Chapter 3
Sdry'tx scowled as he walked through the Hive passages. The Queen Asraszi hadn't given him anything to do in a while. His pack was getting restless. He listened to the sound of his boots on the stone floor echo. He stopped at another passage, and looked down it. His packmate, Prihmn, was running toward him. Sdry'tx wasn't quite sure how Prihmn ever got anywhere, as the idiot forgot nearly everything the moment after he heard it. He stumbled up the hallway, panting. "Sdr… Sdry'tx… uhh… uh… someone wants to… talk… no… see you."
Sdry'tx stared at the incompetent Galliard. "Who wanted to see me, Prihmn?"
Prihmn scratched his head for a minute. "Uhh… someone in that direction." He pointed down the hall he had just stumbled through.
"Was it Asraszi?"
"Hmm… could be…"
Sdry'tx rolled his eyes. If it was Asraszi, he might actually get something to do. If it wasn't, and he approached her without good reason, she'd have his ass. Asraszi was a crazy bitch, and Sdry'tx knew better than to piss her off. Sdry'tx sighed, and pushed pass the moron, heading toward Asraszi's chambers. He came to the large rotting door that led to her so-called throne room, where one of her personal guard blocked the way
Sdry'tx glared at the large Ahroun. "Move."
"Make me." The large Crinos growled.
Sdry'tx threw up his hands in resignation. "Fine then." He turned and started to walk away. Suddenly he spun around, grabbed the brute by the throat, lifted him off the ground and hurled him through the door. The old wood shattered under the force, and the Crinos went sliding across the marble floor on the other side. Sdry'tx stepped through, to face his queen.
The throne room was small, with a low ceiling, barely tall enough for a Crinos to stand in. The floor was marble, but the walls were plain stone. A single brazier in the center lit the room. Asraszi lounged on her throne, which was actually a large, moldy bed. But, she called it a throne, and none dared argue. The guard picked himself out of the splintered door, and limped back outside. The queen sat up, fixing Sdry'tx with a piercing stare. "I thought I told you not to do that anymore."
"My apologies, my queen." Sdry'tx bowed. "The cur needed to be taught."
Asraszi leaned back, exposing her nude body to him. "Do not concern yourself with him, my dear. You have more important matters to worry about." She rolled out of the bed, her small feet smacking on the cold floor. She walked over to him, pushing against him. "What are you here for?" She asked, her voice almost a purr.
"Did you send Prihmn to fetch me?" He asked, avoiding her gaze.
Asraszi paused for a moment. "Yes, I did actually. There's something I want you and your pack to look into for me. But there is something else to do before you start." She walked over to the wall, where several glyphs were scratched. She rolled her head, and let out a moan. Sdry'tx knew what was coming. Asraszi had these episodes every so often. Many of the Theurges believed it was the Wyrm itself speaking through their queen, but her rantings could never be translated. She dropped to the floor and began to convulse, hurling unknown blasphemies out of her shrieking mouth. Eventually the Theurges stopped caring, because they could never glean anything from her tirades. This continued for several minutes, Sdry'tx patiently waiting as his queen frothed at the mouth. Then as quickly as it began, Asraszi sat up, and continued speaking as if nothing had occurred. "I want you to lead another attack on the Gaian caern. But, all I want you to do is capture their kinfolk. When you have done this, return to me. If anything should happen to these kin, I will serve you your own genitals on a silver platter."
***
Sdry'tx and Prihmn went searching for the rest of their pack. They were all hanging out in their usual chambers. Srilocke, Xasnk, and Tyrnor were watching a TV they had stolen from an orphanage. As usual, Srilocke was huddled in the corner, muttering, Tyrnor was being silent, and Xasnk was laughing her ass of at an old rerun of I Love Lucy. Sdry'tx sat down beside his mate, who was still laughing.
"We got a mission." He said. "Asraszi wants us to attack the Gaians again. This time we're gonna steal their kinfolk."
Xasnk, who was probably the only other one who would actually respond, immediately turned her attention from the set. "Kinfolk? Oh boy! Do we get to eat them afterward?"
"No, my pet. She wants them alive." He said, running his hand through her hair.
"Aww… queeny takes all the fun out of everything." Xasnk crossed her arms across her chest, and took on a more serious tone. "So, when are we going to do this?"
"In a few days, when the moon is full." He turned to Tyrnor. "And don't worry, the only restrictions we have are not to harm the kin. So, you can kill as many Garou as you want."
Tyrnor grinned. Prihmn looked like he was about to say something, but stopped. Srilocke was heard muttering, "Kill them… steal them… rape them… summon them… great things… dark things… wyrm things… do… you… know the muffin man? Eat us all… great feeding… this old man he played sticks…"