Jason E Mohler

 

Ariana felt dark, watery eyes on her as she left the lake and looked behind her to where Finnian’s head peeked over the beach’s backshore.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

 

The selkie chirped and flowed onto the grass like the otter he resembled. He skittered a few paces before standing to sniff the air.

 

He chirped.

 

“All clear, huh?” Ariana said.

 

Finnian chirped and skittered closer. This was new. While she’d heard the selkies chirp to each other before, this was only the second time one had “talked” to her; the first time was when...

 

The first time was when she’d found the drake.

 

Or rather when it found her.

 

Shit.

 

“It’s not all clear, is it?” Ariana tried to peer into the woods. It seemed peaceful enough, but she couldn’t see much beyond the tree line.

 

Finnian followed her gaze and chirped twice.

 

She brought her bracelet to her mouth. “Will, you there?”

 

“What’s up?”

 

“Any chance you could check out the woods? I think I found a drake.”

 

Finnian chirped twice.

 

“One sec... Yeah, it looks like something big’s heading your way.”

 

Fuck.

 

She heard rustling in the trees and began to move, forcing herself not to run. Drakes were predators and if they thought you were running...

 

Something bellowed.

 

Double fuck.

 

“Uh, Will? I could use some help out here,” she said into her bracelet as her hind brain took over. She managed to keep from running running, but she was pushing the boundaries of jogging.

 

“Will?” she repeated when another drake’s cry answered the first.

 

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get your panties in a twist. I’m on it.”

 

She gave up on doing the right thing when she heard the huge predator crash through the trees and her jog turned into a sprint.

 

“Any time now,” she said, pushing herself even harder as the thumping gallop of the monster drew closer and it bellowed. This time its call was answered by a sound from ahead of her, from the shuttle. A sound like a thousand waterfalls crashing onto the rocks below.

 

“About fucking time,” Ariana panted when Will sprayed the landscape with the tail gun, more than a thousand iron spikes tearing into her attacker every minute. Her rational mind hoped Finnian was all right, but her hind brain didn’t care. She didn’t slow when the drake’s bellow turned into cries of pain until she finally reached the top of the loading ramp and slapped the hatch controls.

 

“You owe me dinner when we get back,” her husband said, climbing down from the tail gun.

 

“Put it on my tab.”

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