Chapter 3: Zero Dawn

I was going tonight to get them. I wish I hadn't, I was SO not ready and brash and overconfident and... basically your average teenage shadowmane. Er.... anyway, im spoiling it for you, so ill get back to the story.

Unfortunately, my mother was expecting it. I was trying to wander around, looking as though im not edging closer to the jungle, even though I was. "Where do you think your going?" she said as I wandered a LITTLE bit closer to the pride edge.

I jump. "Blaze it! Stop SNEAKING up on me like you do SO WELL!"

She smiled. "Its a gift, dear." UGH, adults can be SO PATRONISING. Well then. I was going to have to wait. I stayed with her for the rest of the day to douse her suspisons, then when I was absolutely sure she was asleep, I snuck away to the prides edge.

One of the shadowmanes on patrol named Tala pulled me to the side and asked, "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes." I replied.

She sighed. "Well, im not about to stop you. I remeber what it was like at your age unlike some." She said as she shot an annoyed glance at a fellow shadowmane, Cara. Cara just shrugged and roled her eyes. "But be careful, all right?"

"I will." I promised. Honestly, I liked her because she knew how to talk to children without annoying them or treating them like new-born cubs. And of course she was fine with me sneaking away, and didn't tell. But now she's letting me go to Zero Dawn? COOL!

As I got into the forest, I felt a shift go over me. I felt calmer, more alert. As I climbed nimbly though the jungle, I wondered why Alpha kept us stuck in the forests. Maybe because of the Gara-Lions and Wolves that were here? I mean, probably not, because either has only been spotted one time over ALL THE GROUPS. I mean, come on, guys.

After a little while I could see the bright artifical light of Zero Dawn ahead of me. I slowed down to a steady pace and crouched, activating my camoflage. I felt even more altert, deadly, and strong. I caught myself thinking that I was literally MADE for war. I mean, we were. Mom was on the arks, not me, so she told me stories of surviors taming us, riding us, thriving.... and fighting. Uhh... im geting sidetracked AGAIN, sorry.

Anyway, I managed to sneak in without anyone noticing. SEROUSLY GUYS, your security need an upgrade. I wandered around on the catwalks, invisible, when I managed to find where the shadowmanes were being kept, about maybe 4 visible. They were all sitting around, looking depressed, and there was also a human with white tanned skin and black hair tied back, kneeling with her eyes closed in handcuffs and a metal band around her waist that kept her back touching the wall. Then I realized that was the same girl who tried to escape.

I jumped in and looked around for my friends, Deliga and Alto. And MAN IT WAS COLD IN HERE. I spied Alto first, who was a reddish male with markings like glasses around his eyes. Also, for some reason, there was a device implanted where he could easily reach it. Hmm...

I snuck up to him and whispered "Hello, killer." We teased him on that because he was actually quite nerdy (I mean that in the most possible respect possible) and wouldn't hurt a human, ever.

He jumped but quickly composed himself and whispered back "Nachara?" In a hopeful voice.

"Yep, thats me. Hey, why do you have the electronic thingy in your scales?"

He drooped. "Its whats keeping us here." He said sadly. "If we fight back or try to jump out, it sends a electric shock though the chip. Same for her." He nodded to the human in the corner.

"Oh.... Wait what do you mean her?" I asked.

"She has tried to get out... what twice now? She said she had been here one before, with more success. They had tried to expriement on her, but she got away. They are not taking any chanses this time. I overhead them talking when they shoved her in here. They thought we would attack and kill her, and that she caused too much trouble to be alive and she tried to escape and thats when they put her like that but she talked to us and she said she knew she couldnt get out and was just trying to get a signal and--

"OK" I interupted. "Information overload. I have a few questions, though. What do you mean, she talked to you? Whad do you mean, trying to get a signal?" I studied him criticly. "Have you been tamed?"

"No!" He said, outraged, tilted his head, then said"She can talk to animals." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and everyone did it everyday. "She says The Ocean gave the powers to her." He stretched. "As for the signal, I know less about. Whenever she tries to explain her voice gets all choky and she just shakes her head. But, whatever it is," He said quickly "I think she got the signal out.... And I think shes asking for help."

-Inferi

I hope you liked it! The next chapter will be in Fenrir.