A Labyrinthine Affair: The World of Taboo

The Hunter - Part 8

Without warning, a piercing shriek broke the thick layer of stillness and all heads turned northwest towards the sound. At first, they could only see swift moving flashes of aquamarine light, but then the being stood still, coming into focus.

James made out what appeared to be a creature, in the form of a woman no less, with long and twisted turquoise locks flowing past her shoulders. Her eyes shone a pale, sickly yellow and he could make out the edges of two long silver fangs resting against her lower lips. Her voluminous breasts rose gently with each breath as a massive tail swung lazily behind her. But the most shocking sight of all was the plump, crying child she carried in one arm. A tiny little girl, no more than two years old, dress tattered and face soiled, cradled securely in her arm. The little girl's shrieks pierced the air, morphing into incoherent sobs and calls for her family.

The beast smiled menacingly at them, fully flashing her shiny teeth. Then she released an ominous roar and darted up a nearby tree, hiding amongst the branches and the foliage.

"Akoma..." Gameli gasped.

"She's still alive," Addai said confounded.

"Not if we wait much longer," Akuba interrupted, removing her robe.

"How does this work? You truly expect us to wrestle this...?" Kofi's tone was snide and offensive.

Akuba had no time to argue with him. They would either assist her or she would handle this alone as she'd told Prah in the beginning.

"I'll try and root her out. Follow behind with your weapons and the net. If we're lucky, we can save Akoma as well."

Stripped down to her incidentals, Akuba darted off ahead of them before anyone could stop her. The men removed their robes as well and pulled out their weapons Kofi and Gameli took off first, heading in the direction they last saw the creature. Addai waited as James stripped down to just his loin cloth and then they sped off to meet the others.

James didn't mind the way sweat now formed on his brow, building up under his arm pits and dripping down his chest. But he was keenly curious about why Akuba ran off before the rest of them.

He and Addai took off at a sprint and then picked up the pace, their legs churning like pistons beneath them. James' heart was pounding in anticipation of what would happen. The threat of danger invigorated him as he drew deep breaths into his lungs.

His eyes scanned the forest ahead of them, expecting to see Akuba heading for the tree. Instead he heard a sharp scream somewhere behind them. High-pitched and tormented, it stopped him in his tracks. It was Akuba and she was in trouble. She screamed again and James found himself, sweaty chest and heaving breath, turning around behind him to go to her.

As he took his first steps, he felt Addai's broad hand pushing against him, preventing him from moving.

Addai looked at him sternly, his eyes wide with shock and worry. He didn't utter a word, but simply shook his head back and forth in a silent warning.

James looked at him still not grasping "why".

They stayed there for a few moments and Akuba continue to scream in the darkness. The sound of her agony echoed out towards them like a siren. James' heartbeat was pounding now inside his chest and it took every ounce of his willpower to fight off his impulse to run to her and help.

He noticed her cries became broader and more guttural until he heard the unmistakable sound of a roar. He turned his head swiftly towards Addai whose eyes expressed an answer

James turned his face, shocked to see Akuba headed for the tree. Yet as his night eyes properly registered the sight, he realized that she had gained size, pushing forward, running now on all fours. Instead of hands and legs, she now had limbs with fully formed paws and claws. She'd sprouted fur, the skin of her body now covered in it and her face was still feminine yet solely feline, with bright citrine eyes, a broad nose and a mouth full of long, razor-sharp teeth.