The Phoenix Colony

Smith had been watching quietly and now had enough. He looked over at Allen, "Sorry." He said knowing he had been rather cold to the man, it now seemed that Allen though a trouble maker had not been the one to initiate the arguement. He looked over at fox, a cold gaze. She had obviusly injured this man for little or no reason for Reva to be taking his defence, he trusted her, she seemed kind.

"Fox, if you're here to cause trouble I want you gone." Smith said coldly and looked up at Ben hoping to get some support. He looked over to Reva, and then Britney. "You are welcome to stay here, though we'll need this cave for a shelter huts might be a good idea if we don't count on them for shelter during a storm." He offered hoping to get them interested in coming up with ideas to better the tribe. He would ignore fox now, and hope that any of the others would stay were he could use their skills to biuld a new world, a better world.

 

Britney walks over to Chad, "Please don't be too upset with Fox. She may be a little rough around the edges but she won't start any trouble. Her and Allen have some bad history together. He hurt her very badly when she was a kid. I'm sure our tribe would be happy to work together with you guys." She looks back at Fox, "What do you think?"

"Huts probably aren't a good idea, the caves are a better shelter. They can withstand any bad storm. When the weather calms down a little I'll go back and get Juliano and Cull." says Fox.

 

"As soon as it warms up a little, we should head back to the others and start looking for a new cave." says Fox.

She turns and looks back at Reva, who was still helping Allen, "Reva, I would really like it if you came with us. So are you going to stay here, or come search for a new home with us?"

Reva's mouth tightened and she swallowed some of her first responses unsaid. When she could be composed about it she stood and looked Fox's flame-shadowed eyes.

"No." She let the word drop simply and paused before going on. "You tied a man to a tree, a man who was already injured and immobilized and attacked him for vengeance. You would have tried to make Pasha hurt me if I'd helped Allen. You're soaked in your past and this planet isn't about the past."

She took a deep breath and debated inwardly before finishing it.

"I agree with Ben. Find your new home, nurse your rage, steep yourself in your past." Reva shook her head. "But I'm not going with you."

Then Reva turned to Chad. "I apologize for bringing our troubles to your doorstep."

 

Cevin pulled three bunches of thorn branches from the cavern and began laying them around the entrance of the cavern. Slowly he began covering them with a light dusting of snow. The hunter looked over his work and frowned. One by one, he took an ape horn and placed it point upwards in between the branches. He looked at the sole horn hanging from his belt, “Well I guess you’ll have to do, won’t you.” He stared into the trees. “Now how can I get you guys to come out and play?”

 

"No. You tied a man to a tree, a man who was already injured and immobilized and attacked him for vengeance. You would have tried to make Pasha hurt me if I'd helped Allen. You're soaked in your past and this planet isn't about the past."

"I don't blame you for wanting to stay but you should know, I wouldn't have let Pasha hurt you, I only wanted him to grab you. I'm sorry for the way things turned out. Also, I'm done living in the past. I just want all of us to survive. If you ever need help, please don't hesitate to ask and there will always be a place for you in our tribe, should you change your mind." says Fox. She thens turns to look at Raylene and Britney, "You guys stay here, I'm going back to the cave and getting Cull and Juliano."

Right as she reaches, she looks back a Reva. "Goodbye Reva. I want you to know that I believe you that you're innocent. Your eyes are far too kind to be the eyes of a killer." says Fox right before she leaves, into the frozen tundra, that was once a forest.

 

Derek woke up and instinctively reached for his cigarettes, only to find them gone. Aw s**t he thought, I left them outside. He popped open his eyes to see snow underneath the makeshift door, and heard people talking about making huts as shelter. An idea came to him, and he decided to speak out. "I got an idea for some shelter," he began, still a bit groggy from just waking up. "How 'bout we dig ourselves into the ground? We'd be like the hobbits." He smiled.

 

Britney laughed a little at Dereck's suggestion. "Nah, the houses that the hobbits lived in sucked. Now if we could get the kind of houses that the elves from lord of the rings lived in, that would be awesome."

She looks at the woven door, "Um, guys I think I'm going to go outside for a bit."

As she walks out she sees a circle of trees nearby. The snow was about knee hi. "Ok, concentrate. Before I was able to heat up my body, lets see if I can do it again." thinks Britney as her body heat increases.

She walks through the snow toward the trees. The snow was quickly melting as she came into contact with it. She sits in the middle of the trees. "Ok, lets see if I can spread the heat." thinks Britney.

As she sits there concentrating on raising her body heat, the snow whithen the circle melts. "Ok, there was something else that I wanted to try." says Britney. She cups her hands near each other, as if she was holding a ball. She concentrates as much heat as she can between her hands. A small fireball appears between her hands. Britney jumps back in amazement, the fireball quickly extinguishing as she stops concentrating. "Wow." says Britney.

 

They made their way back slowly, the trip going much slower then the one towards forest. Supplies fell from hands, causing momentary delays.

With the snap of a twig, Pasha grabbed Owen’s shoulder. Supplies fell to the ground, as Owen began to curse under his breath. Pasha put his hand over his mouth, and listened intently. He could barely hear it, but it was there under the sound of the gentle wind. He let go, and knelt low, and walked forward at a slow, silent face. He took out his knife, placing it in between his teeth as he looked over a snow covered bush. He could see it, a family of the rabbit. They were coming from their burrow, wary of their surroundings. He grinned, and crept behind the trees and bushes until he got himself just feet from the burrow itself. He knelt behind the tree, suppressing his breathing to a low. He would have to be fast, he didn’t have his stick with him.

He watched as the family interacted. The largest of the rabbits was out in front, it sniffed the air as if looking for Pasha. He grinned, as he came down and took a hop forward. The others grouped around him, as they seemed to contemplate their next move. In a stumbled movement, Pasha shot out from the tree and took a leap. He landed ontop of the group, as a series of screams erupted. His knife nicked one flat in the chest, while his other hand struggled to keep grasp of one his hand caught. He thrust it up, hitting it against the tree, as he lifted himself. The others were out of sight by the time Owen showed up. Pasha gave him a smile as he sat down next to the burrow. The blood splattered the white snow.

He quickly took the nape of the neck, and sliced the fur off of the first one.

“Don’t want to have a mess in the cave.” He muttered. He quickly skinned the other, tossing the furs over his shoulder.

They stopped just as they got from the woods across from their new home. Pasha called over, stopping just in front of Cevin. He let the sticks fall to the ground, as he tossed the newly skinned rabbits in front of Cevin.

“Might be useful?” he asked.

 

"Thanks," said Reva to Fox, remembering the woman she had killed in prison. Just because it wasn't one of the clients Reva had been accused of killing didn't make her innocent, "I'll keep that in mind."

Britney laughed a little at Dereck's suggestion. "Nah, the houses that the hobbits lived in sucked. Now if we could get the kind of houses that the elves from lord of the rings lived in, that would be awesome."

"Oh, that's an intellectual argument," Reva muttered then she added louder, "I think underground homes have a lot going for them here."

 

"Thanks," said Cevin with a smile and a nod, "just what the doctor ordered. Watch your step, I've got thorn branches and ape horns scattered aroung the perimeter." He sniffed the rabbits. "Still bloody ... that's perfect. Umm .. you may want to be inside the cavern when the trap is sprung. I may end up diving in myself before it's all over."

The hunter carefully made his way past the horns and branches until he reached the tree line. He knelt down and took advantage of that peculiar quiet that snow always brought. After nearly a half hour he heard some noise in the distance. The horn apes. Ripping off the rear legs of the rabbit he made some noise and tossed it toward the apes.


Cevin smiled as he made out two dots in the horizon. They were moving fast. He quickly began rubbing the rabbit carcasses on the trees and began moving back towards the camp. Every ten feet or so, he would drop another bloodied hunk until he was back at the tree line again. The cavern entrance was still a good thirty feet or so. "This is going to be close," he said.

He heard the growling first and then saw the largest set of horns he'd ever seen. "Oh crap!" said Cevin as he took off running. He could hear the grunting of a second ape. They were faster than he thought.

A horned shadow began to appear next to Cevin. They're too fast, he thought as he lept towards the cave entrance and landed about six feet to short. The last remaining horn was already in his hand as he heard the first ape shriek.

The thorn bush tore at it's foot causing it to land shoulder first on more thorns and a horn. The more it struggled, the worse it's wounds got. The second ape, fueled by the smell of fresh blood trampled it's partner driving the thorns and horn deeper into it's body.

Cevin stood still as the world slowed down.

The ape lept. Muscles stretched beneath it's furry skin. Cevin tightened his grip on the horn. His mouth was dry. The ape's bulk was almost over him now. The hunter raied the horn and let the beast's weight drag them both down.

Cevin couldn't move. The creature was on top of him twitching and shaking slightly as the horn was buried several inches into the monster's brain.

"A little help. Help! PAsha?! Viva?! Owen?! ANYONE??!!"

 

Viva had been busy foraging for fatty animals, as the men put it, as she walked through the forest. It wasn't too hard for her - with the horn she had acquired, it was becoming increasingly simple. He had to just get a good lock on the prey and there she was, with around five, fat baby apes - for some reason she didn't find herself an adult ape itself. She thought it was enough for now and started to return, when she heard a shout.

"A little help. Help! PAsha?! Viva?! Owen?! ANYONE??!!"

"It's Cevin!"
She exclaimed to herself, and starting running in the direction of the voice.
"Cevin, where are you?"
She shouted, looking around warily. She could feel an alien presence, but her concern was Cevin for now.

 

"Viva?" shouted Cevin. "I'm by the cavern. I'm trapped." As the words echoed, a thought occurred to the Hunter. What is there were more apes? "Quick! I can't move and ... ewww ... this thing just lost control of it's bladder."

 

Pasha had gone into the cave with Owen. He placed their supplies in a corner, it would need to be taken care of after they got the firewood. He slid some more wood into the fire, it’s flame a little too low for Pasha’s comfort, when he heard Cevin yelled. He grabbed his knife, still feeling naked without his bludgeon stick. He pulled himself through the hole, when a mess of dying gorilla-things, blood and thrush welcomed him. He quickly stopped next to Cevin, tossing the animal off onto the side. He thrust his horn into the beasts chest, as it finally stopped moving.

He leaned over, lending his hand to Cevin.

“Nice job.” He said. He was impressed.

 

Viva quickly jerked the baby apes over her back, and started running. She heard a grunt or two as she did so, but ignored the instinct and concentrated on getting Cevin. After a short trek, she found an ape over a man, which she guessed was Cevin. Beside him stood Pasha.
"Hey mister, I thought I was the ape hunter."
She joked, pulling off the heavy ape from him as Pasha pulled him up.
"Whoa, good job though."
She giggled, and pushed it aside, and then laughed at Cevin's situation.
"Good job indeed!"

 

Cevin grimaced as PAsha helped him up. Damn, he thought, I've cracked a couple of ribs. "Thanks Pasha, Viva. I wasn't expecting two of them. Damn stupid of me. If you weren't here ... hell I don't want to think about it. Thanks again. Can you two help drag them into the cavern? Between the skins and the meat we should be alright for a few days. The cold should keep everything kind of fresh."

 

Pasha looked at him concerned, as he let go.

“You all right? Owen, Viva and I can manage this… you should go rest in the cave. We’ll take care of things.”

Pasha called for Owen as he and Viva started to move the first beasts corpse towards the entrance to the cave.

“This thing doesn’t look much different from your mother.” Yuri muttered. Pasha sighed as another argument erupted.

 

Cevin was about to argue but the pain flaring in his side wouldn't let him. He carefully explored his ribs. Not broken but bruised and maybe cracked. He'd be like new in a few weeks. Silently he nodded his thanks to Viva and Pasha as he lowered himself into the cavern.

As they dropped the carcasses into the cavern, Cevin said, "Hey you guys want to see that beast I was telling you about? With four of us, we might be able to take it down."

 

One of the men said as he rubbed his hands together, trying to find heat, "Frank we need to-"

"Are you telling me what I need to do?" Frank looked at him, shivering himself a bit. "Besides, my name is sir, savage."

"Ya sure, but sir, we're going to freeze to death staying out here any longer, that or starve. The food won't last forever, and neither will we. What are we going to do?"

Frank tried to remain confident and in control, he looked at his men who were in fact dying, but even he saw death waving at them across the fence. "Alright," he said, getting up and stretching his legs, making himself open to the world, outside of the brush. "We move now, leave this place. Fan out, find a cave but stay hidden, we meet up at the stream in half an hour."

 

Fox walks along the side of the cave shivering, and clutching onto the cloak. The snowing had stopped, but it didn't look as though the snow was going to melt any time soon. The sky is covered in clouds, with only few rays of sunshine, shining through.

It took her about twenty minutes to reach her cave. She stands at the entrance and says "Guys, come on. We're leaving." She turns around and reenters the frozen wasteland, with Juliano and Cull following.

 

Smith smiled at the idea of "digging in". "Thats a fantastic idea." He anounced, waking Chrys who had been sleeping until now. "We can dig back further and widen the cave sort of like native americans did on earth." He said excitedly and walked to the back of the cave, stone. "Um, now someone wouldn't happen to be a masson would they?" He asked hoping someone knew how to dig through rock, and make it safe to live in. Round shapes are the strongest, next to triangles, so probably something along that line. It would feel weird living in it but wouldn't calapse.

 

Britney walks back to the cave. Keeping the heat around her body pretty high to melt any new snow that gets in her way.

She turns down the heat around her as she enters the cave. She sees Chad in the back thinking about something. "Hey Chad what are you up to?" asks Britney.

Fox, Cull and Juliano begin their trek toward the cave claimed by Chad's tribe. They are shivering, and trying to go as fast as they can, in the deep snow.

 

"I might know a way," Derek said. "Ever heard of a hammer 'n chisel? We just gotta sharpen up a rock and use another one to beat it into the wall. It'd be difficult as hell though. It'd be a hell of a lot easier to just dig into the ground." Lacking a cigarette, Derek plucked one of the pieces of long grass from his cloak-blanket and put one end in his mouth, chewing on it as a substitute for his tobacco.

 

Smith shook his head knowingly. "Even if we could biuld a in the ground house it'd calapse upon itself the first wind storm. If we dig deeper into the stone it'll stand the test of the elements." He said and looked over at Britney. "I think we should dig the cave deeper, not any wider, but deeper, I'm thinking maybe a triangle shape so it will be less likly to calapse and then find some supports anyways." He explained with a smile. "What do you think?"

 

Pasha took a moment to warm himself by the fire, his bludgeon stick at his side again. He felt just a little bit better with it at his side. He looked with worried eyes at Cevin, but said nothing about it.

“I’d like to see what we’ll be up against.” He said, standing up next to the fire. He just hoped it wasn’t as intimidating as it seemed, he couldn’t get the doubt out of his mind.

 

Derek scoffed at Chad's comment. "You put three feet o' solid earth between you an' the surface with some supports, you're just as safe as bein' in 'ere." He shook his head. "It's sad what kinda idiots they hire as guards these days," he muttered.