfit with fascination before lifting her foot and staring at it with annoyance. That kick should have left a potentially fatal wound, yet all it did was slit own foot while leaving Unseen without a scratch. So, that second skin was both a defense and a weapon. Didn't seem to do much good against blunt force trauma, though.

Unseen shook off the blow and asked what would happen to the female if the alpha discovered she was attacking his prospective beta?

The female cooed, making light of the question. For all his intelligence, she stated that the alpha's arrogance tempered it with one dimensional thinking. He overestimated his grasp on a situation. When he sent word that attacking the Sunwalker would forfeit her life, he assumed that she deemed her life worth living. There was a slim chance that getting rid of the competition would restore her status as the one and only beta, but if not? She was done with this place anyway. At least she could have some fun before-.

Her breath caught as Unseen pushed off of the wall, whirling through the air as if in a barrel roll. When Unseen's spinning tail blade sliced towards her, it was a wonder how the white beta managed to get out of the way before losing her head. However, she couldn't escape a slash to the shoulder.

The moment Unseen landed, she was ablur with the most vicious hybrid melee she could unleash. The female was at a loss as to how to deal with her bizarre fighting style, scarcely managing to avoid the most menacing attacks. Unseen wasn't thinking about stamina. There was no long game. The female would not be surprised this easily a second time, and she was giving everything she had in an explosion of motion.

Finally, Unseen's strikes broke through the female's reflexes. Any ordinary raptor would have been torn apart, but this was a Shadow - the previous beta, to boot. She wouldn't go down. When she threw herself at Unseen in a last ditch effort, the newcomer met her jaw with a shattering kick.

The female fell.

Unseen dashed in and locked her jaws around the beta's neck. She was exhausted, but she had just enough energy for the kill. Then her mind, unbidden, overlayed the female's body with Unconditional's for a brief moment. There was no rhyme or reason. She deserved this. Unconditional didn't. Unseen tightened her grip before she lost the internal battle ... or was it 'won'? That depended on which of the inner raptors reflected the true Unseen. Of that, she was thoroughly uncertain. Either way, she opened her jaws and let the beta gulp air.

Unseen stepped back, standing tall in an attempt to exude the authority of an alpha, she pardoned the female of attacking, but promised dire consequences for attacking again.

The white beta blinked before asking why exactly Unseen was sparing her.

Down here, Unseen got the impression that sparing life simply for the sake of sparing it would be interpreted as a weakness. She herself doubted the wisdom of her decision. Raising her feathers in a show of authority, Unseen explained that they would have a better chance of escaping if they worked together. After all, the female was 'done with this place,' right?

The beta released a condescending cackle before rolling onto her feet, shaking the soreness out of her body. Look at the little Sunwalker, trying to act like an alpha. Her reasoning meant nothing. No two raptors could escape this place. If Unseen expected to survive the next few seconds, the female would need a better reason than hollow hope.

A burst of flapping drew their eyes to a small creature who had approached unnoticed - the archaeopteryx!

Unseen tilted her head with a confused chirp. How did he get there? Why had he come there of all places? How had she failed to hear him flap until a moment ago? Maybe he hadn't flown into the enclosure. Maybe he had walked in through one of the many openings too small for a utahraptor to enter. Then why had he drawn their attention? Didn't he know that was a good way to get killed?

Oh ... maybe he did.

The bird took tentative steps towards the raptors, scarcely managing to suppress a shudder. She was stunned by the poor upkeep of his feathers, but not as much as the hopelessness in his lacklustre gaze. Her mind backtracked to the time when she first saw him in Shadow territory. What had she said again? That if they weren't going to eat the poor thing, then they shouldn't make it suffer. She chirped as his risky presence suddenly made sense. If he could take orders from raptors, maybe he understand exactly what she said. How had she failed to realise this before? The surplus feathers and developed wings managed to throw her off, but he wasn't merely a bird. He was basically a miniature a raptor! A raptor who was done suffering. A raptor who had decided to take her up on the alternative.

Unseen almost forgot about the other female as her heart went out to the archie. Once he'd stepped within biting range, he flinched as she leaned towards him. Instead of teeth, he was met by a tongue that carefully groomed his feathers. His little eyes went wide as he struggled to process the turn of events. After a few moments of mental indigestion and fidgeting, he triple clucked and chittered, asking what she was doing. Tasting him? Would it be possible for her to make it quick?

Pausing, Unseen was surprised by the fact that he could speak utahraptor so fluently, even if he articulated himself somewhat like a youngster.

She explained that she wasn't going to eat him, but his feathers were in serious need of preening. If he could just hold still ...

'Hold still' was the exact opposite of what he did, startling the raptor as he darted to her legs and nuzzled her with the unbridled, innocent affection of a hatchling greeting a parent after days of separation. Initially unsure of what to do, Unseen attempted to nuzzle him back. She was unable to reach him at her ankles, but he quickly noticed what she was attempting to do and dashed to her muzzle, returning the attempt at gesture.

Unseen was suddenly aware of the female raptor watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. With her hopes of being the alpha between them dashed by the starkly tender sight, Unseen gave a sheepish coo. Well, the now the female knew her secret: why she spared her. It wasn't practicality. It was her soft side, but she assured the white raptor that if she tried anything-.

The beta hushed Unseen, standing perfectly still and asking her to do the same. Seeing no harm in it, a confused Unseen obeyed her. Then a horned gopher wandered between them, barely giving the one Unseen had killed a second glance. In a blink, the female had snared it in her jaws, silencing the rodent with her teeth before tossing both dead critters towards her new roommates.

Unseen gave the morsels a bewildered stare. After a short moment, the archaeopteryx had dashed forward and was dragging one of the gophers to be safely consumed under Unseen's shadow. He was about to eat when his little jaw froze mid-bite and he nudged Unseen, asking if she was going to join him.

The raptor blinked away her perplexity, telling the bird that he could start eating without her (which he did with gusto) before asking the female why she did that.

The female stared at the ground, shifting her weight awkwardly. Then she explained: Unseen spoke as though her soft spot were something of which to be ashamed. Perhaps she saw a moment of weakness. The beta saw a moment of strength.

Unseen had barely digested that statement before the female approached her. Reading her body language, the female stopped at the invisible line that marked her roommate's comfort zone, sniffing. Something about the younger raptor's scent was nagging her, and Unseen figured that out because she felt the same way.

Stepping closer, Unseen sniffed the white raptor back. Soon the two forgot their personal boundaries as they searched each other's scents in pursuit of the answer to a question neither raptor knew to ask. Huddled behind Unseen's leg, the archie whined, uncomfortable getting this close to a Shadow. Several seconds passed before the revelation widened Unseen's eyes. Being less experienced in scent interpretation, the female tilted her head, waiting for Unseen to explain what she had failed to discern.

Unseen nearly bounced on her toes as she spoke in an excited twitter. It was faint, especially hard to make out in the sulphur-rich air, but the female's scent had something in common with that of Unseen, Silence and even Virulent.

They were cousins!

The pieces are coming together. Can anyone anticipate where things might go from here to some degree? Did anyone pick up the reference to a spy TV series?

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the holidays, and a slightly early Happy New Year to you all!