Page 9 of Citrine
A sudden commotion in the water draws my attention. The fish that were swimming in languid movements, now leap into the air with frantic desperation.
Their struggle for survival is a worthless effort for something so short-lived.
I narrow my eyes as I spot the green menace making its way toward me. This one is different, larger and fiercer than the others. It stares at me intensely, revealing its intent to harm and eat me.
These creatures ruled the lake before I arrived, and so they still challenge my dominance, slow to learn.
How could they possibly think of me as an easy meal?
I twitch one of my upper limbs at the thought, the graspers flicking a dismissive gesture, mocking the very idea that these creatures could overpower me. A world far harsher than this one shaped who I am.
Still, the predator moves with lethal purpose, its sharp teeth gleaming under the water. I can see its muscular form rippling as it swims, each movement precise and deadly. Its predatory eyes are fixed on the tentacles trailing behind me.
"You will lose," I taunt, graspers flashing insults at it.
With a flick of my tentacle, I ward off one of the approaching creatures I have named Many Teeth because of their rows of sharp fangs.
This one certainly leaves quite an impression. The beast hesitates, tries to bite me again, eyes narrowing as it assesses me. I relish its uncertainty. It knows, despite its menacing appearance, it stands no chance against me.
Even if it finds another of its kind to attack me together.
"Go on, swim away," I mock, watching as it leaves me alone.
It knows better than to challenge me again. I am the sole threat of worth here, and these waters are now my domain.
So, here I am, stranded in this place, a lone predator adrift in a sea-less stretch of unfamiliarity. Even in this strange and hostile environment, the instincts of my people remain unchanged.
Survival is all that matters,and I will do whatever it takes to ensure that I emerge victorious in this deadly game.
Memories of their attack grip me, its hold tightening like a shenrase's jaws. Anger surges in a fizzling that demands release.I punch the water with all my strength with my most powerful tentacles, sending shockwaves rippling across the lake's surface.
The warm liquid splashes against my skin, but it does nothing to soothe the rage churning inside me. I pull back up their musty scent, their slick gray skin and those limbs that would make them helpless in the water, though everything else about them suggested they should have been aquatic, just like me.
To be captured by such a weak species…
I remember the voices, the rough treatment, the feeling of utter helplessness.
It defied the laws of my nature as a creature.
I hate fresh water. All it does is twist my memories, pulling them in an endless tide. I get out.
I writhe along the edge of the lake, my tentacles dragging lazily behind me. On one side, the dense forest encroaches upon the water's edge. On the other, jagged rocks hold back the water and mark the domain of the land-dwelling creatures.
Droplets of water cascade from my body and splatter onto the murky, dry plants that line the shore. The sight before me differs from the barren landscape on the other side.
Here, vibrant green plants sway in the gentle breeze, punctuated by bursts of color from others that dot the terrain. Small creatures flit through the air, their delicate wings make fluttering sounds.
Nothing like the movements and sounds underwater. Foreign and wrong.
It's just another patch of land I never wanted to visit, indifferent to my presence.
What's the point of it all if you can't eat it?
I continue my trek along the water's edge, my thoughts blank. The world around me holds no temptation, no significance to survival. It's just another obstacle.
As I move farther away from the water, the sounds of the forest fade into the background, replaced by the hum of small crunchy things that don't taste good and the occasional chirp of a flying creature.
I pay them no mind, my senses attuned only to the hunt.