Chapter 3: Third Cave Feminism

-Dead Horse Lake, Port Clovis-

In the city limits of Dead Horse Lake, Will was working on filming the next few episodes of the Maneater show while eating breakfast away from the actual lake–all while Tripp was trying to work out their weekly business budget.

As he worked, his mind drifted back to that (admittedly awkward) encounter he had with Sirena. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd let him touch her snout or even swim alongside her. She was an interesting Bull Shark, one he actually showed a lot of well placed interest in, given recent events.

It made him want to try and help her, somehow…

(Elsewhere)

Meanwhile, in the actual lake, Sirena was currently fighting a Hunted Barracuda and two hunted Alligators at the same time, one of which was an Albino. Grabbing the Barracuda in her jaws, she was quick to whip shoot it at the albino, stunning both and allowing her to injure both a fair amount. She was forced to back off when the regular alligator tried to chomp on her.

Swinging around she slammed her tail into the side of its head, dazing it and allowing her to attack all three and eat them alive.

And as she devoured the last few chunks of meat, she then felt something as she used her sonar. Whatever it was, it was big, and was dashing around like crazy.

Swimming over the reactor spot to gorge herself on some more irradiated Grouper, she also kept looking for what she was sensing.

"As a result of industrial pollution and sewage wastewater. Dead Horse Lake was designated as a superfund site in 1996." Tripp noted.

As Sirena kept searching a few more minutes, she spotted a disturbance in a nearby school of fish. This disturbance was revealed to be a Barracuda–but this one was different.

It was much larger than the ones she'd seen before. Its eyes were bulging and murky, it was missing patches of scales–some were even actively festering and falling off–its teeth were rotten and it was missing several, and lastly it was covered in green pus filled blisters and covered in fungal infections.

"The needle tooth nightmare, the Barracuda!" Trip said dramatically as the mutant apex fish darted at Sirena.

"That animal is all kinds of fucked up." A nauseated Will noted.

The tiger skinned Bull Shark snarled as she evaded a quick attack from the distorted fish and attempted to attack it, but it recovered faster than she thought and managed to evade her.

This cycle of attack, evade, attack continued for a good five minutes before a wrong turn from the Apex Barracuda caused it to shoot just shy of the intended impact and left it wide open for Sirena to spin around and smash it with her tail, sending it flying out of the water, and skewered itself on an exposed reed bar from the abandoned plant.

The carnivorous fish tried to get free and back into the water, but it was angled upwards, so it was doomed to suffocate to death. Sirena, however, was feeling merciful and bit its head off–before immediately spitting it out–so it wouldn't suffer.

"Barracuda is the name of a famous rock song, but did you know that it's also a fish? Well, it's true." Trip said informatively.

Will, meanwhile, was just glad Sirena didn't let the poor Barracuda suffer on that rebar.

The Bull Shark let out a deep sigh as she continued swimming again, looking for something else to do as her teeth gained a bone carapace.

(Later)

Screams of terror and agony could be heard all over Dead Horse Lake's statue of darling Racehorse Trash Talk as Sirena was on the surface attacking people who had started shooting at her on the way to her grotto.

Some nerve, she swore…

After killing the last one to shoot at her, she spotted what looked like a motorboat heading her way. Likely another bounty hunter.

"The Bartender life ender, Bobbie Bojangles." Tripp said as the woman shot up, holding a trumpet before swapping to a shotgun.

She was a heavy set brunette dressed in overalls and rubber boots.

Will recognized her from when they interviewed all of the bounty hunters in the area…

(Flashback)

A few weeks earlier…

"William Wallenberg, also known as Bayou Willy." Tripp stated as the man leaned against the railing of Flamingo Joe's while Sirena was actively eating Hobos in the background.

"I'll tell ya fellas, when I heard that Pete lost his hand to a Bull Shark pup he caught, I just about opened my stitches on my side." The man stated. "He must really be losin' his edge if a pup got him." He added. "But ya know what? I just got myself some new stingray boots–and they're made for stomping sharks–and that's just what I'll do."

Similarly, Bobbie was being interviewed in her bar as the scene of carnage just outside went unnoticed.

"My three Shark meat five spice chilly has won me three chili cook offs in a row. And I do declare that Maneater out there? She'll make a fine ingredient for my next pot." The woman said as she pulled a shotgun from behind the bar.

'I seriously doubt you'll get her.' Will thought, but wouldn't say that aloud.

(Flashback End)

'Holy shit, she's actually gonna try it…!' The author thought as he watched the chili making woman and her squad charged right at Sirena.

The Bull Shark gained a mischievous grin on her face as she looked at a bundle of dynamite that was bobbing beside her, and grabbed in before breaching out of the water–and launching it right at Bobbie's boat.

"OH FUCK!" The heavyset woman yelled in panic before the dynamite hit her boat, blowing it up and capsizing it. This sent her flying into the water and leaving her trying to swim for the safety of the shore… Only for Sirena to instantly catch up, drag her under water and kill her.

Sirena had just reached the second stage of her infamy.

"The US averages about sixteen Shark attacks a year. Which will make this year quite the anomaly." Tripp noted rather morbidly.

(Later)

Now resting in her grotto again, Sirena sighed as she slowly started developing a new organ, one that helped her digest minerals. At least turtles would be easier on her now.

As she began to leave Dead Horse Lake, she then ate one last Barracuda that made the mistake of swimming into her mouth.

"A school of Barracuda make their home on Trash Island, where they enjoy a diet of hypodermic needles and used pregnancy tests." Tripp noted.

Meanwhile, the star of the Maneater show entered the Golden Shores golf course. On the surface, vacationing people played golf while under the water, various fish swam about with Mako sharks stalking them.

"Golden Shores was created to house wealthy out of towners with spectacular ocean views, private beach access, and a gate to keep out the locals." Tripp said.

Swimming through the waters of the golf course, Sirena devoured some groupers and the occasional barracuda while dodging the ever fast Makos before she came across her grotto for the area. It was definitely cleaner than her Dead Horse Lake grotto, which she appreciated.

Letting out a long exhale, the Bull Shark slowly went into an idle rim sleep period to recover after a long day of carnage, her eyes slowly drooping.

A moment later, the Bull Shark female was sound asleep, oblivious to all outside her grotto.

(Meanwhile)

Back with Will and Tripp, the former couldn't help but smile as he watched Sirena sleep. She looked genuinely peaceful like that. It made him wonder how close he could get to her after such a moment of rest.

"Views of the first two episodes are pouring in. It seems our show is quite popular." The host noted.

"Good to hear, but I wonder if it's because of all the shark based violence or any of the other things." The one funding the show mused before shrugging. "I hope some of them are thinking beyond the violence." He added.

"I suppose we'll have to hope so." Tripp nodded as they continued editing the filming.

Dragon Emperor0: Chapter 3 is done, now we can work on planning more moments between Sirena and Will over the course of this.

ThermalsniperN7: Including some more wholesome moments between them. Anyway, the Apex Barracuda really died differently compared to in-game. Death by suffocation while impaled on rebar? Good on Sirena for being merciful on that front.

Dragon Emperor0: I actually killed the Apex Mako in a similar fashion. I shot it on the golf course and let it slowly suffocate to death while also poisoned.

ThermalsniperN7: Talk about a brutal death there, my guy. I never found a way to do anything similar to that, but that's probably because I never bothered to.

Dragon Emperor0: Yeah. Also, Sirena did Bobbie Bojangles dirty there, I mean she was grinning when she sent that shit back to sender.

ThermalsniperN7: That was karma for her wanting to turn our favorite shark into chili. No way was Sirena gonna let her do anything to her. It is kinda funny how she was just eating hobos in the background of Bojangles' interview. In a morbid way, though.

Dragon Emperor0: Same thing with Willy's interview. Anyway guys see you all next time