//?A Curious Sergal: Part 1.001
#1 of //?A Curious Sergal
FEEL FREE TO SKIP TO THE STORY BELOW THE NOTES... JUST REMEMBER THAT I DID TRY TO EXPLAIN IT UP IN THE NOTES
NOTES AND DISCLAIMERS: Sergals, Rain Silves, Vilous, and some other things ©Mick39 (AKA Trancy Mick)
http://goldring.wikia.com/wiki/Vilous_Wiki
This is the first version of this story, so there are quite a few plot holes and screw ups. These will be fixed, but any feedback is nice and streamlines the revision process (SO PLEASE LEAVE SOME). Also, while the main charecter's name is Jax, I just put that in for a temporary name... it will be subject to change in the future.
AUTOR'S NOSE: (YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THIS PART BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH BACKGROUND, BUT IT MIGHT MAKE STUFF A BIT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE)
This is the first iteration of the second story I wrote that takes place in the land of Vilous. It takes place in the green belt (NON-CANON), a small stretch of forest sandwiched between the Tatola mountain/tundras, and the Sailzane desert. It is the fourth year of The Brutal General's (Rain Silves) expansion. In this story, as well as my other one, there is one extra faction in Vilous, though they try to stay as quiet as possible (only a handful of members of a few species know of their existence). They are nomadic, and their technology far surpasses the forgotten Age of Steam technology the Agudner (the nomads have technology that surpasses our own; such as space-faring vessels). The single thing about themselves they do broadcast, however, it their symbol: a hexagon. Whenever they need to do something, and they don't want anyone messing with their affairs, they mark it with their symbol. Those that know of them know to stay well enough away... those that don't know of them are vaporized by remote defense system arrays. They had been though to have moved on from this universe many years ago, though this had never been confirmed. I refer to them throughout this story as the AEF or the Nomads, though that is not their name (I have just been using these names so I can replace it later when I find a more suitable name for them).
Anyways, here is the story... any feedback would be lovely, as I have never uploaded any of my stories to anywhere or done anything with them.
** //?A Curious Sergal Part 1**
//(U-14 DepartureTime+172
Only one thing stood between the mighty Brutal General and her conquest of the Sailzane. The alliance was gone. Mercilessly slaughtered by the Shigu. The lone survivor stood against the waves of grey fur that surrounded him. But for the first time in his life, he did not resist.
His weary knees buckled under the weight of his broken body, and Mother Ground accepted him in her wet, muddy embrace. He propped his hands underneath him and tried to get up, but his back was pinned to the ground by a massive, golden-clad hind paw. He was cold from the soft barrage of water missiles that fell from the heavens, soaking him through to the bone, and his featherlike fur was matted with mud, but it didn't matter: he had found his new home. His elbows that had only a moment earlier supported his body in defiance of the inevitable now laid themselves down alongside him and accepted Mother Ground's final embrace, and he settled into his nest. His safe place. The Brutal General held up her signature double-bladed polearm. He had gone through so much in his ten years of life; moments that were warm, fuzzy, cold, stale, restless, hollow, sad, colorful, hot, dry, steamy, and beautiful flashed through his mind. This moment was sharp and cold... he would never have a chance to remember it.
//(U-14 DepartureTime+162.4592
//(Power cycle complete...
//(Tests complete...
//(All systems running at minimal capacity
//(Good night my children...
***
He was born. This was the most important thing to happen to him since, well... being born. This single momentous event of existing was the most amazing thing to yet happen to Jax; and with existing came a newfound sense of exploring the existence around him, an urge that would only grow stronger over the years of his life. Father handed him to Mother, and she gently cradled his fragile infant form in her muscular arms.
"What a beautiful male pup you are!" the Southern Sergal exclaimed (softly, to prevent startling him), as she started to delicately lick his matted tuffs of fur.
"He'll grow up to make us proud" Father said, nuzzling muzzles with Mother.
Jax readjusted to a more comfortable position on the vast plain of Mother's stomach and started to sleep entwined in the sea of off-white fur.
"What abnormal fur color! This is what happens when we disregard natural order. I knew we should not have allowed a Northern Sergal into our clan" ?ban, the village elder said.
"Yes, what an extraordinary fur color" Father, the Northern Sergal she had been referring to, corrected her.
"That spawn is a bad omen. A pup born with all black fur; it is a sign from the above!" the Village Elder said. "We must cast it out immediately!"
Grrrr! Mother and Father both barred their heinous fangs as they growled menacingly. The Village Elder backed off at such a confrontation by the Southern and Northern Sergal pair; they were two of the village's best warriors. She may have had power over logical things such as the spirits and the weather, but when it came to matters such as why parents would love their newborn offspring, she was an oblivious old coot.
Jax had woken from the wrenching sounds emanating from his parents (and mainly the fluffy white plateau he was situated on), and after helplessly whimpering for a few moments, he started to explore.
"What a curious pup you are!" Mother exclaimed, tickled by his wriggling as he was too young to stand upright on his hind legs.
Jax rolled off Mother's flexuous form, and began to investigate the confines of the soft bowl that he was trapped in.
"This is your nest, little one. It is home."
After his fourth failed attempt to climb over the plush walls of his newfound home, he inadvertently rolled head over tail back to Mother. He curiously surveyed her body before she gently picked him up and put him where he had been searching for.
"There, that's what you wanted, isn't it" Mother's soft songlike voice lulled him to sleep as he serenely suckled her sweet milk.
"He tired out quick, but most newborns sleep immediately after birth" Father noted.
"I think I'm quite tired after all that too" Mother gave a sigh about such a prolonged and drawn out birth.
Father snuggled up to Mother, encasing his new family within the terminuses of his muscular limbs.
"I love you darling", he said, gazing into the abyss of her eyes.
"I love you too-"
Mother was cut off by a small peeping noise emanating from their new clan member.
"And you too little one"
"What should we name him?" Father asked.
"How about Jax?"
"That seems like a suiting name for such an explorer"
They laid their massive heads down, encircling Jax. It was warm and cozy... just as how Jax would always remember this time of his life.
***
//(U-14 DepartureTime+164.583399
Yip! Jax squealed playfully. He was play-fighting with Hiat, one of his female clan-members, and Arroyo, someone from a neighboring clan whose father had come to forge diplomatic relations with their clan. All three of them were roughly two years of age, but Arroyo was almost half a head taller than the rest, and his fur was already thick on the back of his head, as if it was forming a mane. It would for certain look splendid when (or if) he came of age. Even with his one against two disadvantage, he was more than strong enough to pin down Hiat with his hind paws while playfully batting at a completely helpless Jax' nose with his fore paws.
"Come, Arroyo" Arroyo's father said. Arroyo sadly disengaged himself from the tangle of pups and trotted over to his father.
"Do not look so downtrodden; an alliance agreement with the K?kishin Clan has been struck" Arroyo's father said, hoisting his offspring into the carrying pack on his back.
Jax whimpered softly upon realizing one of his play mates had suddenly vanished from his environment.
"Don't worry son", Father said to Jax as he patted Arroyo's father's shoulder, "if this alliance with the Reono goes the way it should, you will get to see Arroyo quite frequently in the near future"
Jax only understood some of the words, he was still only two years old, but he did understand that he would be able to see his newfound friend more often, and that was enough for a smile brim across his toothless face. Jax and Hiat were picked up by their respective parents, who began walking back to the village from the neutral tent that had been set up as a sort of embassy between their two tribes. As each tribe member departed to their respective village, Jax wriggled around in his carrying pack to get a better view behind himself. A golden-grey furred head popped out of a backpack in his view, and he waved. It waved back. The day was in its dusk, but new friendships were in their dawn.
***
//( U-14 DepartureTime+165.070386
Six seasons had passed. The ground had frozen over, and the trees that had once held such life and wonder in Jax' eyes now clawed and scratched their jagged limbs at the sky. It was not snowing yet, but dark clouds had ominously gathered over the horizon. Jax shifted his position within the nest. It was colder and less comfortable than previous years, but it was home. His ear twitched at the sound of a sharp shrieking noise outside the tent, followed by the clamor of what sounded like the entire clan. Jax stretched out to his full length -a measly 3'2"- and stretched out his limbs after such a long and restless nap. He stood up and opened the flap to the tent, not bothering to put any clothing on (Sergals' fur coats are as thick as ski jackets, thus Sergals have a tendency to be quite liberal on the topic of clothing). A wall of cold air rushed in and bombarded his senses in their sharp and unloving embrace. His ears pricked up to find the origin of such a clamor, and soon enough he found it. All the village members had formed a circle around Mother, Father, and Village elder. Before being able to inquire what was going on, the elder raised her grotesque finger and accusingly pointed it at Jax. He lowered his ears and his tail tucked itself between his legs as the gaze of all his clan members' eyes landed on him.
"There! That is the cur that has lead such misfortune into our midst!" The village elder shouted accusingly.
Father barred his fangs at the withered hag who had just accused his son while Mother spoke to Jax, "Go back inside the tent, we will be there shortly..."
Jax did as he was told and waited, but his curiosity was sparked by a ball of string in the corner that Father had acquired through his peace delegations with the Reono. He rolled it into his nest, and then proceeded to gloriously play with it. There were more sounds outside, but he was unconcerned with matters of the outside world. The yarn was his world now. He tossed it and pawed it this way and that, entwining himself in it, before it rolled out of the safety of his nest. He jumped out to come face to face with a massive furred pillar. As he craned his neck to see what it was, he soon realized he was in fact face to shin with Gaina, a female of the tribe who had recently lost her child to the unusually cold weather.
Chink!
She unsheathed her hunting dagger. Jax was confused; one only unsheathed their dagger when there was prey nearby. Jax surveyed the room, but there was no prey. No one but him. That was when he looked into her cold, watering ,childless eyes and realized... he was the prey.
Rwar!
Gaina lunged forward at Jax, just nipping his face under the eye with her dagger before he could get his string-wrapped body away.
Yelp!
Jax yelped and cried for Mother and Father as he was inevitably being cornered by Gaina. Though his conscious mind was frozen with fear, his instincts decided to make a run for it. Just as he leapt to his right with all the force his underdeveloped rear legs could muster, Gaina threw the dagger on an intercept course to his right.
Umpf!
The wind was knocked out of Jax as a force grasped his waist and his trajectory was halted in midair. The sleek, silvery strand of steel (I guess Sergals only have iron tools, but iron doesn't start with an 's') sailed through the air just inches in front of his snout. He landed flat on his tail and shrieked as pain shot up his spine. Looking behind him, the string that had so forcefully grasped his waist just a moment ago was caught on the side of the tent. His newfound plaything had saved his life from his rash actions.
Fwoosh!
The tent flew open as Mother and Father burst in, eyes blazing with rage. Mother grabbed Jax as Father fought off Gaina and the pursuing mob. Jax buried his face in the warm fur of Mother's shoulder. He could feel her heartbeat. It reassured him. He didn't know where they were going; it didn't matter. As long as he was with his parents, he was safe. The family fled from their traitorous old clan. Under the cover of Mother Night's ubiquitous embrace, the trio flew, borne on swift wings of fear.
Winter was cold and unforgiving, but that night Jax made a new friend; shadow.
***
Jax whimpered as Mother tended to the cut under his eye.
"It is okay dear; no one will hurt you now. The trees are safe" She comforted him.
Jax nodded. His eight season old mind could still comprehend basic things like safety.
Fwoosh!
Father flew down from one of the higher canopy levels to theirs.
"I found the herbs" Father said. He briefly nuzzled muzzles with Mother as he gave them to her.
"Now I remember why I chose you as a mate" Mother smiled, gazing into Father's eyes deeply. After the brief moment was over, Mother returned to nursing their injured offspring.
"This is Naosu leaf; it will reduce the pain. It also tastes good", Mother said, as she tore off a piece, giving it to Jax, distracting him just long enough to put the rest on the cut under his eye before he could pull back.
"How does it look?" Father asked Mother.
Mother glanced away from Jax as he delicately nibbled on the Naosu leaf grasped between his delicate paws. "We are lucky Gaina's dagger missed", Mother growled slightly as she said the name of the person who had tried to murder her son, "It will not impair him, but I'm not sure if it will ever fully heal". Then, on another note, "What was wrong with that @#$% @#$% @#$%!" she screamed.
Yip!
A surprised Jax hurtled himself into the sanctum of Mother's fuzzy chest in front of him. There had been much too much excitement that night already.
"Oh, it's okay" Mother said, her tone slipping into the softest one her deep guttural vocal cords could produce as she gently stroked the fur on Jax' head. A tear welled up in her eye as she saw the small red splotch on her fur coat that Jax had left.
"She was just being insolent, driven by grief from the loss of her pup. Would you not feel the same had we lost Jax?" Father said, patting Jax gently on the head "Especially after the heated and bigoted speech ?ban gave?" hypocritically growling at the mention of the name of the one person in the village who had always hated him for being a Northern Sergal.
"I know, but it really gets me that she, a fellow mother, would do that to me... To him..."Mother said softly as she scratched under the ear of her now purring favorite ball of fur.
"It is in the past now. We must look to the future. How does the wound look?"
Mother uncovered some of the leaves and showed Father the full extent of Jax' injuries. Father's heart stopped, not because it was a bad injury, but due to what it looked like.
"What is it?" Mother asked, detecting Father's mental cringe.
"That mark... it looks exactly like the emblem of a Northern Sergal clan that I was once at war with. In fact, that clan had been the very reason I fled the Tatola and ended up running into your hunting party"
Mother was surprised at Father's sudden and spontaneous disclosure of so much of his past, which he had chosen to keep secret. It was apparent he had a long history with this Northern Sergal clan.
"It is really of no importance... we should simply be wary; the 'eye of death' carries much weight in many areas of Vilous"
Mother was not surprised she hadn't heard of such an infamous clan; her tribe was very sheltered in the Green-Belt it dwelt in, and was very rarely disturbed by matters of the outside world. Her clan's inability to understand why Northern and Southern Sergals fought had been the very reason she had been allowed to perform the courtship ritual with Father; any other clan would have shunned the idea of a Northern male and a Southern female interbreeding.
"We will cope..." Mother began.
"We will adapt" Father said the next line of the saying that he and his mate had learned and lived through their years together.
Unknown to Jax at the time, in a few short seasons this simple saying would mean the difference between life and death in the five-year long game of cat-and-mouse he would be trapped in.
***
//(U-14 DepartureTime+ 165.503138
Jax locked his forward facing eyes onto his prey. He glanced to the other side of the clearing, and saw another figure crouched low in a hunting position. It was slightly bigger than Jax, was golden brown in contrast to his jet black, and already had some evidence of a mane growing out from behind its head. It was eyeing the prey in the middle of the clearing too. Arroyo gave him the signal. He started low and slow, in an awkward crouch-walk, but then sped up, pursuing the prey from his side of the clearing. Looking over, Arroyo was mirroring his actions perfectly, and before long they had both closed a considerable distance to the rabbit. The rabbit's fluffy head shot up and it surveyed its surroundings. Jax and Arroyo didn't pause; it didn't matter if it saw them. The rabbit, upon seeing the two trails of trampled grass rapidly approaching it from behind, promptly sprang into action, relying on its instincts to save it from danger. It ran towards the side of the clearing, desperate to escape the open area it was in. This was exactly what Jax had anticipated. Upon its crossing of the threshold of trees, its leg was caught in the snare Jax had laid out for it. The two hunters closed in to finish the job.
The two hunters divided their kill before packing up to go. Arroyo nodded and stood up to leave. Jax gestured farewell, and Arroyo returned it. They were too young to talk to each other verbally, but their short time together had formed a bond that did not require words. Unknown to either, they would not see each other in person again.
Jax arrived back at camp early before dusk. His prize was readily devoured by the clan in attendance... His clan of three. There was a camp fire, but needless to say, they ate the carcass raw. After having their share of Jax' meager prize they groomed each other before curling up and falling asleep on each other.
***
//(U-14 DepartureTime+ 316.505877
The day was bright and cheery, just as spring should be. All the flowers were in bloom, and for many of the forest's inhabitants it was breeding season, as well as a time of new beginnings. Mother and Father were fishing. They had tried to teach Jax, but he had been too interested in how the cool, ephemeral stream rushed through his probing three-year old paws to be instructed on something as trivial as survival skills.
"Let him be; he already shows enough potential in hunting and climbing, and his understanding of herbs is exceptional for his age... I'm sure we can let this pass" Father said, "besides, there will be other days to learn to fish (FORSHADOWING-NESS!)"
Jax now frolicked in a small cove of reeds, close enough to his parents that they could protect him should some threat arise, but far enough away that he didn't frighten any of the fish that had swam obliviously into the gaze of the two hungry adult Sergals' predatory eyes.
A beautify pied song-bird flew by, serenading to any potential mates that may have been hiding in the trees. Jax hopped out of the stream, shook off the excess water like a dog, and ran off to pursue the newfound source of sounds and colors. He scrambled up a rock to gain a better vantage point, but stopped. A massive, gapping maw of jagged rock confronted him. All else in his mind left him. He was afraid, but curious... he took a step forward.
Something caught his eye. A shiny in the outskirts of his peripheral vision. He took another step forward to get a better view of it, as it was further in the cave than he could see, when a resounding latching sound echoed through the concave orifice of the rock. He only had time to spin around and grasp one last glimpse of beautiful natural light as the blast door closed, locking him within her metallic confines for the rest of his childhood. Jax never forgot what that moment was like: the sun rested cheerfully in a valley between two mountains, as sunny and carefree as his time with his parents in the forest, oblivious to the fact that it was about to be swallowed by Mother Ground as the safety of Night settled on the landscape.
***
(NOTE FROM AUTHOR: I will put this in later, but I might forget. After effects of radiation include reduced stamina, bleeding eyes caused by physical over-exertion, reduced immune system, hyper-sensitivity-mainly vision-, and core body temperature overheating at rapid rates from exercise)
Part 2: