Snippet #1871660

Something was fighting her. Not with tooth or claw but a strange temptation. A sweet taste coated Retha's tounge, one that she didn't remember. She saw two creatures together, one tall and imposing and the other had a softer, rounder look. She could feel their giddines that permeated the air. The two creatures romped with each other, rolling on the floor, nipping each others long ears and making play growling noises. The tall one, a male, licked the female's nose with a long, gentle tounge, caressing her nostrils delicately. A humming noise emenated from the female, a multi layered sound that seemed to drive one emotion into the angular male: pleasure. He wriggled at the sound's vibrations in ecasty, as if each variation in the note was another, marvelous life he was living. But Retha could see that he didn't want a different life, not now. He was with the female he loved. The female's humming grew to a crescendo and the male advanced on her. Retha closed her eyes as the pair laughed in pleasure, caught in a beastial embrace with a ferocity a human could never match.

Retha opened her eyes, expecting to see the two creatures she knew were her father and mother. When she saw they were not there she felt a pang of lonliness. It wasn't fair, why did humans get to know their parents and creatures never did, except maybe in dreams? The dream started to slip away from her. No! I must remember! Using the glow of her body she navigated the room to the place she kept her writing leaves. With her claws she wrote out as much detail as she could remember from her dream. The dark spots on the male's tail, the furry ruff on the female's head, the way their happiness was so real, so tangible it had seemed they were going to drown themselves in bliss; those things were all recorded. Tired from the effort of remembrance Retha stumbled back to her pallet, falling into a dreamless sleep.

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"Come on Kivan! Get up! You don't want to be a late sleeper, we might leave you behind!" Kivan sat up on Almia's demand and shook his head. He looked at the still sleeping Retha and tugged on one of her ears. Her eyes opened, pupils wide and dialated before they adjusted to the morning sunlight. The pair got up and quickly got ready. When they got out to the boats his mother was lecturing his father about the things that were needed from the market. Suta was already in the boat with Nacomma, ready to go. "Mom, you already told me everything on your shopping list. You know I won't forget." Suta said. Their mother embraced each one of them before kissing their father. As they cast off the people who stayed behind yelled, "Have fun!" and in Kivan's mother's case, "Don't forget to get land fruit!"

As the morning was pretty still, they had to row the boats instead of use the sails. Retha, Vibe, and Nocomma were in the water and pulling the boats with ropes they held between their teeth. Nacomma's thick body wasn't the best for swimming but her powerful muscles made up for it. They got it better off than we do, Kivan thought. They get to swim in the water while we have to row in the hot sun.

They finally arrived at the market place. It was as loud, colorful, and stimulating as ever. They carried their wares to an empty booth and began to put it on display. Humans and creatures of all different shapes, sizes and colors walked by the booth, some buying some berries, leaves, powders, or stalks of various types of seaweed. When Kivan and Retha were allowed to take a break they wandered amid the stalls and examined the different items for sale. There were so many! Cloth as soft as a seagull chick, sculptures as wierd as the deep ocean, and a machine that the owner claimed could scale and gut a fish in a thirty seconds flat were only some of the astounding merchandise. The market island was a fascinating place to visit, even if most of the time you spent was at your booth.

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Retha was amazed by everything. It was almost too much to take in. The tastes of strange spices on her tounge when she ate her vendor bought lunch left their flavors on her taste buds for at least an hour afterwards. The little non creature dog that toddled along side a human and her creature was the first true animal Retha had ever seen asides from fish and dolphins. The day seemed to fly by too fast. As they were packing up Kivan's father said, "Shoot! I forgot the land fruit. Retha, can you and Kivan go get some? We need some called apples and onions." He handed her the money when she agreed. Kivan walked with her to the land fruit section and they purchased what they needed.

On the way back they forgot which way they were supposed to go. Retha looked around to find someone to ask directions. A man asked, "Are you two lost?" Kivan nodded and the man said, "Follow me."

He led them to a dark alley. Retha hesitated and Kivan did the same. Sensing their hesitancy the man said, "Come on, it's a short cut." They followed him a little uneasily, but he had given them no reason to be distrusted so they kept up. The alley troubled them and as they were about to turn around the man rushed to Kivan and slammed a pad over his face. Retha let out a growl and prepared to leap at the man as Kivan quickly slumped to the ground. Something was on her back holding her down, though. The man, more wary of her than he had been with Kivan, waited until whatever was on Retha's back had pushed her head to the ground. Then he held the pad up to her nose. She held her breath as long as she could (which was a couple minutes) but she finally had to breath. When she did a sweet taste filled her mouth, one that overpowered her senses and knocked her unconcious.

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The man and his creature dragged the two victims to a boat and dropped them below deck.

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Seboro Naykodin was a little nervous. His mission sounded easy enough, but there were too many what ifs for his liking. It's simple, he told himself, just go to the orphanage and select a girl and her creature to do the experiment with. The girl should be smart but honest and have a creature that looks like it could fight. A creature... His creature was not with him right now. If his creature, Marred, was with him, that could easily complicate the mission.

Seboro almost didn't care. Sure, his creature was violent and usually angry at something, but Marred was loyal and a good, if somewhat sadistic, friend. Seboro and Marred had a different bond than most humans and creatures. They were duo-semis. In their case the human was calm, quiet person who wasn't very in touch with his emotions while the creature was an emotional, volatile individual who loved to fight.

Shuddering, Seboro remembered the old poem his mother had told him.

If you and your creature don't do well
You will not go to heaven but hell
If you and your creature do what's right
You will experience God's glorious might
If one of you does right and the other wrong,
You will be seperated an eternity long

He did not want to be seperated from Marred this long let alone an eternity.

Taking a deep breath he walked into to the orphanage. It was on the edge of First Island, a place that seemed ready to rid itself of people it couldn't use. After telling his made up story to the owner about wanting to adopt a teenage girl she had him sit down on a couch in a dirty room. He could hear her call for someone named Isabelle. He braced himself for telling more lies. He was pretty good at hiding his emotions. Waiting for the girl and her creature to arrive, his thoughts went to the alternate plan. I hope this doesn't come to that.