Chapter 8
I waited in the tree for an hour before the female came out of the cave I had planned to set a trap for the female but she was too interesting to watch and when I confront the female I want to know her abilities and her weaknesses. The female had begun to gather the bodies together before taking the skulls of each one she spent hours taking the flesh away from the bone she washed them then begun to inspect them each one she growled at before crushing them with her hands. She suspended one of the bodies over the river downstream from the cave what was she doing she had a make-shift spear in her hand standing on a different branch lower than the body. She had good balance to stay that still for hours. I was about to leave and search her cave when a large crocodile launched itself out of the water latching onto the dead body she jammed the spear into the crocodiles eye socket straight through the other side of the crocodiles head using x-ray vision in the mask I saw the spears entry it went through each eye socket. She let go of the spear and the crocodile fell back into the water with a loud splash, she still held the vine attached to the spear and jumped a distance to the river bank and began to pull the large crocodile to shore it was heavy and took hours to drag the beast to her cave's entrance she held one of the knives taken from the humans that attacked earlier and begun to skin the beast, she make a mess of it but eventually got the skin off she put it to the side and begun to slice off large strips of meat she ate the strips raw she was hungry any left overs she took into the cave along with its head she was already collecting trophies but why wasn't she happy with the human skulls I looked down at the skull I had taken and found my own answer. She wanted this skull and any other wasn't going to replace it. That human must have done some nasty stuff if she desired his skull other any others. It was now night and she had just left the bodies littered around the place luring predators into her territory which was unwise so I went into her cave quietly and found her curled up into a ball on the cave floor shivering. The female looked so helpless I was about to touch her when she stirred, I moved back quietly retreating out the cave to go find some food.
….
It was morning and I curled in on myself into the soft warmth that covered me I opened my eyes to find myself covered in a soft fur, it had been recently made as I could smell the blood in the skin but it was warm it was made up of five individual animals all fixed together to make a thick duvet that I had managed to wrap around myself faintly I could small the musk of the male. I was wide awake now it was a weak scent but it was there. He had found me and gotten so close to me defenceless I was so stupid I could've been killed by him but why would he make this for me. I check my food I had wrapped up and put in the coolest part of the cave nothing was taken.
I was confused at his actions what did he want in return was this for the skull he took a swap of some sorts. If that what it was I would return it I wanted that skull no other would replace it. I growled in frustration. I didn't go out the main entrance but used a small tunnel that went deeper into the ground at the end there was a light above where there was a small opening it was quite a climb but it would get me out of the cave without being seen as I suspected the male was watching the cave entrance if he had found me. The climb was easy the rock wasn't grainy but I managed to slice my hand open on a sharp rock it stung but I carried on. Once I was out of the cave I circled the cave from afar looking for where the male was watching me from. I searched from the trees very carefully to avoid making noise or to disturb the animals nearby.
I was close to my cave when I saw a glimmer of distorted light I changed my vision to infrared and saw a large figure stood facing my cave entrance he hadn't seen me yet so I climbed up higher then jumped onto his tree he hadn't noticed me yet I could see my skull attached to his belt he had cleaned it no trace of flesh remained on it so close I wonder if I could take it I crept down the truck of the tree head first he still hadn't moved was he waiting for me to leave the cave he began to hum I stopped crawling down and listened I kept back up as he began to move away out of sight above I watched him jump onto the forest floor. He edged closer to the cave I followed curious he didn't kill me when he had the chance. I took a deep inhale smelling his musk it was strong now how did he make his scent so weak in my cave. I quickly reach out towards the skull when a twig snapped below me and he grabbed my out reached hand, twisting I swung and kicked out landing a kick to the side of his face he let go and I fell back onto the floor. I jumped up on my feet I looked around there were no exits and he circled me closer with every step. I growled low warning him to back off but he didn't take my warning. He got to close and I strike out at him hitting his chest trying to get him to back off he tilted his head curious.
"Leave me alone and return my skull." I snarl he broke eye contact and looked down at my skull on his belt I hiss in frustration. He stroked the skull, I roared in anger he was doing it on purpose. Hunch over and spread me arms out ready to attack. He ran a claw over the skull softly and I see red.
…..
She was a hot head but running a claw along the skull made her snap she lunged and she was quick in block her first hit but her second struck, the shallow cuts of her claws drew rivers of blood. She dodged my hit being small she ducked and moved forward going for her skull trying to get it back I knocked her hand away she snarled and lunged again in a fury of hits all strong for someone her size. She had no experience but she was calculating aiming for joints trying to weaken me it wasn't working this wasn't even play fighting I could easily turn this on her but I wanted to learn about her instinctive fighting style which was so far using calculating quick hits to weaken the challenger. I still couldn't believe how close she had gotten so close to me without me realising she didn't go for the kill though she went for the skull so she didn't want to kill me interesting. I grab her arm and spun her around then let go she fell to the floor I pinned her to the ground, she struggled furiously.
"Enough female come quietly." I said she didn't relax but carried on fighting below me. I had some loose rope on my person I quickly tie her hands and arms then put her over my shoulder she kicked and hiss in anger. I took her back to her cave it was bare only the duvet and the crocodile skull occupied the cave. I lowered her onto the bedding she tried to get up but I push her back down I see some wood in the middle of the cave she had tried to start a fire I hadn't noticed when I came in last night. I started the fire easily the heat illuminated the cave and she was laid on the bedding staring at me. I then noticed her hand slightly bleeding it was from today. I held her tied arms she flinched she averts her eyes and baring her neck in submission out of fear of being tied up defenceless.
"Your hurt let me see. I am not going to hurt you." I said softly following the patterns along her arms her markings were unusual swirls of darker scales that trail down her sides. She relaxed slightly and I took this chance to untie her. Her eyes are locked onto the skull as I examine the wound, it was a clean cut she growled as I poked at it. I smirked at her she was tense ready to attack. I try a different tactic and purr a tune she becomes distracted from staring at the skull she watched me as I took out a small bottle of spray. She hissed at the spray on her pale skin. I let go of her hand and she retracted it to her chest edging away. I stay with my back to the cave entrance she was backing up.
"This is my place leave." She said in a defensive tone.
"No." I say as I go to the fire throwing on the cuts of meat to cook.
"What are you doing?" She gasped shocked. Staring at the meat cuts.
"It tastes better cooked you're too skinny you need meat for strength." She looks confused.
"Didn't they ever give you cooked meat." I said concerned, she shook her head I turn the meat keeping my eye on her she would bolt as soon as she got a chance.
"What's your name?" I ask her throwing her a cut of meat she caught it putting it in her mouth tearing at the meat. She pauses the meat it was tough but she looks at the ground.
"Subject Two was my label." She muttered quietly my transmitter just catches it. I growl at what the humans have done to this female she was emotionally weak a human trait that the humans have instilled.
"That's not a name." I growl out. I would kill those men all over again.
"Then I don't have a name." She continues looking at the flames.
"We'll pick a name later. Once you come back with me." She nearly dropped the meat.
"No I'm staying here." She backed up deeper into the cave I stepped back from the fire and closer to the female. She turned and ran I ran after her she was still quick and came to a dead end but she only jumped and began to climb I followed before I could reach her ankle she slipped through a small hole one too small to crawl follow her. I just lost the female and she would likely not be returning anytime soon.
