Beauty and The Beasts: Rain

33. Suspicious Activity

     A few days later, the group was attacked by a group of scorpions.  It would have been fine if not for the strange coordination of their foes.  Rain was deadlocked with one who's strength was on par with hers.  Winston kept her from being surrounded, while Third and Brice fought three others.

     Rain was careful and fought passively despite her desire to overwhelming crush her enemy.  Her foe was being strangely careful as well.  It was like they were drawing out the fight as much as possible.  Rain felt it was suspicious.  Scorpions may fight in groups, but they were hardly patient. 'Were they waiting for reinforcements?'

     Rain didn't like it one bit.  She shifted into her mating form drawing the attention of all the scorpions.  Seeing the opportunity, Third ripped the tail off his foe and Brice grabbed another by the tail and flew with it.  Before the creature could right itself, Brice dropped it on the other scorpion that Third was facing.  The dropped scorpion survived, but was injured.  The one underneath it was not so lucky.

     Winston roared as the remaining ones all zeroed in on Rain.  She smiled, not a kind one, but one full of malice.  She used the ensuing chaos to slip in between two of their enemies.  She wound her tail around the closest male's tail and dragged it down.  The male naturally pulled back to recover it and was surprised to feel no resistance.  His tail whipped forward into an oncoming scorpion.  The victim was only slightly damaged by the attack, but was furious.  The two scorpions fought and Rain used her much smaller and agile form, to weave through the group of enemies.

     Rain's female form elicited strong reactions from the attacking males.  They no longer acted cautiously.  She was almost caught by one.  She avoided his pincers narrowly and planned to lead him into the brush where she could finish him.  Before she could get there, she felt a strangeness from the ground below her.  Instinctively, Rain jumped and propelled herself into a tree.  The scorpion that was on her tail disappeared into the ground.

     Rain could hear it's death throws and knew that something more dangerous lie in wait.  Out from the ground came a large mass of orange-striped, black fur and eight legs.  Rain balked at the sheer size and stealth of the creature.

     It was the first time Rain had ever seen a spider beast.  They were more solitary and secretive than snake beastman.  Their kind never actively sought out females or plagued villages.  They were the least known and most rare of the feral beasts.

     Eight eyes stared at Rain from her position in the tree.  She probed the beast with her senses and found that he was at least a triple marked beast.  No, maybe stronger.  She was having a difficult time assessing him.  The spider did not move and only stared.  Rain felt shivers down her spine.  She was not one to back down from a fight, but she was learning how to pick her battles.  Her instincts screamed that she would not win against this beast.

      Rain continued their staring contest, prepared to shift at a moments notice.  To her surprise, the male shifted first.  In an instant the male was standing next to her.  She had not seen his movement with her eyes.  Rain refused to show fear to her potential foe.  She backed up slowly, never taking her eyes off of him.  He only stared. She could not see any indication that he was breathing as his dark brown eyes watched hers.

      Rain noticed that his hips had four orange stripes, not three.  She had to be careful.  'Why wasn't he speaking?'  She did not understand his intention, so she spoke first.  "Are you my enemy?"  It may not have been wise to be so direct, but Rain was never one to hesitate.  She watched as the male continued to stare unblinkingly at her.  He did not speak, instead he shook his head.  Rain furrowed her brows.  "Do you speak?"