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Sanctuary Secrets

Chapter Five

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

1st March, 2024

All Rights Reserved.

The sterile, white-walled infirmary echoed with the hum of machinery, a stark contrast to the turmoil within Misty's unconscious mind. As the effects of the tranquillisers began to wane, Misty stirred on the blankets, her limbs heavy and uncoordinated. Dr. Mercer, his face etched with concern, monitored her vitals as Rachel anxiously hovered by her side.

“Dr. Mercer,” Dr. Kale spoke. “It might not be wise if you're here – when she awakens. We have no idea of her condition when she regains consciousness. I pray she'll be herself – not that other one...”

Dr. Mercer administered the reversal agent, carefully placing the needle and syringe in a kidney dish as he nodded and quietly left the room. Misty remained in a drug-induced state for another few minutes, before her eyelids fluttered open, revealing the confusion and vulnerability in her deep brown eyes. Around her, the room felt alien to her, and the memories of her dark therian outburst lingered like shadows in her consciousness. As she tried to move, Rachel's gentle hands pressed her back down.

“Easy there, easy - “ Rachel spoke soothingly, gently stroking Misty's chest. “You're alright, you're safe.”

Dr. Kale glanced over at Rachel, remaining out of Misty's sight and scent, but ready and willing to act if the trembling doe turned violent. A subtle shake of the head from Rachel calmed his fraying nerves. Weakly, Misty reached up and instinctively touched her throat, where her scar bore silent witness to the horrors of her past.

As Misty grappled with the fragments of her memories, she sensed the darkness within her as it seemed to coil like a dormant beast, ready to awaken. Unspoken fears and suppressed traumas surfaced, manifesting in low, guttural growls that escaped her trembling furred lips. Dr. Kale flicked an ear and then frowned, listening closely.

“Is...she - “ Rachel began, but a warning gesture from Dr. Kale silenced her.

He rose, then adopted a calm, relaxed posture, before he grunted, growled and clucked at Misty, whose ears quirked forwards, drawn by the sound.

“Repeat that please,” Dr. Kale murmured, coming slightly closer to Misty, who shuddered and made the strange vocalisations again.

“Your name? Can you tell me your name?” He asked her. “Do you even have a name?”

Frustrated, Misty growled and grunted, her inability to communicate growing, but a gentle caress from Rachel eased her as she took a few panting breaths, visibly settling.

“Easy,” Dr. Kale rumbled thoughtfully, putting as much gentleness and calm into his voice as he could manifest. “Once more, please? Slowly...”

A third time, the frustrated young doe repeated herself, much slower and as loud as she could, the pain of it evident in her body language.

“Mazzy?” Dr. Kale frowned, trying to piece it together. “No, once more – just do the best...”

With an effort that nearly exhausted her, Misty articulated again, her paws gripping the blanket in rising disappointment at her inability to speak.

“Mas... Misty? Your name is Misty?” Dr. Kale explosively exhaled.

Misty grunted and gave a weak nod of her head. Tapping her paw on her belly, Misty then pointed at the large, imposing grey kangaroo.

“You're Misty - “ He smiled. “What a beautiful name, for a gentle, sweet young doe! Yes, I'm Dr. Kale – I'm like you, I mean, not like you exactly... We're similar, but different – biologically. I'm an Eastern Grey, you're a Red kangaroo.”

Misty, with help from Rachel, managed to maneuver herself into a semi-sitting position, as she blinked and looked around, her eyes struggling to focus as the tranquilliser still held sway.

“It's alright Misty, you're safe,” Rachel whispered, gently petting her.

Yet safety seemed elusive as Misty's eyes darted around the room, locking onto shadows that seemed to whisper of captivity and pain. The scar on her throat felt like it was burning, as she pawed lightly at it.

Rachel caught between her professional duty and genuine concern, exchanged a worried glance with Dr Kale. The weight of Misty's traumatic past cast a sombre shadow over the sanctuary's normally vibrant atmosphere. Dr. Kale, recognising Misty's senses were far sharper than his own, due to her upbringing, approached with a mix of empathy and caution.

“We need to understand what she's been through,” Dr. Kale urged, his voice low, as he addressed Rachel. “Only then, can we truly help her. However, that will have to wait. We need to get you and her to safety, now, rather than later. They know of us now Rachel – they are coming for us – do you think Misty can travel? I dare not risk using our van, they've probably got us under surveillance so you'll have to go overland. I just don't know if poor Misty has the strength to endure it.”

Rachel's eyes widened, as she caught the subtext in Dr. Kale's words. A look from him silenced her protestations before she could utter them.

“No, not a word.” He spoke quietly. “They want a Therian? Then they can sure as hell try to take one...”

He shuddered and looked around as if resigning himself to his fate. Rachel gently helped Misty to her feet and held the groggy doe gently.

“Tonight, I want you, Misty and Dr. Mercer to use the cover of darkness to escape. You know where to go – Dr. Mercer will separate from you, try to lead them away. You and Misty must escape, the sooner the better. Trust in her, her senses are way sharper than yours – or – mine. Years of living alone in one of the most hostile places in Australia, she's a survivor, trust in her...”

“Dr...” Rachel began nervously. “We need you – I – need you...”

Dr. Kale sighed quietly, before he crawled over, then gently placed his paws on Rachel's shoulders, as he licked her forehead.

“You are my mate, my... doe. Nothing will ever change that, I promise.” Dr. Kale murmured. “If I can, I'll try to get away, I promise...”

Misty grunted and twitched, shaking her head as she looked between Dr. Kale and Rachel, her confusion evident in the way the corner of her eyes turned downwards.

“Misty doesn't know, does she?” Dr. Kale spoke quietly, glancing over at her.

Rachel shivered and shook her head, gently caressing Misty's belly. “It... never come up -”

Dr. Kale stared at Misty, who blinked and turned her head up and back to look at Rachel, who swallowed and shivered.

“Yes, Misty... I'm like Dr. Kale – like you – a doe...” Rachel whispered quietly. “I'll... explain it all to you when we're safe. For now, we got to make plans...”

*

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting an ethereal glow over the sanctuary grounds. Dr Mercy, Misty and the newly transformed Rachel huddled in the shadow of the main building's back entrance, their breath visible in the night air.

“Remember, stick to the shadows and hop quickly – but as quietly as you can,” Dr. Kale whispered, his voice low. “Time is against us.”

Rachel twitched, her nerves on high alert, her therian instincts triply so, as she looked at Misty.

Misty twitched, then crawled a few paces away, clearly distressed and uncomfortable with the newly changed caregivers' shocking revelation.

Rachel sighed, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and worry. Looking around, Rachel sniffed the air, which only brought the scent of the forest, making her nervous and afraid.

“Go, may the Gods watch over you all -” Dr Kale murmured, giving his mate another gentle lick on the forehead.

Rachel shivered, glancing at Misty, who remained distant but understood and she began to crawl away before she hopped – her feet seeming barely to touch the ground. Rachel glanced back at her mate, then tearfully, she turned and hopped after Misty.

“Dr. Mercer - “ Dr. Kale addressed the man standing beside him. “I wish you accepted my offer – but I respect your desire not to become one of us. For your years of service, I thank you. Now, please, try to find a way to survive – to escape. I hope you do, I mean that...”

Dr Mercer double-checked the holstered Glock at his waist, ensuring the safety was off before he held his hands out and Dr. Kale embraced him, gripping him tightly as the dominant grey kangaroo quivered helplessly.

“Dr. Kale, for everything you've done for the kangaroos, and for Misty... It has been my honour, sir, to serve and know you. I will do my best to find them. They know the rendezvous location – I hope...”

With a sniffle, the kangaroo disengaged and shook his head. “I do not think we will meet again, Jonesy...”

Dr. Mercer shuddered. “Please... Dr. Kale – if not for me... do it for your mate, Rachel. She'd be devastated if you threw your life away. I doubt they'd give you a chance... I can't even begin to imagine what they'd do to you -”

“I can not promise any of us will survive – I've never encountered them before – only have piecemeal ancestral memories, fragments as it were. They will not stop hunting my kind – or – those, like you, who helped and aided us. Now, please, go – take my car, get as far from this place as you can, do what you must... Their lives depend on you now.”

Dr. Mercer steeled his heart, as he nodded once and turned away, striding off into the darkness.

The internal struggle weighed heavily on Dr. Kale as he stood in the moonlight clearing, shadows dancing around him. The decision he faced, the crossroads of fight or flight, echoed in the recesses of his mind.

“Maybe I should have taken the easy way out,” He mused, the weight of responsibility and fear etched into his marsupial features. The temptation of an escape, a swift and painless end from the massive overdose of tranquillisers he had at his disposal, whispered to him. His shoulders sagged, burdened down by the choices ahead.

“My mate would understand,” He reasoned with himself, contemplating the cost of his profession. “I'm a Veterinarian, first and foremost. I have access to drugs that'll be quick and painless...”

Yet, the flicker of courage sparked within him, challenging the notion of surrender – he quickly realised, it was the dark therian within him, making itself felt.

Are you a coward? It spoke to him, its voice cold and filled with a white-hot anger that he barely held in check.

He questioned himself, his gaze distant. The conflict within him intensified, torn between his desire for a peaceful exit and the call to face the impending threat head-on.

“If I fight them – I know I won't win...” He whispered quietly.

No, you won't – but together, maybe we will take one or more of our blood-sworn enemies with us...

Dr. Kale pondered the possibility of defiance, a futile but defiant stand against those who sought to destroy everything he had struggled to build... and what they'd do to him, turned his blood to ice water, let alone what they would do to his mate if they caught her...

“Or I can do as I commanded my mate, her charge, and my friend – I can run and try to evade them...”

The path for evasion beckoned, a desperate bid for survival, leaving behind the sanctuary and everything he'd struggled to build.

As the moonlight shone upon him, a solitary figure contemplating the choices that would shape his future. The decision loomed, and he stood at the precipice, torn between the shadows of resignation and the glimmer of resistance... unable to make the decision, he knew was his alone.

As the night air whispered through the eucalyptus leaves, Dr. Kale's gaze shifted to the stars above, as if seeking guidance in their distant glow. His mind wavered between the comfort of the familiar, the darkness of an unknown end, and the daunting prospect of defiance.

A whisper from his dark therian alerted him, stirring his attention. Instinctively, he tensed, a fleeting thought of imminent danger crossing his mind. The sanctuary, once a haven, now felt like a fragile bubble about to burst. The Hunters were closing in and time-pressed against him.

With a sigh, Dr Kale's thoughts turned to his mate, the bonds forged, and the responsibilities that came with them.

“I can't abandon them,” he murmured, a quiet affirmation to himself.

The weight of duty and loyalty anchored him, grounding him in the face of uncertainty. As his muscles tensed, he suddenly froze like a feral kangaroo in headlights – the choice stripped from him...

A shadow moved from the forest edge, then another, a third and a fourth – red dots appearing on his silvery-grey pelt.

“So...” Dr. Kale lifted his furred head, staring at the bright lasers from the scopes.

As the shadows closed around Dr. Kale, his eyes locked on the armed and armoured humans who moved with purpose, their rifles silenced – their faces hidden behind their masks. He felt the weight of duty and loyalty, the unbreakable ties that bound him to the sanctuary and its former inhabitants. The night air seemed to thicken with tension as the hunters moved closer, forming a semi-circle.

In the face of imminent danger, Dr. Kale's thoughts raced. The sanctuary, once a refuge, now felt like a fleeting mirage. He knew the choice was stripped from him, and he steeled himself for what lay ahead.

Without a word, the Hunters raised their rifles higher, the moonlight glistening off the dark metal, as they sighted down their scopes at him.

Dr. Kale's gaze remained steady, a silent acknowledgement of his fate. He stood resolute, his dark eyes unblinking.

The leader's harsh command sliced through the tense air, breaking the silence that hung heavily in the moonlight clearing.

“Lower your weapons, now!” The authoritative snarl left no room for disobedience, and the hunters reluctantly obeyed, lowering their rifles with a begrudging acknowledgement of their leader's authority.

As the rifles were lowered, Dr. Kale's ears pricked forward – purely unintentionally and his surprise forced his eyes wider.

the leader, a figure of disdain etched on his face, lifted the mask obscuring his features. His eyes bore a mixture of contempt and confidence, locking onto Dr Kale with an intensity that mirrored the predatory nature of his pursuit. Slowly, he began to close the gap between them, a malicious grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

Dr Kale's fur stood on end as the leader advanced, the distance between them halving with deliberate and calculated steps. The moonlight played off the leader's face, revealing the cold determination etched into every line. His eyes, devoid of empathy, fixated on Dr Kale as if relishing the power dynamic that had shifted in his favour.

With each step, the leader's posture exuded dominance, a stark contrast to the tension radiating from the therian kangaroo. Dr. Kale, his senses heightened, felt the weight of the impending confrontation settle upon him. The night seemed to hold its breath, nature itself anticipating the clash between the hunted and the hunter.

The lowering of weapons created an eerie stillness, interrupted only by the leader's purposeful approach. The leader's steps were deliberate, a predator closing in on its prey, and the moon cast sinister shadows on the ground as the air thickened with the anticipation of what was to come.

In that charged moment, Dr. Kale braced himself, his muscles tensing, and his dark therian instincts whispering warnings of danger. The standoff reached a critical juncture as the leader closed the remaining distance before he reached out and insolently gripped Dr. Kale by the muzzle, then started exerting painful pressure.

“When I get through with you little joey...” The leader snarled as he leaned forward, exerting more pressure on the now creaking muzzle bones. “You're going to beg me for death...”

Dr. Kale, his eyes widening, as tears welled in his eyes, suddenly made a muffled cry in alarm, startling the Hunter leader, then his subordinates. Turning his head, he snatched for his rifle – taking his hands off Dr. Kale's muzzle as he did so.

Dr. Kale seized on the millisecond distraction and he kicked as hard as he could – but he had neither the grip nor the distance as his two long feet slammed against the Hunter's armoured thigh. Wrenching his leg, the leader stumbled and Dr. Kale twisted away and fled into the sanctuary building – then he shrieked in agony as a bullet left a gouge across the side of his neck – dissolving fur and flesh – others pockmarking the wall as he stumbled and fell.

“Get after him, now!” Their enraged leader snarled at them. “I want that overgrown joey alive! You hear me – he's going to suffer...”

*

Dr. Kale held a paw to his neck, feeling the blood oozing from the wound. It wasn't immediately fatal, but if he didn't do something about it – with his exertions, it'd soon weaken him. He hurried with determination into the operating theatre, where he tore open packets with his teeth. Slapping an absorbent pad against the wound, he grit his teeth and used medical tape to wind around his throat, securing it. It wasn't a fix – but it was better than nothing.

Hearing the heavy booted footsteps, Dr. Kale, his senses heightened by the urgency of the situation, moved with calculated familiarity through the labyrinthine corridors of the sanctuary. Each step, each turn, was etched into his memory like the lines of a map drawn from years of care and dedication. The walls seemed to whisper to him, the familiar contours offering both concealment and strategic advantage.

As he delved deeper into the heart of the sanctuary, Dr. Kale reached the main power room. His skilled paws worked swiftly, disabling the generator with a series of practised motions. The hum of electricity ceased, and the sanctuary was plunged into an inky blackness. Dr. Kale, guided by memory and instinct, navigated the now-darkened halls with the quiet confidence of a kangaroo who knew his terrain intimately.

“Fuck...” Someone shouted. “The lights...”

“Switch to the torches, now!” Another shouted back.

In a concealed storage room, Dr. Kale gathered his arsenal – tranquilliser darts filled not with the usual sedatives but with potent euthanasia drugs. The kind he had reserved for emergencies, never anticipating a threat of this magnitude. The vials clinked softly as he secured them in a pouch, a grim acknowledgement of the gravity of the situation.

I'm a Doctor, not a murderer... Dr Kale's mind reeled at the gravity of the situation.

Do you want to live? Come that dark, tantalising voice in his head. You know what?...

Dr. Kale clutched his head, feeling like his very soul was being torn apart, as he cried out breathlessly, the dark therian strangling his vocal cords as he crumpled to the floor, convulsing and shaking...

When he stood up again, his eyes were no longer warm, compassionate and brown...

They were pure, inky black...

“Weak, pathetic joey –“ Dr. Kale's new voice was dark, filled with malice and contempt for its host.

Armed with the lethal tranquillisers, the creature that'd been Dr. Kale continued his stealthy journey through the sanctuary, moving with the silence of a shadow. The darkness became his ally, and the familiarity of the environment allowed him to outmanoeuvre the hunters who searched from room to room.

The tension heightened as he approached the vicinity of the hunters. Dr. Kale knew the layout of the building better than anyone, and he strategically positioned himself to gain the upper hand. The muffled sounds of their footsteps echoed in the dark, giving him a sense of their location.

As the first hunter unknowingly crossed his path, Dr. Kale stepped up behind him, then gripped him under the chin, pulling his head backwards. With a savage stabbing motion, he slammed one of the darts into the Hunter's neck, right between the silver-infused brace and the helmet.

Much to the Therian's displeasure, the Hunter didn't suffer...

Or scream...

The euthanasia tranquilliser worked swiftly, and the hunter slithered to the ground, dead before he hit the floor. Dr Kale, his dark therian instincts controlling him, felt his kinder, gentler side try to reassert itself – but the creature he'd become, crushed it mercilessly. Quietly, it crawled away, hunting the Hunters...

Quickly, they activated their rifle-mounted LED flashlights, the white light sweeping over and under desks doors and rooms as they searched.

“Fuck you, come out and stop hiding, you worthless piece of - “ One of them shouted, swinging around and looking increasingly worried.

As he turned around, his eyes widened in horror, before he was savagely kicked, the powerful talons tearing through the body armour like a knife through butter. As he fell backwards with a crash, the Therian snarled and spun away – unable to finish what it'd started.

It tried to hop, then suddenly screamed in agony, as the acrid scent of burning flesh filled the Therian's nostrils as the silver had seared the leathery pads on its toes.

Instantly, the divider it crouched behind began to disintegrate, as high-powered rifle rounds chewed apart the foam and fabric. One bullet found its mark, entering its back and exiting through the top of its shoulder. Hurt, enraged and bleeding, the Dark Therian dragged itself across the darkened hallway.

Behind it, the Hunter writhed and screamed, clutching at his entrails that spilled over his fingers like links in a sausage.

“Fuck, it hurts, it hurts so...wait... what are you... No, please!” He shrieked, and then the sound of a pistol shot silenced his anguished cries.

“When I find you joey – what I'll do to you before you die... even your ancestors will cringe in sickened horror...” Come the dark, ruthless voice of the Hunter's leader. “Two of my men are... oh – shot, are we? I hope it's not a mortal injury, I'd rather you not die too quickly...”

*

Using every ounce of cunning it had – the Dark Therian isolated and brutally murdered the third of the Hunters – but it didn't escape entirely unharmed...

It threw a coffee cup that shattered on the floor in a cubicle, drawing the Hunter's attention – his bright LED torch swinging and rifle barking as he sprayed the partitioned corner, before cautiously approaching. Expecting to find the Therian gasping and dying – his eyes went wide as he saw the broken cup – realising too late, that he'd been deceived.

“Fuck me...” Gasped the Hunter, before he froze, feeling a hot, moist breath against his neck.

“No...” Come the whisper of the therian. “You're not my type...”

Before the Hunter could react, the bracer was torn from his throat, the Therian's muffled cries of agony reaching his ears – the last sounds he'd ever hear...

Its head snapped to the side and it sank its teeth into the side of his neck, severing the jugular in a powerful spray of hot, iron-rich blood. As it began to gulp down the liquid like fine wine, one ear snapped backwards. With a snarl, it spun the Hunter around, just as the rifle spat and its victim jittered as round after round punched into the body. One over-penetrating and striking the Therian who pulled its bloodied mouth free and screamed in agony.

Its victim collapsed to the floor, as the Therian staggered back, clutching at the wound, staring down at the blood that seeped through its fingers. Incredulously, it lifted its head, lips curling back in a snarl as the lead Hunter dropped the magazine and slapped a new one home, racking his assault rifle's bolt.

“You must be Dr. Kale - “ Snorted the human, looking disdainfully at the Therian.

Its eyes glistened like twin black diamonds, its hatred and rage spiking.

With a contemptuous sneer, the man made his disdain obvious. “That wasn't me being courteous – you're an abomination against God and Beast – when I'm through with you...”

Looking around, he smirked cruelly and gestured.

“How convenient, a Veterinarian Hospital – I'm sure you have lots of wonderful instruments and devices I'll enjoy using on you. What? Coal black eyes? You are a Therian... I might cut them out, keep them as a souvenir in a jar on my desk... ”

What the Therian, struggling to stay upright, uttered, was unspeakable.

“That's the spirit!” Smirked the Hunter. “Let's finish this, obviously, your little ploy to distract us, you really thought we'd sent just one team?”

Enraged, the Therian leapt at him, before the man sidestepped and brought his rifle butt down between its ears with a shattering crunch – the Therian collapsing to the ground, unconscious...

*

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting an eerie glow over the clearing, and the Therian was cruelly dropped to the ground, the Hunter sinking his boot into its stomach, causing the Therian to cry out and try to drag itself away.

“Get up, beast, I'm not finished with you... Playtime is only starting...”

Weak from blood loss, the Therian dragged itself to its feet, swaying and shaking its head, trying to clear it.

Before him, the Hunter began stripping himself, discarding his protective armour piece by piece, until he stood naked, then rolled his powerful, muscular shoulders and picked up a cruel, wicked knife.

His voice, cold and authoritative, cut through the silence like the knife he held, switching it from hand to hand.

"So, you're the infamous Therian they call Dr. Kale," the Hunter leader taunted, his words dripping with disdain. "I must say, you've caused quite an inconvenience to me... But we both know how this ends, don't we?"

“Go fuck yourself - “ Snarled the Therian, shaking its head and trying to focus its blurry eyesight.

“Maybe I'll do that to you – before I cut your throat...” Snickered the Hunter. “Oh, don't look so shocked Skippy! You think you'd be the first – I've broken and taken?”

It knew it was being taunted, the sting of the Hunter's words and the truth it heard in them, only enraging it further. Its muscles tensed as it quivered, dropping down into a crouch, its ears flattened. Its ink-black eyes met the Hunter leader's gaze with unwavering resolve.

"You think yourself better than us, don't you?" the Hunter leader continued, his voice laced with arrogance. "But you're nothing more than an animal—a beast to be hunted and disposed of. It's time you learned your place."

A ripple of anger surged through the dark Therian's veins at the Hunter's words.

“You want to man up, Joey?” The Hunter laughed contemptuously. “Even fully healed, you'd barely prove to be an inconvenience to me. If you think you're enough of a buck – let's dance...”

And then, in a blur of motion, the Hunter leader lunged forward, his movements swift and precise. Startled, the Therian countered as best it could, the cold steel of the knife opening deep, bleeding wounds again and again. It fought with fierceness and determination, ignoring the agony of the host it inhabited, drawing purely on its own, dark, violent instincts.

Sharp claws drew deep gouges across its opponent, but the Hunter merely grunted and laughed contemptuously, tormenting and teasing with words and gestures, fuelling the dark Therian's blood lust.

It didn't think, it couldn't think – irrational, it fought like a cornered animal, any trace of its humanity and rational thought suppressed and crushed beneath its desire to not only kill – but to destroy...

Despite his best efforts, the Hunter leader proved to be a formidable opponent, his skill and cunning matching the enraged Therian blow for blow.

With each passing moment, the odds seemed to stack higher against the Therian kangaroo.

As the battle raged on, the Therian's body began to fail – blood loss making it weaker and weaker, the host energy waning, his body battered and bloodied from the relentless onslaught. But still, it refused to surrender, drawing upon every last ounce of strength within itself to keep fighting.

“I'm through playing now Skippy, you've been almost worthy – I'm ashamed to bring this to an end...” Grunted the Hunter, stepping back and giving a respectful nod.

It was the moment the Therian had prayed for...

Then, in a final, desperate bid, it unleashed a flurry of strikes, his movements fuelled by sheer determination. With a resounding crunch, its long feet slammed into the Hunter's chest, the powerful talons curling but before it could finish the decimating kick, its body failed and it fell sideways, screaming in rage and agony.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as the Hunter leader staggered backwards, his expression twisted in shock and disbelief before his feet tangled and he fell backwards, his head striking the ground with a sickening thud, leaving him momentarily stunned – his only weapon flying from his nerveless hand.

Struggling back to its feet, the Therian wobbled and crawled over to the human, who moaned and trembled, a pool of crimson slowly forming under the back of his head.

“No...” Gurgled the Hunter. “Please...”

With a shudder, the Therian, barely alive, squeezed closed its eyes – when they reopened, the inky-black was gone, replaced with the warm, compassionate eyes of Dr. Kale. Dr. Kale stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion as he surveyed the scene before him. The Hunter leader lay defeated at his feet, his arrogance shattered and his life fading before his eyes.

It was a momentary respite...

"Unlike you" Dr. Kale growled, his eyes shifting from brown to inky black. "I have mercy..."

He gripped his opponent by the head, pushing it back and his teeth flashed, tearing out the Hunter's throat, before he pushed him away, letting the dying human slump back onto the ground, himself crawling a few feet away, before he too slumped to the ground, surrendering to the coldness that flooded him...

TO BE CONTINUED...