The Savage Hawkman Issue 2
By RoninReviews & Milan Jeftic
Previously in The Savage Hawkman
The Hall family lives on earth now as warrior protectors from Thanagar and as a local family. Life is about to get tough as the Intergalactic space pirate has recently landed on Earth, and they've been tasked with tracking him down.
Africa, Nigeria
A lone Antelope grazes on a shrub in the peaceful savannah of the lush African planes. The skittish creature is continually looking up from its meal, its wide eyes scanning the area for threats. A lioness has been stalking the Antelope for the last 3 days, her stomach screams, pounce but her instinct says wait.
Her body is pressed against the ground, her only movement is her staggered low breathing. The antelope reaches for another mouth full and its time, her shoulders bolt forward as her muscles tighten, claws extended and a mouth full of fury. The Antelope turns and runs, slitting through the grass, its hooves scaring the ground as it moves. She kicks her speed into the next gear tearing after her chance of survival.
She makes her move to pounce when she is thrown to the ground, she looks up to see her paw caught in a upturned root, she looks up to see the Antelope escape. The Antelope turns it head back as if to say, 'Not today'. It sees its herd awaiting their arrival. It's not far, almost to safety... when everything goes cold. It stops suddenly seeing blood all down its bronze coat, it looks up as a huge shadow descends upon it.
A huge claw scoops it off the ground, and razor sharp fangs tear out its stomach as it is forced into the huge jaws of the Intergalactic pirate Lion Mane; a gigantic creature about 2 meters tall with huge broad shoulders and an incredible physic covered by layers of fur.
He puts his pistol back in his belt holster, as he wipes the blood off his mane. His crew of alien pirates all toting high-tech weaponry from all over the galaxy and all on The Green Lantern Corps' most wanted.
Lion Mane: Mmmmhm. –guzzle- This is great, what is this called again?
Pirate: Lemme check the data base (pulls out computer system) Ahhh- Antel- opp? Antell-ope? Yeah who cares.
Lion Mane: Let's set up camp here. I like it here and fetch me s'more of these.
The Lioness wanders over to Lion Mane's crew as they begin to unload their equipment on the lush green expanse. She comes right up to Lion Mane and rubs herself along his leg, like a house cat.
Lion Mane: Hello there. Ooh good girl. Gituk! Grab some of that Grey Whait steak from the freezer will ya? We've got a guest.
Lion Mane strokes the Lioness as one of his lieutenants approaches him.
Lieutenant: Hey um Captain, we may want to be wary about this planet.
Lion: Don't break my little heart Chi-trako. I'm just starting to like it here.
Chi-trako: Well sir, not only are there 3 Green Lanterns operating out of this sector, but they also have a Thanagarian ambassador living here with his family, not to mention the abundance of 'Super heroes' living here. The Martians underestimate these humans with a full scale invasion force.
Lion Mane: I see your point, but we're not trying to invade and we shan't be staying long. The Thanagarians are our biggest threat right now as they've undoubtedly been contacted by their superiors about our arrival.
So I've put motions in place to keep them at bay. I've had Thanagarian monster eggs planted in different locations by our crew. By the time we're ready to continue on our journey again the Thanagarians will be too busy wondering how these monsters got to this planet. Even had a few of our Minotaurs check out their place of stay, Cleveland I believe.
Chi-trako: Well I hope you know what you're doing.
Lion Mane, turns to tear out another bite of the dead Antelope in his hand.
Thanagarian embassy, Cleveland
The Hall family all dig into their dinner at the kitchen table as a plate of Macaroni and Cheese is placed in front of Throke.
Throke: Mac and cheese huh?
Abrun: You've had this before grandfather?
Throke: Yes. Only a few times, Lydia used to make it for me.
Abrun: It comes out of a can, doesn't really take much making.
Throke: Well I could never get the bloody hang of it, Microwaves and all that.
Abrun: I guess we'll have to teach you grandfather.
Throke: An old mutt like me can't learn new tricks, no one told you that boy? I hear you've been getting into trouble at school.
Shiera: Don't go encouraging him Throke. He's already getting enough of that from his father.
Throke: This human school isn't such a bad thing Arbun, it sounds much better than this Brunswick Hall these traitors have gotten me in. I'm surrounded by bloody skeletons.
Kator: 'Sigh' we're not going over this again father.
Throke: Well for a forgotten old coot, I actually have something exciting to announce. I've recently gotten an express alert from Thanagar saying an escaped convict called 'Lion Mane' has assembled his crew and has headed for Earth and we've been tasked with his re-capture. We can take the kids, it'll be glorious.
Shiera: No, Throke. It'll be too dangerous. I won't endanger the lives of our children again.
Throke: Shiera, I understand your protective nature-
Shiera: Protective nature?! It's not about that you old fool! I'm sorry for being the only Thanagarian who is tired of war and I don't want my children to be subjected to its horrors from such an early age.
Kator: War isn't a thing to be ashamed of beloved. It's a thing of glory. It will do the children well to get to partake in the jobs that they will one day inherit.
Shiera: War is a glorious thing? Tell that to my brother, while his torso was torn from his legs and slowly feasted upon by savage Raith Sqwals. Tell that to the children when they watch their friends being torn to shreds in the Warrior graveyards.
Kator: It's our jobs Shiera. We're hunters our children will be hunters. It's in their blood, there is no changing that.
Shiera: What if they don't want to be hunters? What if they want to be more like humans?
Kator: That is the way they are raised, to live amongst another culture and learn from their mistakes and take from their weaknesses.
Abrun: Mother, father. This argument will not get us anywhere. I am strong enough to make my own decisions. I wish to stay on Earth and protect the humans. I will honour the traditions of Thanagar but I believe my place is here.
Throke: Either way your children wish to live their lives I'm taking this assignment. You can bring the children if you like but I could do with some back up. Where did I leave my Axe from last time?
Kator: You're setting of today?
Throke: I've been assigned to travel to London, England, where they first entered the Earth's atmosphere; I should be able to track them from there.
Thanagar, 15 Years ago
The crisp morning air glides through the open window of the Hall family household. Kator is laid flat on his back, watching his wife's wings dangling above him. His acute ears are entranced by her steady slow breathing.
She sleeps so soundly, for a woman of such raw fury on the battlefield. Her tattered wings fascinate Kator, he can watch them forever, the intricate tear marks and the weaves of bandages across them. Her rage and brutality paired so perfectly alongside her sorrow and pain.
The shrill call of a child's yell tears Kators attention from his wife. She goes to get up when Kator gets out of bed first.
Kator: I'll take it Shiera. I'm already up.
Shiera: Mmmm ok.
She slumps back into her pillows as Kator gently lifts the tiny child from his crib. He is still young with only a few tufts of hair on his disproportionate head. Kator's callused fingers can already feel the softness of his tiny feathers across Abrun's back. He lifts the screaming child into the morning air so he can see the horizon from their window.
This calmed Arbun. Kator brings him back down and gently holds him in his arms. He leaves the house and looks up at the massive tree branches of their home. There are only 20 of these trees on Thanagar, they are massive trees the size of mountains. Thanagarians live on the trees as they produce everything they could ever need. Wells of Nth metal, fruit and other wild life. Kator walks to the edge of the branch he and his 35 other neighbours live on and jumps.
Falling faster and faster past hundreds of other Thanagarians living their every day lives. He suddenly extends his wings and begins to glide alongside one of the smaller branches. He passes by a group of young soldiers doing their daily 3 hours of cardio before weapon training for the rest of the day.
He rises swiftly and faster than before and goes heads out further gliding out past the thick undergrowth of the city of branches, he can see the sun rising above the vast expanse of cracked harsh desert. Gazing of into the rising sun, Arbun slowly looks up to see the glorious horizon.
The peaceful moment is suddenly cut short as Kator is suddenly hit with a juggernaut like force. He falls and hits a nearby branch with a thud. He holds Abrun close in his arms on impact. He gets to his feet to see his assailant. A huge burly looking Thanagarian with thick broad shoulders and a dirty goatee, he staggers towards Kator with alcohol on his breath.
This is Hckator, a former lover of Shiera. He recently went on a tour of the Lothcrachi Lands a particularly dangerous mountainous region. He arrived back last night and proposed to Shiera who instantly refused. This behaviour isn't uncommon among Thanagarians soldiers.
Hckator: Hah hah hah. The husband of the mighty Shiera can't even take a hit.
Kator: Not when I'm bloody holding my first son you grak-frangling fool! Leave now before I tear your head from your body.
Hckator: Is that a threat?
Kator rests his son against a nearby bush, and cracks his knuckles. Hckator pulls out his war axe from his back.
Hckator: Look at this! The hunter against the battle hardened solider. I'm more skilled, stronger, faster. After I kill you, I'm gonna kill that child and make Shiera mine.
Kator snarls and rushes at Hckator how swings his Axe high above his head.
London, England
Throke descends from the sky upon the bustling streets of the capitol city. People stop and take pictures of the aged grizzled Hawkman walking the streets. A young man comes up to him.
Guy: Yeah, Hawkguy! Can I get a picture?
Throke: No.
Guy: Just a quick Selfie, for my Instagram.
Throke turns around and looks at the young man's phone, a bullet of saliva shoots from Throke's mouth onto the phone.
Guy: Hey man! Gross. What sort of superhero are you?
Throke: One with acidic saliva, go home and reconsider what you find important in life. Try and find a greater purpose for yourself if your puny human cranium allows it and try not to get distracted by reality TV or the internet, ever again.
Throke takes off as the young man looks down at the hole that has been burnt in his phone. Throke coughs as the noxious fumes of the city choke his throat. He grabs out a scanner and looks at it. There seems to be little to no activity on his scanner until it suddenly spikes as he nears Trafalgar square.
Suddenly huge earth quakes happen all over the city causing some structures to shatter and everything that isn't tied down to be flung into the open air. Huge cracks quickly appear along the streets as the pavement is torn open. A disgusting noxious gas is produced from the opened up pavement, something is moving below the street. Something huge.
Throke (cracks knuckles): Smells like a class 3 Trighorned Vanquishur.
Next: London Falling.