I wish first to apologise. Yes that's right. I have been on a hiatus as I have been absorbing data from the Starfox section of this site. Some really great stuff there…anyhow, Oemi I hope you're the first to read it. Thank you personally for the support.

Down in the deep recesses of the subway tunnel, Shiva hung from a perch in her father's roost shivering with fear and anger. The roost had once been the power control office for the subway system. Years ago humans had sat at the various stations and watched over the facility's lifeblood-electricity. But the advent of automation had changed that. Shiva looked at her father, hating him. He saw her look of anger and smiled a smile that sent a shiver of fear down her spine. It wasn't only that he had tried to reassert his dominance over her, but that he had done it in front of the only person she really liked. The only male…

Aries. There was something about him… some quality that she saw in him… she liked it. He's the only person who ever really gave a damn about me…my welfare…state of mind. It's almost as if… Her thoughts trailed off as she saw her mother enter the roost. Her mother. Shiva could barely prevent her teeth from baring themselves at the sight of her. The fact that Diatra was a witness to what her father had done to her…and that she did nothing sickened her. Diatra was a beautiful bat, with long wings which shimmered from the reflections of her glossy coat. She quietly flew over to Damocles' perch and roosted there, sighing as he enfolded her in his wings. Shiva growled, "You two make me sick." Damocles chuckled. "Oh? And just what are you going to do about it?" He breathed in deeply, relishing the smell of his wide's scent. She giggled and batted playfully at his questing nose with her wing. He fixed her with a gaze, and for a moment Shiva thought she saw something…something that flickered briefly behind the hate and malice. Longing… As if what she saw before her was merely a veneer…a shell. But then he blinked and it vanished.

Pointless to think differently. He haden't changed. Never had and never would. Damocles spoke again. "I hope that Aries comes for you …I'd just love to teach him a lesson. He won't last long…five minutes maybe. But then…there are ways to draw out the process out." Shiva felt anger rise within her and before she could stop herself she swore. "If you hurt him…I swear I'll kill you…" There was silence as he registered this. Then his eyes gleamed. And Shiva saw it again…that same quiver at the back of his eye. Fear. Not fear for his own life, but fear for her own life. And then it changed again and he was back to normal. As normal as an abusive parent could get. He settled back on his perch breathing heavily. She wondered, how could he be exerted from just that statement? "I'll make you rue that statement… Later… "He dropped from his roost and Shiva noticed that his flight was almost imperceptibly lopsided. As if he was fighting something. She knew she was fighting the urge to turn him into a flying eunuch. She settled back on her perch. Aries…where are you? She fixed her face into her consciousness and tried to take solace in the fact that he was coming for her. She knew it…felt it…prayed for it.

The Folly of the Council

Sago flew down a short stretch of tunnel her brain churning. I've got to save her…she can't survive like this much longer. She was heading for the Council chamber, the meeting place for the colony's 10 elders. Sago knew that they would be willing to help her. Children were precious in the colony and actions like those of Damocles' could not be tolerated. She entered the meeting chamber and roosted in it's high ceiling. The elders swiveled to meet her and the leader gave her a nod. Sago cleared her throat and then tried to gather her thoughts. "Honored members of the council I come to you with a matter of grave concern. It deals with one of our students. Mine actually…" The elders were all listening now, good she had their attention. "Shiva has been a star pupil in my class, and as I watched her grow through the last few years I began to suspect that something was wrong. It started with a look in her eyes; sometimes she seemed…distant as if her mind was focused on something else.

Then I began to see the marks…" Agatha piped up, her old voice quavering, "Marks you say?" "On her face and body, yes. Small scratches and scars. At first I thought that they were just from scuffles with the other students. I…foolishly said nothing, wanting to belive it could be something… anything else than what my mind assumed. She began to spend more time with me…after school, during hunting…It was as if she had latched on to me in a way." Sago felt a lump developing in her throat and she swallowed hard. "One of her friends, Aries told me that she told him she was being abused verbally and physically by her father Damocles. Her mother is only impassive at best. Last night things came to a head and he assaulted her in front of him…" "Where is he now?" "He's out now, searching for her. Damocles has kidnapped her and has hidden her somewhere in the colony's roost. I don't know what he's dong, we've got to scramble a search party now and find her. Please."

Sago looked up and saw to her horror that the leaders were all looking interestedly at their feet or at spots on the wall. "Well aren't you going to do something?!" Sago cried. One of the elders spoke. "Damocles is a very powerful member of the military…we cannot go on just hearsay we need evidence…proof that Shiva is actually in danger." Sago's eyes blazed with fury, "Are you saying that she is lying?!" "No," said Agatha, somewhat flustered at Sago's rage, "How do you know that this just isn't some example of bullying or peer pressure. If you question your classmates or Shiva's friends-" "Aries was her only true friend. He's out there searching for her alone…" Her words trailed off as she realized what was going on. "You're protecting him, aren't you?' "Now Sago, let's not make premature-" "You pompous old farts are so afraid of his clout, of him possibly trying to depose you, that you're willing to let him wail on his daughter whenever he wants?" A dry cough bounced around the room. "Positions and power are worth nothing when lives are at stake." She growled, "If you don't help me and she dies, or Aires gets hurt…their blood will be on your wings. And I'll make sure that you're all held responsible for your damnable indecision here tonight." And with that Sago dropped from her roost and flew out of the room. Out of the chamber. Away from the liars who dared call themselves the council of Elders.

So What did you think? Was it suspenseful? Give me details people? I love em and the more the better. Oemi I want an update on your story as well.