raised her stick. Using all of her strength, she struck down toward the bird’s head. At the last moment, the bird caught the stick in its beak and dragged Cali closer. The eyes on the bird turned a soulless black. Cali gasped and Altair screamed.
“A Gar.” Altair turned and fled.
Cali dropped the stick and leapt to the ground. The bird made a horrible noise, and as Cali staggered to her feet a tremendous commotion came through the foliage at her. It was the massive bird from the river. The nesting bird flew gracefully toward the larger bird and settled into a wing. Cali noted what she hadn’t before, what Altair must have been trying to explain. The bird wasn’t one giant fowl; it was at least a hundred smaller birds creating one. She should have remembered the attack on the bear. In her defense, she had been traumatized and in shock.
Spinning on her heels, Cali took off. “Holy Kentucky fucking fried,” she yelled.
The bird was gaining on her. A beak snapped at her ass and she yelped. The loud clomping of its three-toed claws made the earth beneath her feet shudder. Cali fell. The bird was on her, a huge foot pinned her chest. The large beak stabbed at her face, missing by inches. Cali thrashed and screamed. A spear landed on the side of the bird and one dropped to the ground to squeal in agony.
To Cali’s left stood six Neanderthal men and six more to her right until they surrounded the beast. Spears were thrown from all angles but managed to hit only one bird at a time. Using its large claw, the bird-beast pinned Cali harder, pressing her into the dirt until she couldn’t breathe. Using its beak, it grabbed one of the men by his arm and threw him, arms flailing wildly, into a bush. The man howled in pain. Cali was slowly slipping into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen. The Neanderthals must have been hunting this creature. They would lose and civilization on this planet in its infancy would cease. Cali felt her heart would break at this conclusion.
Out of nowhere came a bundle of fury. Cali saw Deimos in his human form attack the bird. If he were in his light form, he would have been forced to burn Cali with her close proximity. Another thought hit her; Deimos was wearing clothes. Even half-unconscious, she couldn’t help admire her hero’s ass in black jeans. The look on his face would have scared a rabid grizzly.
Feathers were flying everywhere. For the life of her, Cali thought she was in some crazy pillow fight. The Gars had no choice but to release her. Cali rolled away and found herself in Blazar’s embrace.
“Do something,” she yelled. The air and ground were a mass of feathers and ripped wings. Bird heads were tossed like snowballs. Innards were now outwards.
“Why?” Blazar asked, he was smiling.
The birds which made up the long gangly legs were ripped apart. The creature’s chest exploded as it hit the ground, scattering a multitude of smaller birds. The Neanderthals joined the fray, dispatching single entities. Deimos had one bird left. Cali gagged as he took both hands and ripped open the creature’s chest. When he turned to look at Cali, Deimos was covered in blood. His blazing eyes next settled his vicious stare onto Altair who had stepped out from behind the tree where he’d been hiding.
“This is how you take care of her?” Deimos gave a snarling growl. Altair’s gums flapped, but he was too scared to speak. When Deimos took a threatening step toward the scientist, the man whimpered.
“Stay calm, Deimos,” Blazar said.
Fists balled, Deimos looked as though he could slaughter anything that moved. The tension hanging in the quiet air made Cali think of the proverbial pin. Deimos cast a glance around, noting the terrified looks in his direction. The others who had come to Cali’s defense tried to appear unconcerned; they were no doubt the most powerful warriors of their tribe. Deimos took a calming breath and unclenched his fists. Everyone present took a collective
“A Gar.” Altair turned and fled.
Cali dropped the stick and leapt to the ground. The bird made a horrible noise, and as Cali staggered to her feet a tremendous commotion came through the foliage at her. It was the massive bird from the river. The nesting bird flew gracefully toward the larger bird and settled into a wing. Cali noted what she hadn’t before, what Altair must have been trying to explain. The bird wasn’t one giant fowl; it was at least a hundred smaller birds creating one. She should have remembered the attack on the bear. In her defense, she had been traumatized and in shock.
Spinning on her heels, Cali took off. “Holy Kentucky fucking fried,” she yelled.
The bird was gaining on her. A beak snapped at her ass and she yelped. The loud clomping of its three-toed claws made the earth beneath her feet shudder. Cali fell. The bird was on her, a huge foot pinned her chest. The large beak stabbed at her face, missing by inches. Cali thrashed and screamed. A spear landed on the side of the bird and one dropped to the ground to squeal in agony.
To Cali’s left stood six Neanderthal men and six more to her right until they surrounded the beast. Spears were thrown from all angles but managed to hit only one bird at a time. Using its large claw, the bird-beast pinned Cali harder, pressing her into the dirt until she couldn’t breathe. Using its beak, it grabbed one of the men by his arm and threw him, arms flailing wildly, into a bush. The man howled in pain. Cali was slowly slipping into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen. The Neanderthals must have been hunting this creature. They would lose and civilization on this planet in its infancy would cease. Cali felt her heart would break at this conclusion.
Out of nowhere came a bundle of fury. Cali saw Deimos in his human form attack the bird. If he were in his light form, he would have been forced to burn Cali with her close proximity. Another thought hit her; Deimos was wearing clothes. Even half-unconscious, she couldn’t help admire her hero’s ass in black jeans. The look on his face would have scared a rabid grizzly.
Feathers were flying everywhere. For the life of her, Cali thought she was in some crazy pillow fight. The Gars had no choice but to release her. Cali rolled away and found herself in Blazar’s embrace.
“Do something,” she yelled. The air and ground were a mass of feathers and ripped wings. Bird heads were tossed like snowballs. Innards were now outwards.
“Why?” Blazar asked, he was smiling.
The birds which made up the long gangly legs were ripped apart. The creature’s chest exploded as it hit the ground, scattering a multitude of smaller birds. The Neanderthals joined the fray, dispatching single entities. Deimos had one bird left. Cali gagged as he took both hands and ripped open the creature’s chest. When he turned to look at Cali, Deimos was covered in blood. His blazing eyes next settled his vicious stare onto Altair who had stepped out from behind the tree where he’d been hiding.
“This is how you take care of her?” Deimos gave a snarling growl. Altair’s gums flapped, but he was too scared to speak. When Deimos took a threatening step toward the scientist, the man whimpered.
“Stay calm, Deimos,” Blazar said.
Fists balled, Deimos looked as though he could slaughter anything that moved. The tension hanging in the quiet air made Cali think of the proverbial pin. Deimos cast a glance around, noting the terrified looks in his direction. The others who had come to Cali’s defense tried to appear unconcerned; they were no doubt the most powerful warriors of their tribe. Deimos took a calming breath and unclenched his fists. Everyone present took a collective
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