Tisis

Now I have become death (S)

After leaving my cover, it doesn't take them long to spot and surround me.
They must be Zero's brothers, the ones I saw toiling about in that memory.
They too have grown to be formidable critters.

I make a mental note that I knew that this was a terrible idea from the start, that I am so going to die here, but that it's far too late to back down now.

If I turn and run, I'm dead...which means, there's only one way to go. Forward.

They grunt and bark at me, but I cannot understand a word they are saying. This is bad.
I had hoped that I could communicate with them the same way I did with Zero...but at the very least they haven't tried to tear me to pieces, even though they so could have...that's a start.
I guess they are curious as to what kind of animal I am...and how I could be so stupid to just waltz into their den like that.

Or...they are currently fighting over who gets to devour scrawny old me.
Kinda hard to tell at this point.

Suddenly however, a feeling of dread makes my blood freeze and no two seconds later, a huge shadow blots out the sun above me.

He's here.
The alpha of Zero's pack.
The one that sent him away.

He turns around and pushes himself through his children.

I knew he was one heck of a big bugger, but seeing him face to face is still a different story after all.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn't run right now, cause I'm not feeling my damn legs any more...everything from my head down feels numb, as if it wasn't even there.

I am completely paralyzed.

What the heck was I even thinking?!
Must've been something in my food...yeah, that must be it.
Something I ate made me go crazy enough to think this was a good idea.
Splendid moment for that piece of crap to wear off, honestly.

Suddenly however, he barks at me and a deep and terrifying voice resounds in the back of my mind, "You! You no child! Why you reek of child?"

A wave of relief washes over me.
Apparently I can communicate with him after all...and it seems like he can still smell Zero on me.
Maybe that's the reason why they haven't torn me apart yet.

I take a deep breath as life slowly returns to my numb limbs.
I steady my shaking hand and reply, "I am Sirus Loctor...and I have come to tell you, that I have saved Zero...the child you have sent away to die. He has long since repaid this debt, by saving my life time and again."

"...you have voice. Voice of tribe. How you have voice of tribe?"
"Err...I...don't know?" I reply truthfully, wondering what he might be talking about.

Then I realize something...the only animal I've ever been able to talk to was Zero.
Never a single word from Sera or any of the other animals I've encountered.

I never gave it much thought thus far, but apparently it's...unusual for the different animals of Tisis to communicate with each other.
Like every species...every tribe has a language distinct to them.

Suddenly however, one of the females calls out from the back to let her through.
"Stay back! Strange one! Sick one!" the large one barks, but the woman won't have any of it and pushes herself through the cordon of her brethren.

"Smells of lost child. Grown child. Kill child? Consume child?"
"What?! No! No, no, no! I did not eat Zero!"
"'Zero'? What 'Zero'?"
"Err...the name I gave your child...okay, just let me explain..." I say and add in thoughts, '...and please don't eat me...'

I give them a quick breakdown, how Zero got attacked by the vabbits, how he joined my little 'tribe' after I saved him and how he helped us get around Tisis ever since...and how he died.

I omit the little detail that I urged him to fly, because I didn't realize just how bad his condition was.

I end with the words, "...so you see, Zero was most anything...but not weak. And that is why I am here. So no more of your children have to suffer the same fate Zero did. Because mercy is rarely found in these lands."

"Child weak. Child go. Child become strong or die. Make tribe strong. Father taught me. Father of father taught him. Not change," the large one tells me.

"...so it's the survival of the fittest, huh? But you know...there's more to 'strength' than just brute force. If...if I can beat you, will you listen to me?"

The brute tilts his head a little and then starts cackling, albeit only briefly.
"Challenge me? Fight me for leading tribe? You no claws. You no teeth. You no flight. You no threat. You snack!"

"...sure, I am not as strong as you are, but do not take me lightly."
"Strongest male choose fate of children. You kill him, you new leader of tribe. You decide what happen to children. Until child kill you," the female explains.

"Wait, I didn't say anything about killing! I-I mean..."
The brute stomps on the ground with his giant feet and says with his droning voice, "Accept challenge. You feed tribe tonight!"

The others withdraw a few steps, giving us sufficient room.
And once again, the same question presents itself to me:

What the heck was I thinking?!

But now is not the time to question myself.
I prepared for this...now it's time to put my preparations to the test.
I am only getting alive out of this, if I can beat him.

The large one cowers down.
I know that stance.
Zero always did it, when he was preparing for a pounce.

I put my spear forward and prepare myself for his attack.
I've gone through this exact scenario a thousand times.

Just like I expected, the brute lunges at me, but he's coming in too low.
I need to sidestep to avoid getting torn down and crushed.
He lands and kicks up a considerable amount of dust, baring his white teeth, which glisten in the sun at me.
Yup. One hit and I'm done for.

He quickly returns to the offense, trying to grab me with his teeth, but I keep managing to get out of harms way just in the nick of time, making his attacks faster and more frantic.

The dance continues for a few more minutes and I can hear the children behind us starting to whisper.
It's probably not good for his reputation that he didn't manage to kill me yet.
I am making a fool of him.

Obviously infuriated now, he lets out a huge roar and gets down for another pounce.

This is my chance...and maybe the only one I'll ever get.

I start running towards him and just as he leaves the ground, I drop myself, starting to slide beneath him.

One chance. One thrust. No time for regrets.

I thrust my spear upwards while still in motion, sinking it precisely between his frontal ribs...straight to where I had put my hand after Zero's heart had stopped beating.

The creature howls out in pain as a torrent of blood pours down on me.

Then the moment passes.
The brute drops from his jump...and remains still.

I slowly scramble back to my feet, feeling a little wonky.
There's a wet patch between my legs...and I don't think it's from the blood I just spilled...though I am going to tell exactly that to Nym, if she should ask...just in case I manage to get out of this alive I mean.

The brute is still breathing hastily...but I know that I hit.
The simple fact that he hasn't torn me apart yet tells me that I hit.

He's dead...he just needs to realize that for himself.

I walk over to where he lies, grab the shaft of the spear...and pull it out.
Another pained howl escapes his throat...and then he finally falls limp.

First I killed Zero...and now his father.
I have truly become death.