Beast In The Shadow

It has been two days since the team returned. My plan to kill the coyote is not easy. Two of my community members have disappeared without a trace.

I know the coyote is enjoying his snack one by one. As a lot of mutations will occur to him because of the chickens. It doesn't matter, for now it will be a matter of time before he is captured.

We now sleep in the same cave to avoid any mishap. And also I and clawone are not taking any sleep. Today I intend to kill it once for all.

All forty nine of us are huddle in the Caveone. We put coconut leaves to close the entrance. I specifically did not enter the pond for sleeping but stayed between claw seven and claw three. They are bigger so they cover me easily.

Clawone was in a tight encasement for protection. No one cluck or make a deep movement. Around midnight nothing happened.

There are some rustling of beasts outside the cave but none shows as if it's the enemy. Stray beasts during the night wander to oasis and leave when it's morning.

We identify some birds that usually make the oasis a place for the night before they fly away at sunrise. A month a go. There were a group of fox that frequent the oasis every night. 

We clash with them before we achieve temporary peace. It turns out that a strong beast seized their territory. So, they came to oasis every night to sleep before returning at sunrise. Later they find another place to stay.

So, almost all movement types know it and kind realize the type of visitor.

Today is no exception. The long black beak birds as usual, they are here. A strange heavy foot beast is here too. It's an Ox but this one is exceptionally large. I think he lost his group or they are devoured. May he be like me, a lost soul. But one thing is he dislikes other beasts.

If he is in location he doesn't want others to come, but if he is coming and sees another beast he will turn around as if shy. I didn't dare underestimate him, as other powerful beasts as I observe avoid him too.

I tried making friends with him, but he ignored me all the time. I do know he might be an evolved beast. Besides he only came here at night some time. But I usually saw him in the desert wandering and eating some bushes.

I listen trying to hear anything out of norm, but nothing. After sometime Clawone stood and cluck, ten cocks follower out. Some later she enter and cluck to Clawone which went to front cave Crow as usual.

I count the chicken, none disappear today. Hmmm this will be troublesome. Nevertheless today's activity was as usual more training to the soldiers.

At night the same arrangement, and then the days pass like that. I can only sleep during the day. But it was for the beat. 

Clawfour start to have some irregular breathing, three days after the sleeping arrangement. At first I thought it was because of the crowding during the sleep. As the chicken were clustered together in one position. But later on I blame it on the training.

It's a training for all the cocks to have powerful crow, just like Clawseven. He influenced a bad habit in them. Once he crow, none of the other cock will crow if he is in the vicinity. 

I initiate the training for all of them to develop their own crow. They will be leaders of a group and crow will be a way of commanding and information transfer.

Sighing...…

His sound breathing for tonight is exceptionally loud. Didn't I make them take in Wonder water for some healing today. Ah! Maybe he has mutated his oesophagus.

Not all mutations are good. Some mutation as long as it follows a certain irregularity may become a burden. If a bird mutates his legs and they become too big, that particular bird will be heavy and flight will become a problem. Hope that was not happening to clawfour.

'F….d...u..'

'.....nd…..u..'

This snoring has information intent in them. I listened with all my concentration.

'H..f….nd..ou...….der'

'C..t….nd...ou.....der'

'S...c...t...ind...ou…...ader'.

Holy shit

He is saying in his snoring that "strong coyote find out you are the leader"

I calmed my turmoil heart, the beast was all along with us. He is inside the cave looking and observing us. He is looking for the true leader. Damn maybe I bite more than I can chew.

If he is third evolution, hope for winning is abysmal. Okay let initiate the plan. 

I am tasked with examining all sounds in case anything happens, while clawone will be listening to my claw scratching.

Me and her own a long pebble. A small movement on my part will be felt by her. And there are three types of scratch we come up with.

One is normal

Attacking: in this scenario the chickens are expected to attack in-group

Frenzy attack: this is attacking anything in the surrounding including air, wall, and everything as long as it's not a chicken

The coyote might come in a group and ambush us so the last option is just frenzy attack until further notice.

And now that option will be on. I skillfully scratch the ground unheard by me using my ears because clamour is still breathing loudly. 

Through the pebbles vibration information was transmitted.

She shook her feather as usual. She can literally send information to the chicken through her movement and looking. It is more like body language. And this time she was sending a frenzy attack.

But nothing happened, she herself did not move from her location. You do know that all chickens never sleep thoroughly. Half of our brain was always awake in normal condition.

Anything abnormal will awake the rest of the brain.

'S…...c…..s….ve...ou'

'S…..c….is...ove...ou….ghing….'

'We…...c..nt…...ove….'

Sighing

I'm dealing with third evolution. May Iya forgive us.

He says "strong coyote is above you".  

" strong coyote is above you laughing "

"We can't move"

I silently activate my ability without the gleam of the crystal feather. Then look up.

I saw it there, latching at the cave sealing shadow. His head is visible to us while the body is within the shadow.

Fear grip me, as I saw most of the chickens are looking up already, there beak up facing the sealing. Claw four is the only one with semblance of sanity but the rest are zombie-like. Not by their movement but their eye luster that usually shows liveliness but now it's blank.

The coyote has been with us since day one!!!!.