Through the other-worldly fog in his head, Selim heard a loud noise and felt a hot breeze fan the side of his face. He realised that his eyes had drifted closed and when he opened them again and looked down, the Avissa with the bloody mouth lay at his feet shrieking. One leg and part of her arm were gone, the acrid smell of burnt flesh a shock to his scent ducts after the bewitching perfume of the Thei-De Nanth'e.
He watched dreamily as a bolt of white hot plasma ripped through another Avissa, turning its rib cage into a ruin of pulp and bone shards.
The third Avissa held up its arms to defend itself and found its hands sliced off at the wrists. As the severed appendages hit the floor, a huge shape dropped to the ground in front of it. The Avissa just had time to squeal in surprise before its sting was struck from its body and its head was snicked from its shoulders by an unseen blade, wickedly sharp.
The one remaining Avissa cowered back from the looming shadow. Its sting slid out for a final doomed attack before that too was sliced off and a pulverising blow smashed into its face, shattering its jaw. It collapsed twitching to the ground. Selim gaped in shock at the figure that suddenly towered in front of him.
"Mei'Savir!"
His Father ignored him, snatching up Selim's mask from the floor "Put this on, idiot!" He snarled, thrusting it onto his son's face "Quickly, before more come!"
As the foggy feeling began to clear from Selim's brain, his Father went to look at Isaac, rolling him over. Scar gave an irritable click of noise at the sight of the puncture wound on the back of the boy's leg, the flesh around it already beginning to darken.
Turning his attention back to the first Avissa, S'Kia used on arm to pin her to the floor, crushing his knee down onto her distended abdomen so that she couldn't use her sting. She tried feebly to push him off, all the while whimpering "No - no - no - no - no – no – "
Selim watched in horror as his Father drew one of his many knives. Even though he knew she didn't really understand the words, it was pitiful to hear the Avissa; pitiful to see those small, frail hands trying ineffectually to hold back his Father's huge arms.
Without even seeming to notice her pleading words, Scar began slicing off her sting, butchering her in the same business-like way Selim had seen him do to other prey. He did not hesitate, even when the Avissa's squeals became piercing. Selim was rooted to the spot in horror.
Then S'Kia looked up and saw him staring "Wake up boy!" He snapped "Cover my back or we are all dead!"
Suppressing his gag reflex, Selim swung round to keep a lookout.
"How did you find us so fast?" He asked, determined not to look as his Father dug around in the ravaged abdomen of the dying Avissa.
Scar shrugged "I shadowed you."
"What?!" Selim burst out in dismay "But how did you prevent my seeing you?"
His Father laughed, a short, mirthless bark "As if it were difficult!"
Despite himself, Selim was insulted "You said we were to do this alone!"
"Fortunate for you I changed my mind."
Then Scar seemed to find what he was looking for and cut free a lump of tissue the size of a human eyeball. Quickly, he flipped open his medikit and pulled out a silver dart-needle. Jamming the point into the gristly lump, he sucked up the liquid from inside and plunged the needle into Isaac's leg, depressing the tiny plunger.
"What are you doing Mei'Savir?"
"Giving your brother the anti-venom," His Father answered grimly "The only thing that can neutralise Thei-De Nanth'e is their own secretion, as you would do well to remember."
Selim watched his twin, his guts knotting in terror. Finally, to his immense relief, Isaac's muscles stopped twitching and his breathing became easier. Eventually he seemed merely to be asleep, his breaths becoming deep and regular.
"Now can we leave?" Selim asked.
In answer Scar tossed a metal canister towards him, Selim caught it automatically in one fist.
"Collect the stings from these other Avissa first." Scar clicked irritably to see Selim hesitate "No time to be squeamish Mei'Sika. We came here for the Thei-De Nanth'e and I mean to have it! Now take their stings and I will harvest the anti-venom… and for the sake of the bitch goddess do not let the poison touch your skin!"
"Yes Mei'Savir," Selim pulled his own knife. He seized the nearest wounded Avissa, cringing internally. What he wanted to do now was get out of here as soon as possible, but he knew his Father would not leave without the stings.
The Avissa struggled but she had no strength; she could not stop Selim as he mechanically cut away the sting, closing his ears to the creature's squealing. Some of what he felt must have shown in his movements because Scar gave a hollow laugh.
"Harden your heart, my reluctant killer," He purred "Just think about what they wanted to do to you!"
Turning from the dead Avissa, Selim almost tripped over another shape, half-hidden amongst the ferns on the cavern floor. The Oriande had not moved from where the first Avissa had left it – he could see now a slimey, bloody patch in its flank. Though the wound looked small, the creature was still paralysed, unable to run or to defend itself. It looked up at Selim with a strange mixture of resignation and fear. Something in those jade eyes struck unbearably at his heart "Surely it's fate cannot be sealed by so small a wound," he thought "Surely it must have a chance to recover…"
"Mei'Savir?" He said.
"Hrrrm?" His Father did not pause in his butchery.
"I need the anti-venom."
Scar finally looked round. He seemed momentarily puzzled, then his eyes came to rest on the Oriande at his son's feet and he snorted "You are joking." He said, so surprised he spoke in the human's language.
"I do not joke Father." Selim couldn't see his Father's eyes, he felt as if he were speaking to some cruel stranger; blood-thirsty and merciless.
Scar snorted "I will not waste it on a beast which is all but dead."
"Father, please."
"No."
Selim was trembling with rage, his eyes prickling with tears under the mask "Give it to me," He snarled "Or I swear you will leave this place with only one son."
Scar regarded him for a moment in silence. Then he straightened and walked over to Selim. Contemptuously, he tossed down a dart-needle and an anti-venom sac at his son's feet.
"Do what you wish." He spat "But what you waste on that creature you will replace." Selim fell to his knees and snatched up the dart-needle. Sucking up the anti-venom from the squishy mass he jammed it into the Oriande's flank with a feverish urgency. He held his breath until he saw the unnatural tautness disappear from the creature's muscles and one clawed, armored foot flex slightly as its toes splayed.
He could feel Scar watching as he tentatively massaged the flesh around the bite mark, willing the creature to recover before more Avissa came down on them. For some reason Selim could not put a name to, he really needed it to live.
After a moment the Oriande got shakily to its feet, muscles rippling under its sleek coat. It shook itself and looked around a little dazed, the feelers around its mouth waving drowsily.
At the sight of the creature's recovery, a little bubble of delighted laughter forced its way up Selim's throat and escaped before he could stop it. He looked up guiltily to see Scar watching him, his irritation palpable.
The Oriande looked at him with muzzy eyes and seemed to decide that either he was no threat or that it hadn't the energy to deal with him now.
As it padded unsteadily out of the cave, his Father hoisted Isaac's unconscious body onto his shoulder and shook his head disgustedly, braids tossing "To think I should have spawned so much softness."