Snippets

Chapter 9

            "Yes. I think they'd like to help us out, y'know? It's for their good as well."

            Truly, she has lost her mind, he thought privately. Publicly, he nodded his consent, "Very well, m'lady. Err, how does one, exactly, go about, err, catching one?"

            The First snorted a laugh, "Oh Regon. They're still somewhat human... I hope..." she frowned, but shrugged and gave him an age-betraying smile, "We'll just ask who wants to come along!" She proceeded to dance back toward the pens, and jumping onto a railing, she hailed them with a yell, "Snippets!!!"

They stared up at her, faces empty of emotion.

            A moment of silent passed, and the sound of a sheep's wail echoed from somewhere in the back.

            The First nodded somber acknowledgement, "I'll take that as permission to continue, my friend! I have a simple question: would anyone like to join my friend Regon and I as we journey to find salvation?"

            The silence was deafening.

            Then—movement.

            The freshly minted horns from earlier began surfing the top of the crowd as the female creature, carrying snippets of feline, deer, and human characteristics moved toward where The First was perched.

            All eyes turned to watch her progress, and finally she stood before the breathless First, whose eyes shimmered with unshed joy.

            A human-shaped hand, tipped in cats' claws, reached toward The First, landing a little roughly on The Firsts own hand, as if it hadn't know what to expect upon contact. The furrowed lines—first of the fine feline hairs of a grey-tabby house cat, and then of the rough, interspersed streaks of deers' fur—clashed against the pale undertone of The Firsts' own skin. As ashes spilling from a flowered vase.

Mortality seeping in.

Their eyes met— forgotten, oval, desperate... intelligent, almond, gentle—darkness finding light.

The First hardly recognized her own voice as it scraped from her vocal chords, filled with sore emotion, "You will serve?"

The creature blinked. As much yes as anything The First had ever seen from them.

Regon watched in disbelief as The First helped the creature navigate the railing on her cloven, hoof-feet, and move back toward him. Two sets of footprints in the sand.

By the time they had reached the waters' edge, another Snippet had leaped from the pen, and stood beside Regon. Falcon feathers dripped from the Snippets' shoulders, cloaking the parts of his human-shaped body not already covered with cinnamon-hued bear fur.

Sparkling, round eyes blinked at Regon in a most humanistic manner, and Regon suppressed the urge to shudder, instead quirking a smile, "Serve, that's what she said, isn't it? Shall we be off, then?" he gestured toward the barge, which The First had already pulled onto the sand with the female Snippets' help, and the stately falcon-bear-human Snippet glided toward it in the most unnatural way, causing Regon to shudder for real this time before he also followed.

The barge pulled away from the shore, and as the island grew smaller behind them, so did the stench fade. Though not completely, after all, two such sources travelled with them.

Regon stood next to The First in the prow of the small vessel, his face scrunched up, "I don't suppose we could dump them overboard and wash off the stink, do you, m'lady?" he muttered to her.

The First giggled like a child, "No, it's not quite that simple. It's a rather ingrained aspect of their beings. A constant decay."

Her giggle died in a frown upon her last words, and Regon nudged her with his elbow, "Cheer up, m'lady, I was only teasing."

He looked behind him to where the two Snippets stood side by side, leaning over the edge of the barge and watching the water pass swiftly below them.

            How easily they are amused, he smiled to himself, perhaps I can learn something from them still.

            "Her name is Zarra."

            Regon jerked back to the present at the sound of The Firsts' voice in his ear. He glanced at her, and saw the quiet light of respect that glistened in The Firsts' eyes.

            "How do you know?" he whispered, again watching the two Snippets.

            "She told me."

            Again, Regon jolted, "She... spoke??" he asked incredulously.

            The First chuckled, "No, no. Remember how you reported to me that Kiza knows my daughters' identity, but not her true name?"

            Regon nodded.

            "Zarra is her true name," The First nodded toward the cat-deer Snippet, "It is written in her soul. In her will. Though her will is weak, as The First, I can still find it, buried beneath the monotony of animalistic instinct."

            "What is my true name, then?"

            The First laughed, "Since I am not a human, I couldn't tell you. You'll have to look deeper into yourself to find it."

            "Hmm... Well, what about the falcon-bear Snippet?" Regon asked, gesturing toward the creature, who now had his face to the wind and the sun, his arms spread like a bird, causing the breeze to ruffle his feathers.

            The First tilted her head, watching him thoughtfully. She closed her eyes, and a most peaceful expression crossed her face for a moment before she once again opened her eyes, "His will is Khas. And before his will was overpowered, he knew you." Her eyes opened and she looked with bemusement at the horrified expression that crossed Regon's face.

            "K-knew me, m'lady?? Th-that's... surely y-y-you're mistaken."

            She shrugged, "If my word isn't good enough, wait for my daughter to save them; then you'll know it for yourself."

            Regon let out a deep breath he hadn't known he'd been holding and turned back toward their destination, leaning against the railing as the tidy ship chugged her way toward a blackened horizon. Land. Perhaps answers could, indeed, be found.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Greetings earthlings!

I hope I find you in good health. What do you think of this latest chapter? These Snippets? How did they get the way they are, and why does The First not consider herself human?

Hmmm... I'm excited to see your thoughts :) We have officially revealed Big Thing #1 -- are you ready for the next one? ;)

Until next time,

~T.P.E.