Submit, it won’t be so bad.

Quiet.

Break his bones, rip his throat out.

Quiet!

If he wins you won’t have to fight any more, it won’t be so bad.

That’s true, he may even let you be his mate.

“I said be QUIET”

She’s mad, she’s mad, she’s mad at us.

Shhhhssss don’t make her angry.

Alia raised her voice after finally losing her patients. The whispers started over the last two weeks and were growing ever more frequent.

Etab’s heavy war maul struck the ground leaving a rounded square impression on the jungle floor. If Alia had hesitated for a second longer she would have had to regrow another leg. Seeing the split second opening Alia charged forward placing her left foot on the back of the elongated hammer and drove her right knee forward into Etab’s chin breaking his noise and jaw.

Etab stumbled back forced to let go of the heavy weapon, a burning fury raged through his eyes. The villages’ only drummer spat out a mix of his own blood and saliva while reaching behind for his Rakanian-machete. “The whispers won’t let me sleep”

Regaining his balance, he launched at her with all his considerable might. An extended arm thrust the machete forward.

A spray of blood exploded outward; the sharp blade biting into her. Alia sprung onto him from behind as he brushed past her. Ignoring the pain she forced both blades down. Two sharp partially serrated pieces of steal tore through his shoulder muscles finally only stopping when they exited out his chest. Etab’s consciousness faded before Alia’s blades forced him to the ground.

She took a deep breath just sitting there for a moment. It was over, she had done it. She had brutally beaten Etab just like she did with the others. She stood up, a sense of relief washing over her. Alia placed her foot on Etab’s back forcing his body to remain still as she pulled both blades free.

It’s over.

We won.

Relief Relief Relief. They will listen to us now.

They are yours, all yours. You’re the Alpha.

SILECNE! She screamed in her head.

Alia wiped off all traces of blood from her blades placing them on the crisscrossed sheath attached to her lower back through her belt loop. “I guess I should get cleaned up and wash this blood off before anyone notices I am gone.” The blood pouring out of her wound from Etab’s blade finally stopped. In its place was a new set of tiny reflective white scales with different tints of green blue or purple. Got to love fast healing she thought while picking up her bow and making her way over to Etab lay.

“Wake up or are you going to sleep all night”, she kicked Etab’s body.

“Ow, I’m up.” She noted there was no more hostility in his voice. Ever since the whispers started all of them were strangely more aggressive towards each other. It was subtle at first but it quickly started getting out of hand, thank goodness no one else other than them noticed. It was only after they fought each other with one of them being beaten would the aggressiveness subside. The one that lost the fight would then show a permanent subtle sort of subservience towards the winner. It was strange and felt almost like they were a pack of wolves.

“Let’s go get cleaned up, your wounds have finished healing.” Alia took a moment to feel if the others were still in place. Even from this distance they all knew exactly where each of them was and could feel if anything was amiss.

Etab sat up, the wounds on his body were replaced with newly formed scales. “I still can’t get use it. Didn’t you say we also wouldn’t age? I feel like this is such an unfair advantage against any opponent. I cut off Lara’s finger during our fight and she grew it right back even before the fight ended. Could the ancient myths of immortals be real?”

“I don’t know but it seems that way. Padvor said we either don’t age or age very slowly and only time will tell. As for dying, Kaden believes that if we lose enough blood before healing or lose something big like our head we would die. Come, lets head to the river” Alia voice holding a commanding sway over him.

Kaden was sitting by himself at a small fire when they finally snuck back into camp.

Alia smiled to herself, he’s sitting alone under the stars. Perhaps it would be the perfect time for me to chat with him. I wasn’t feeling all that sleepy anyway.

It was his job to keep watch that night. The village didn’t require much sleep anymore once everyone consumed Padvor’s strengthening serum but they had still come to the consensus that it would be best if they got all the rest they could.

Kaden sighed, he knew Alia had been sneaking out of the village the last few nights thanks to Sofia’s ability to detect them. Sofia had let him know earlier, just like she informed him now of Alia’s approach. Sofia didn’t really like Alia and especially complained whenever Alia spoke with him.

Sighing again, Kaden was still debating if he wanted to take some of his own serum. There new abilities coupled with Padvor’s strengthening serum had created something virtually unstoppable. Their talent that allowed them to blend into jungle and move as if they were actually part of it made him especially envious.

“Can’t sleep?” Alia spoke approaching him from behind.

“No, my turn to keep watch”

“…Of course, I forgot” her voice wavered a little. OF course it was his turn to keep watch, how stupid do I sound. She wanted to bury her head into the mud, somewhere where no one would ever find her. A grown women acting like a teenage girl.

“Mi..nd if I joi..n you??”, she asked shyly. Where the hell is my confident self?

Things had gotten worse around him as time went on.

“Of course, I would love some company. Would you like some tea?”

“Sure”, she smiled. Thank the Jungle Mother I didn’t screw that up at least.

Alia slowly became more comfortable over the course of their conversation and her beating heart started to finally calm down. It had been the second time they had been alone together and he had been on his mind a lot over the last month.

He doesn’t like you like that. Why these silly games?

Take him, take him, take him. Your stronger, he can’t stop you.

That’s right, he can’t. Force him. It is your right, you’re the Alpha.

Alcor, what would Alcor think. His wife interested in someone else barely five months after his death.

Betrayer.

Betrayer.

Betrayer.

No, she thought.

Betrayer.

Please no. I love Alcor, I don’t know why I feel like this. Please no more. She desperately tried to silence the whispers in her head.

“If your heightened senses would help us navigate the fog at Mist’s Reach. I have never seen the place and wonder how dense it really is. Gion and I were speaking earlier, if all of you can sense each other it may be best to have you surround the rest of us that can’t and help make sure no one gets lost or strays from the group.”

“…ermm yeah, sorry I guess I am a little tired after all. I must have dosed off for a second.” Alia desperately holding back tears as she tried to silence the whispers in her head. “I am going to get some sleep. Good night”

“Night”, he smiled back at her as she turned towards her tent. “I am always here to talk if you want to”, he noticed the change in atmosphere.

Turning back to him with a slight smile, “Tha..nk you”. I stuttered again, just great, another thing to cry about, she thought as she sped off to her tent.

Sniff Sniff

Something delicious is coming close to play. Should I tell mama? No I should keep it a surprise and show her when she comes back.