Chimera

Chapter Eleven: Camila

When Camila was very young, she would go to the house of her next door neighbour almost every evening. The house belonged to a nice old lady who sometimes gave her cactus juice sweetened with honey, a common but delicious drink in Las Lagos. As Camila had sipped her juice, she had talked to the old lady about simple things like the weather or the harvest available in the market.

But that hadn't been the only thing they talked about. They conversed about more serious things, like what Camila's future job would be. The old lady was the one who had inspired her to become a mechanic in the first place. She had shown Camila the blueprints that lead to the city's irrigation system. Camila had admired her even more when she learned that the lady had drawn them herself.

Camila also came to the house to play with the lady's cat. She had thrown around a toy mouse made of rags and the feline had chased it with a bubbly and innocent enthusiasm that had always made Camila smile. That cat had been harmless and cute.

It was the opposite of the cat that stood before her right now. This was an animal made for killing, with horns and spines and a gaping maw full of razor-sharp teeth.

Camila turned to run and the creature leapt at Lance. He barely managed to avoid the attack. Jaylin rushed forward and drove his spear into the lion's side. It groaned and twisted its head towards him. It lifted a paw high in the air and then swung it at Jaylin. He was sent flying through the air, towards a huge granite boulder. Camila gasped and her heart lurched. She could already see Jaylin's body crumple as he smashed into the rocks...

As he flew through the air, Jaylin morphed. Using his sinuous otter body, he twisted in mid air and vaulted out of the way of the rock. Jaylin morphed back to normal as he dropped through the air. He landed on the ground with a thump. Camila let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he was unharmed. But it wasn't over yet.

The lion spun on its dagger claws and roared at Alana. Its spines bristled and spittle flew from its yellow teeth.

Alana screamed and scrambled away, morphing as she fumbled over rocks and logs. Claws shot out from her fingers and bright fur covered her body. She jumped off of a tall rock and jumped into the air. She had used it as a launching pad to escape, jumping out of reach!

But the mountain lion was too fast. It bit at Alana, holding her paw in its teeth. It shook its head from side to side and Alana was sent veering back and forth, until she escaped from the cat's jaws. She was sent tumbling to the ground, her claw bent like frail gossamer torn by a twig. She was no longer a mighty tiger, she was a vulnerable kitten.

Camila gritted her teeth. Her friend was injured and completely vulnerable. She couldn't run away now. She needed to help.

Camila drew her rifle from her satchel and held it level, aiming at the mountain lion. She needed to end it before the creature got close enough to kill her and destroy her gun.

"Camila!" Lance yelled to her, gripping his sword, "now!"

The mountain lion turned to her and charged, nostrils flaring and jaws agape.

Don't panic, Camila urged herself. But it was impossible. Her hands trembled with the intense fear of death and the gun wouldn't stay still. Camila bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and forced herself to hold the gun steady. The lion was exactly in her sights.

In the next second, everything happened at once.

Camila pressed the trigger on the rifle. Alana roiled on the ground, screaming in pain. Lance rushed to Alana's side with his medical kit. Jaylin was swinging his sword at the mountain lion, extending his reach with a tentacle. And then the mountain lion itself did something extraordinary, terrifying and deadly. It reared on its legs and then fell to the ground. It lifted its back high in the air. And then it used its weapon.