them. The Anguis would need the assistance seeing as he failed to stop the meteor. Thankfully most of his allies hadn't been far behind the Anguis fleet as they tracked the Morbo to this solar system. The members of the council would probably arrive at his ship, the Navis, before nightfall. They couldn't waste any time picking out a suitable planet in one of the secure territories for setting up the human refugee camp. It would be an arduous task, but it had to be done.
Viper glanced at the comm strapped to his wrist checking the time. He had a few hours more to explore this alien planet while it still flourished.
With his curved ungue claws bared at the tips of each finger, and the spiked clavum on each forearm extended ready to strike, Viper moved stealthily through the underbrush, his skin shifting to match the ruddy brown and green tones around him.
Although he wasn't so concerned with the human inhabitants, Viper still had to be cautious of the other wild creatures here. The animals hadn't lost use of their senses or their ability to hunt as the humans seemed to. One of the large feline's he and Mamba captured had been a master of stealth, a worthy adversary.
Although Viper was an adept hunter, he was alone at the moment, and knew better than to let his pride be his downfall on this unknown planet.
Viper sensed something was near. His gums tingled where the two procudit fangs extended. Even the osteoderms along his spine trembled as he walked the unusual forest landscape ready to do battle if necessary.
Viper stopped in his tracks. Unconsciously blending with the natural backdrop.
"What is that smell?"
A musky floral scent permeated the air of the forest floor. To this point he had smelled nothing but the ocean and the creatures they'd tranq'd. This smelled similar to one of the sentient beings but different.
Viper carefully broke through the tree line at the edge of a rocky hill and peered into the clearing.
Stopped on the road ahead was one of the crude metal vehicles these people operated. One of the homo sapiens sat with its head on the circle they used to navigate the vehicle.
Viper wondered if it was injured since this didn't seem the best place to sleep. He moved in cautiously. The enticing smell wafted from the lowered glass barrier of the vehicle drawing him closer.
The human had pale long hair. These people had silky strands of hair that hung straight or curled in various colors and lengths. Viper's people had something entirely different. Beyond the hair on their head it seemed the humans were hairless, not possessing pelts like some species. The exception being that the males sometimes possessed fur on their faces.
This human appeared female and certainly smelled it. His senses bristled with the awareness. The distinctive feminine hormone held the same sweet notes as Anguis females. This human was also slight of form, not bulky like many of the Homo sapien males he'd seen images of. Although the human males tended to be a head shorter and not nearly as broad as the average Anguis.
Viper didn't smell blood or any indication of injury, just sadness and fear radiating from the female. It was pungent overpowering the scent of the pines.
"It can't be fear of me. She has yet to notice my presence." Viper considered as he stood blending into the tree line.
She'd undoubtedly witnessed what had happened to her people.
2 Something Wicked this Way Comes
Hope
Hope just needed to rest a minute. She pulled into the spot at the side of the road. The park map showed there was a camp site a half hours hike along the path through the trees ahead, but she had to take minute to get herself together after the nightmare she'd witnessed. It was too horrific to even imagine.
Hope didn't really know what else to do. Every motel, gas station and restaurant she passed had been inundated with people fleeing the bay area. She had five days worth of supplies in the trunk. The best plan Hope could come up with
Viper glanced at the comm strapped to his wrist checking the time. He had a few hours more to explore this alien planet while it still flourished.
With his curved ungue claws bared at the tips of each finger, and the spiked clavum on each forearm extended ready to strike, Viper moved stealthily through the underbrush, his skin shifting to match the ruddy brown and green tones around him.
Although he wasn't so concerned with the human inhabitants, Viper still had to be cautious of the other wild creatures here. The animals hadn't lost use of their senses or their ability to hunt as the humans seemed to. One of the large feline's he and Mamba captured had been a master of stealth, a worthy adversary.
Although Viper was an adept hunter, he was alone at the moment, and knew better than to let his pride be his downfall on this unknown planet.
Viper sensed something was near. His gums tingled where the two procudit fangs extended. Even the osteoderms along his spine trembled as he walked the unusual forest landscape ready to do battle if necessary.
Viper stopped in his tracks. Unconsciously blending with the natural backdrop.
"What is that smell?"
A musky floral scent permeated the air of the forest floor. To this point he had smelled nothing but the ocean and the creatures they'd tranq'd. This smelled similar to one of the sentient beings but different.
Viper carefully broke through the tree line at the edge of a rocky hill and peered into the clearing.
Stopped on the road ahead was one of the crude metal vehicles these people operated. One of the homo sapiens sat with its head on the circle they used to navigate the vehicle.
Viper wondered if it was injured since this didn't seem the best place to sleep. He moved in cautiously. The enticing smell wafted from the lowered glass barrier of the vehicle drawing him closer.
The human had pale long hair. These people had silky strands of hair that hung straight or curled in various colors and lengths. Viper's people had something entirely different. Beyond the hair on their head it seemed the humans were hairless, not possessing pelts like some species. The exception being that the males sometimes possessed fur on their faces.
This human appeared female and certainly smelled it. His senses bristled with the awareness. The distinctive feminine hormone held the same sweet notes as Anguis females. This human was also slight of form, not bulky like many of the Homo sapien males he'd seen images of. Although the human males tended to be a head shorter and not nearly as broad as the average Anguis.
Viper didn't smell blood or any indication of injury, just sadness and fear radiating from the female. It was pungent overpowering the scent of the pines.
"It can't be fear of me. She has yet to notice my presence." Viper considered as he stood blending into the tree line.
She'd undoubtedly witnessed what had happened to her people.
2 Something Wicked this Way Comes
Hope
Hope just needed to rest a minute. She pulled into the spot at the side of the road. The park map showed there was a camp site a half hours hike along the path through the trees ahead, but she had to take minute to get herself together after the nightmare she'd witnessed. It was too horrific to even imagine.
Hope didn't really know what else to do. Every motel, gas station and restaurant she passed had been inundated with people fleeing the bay area. She had five days worth of supplies in the trunk. The best plan Hope could come up with
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