Skyline King
Skyline King
a fantasy story
by Sharpfang'98
This story i dedicate to those without whom, The Forest wouldn't be what
is now: Kelly and Hunter
This story is a pure fiction. Although there is some similarity to certain RL persons, all the circumstances and facts are only the effect of my (sick ;) imagination and never happened IRL in this nor similar form.
Skyline King ============
Thousands of stars overhead, millions underfeet. Here, 80 floors above the street level, unlike down there, the air was clean and fresh. The noises of the far streets were far and quiet....
Wind was standing at the edge of the skyscraper. She bound her wings around her body. The steel-white eyes of the black woman with white feather on her wing-like arms were penetrating the night. Her nails, long and sharp like tiger's claws were stroking the feather. Next to her Dark was sitting and watching too. The big. black, sleek body, night-black fur, muscles, claws and fangs... The big black panther. His eyes were shining yellow like the billboard with "Power Lord" batteries commercial 60 floors below.
He snarled. Danger. The Mud Brothers are here. Croak. Croak. Burp. Sounds like splashed mud. Scent of rotten water plants. From a doorway in the floor one big silhouette appeared. Big, fat, stinking crocodile, walking on two legs. Wind opened her wings wide... Her white hair were looking like a cloud. Dark quietly ran aside. The monster was walking slowly toward the woman. Second big silhouette, like the first one, appeared in the doorway. A flash on the sky, two stars of speed, constellation of flying claws and fangs, hit, fall, roll, the panther pushed the enemy near to the edge of the building. Blood, pain, snarl, hind paw in crocodile's jaws, bite the reptile's stomach, paw released, push against the floor, heavy, danger, avoid the jaws, hold... The panther listened with pleasure to the roar of terror fading away far down behind him as the big body was vanishing in the distant ant-hill of the city below. He heard a shout of Wind. He ran to the place where his Lady was standing last. He looked down. Two shapes were rotating in the air. The evil croc was holding Wind's wing in his teeth. She was fighting desperately with the foe using the free hand. Finally she freed herself but the broken wing was useless. Circling like a wounded bird she was falling down. The bad beast hit the ground, the crowd of people formed a circle around it, then someone shouted, another empty circle in the crowd formed, the bird-woman hit its middle and the wave covered the corpse. Sirens of the police, noise of voices.. Nothing could be done. Dark turned back and ran away. Long jumps from one skyscraper roof to another were leading him further and further from the city, through the suburbs and slums...
* * *
He woke up in an old, abandoned house, where he went to sleep at the sunrise time. Now the sky was navy-blue after the sunset again. He was depressed. The hunger was clutching his stomach but he was ignoring it. He climbed up to the roof and continued his way... Away from the city. Now people were close, just below him, their rows, curses and hate almost touching his paws and whiskers. Last houses, last streets... From here the plains begin... and the hill in their middle can be seen already. Like an enormous turtle, the hill covered with trees was lying there. The top of the mistress house was visible... of his home. The windows were dark... He felt as he had been feeling many times before: His head on Wind's knees, warmth of hearth and her fingers scritching his neck. Only a moment yet... Just a few jumps...
Suddenly an explosion tore the hill. In the place where the house was standing just a moment ago, there were only burning trees and a hole in the ground. The truth hit him like a hammer. He had NO home. His mistress was DEAD, The explosion caused by the anti-intrusion systems of the house triggered by a thief or someone else was the last accent of this song. No one will ever know, who Wind really was... and Dark was alone.
The sadness began turning into anger. He turned back and ran away, jumping from roof to roof. He looked down. A gang of nazis was surrounding a pair: a black boy and girl. No hesitation. No warning. No waiting for their first move. Black lightning. Claws tear throat. Paw breaks neck. Fangs in other throat. Head smashed against the ground. Pushed onto a wall - pierced in half with a pipe standing out from it. The rest retreats. Pounce - back broken. Caught and smashed the neck. The last turns... "Don't..." he mutters. Jump, fangs in throat, to the ground warm blood, fresh, good, hungry, eat, DON'T! "Never eat human meat! Never!" - said his mistress sometime. He looked around. The girl embracing the boy was crying. Eight corpses around... "Enough for me" - Dark though and jumped up onto the nearest roof, leaving the field of battle behind. Nothing was done. He didn't feel better. The only effect was the hunger awoken with some blood in his stomach. He was really hungry... Scent of meat. A few streets further there was a slaughter house. People were loading the meat to a truck. Steal some? What else? No home, no food. He jumped down, grabbed a big piece of calf and before anyone understood what's going on, he was back on the roof. He ran away a few streets and began eating, ignoring the angry voices behind. He didn't care at all. He didn't care if they find and kill him... or even catch and close in a zoo - it used to be his worst dread... Now he didn't care... He felt the pain in his hind paw where the mud brother had bit him. He licked the paw. The wound wasn't serious but annoying. He ate the rest of the calf, it was tasteless for him. He ran slowly to the nearby park.
A hill. He sat on top of it... Lied down, head on paws... A dog howled nearby. Dark snarled. Damned Mud Brothers. Damned people. Damned life. Damned dog howls again... Shut up, stupid dog! He stood up. Damned annoying dog. A few jumps, one fence... He snarled. A female poor collie.
Don't hurt me... Please... - her voice was scared. He remembered: "They always ask your mercy... and just as you turn back they stab your back with a knife. Have no mercy!". He snarled... but... he was confused... Something is different... Enemy? This dog was no enemy. She was to weak to hurt him. She lowered her head. He looked around. She was closed in a box, three steps wide, four long, she was skinny, only her belly expanded - she was pregnant... and very hungry. Additionally a few wounds from a club on her head and sides. He looked in her eyes with no anger anymore, only sadness. Suddenly the extreme anger sparkled in his eyes again.
Where is the one who did it to you?
He... - she suddenly understood - No, Please! Forgive him! I have forgiven him already... He doesn't know what he's doing... - Her voice was soft and weak... This voice! He didn't know why, but he couldn't refuse.
Good. But I won't leave you here. - One swing of the armed paw and the metal fence was broken. - Follow me - He went out. The collie followed. - I'm Dark. and what's your name?
Lea. - she replied. They padded through the park...
"A doggy! Let's play with it!" "Skinning or Blood sacrifice?" - two voices sounded nearby. These were the last words in these punks life.
- Don't... Please, never more... - said Lea.
Dark shook his head. - No one, never will hurt you anymore. As long as I live.
He led her to an abandoned house. - Wait here, I'll be right back. - He was back really soon, a big loaf of meat in his teeth. Lea wasn't used to meat as food, but she ate it hungrily... the first serious meal for months... Meantime Dark was cleaning the wounds on her head. He smiled to her.
- Do you want to be as strong as I am?
She looked at him asking?
I'll take you to a man who will heal you... and do much more!
Don't bother yourself with me... you must be busy and I'm disturbing you... I'm sorry for that all...
Dark licked her face. - No, a short time ago I had no reason to live... Now you're the reason!
Really?? - she couldn't belive... - You mean... I was so hungry that I was unable to think and just followed you when you told me so. Now... Why? What's so special in me that you decided to help me?
I don't know. I just think it might be the new sense of my life.
If you say so... - she smiled - I'm proud to be your sense of life! - smiling she licked his muzzle. - And do whatever you think might be good for me then...
Good. Sleep now, Tomorrow I will take you to someone who will heal you. - He took place on top of an old wardrobe left in the room, she lied on pile of old cloth in a corner.
* * *
He was sleeping with a very light sleep. Even the slightest noises were attracting his attention, but the day passed without problems. The evening came. It wasn't dark yet when he left to get some food. It took him a while to find a suitable occasion. Finally he stole a piece of meat big enough for both of them. He ran back. On the stairs of the house he felt a stranger's smell. He dropped the meat and ran upstairs, to the doorway of the room, where he left Lea. He saw her in a corner, fear in her eyes. He saw a man too, with a club in hand.
You bastard bitch! You'll regret running away! - he rose his hand. Dark snarled. The man turned his face to him. The club fell down from his hand. - Don't... Please... - he muttered.
Dark, please, let him live! - said Lea.
Good. Come, Lea, Let's go away from here.
She ran to him. They turned away from the man and walked out slowly. Then Dark heard the sound he had heard hundred times before. Metal rubbing against the cloth. A pistol against a shirt. And he did what he was doing hundred times before. Short roll, pouncing attack, hand with the gun in teeth, smashed bones crackle, claws into the chest, one move back, fangs across the throat. Done. "Have no mercy" sounded in his head. Lea ran to the corpse. She cried. - Stupid! Stupid man! He could just let me go and live his life! Why did he do it?! Why!?!
- Come, Lea, Let's go.
She turned to him, looked sadly and followed him.
* * *
He was lying on a comfortable leather sofa in the modern waiting room. The wounded paw covered with bandage (a black one!) didn't hurt at all. He was looking into the past... The box of cash. He took it from a hidden store where Wind had put it "in case of trouble". Then Doctor. Wind was taking him here every time he was wounded, poisoned or sick. This time he came here only with Lea. Doctor knew from newspapers, what happened to Wind. He was a young and honest scientist. It was difficult for an animal like Dark to explain a human, what he wanted, but finally he succeeded. Doctor counted the correct (pretty high) amount from the cash Dark brought him and Dark was sure he didn't take a penny more than he should. Now Dark could only wait. His eyes slowly glazed over.
- Dark!? You must be sick! You've been snorting! - the voice of smiling Doctor woke him up. His sleep was as heavy as never before. - Here's your girl. Be back in two days and I'll remove the bandages. - he had Lea unconscious on his hands, almost whole body covered with bandages. - Or pay me extra for accommodation for yourself!
Dark sighed and picked the box with the cash and came to Doctor who grinned: - Ok, you get the accommodation for free this time!
* * *
A few hours ago they left Doctor's house. Lea was slowly getting used to the new abilities of her body. Most of her bones were replaced with metal ones. Her muscles strengthened with electronically controlled plastic ribbons. A second, artificial heart was added. In a special process all her fur turned black. Steel, electronically controlled claws, eyes with infrared, digital zoom x1800 and anti-flash protection... Only the brain untouched... As good and loving as always.
- I'm not sure if all I was doing in my life was good - Said Dark. Will you teach me, what is good and what isn't?
Lea smiled to him. - I'm not sure if I find time. I will have puppies and will have to spend all my time with them... but... helping a lone mother will be a good thing indeed!
- I'll be the best father I can. - smiled Dark. - Now come with me and I'll show you the place where the moon is most beautiful.
They were jumping from one skyscraper onto another. Dark was stopping often to encourage Lea for each jump. She wasn't used to such heights. Finally they jumped onto the wall of one skyscraper which was like a sting pointing into the sky. They were climbing the almost vertical wall but their "corrected" claws were a good support.
The top was a small platform. They sat on it. The full moon was shining over them. Lea howled to it. Dark smiled. Her howl wasn't annoying anymore, it was nice now. The stars were surrounding them. Thousands overhead, millions underfeet. Lea curled up to Dark.
The Skyline King found his queen
. . . . . By Sharpfang Fri Aug 8 18:12:00 CEST 1998