Storm clouds gather above the dunes, hiding the small group even as the winds picks up. None move from the spot even as thunder rings out in the distance. "Fucking cats."
Bella sighs looking over at her brother knowing that while his anger is justified there's little that can be done. "It's not like we can do anything about it."
"Fucking cats." Lars says again as he bites down on the reed in his mouth. He chews on it before spiting in the coarse sand. "Treating the world like it owns them something."
Natalia shrugs watching the fish man, she's learned to trust some of them, but she eyes the woman up and down, not all of their kind. "To bad you can't drown her."
It's answered by a glare. All these years and to Bella the hyena is still only good at playing simple mind games. Simple but, then it doesn't take much for many Alphas. Even her own brother can't help but fall of the ploys. "You're asking for suicide." She answers, knowing her brother is already thinking about it. Getting even with a kingdom that as of yet has done nothing wrong to them. Bad blood is one thing but this would be an all out war over a child that's yet to be born. "Our people while ruthless when needing to be,"
Natalia stops her with a coy smile. "He's your ally. Your so called friend, who if I recall was taken on your watch."
"Excuse me?!" It takes her every ounce of restraint not to strike the Hyena. "What are you implying exactly?"
"Bella." Lars starts as he plays with the reed.
"No, I want to hear it." Her normally gentle eyes change in a second, green eyes turning to pure black. "You're saying it was my fault."
Again Lars sighs, putting his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Bella, enough." He shakes his head, wishing that his sister wouldn't get so upset so easily over something none of them can change now. "Really Natalia we aren't the enemy but I do agree they must pay for the sins they're committed." With a tired sigh he picks at the reed, playing with so not to look in either of the girl's eyes. "But I don't see why it has to be us."
"Just a second ago you were willing to drown the 'fucking cats'." She says staring at his fingers.
A soft smirk grows on his face. "It's our way but when the blood lust wears away we do, to your surprise I'm sure, act civilized." Again he starts to chew on his reed. "And as such I have to ask, what's in it for us? Why should we get our feet we, so to speak?"
"Why?"
"That's what I said." His eyes now watch her, staring into her soft soul. "We aren't pawns."
"Then be our allies." She answers not daring to back down. "I'm not asking for-"
"I've played chess with you." He crosses his arms. "Many times and your moves are predictable at best."
"So are yours." She mimics Lars' stance, eyes growing hard and sharp as a rain drop explodes on the tip of her nose. "Your knights do your dirty work but it leaves your queen open just long enough,"
"Still I manage to take your king with little problem." He looks up at the dark sky as it let's go, soaking all below it. "But," He starts inhaling the fresh rain around him with a smile. "Allistor's moves are a bit less predictable."
"Oh?"
"Abel's are sly but he shows so much pain when I take even a pawn from him and Gilbert, well, I've never had the privilege of playing with him. Still sees me as someone to..." He stops mulling over the words in his mind before stopping on the one that seems to fit. "fear."
With a shrug the hyena pushes her already dripping wet hair out of her eyes. "I've played him and his moves are cunning but really it isn't his game."
With this Lars nods. "It's not Alfred's either."
"And here I thought he came to play with you every day."
"Oh he does though he likes checkers better." His eyes shine warmly as his green scales sparkle with each rain drop. "He's pretty damn good at it too." Soon he shakes his head realizing that the woman before him is in awe at Bella and himself. "You've never seen us in our true forms have you?"
"Not like this, no." She blinks pulling away her gaze as a blush appears on her face. She had heard the rumors but never expected it to be as true as it is. Then again when she and her sister studied them, it was from afar and never once when it rained in fear of the fish folk. But now up close the Aquatics change with each second. "I noticed things and I want to know if it's true." She turns to Bella as a sense of dread washes over her. Before her the fish woman's scales have changed, grown all over her once clear skin. Her light brown hair turned blue with stripes of green as her lips turn a golden hue.
"Hmm," Bella starts seeing Alfred walk over a dune going them, though under the safely of an large leather tarp held up with a thick stick. "Alfie what are you doing out in this weather?"
Again to Natalia's amazement the other Omega doesn't seemed fazed by the sudden change of the two fish folk. "I could ask Nat the same thing." He gives a warm smile handing over a jacket with his free hand. "Sorry I haven't been around to play checkers but, maybe in another few weeks I'll swing by."
"Take your time, we understand." Lars leans in close, kissing the Omega's cheek warmly before nudging for his sister towards the sea. "If you need anything my friend you know where to find us." Finally tossing the reed to the side he walks off towards the sea, his white fins dragging lightly in the sand.
Bella hugs his neck before kissing his cheeks as well. "I'll see you soon Alfred." Her eyes return to Natalia. "But before I go what was your question?"
"The deadliest are usually the most beautiful of a species. I've seen it with the Frogs and Insects."
"So is it true with us?" Bella smiles warmly still with a hand wrapped around Alfred's shoulders. "Maybe it is, hard to say really since for them it's venom." She winks as she races to catch up with her brother, though unlike Lars she seems to dance across the sands until she dives into the water. Once a wave rolls across Bella, she's gone in an instant.
"Making friends I see." A chuckle arises as Alfred turns back towards their clan, careful of where his feet land in the sandy terrain. "Though I think, no I know that was stupid of you to do." He turns around giving her a mixed look of disappointment and anger. "I love you but playing games with them, especially in the rain could have meant death."
"I knew what I was doing." She answers though she does turn back to the ocean behind. "They weren't going to drag me down to the bottom of the sea or anything."
"Not then but they could have if you pissed her off enough."
With the same coy smile she gave Lars earlier Natalia walks past her old friend. "She was pissed but it was for a good cause."
For a moment he wants to take her wrist but he stops and watches her go. He doesn't want to say what Bella and Lars had whispered to him before they left knowing it won't do any good. All he can hope for is next time she goes to see the fish folk, she doesn't go alone.
