The Phoenix Colony

Chrys took the brush off in stride, "Yes Chad, I can hear something, but we're not near it yet."

 

"Chrys, Chad wants to know if you smell anything?" While Chrys busied herself sniffing the air, Raylene turned to Chad and whispered, "I'm not mad at you. I promise."

 

Chrys didn't want to hear them, but her ears were rebelling, "I know what he wanted to ask, he's changed his stance already. We have like a hundred paces before we have to get absolutely silent, there are at least two deer ahead. And I call the big one."

 

Smith didn't know why but he was glad she wasn't mad. Chrys it seemed could read minds too now. Or at least had guessed what he was going to ask. He brought the rifle to the ready and sent Ray a message that Chrys could have what ever one she wanted. Though he didn't think rocks where known for being quiet, each step seemed to echo now that he listened to the. Some times he stepped on other rocks and it clicked. Great another down fall to being a human sculpture.

 

"You guys have to attack at the same time, otherwise, one will get away. Chrys, you sneek up and get ready. As soon as you are ready, send me a message and then pounce. I'll let Chad know and he'll shoot. Please," she touched his arm, even though he couldn't feel it, "don't shoot Chrys on accident!!!!"

 

Smith decided to test how well she could read minds. He closed his eyes and thought about his shot group from school. Three rounds all nearly placed ontop of each other. He hoped that calmed her about him shooting some one on accident. He just needed to know which one Chrys was after, he'd let her pounce first and get the other while it was still in it's initial bound.

 

...Yes, don't hit Chrys, if Chrys survives, she will hit you with a boulder...Sure Ray, can do... Chrys stalks up behind a large rock, tail down, steps low, breath shallow...She watched as a doe and her adolescent fawn grazed on the grass in front of her...

The doe looked up, but looked away quickly. Crys walked her way slowly to the other side of the deer, hidden the whole time. The fawn started to move away from its mother...Ray! Now!...

 

The group moved up to a clearing and sure enough, there were 2 deer grazing in the meadow. Chad had eased her mind and she motioned for Chrys to pick the one she wanted. She and Chad both nodded and she started her stalk. Raylene stood by Chad, hardly breathing as he prepared himself for the shot.

She heard Chrys!

"Now Chad! Now!"

 

Smith had sighted in on the Fawn. It looked to be almost a yearling, still a far way from being big enough to go off on it's own. He slowed his breathing, knelt down prepared to fire. Chrys leapt, he had waited till she landed on the Doe, and even then the Fawn didn't move. Exhaled and pulled the trigger, the fawn fell, a bullet through the brain. He'd normally had shot the chest but for something so small it would have cost meat. He felt bad for the family for a moment at the death of the mother and child.

 

Chrys pounced at the doe, not understanding why her claws suddenly came out, and her jaw widened more than she thought possible. Her teeth sank intot he does neck, the blood sliding down her face. SHe felt it hit her, ...Oh my god, I'm an animal!... She ignored her fear, biting the main atery in the deer's neck, cutting off it's life. The doe had been fighting her the whole time, not accustomed to the way Chrys was actully able to wrap around her and hang on, but that last bite left her nothing but a shudder. SHe fell. CHrys stood over the deer, her eyes slightly dazed, blood running down her face and front.

...Ray, I'm scared of myself...

 

Raylene ran out to Chrys. She was shaking. "Chrys you're ok. It's just this planet. I think yours is the best mutation of all!" She scratched behind Chrys' ear, trying to sooth her. "Let's take dinner home!"

 

Chrys wanted to talk, but she was scared motionless...No, no, Ray,I'm scared...I'm a monster...I can't go back...I can't, I can't even move from here...I killed her..the blood. The blood!!...

 

Smith stayed put, he couldn't comfort Chrys if he couldn't even talk. He let her talk to Chrys and walked over to the Doe. He wraped his arms around it and hoisted it up onto his shoulders with a groan. His body was heavier than it used to be, and now everything felt heavier. He could smell the blood.

 

"Oh sweetie! It's ok! Please, come on back and we'll get you cleaned up. Chad, come help me. She's freaking out!" Raylene turned Chrys from the dead deer and tried to wipe the blood from her fur. "You have to come back," she said quietly. "You remind me so much of my Jessie. She's a fighter, just like you. You aren't a monster." Chad reached them and Raylene pleaded to him with her eyes for help. She didn't know what to do.

 

Chrys watched Chad and Ray, ...I want blood! GIve me the deer, I need the blood!... Chrys' eyes became crazed as she pleaded with Ray...No, dont I don't think i should go back, something is going wrong, I can feel it...GIVE ME BLOOD...Ray, there's something wrong!...

 

Smith came to her call. He didn't know what to do. He stepped up to Chrys and wrapped his arms around her protectivly. I'm more of a monster Chrys. He thought, for Ray to tell Chrys that he had promised not to go any where so she was going to have to stay too. She was like the sister he never had.

 

"Chad, put the deer over here. If you need the blood, then maybe it will help? S***! I don't know what to do sweetie, but you HAVE to come back with us. We won't leave you here. I just won't do it."

 

Chrys faught against Chad's grip, suddenly blurting, "GIVE ME THE DEER-THE BLOOD-GIVE!!!" She continued to fight Chad's grip...Ray, those aren't my words, help me! I think the cat's the cat's-nooooBLOOD!... Chrys began trying to scratch at Chad, butting her head against his, ignoring the bruise forming on her forehead.

 

"Feed the cat then! Appease the monster!" Raylene tipped the deer on it's back exposing the soft belly.

 

Smith held her tight. She wasn't an animal, she was a human. Don't let it control you Chrys. He thought and used one of his hands to hold her head against his chest so that he couldn't keep banging her head against him. Come on Chrys your better than this. One of Chrys's claws found a gap between his plates and Smith wanted to shout as he felt the sharp pain of the small claw rip his flesh.

 

Chrys' eyes widened at the site of the deer's belly, "LEMME GO!" Chrys faught at Chad's restraint, trying to slip out of the pinning hug, "LEMME GO! LEMME GO!" She finally freed herself. She charged at the deer, eating the flesh right of of the body, ...Something is wrong, wrong! Help! Make this stop?!..What am I doing...

It had begun, the beast within Chrys was attacking her humanity.

 

Raylene grabbed Chrys and wrapped her arms around her body, lifting her off the ground. A clawed hand swiped at her head, catching her left ear and slicing it open. Raylene screamed in pain, but she had to stop Chrys. She grabbed her again and dragged her about 50 yards to the stream and dumped her in the icy cold water.

"My ear!" She wailed. She sat down at the edge of the stream and dunked her head in the water. Red flowed down stream, both from Raylene's ear and the blood on Chrys. She pulled her head back out and felt her ear. The very tip was completely gone.

 

Smith stood between the river and the deer. He casted a worried glance at Ray, blood flowing down her face. If Chrys came at him he'd have to stop her. Only he could with out being torn to bits.

 

Chrys was calming down, the beast was slowly receeding into the back of her mind. She was able to control her breath again.

She looked around as she wound herself down, she noticed Ray's ear, "Please say I didn't do that. Ray? Did I?"

....I am so sorry, I hope I didn't do that to you. I don't know where that beast came from. I can't believe I did that...and the blood, it's in my mouth, i want-I think I'm going to. Now!... Chrys began to gag.

 

Raylene ripped a piece of fabric from her clothing and wrapped her ear with it, putting as much pressure on it as she could stand.

...I am so sorry, I hope I didn't do that to you. I don't know where that beast came from. I can't believe I did that...and the blood, it's in my mouth, i want-I think I'm going to. Now!COLOR]

"Chad, help her. She's about to get sick."