10. Drasuk
10
Drasuk
The creature slows down, and so do I.
My headlong rush fades into a more cautious approach. This small thing speaks my language. Suspicion gnaws at me, but so does a strange intrigue.
I decide to see how much fun I can have with it. Keep it talking. Maybe I can extract some useful information before I end this. Though, it would be a shame to kill something that smells so intriguing.
Is it anger that makes it smell so enticing? Interesting. Why not find out?
"Is that all you can do?" I taunt, swiping at it with a clawed hand.
It barely manages to dodge, the dagger glinting in its grip. My words seem to infuriate it more than anything else so far.
"Fight me, you overgrown lizard !" it screams back, voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage.
I chuckle, a low, rumbling sound. "You're weak. Small. Pathetic. Hardly worth the effort."
My claws strike out again, this time grazing the top of its head before it can dance away from me, adding another injury to slowly bleed it dry.
The pink fur, or whatever it is, feels strange beneath my touch. Smooth brown skin peeks through where the fur recedes.
Intriguing.
The little alien's eyes burn with anger, and it lunges at me with the dagger. I easily evade its clumsy attacks, the scent of its fury intoxicating.
"You call that fighting? I've seen hatchlings with more skill."
Its face contorts with rage, and it attacks again, more recklessly this time. I sidestep, watching as it struggles to keep up. Its movements are wild, desperate. The glass dagger swings through the air, missing me by a spike's width.
"You're wasting your energy, little one," I say, voice dripping with condescension. "Do you really think you can win this?"
The dagger comes at me again, and I deflect it with a casual swipe of my hand. Its frustration is palpable, almost delicious.
We circle each other, the creature's breath coming in ragged gasps. It's tiring, while I am merely warming up. I let it come close again, my eyes locking onto its furious gaze.
"Why do you fight so hard? What are you hoping to achieve?"
"I'm not letting you take me," it growls, swinging the dagger wildly. "Not without a fight."
The determination in its voice is amusing. "You're brave, I'll give you that. But bravery won't save you."
I feint to the left, then swipe at it from the right. The creature yelps as my claws slice through the air, barely missing its arm. It stumbles back, eyes wide with panic.
"Stay still, little one. It'll be over quicker."
Its response is a wordless scream of rage, as it slashes the dagger at me again. I easily sidestep, watching as it loses its balance and nearly falls. The pink fur fluffs out in a comical display of agitation.
I can't help but laugh.
"So much impotent rage. For what goal?" I ask, my voice a mocking purr. "Look at you. You're nothing."
It glares at me, fury etched into every line of its face. "Fornicate that."
It lunges again, and this time, I allow it to graze my arm as I try to figure out what it means. Fornicate what? The pain is minor, but it fuels my amusement.
"See? I can hurt you."
I raise my brow spikes, licking the blood from the shallow wound.
"Impressive," I say dryly. "But not nearly enough."
The scent hits me again, that tantalizing blend of enemy and something else. It's intoxicating, clouding my thoughts. I shake my head, trying to focus, but the scent lingers, pulling at my senses.
The creature takes advantage of my distraction, swinging the dagger with renewed fury. I dodge, but it's closer this time. Too close.
Angry with myself for being so easily swayed, I roar and knock the creature down. It sprawls on the ground, eyes wide with shock and fear. I loom over it, my claws poised for the kill.
"You should have picked better allies," I tell it.
I almost end it there, but I'm curious how it'll reply.
The creature is on its feet in a flash. "Oh, fornicate in your own hole, you... you scale-covered piece of excrement."
It wants me to do what? And can't it see I don't have scales?
It's insane.
I blink and take an involuntary step back at the unhinged look in its eyes.
It yells out in rage, then continues speaking. "I did not fornicating go through literal fornicating hours of DNA-modifying surgery, or whatever the fornicate they actually did, to be hunted down by lizard -shaped tree fruit sack stupid enough to hunt me down and fornicating accuse me of what I'm not!"
It's hard to make sense of what it's saying between all the talk of mating, but I think I might have gotten a general sense.
Possibly.
There may be a chance I acted hastily, but I'm still quite certain the small creature is insane.
"Is your whole species as obsessed with mating as you are?"
It's face screws up in some sort of mysterious expression. "What the fornication are you talking about? Damn the thing, should have known I'd get a lizard instead of a venom cat ."
I don't understand all her words, but she piques my interest when she mentions venom, though I quickly dismiss the hopeful surge that there might be a manticorid here.
Still, it seems like she might know more than I do about what's going on.