3 Real Beasts

Tall, dark, and handsome turned to me with his hand extended. "I am Kian, second son of the Lake King."

I took his hand, cold and strong to the touch and said, "My name is Wren."

He checked me out, "Awful small for a female. Are you perhaps canine decent? Like a fox?"

"No." I said, but wasn't quite sure what to tell him. I am obviously not anything like them. How much can I tell them?

Once we reached the bank in the lake, Kian began to convulse and shrink down to the ground until I was looking at a Crocodile. I didn't realize I was trembling until he said, "Do not fear me Wren. I will never hurt you. I would rather die than hurt such a small and sweet female."

His words calmed me and I felt my heart flutter when he called me sweet. I walked trustingly over to Kian, who was a croc now doubled in size and length. Thinking he meant to carry me across the waters, I wrapped my arms just below his head and lay against his tough outer exterior. From his mouth, Kian produced a bubble that grew over us both and he suddenly sank into the lake.

I watched in awe as many other crocs swam in the same direction, all heading towards a light near the bottom of the lake. Other fish and water life swam scattered from the crocs and as we got closer to the light, I saw something of the same bubble on the outside, and when we swam in, we float over to a rock ledge that lead to a whole underwater village. It was well lit with luminescent plant life such as grass, mushrooms, and moss. Dwellings were carved out of the rock, some were built out of mud and grass that hung above and to my utter surprise, crocs walked up the walls to reach those homes above. Gecko crocodiles??

Another odd thing about the underwater village was that the air seemed fresh. It wasn't overly humid and stale like one would think. Things seemed more magical than just the fact that I was in a world with werebeasts.

"Don't get comfortable warm blood." I jumped at the sound of Jinn's voice beside me. I didn't see her at all until she spoke. She bumped my shoulder hard and gave me a dirty look as she passed me and walked over to Kian.

"Don't take it personally." This came from a girl who walked out of the water and rung out her waist length black hair. She look at me with full silver colored eyes and said, "She's coming of age and has had her eye on Kian since she was a child. He's a sort of coveted bachelor since he's never had a female and is well respected amongst us."

"I don't have any intentions. I am simply lost. I would like to go back home… Maybe."

"Maybe?" She raised a brow. "You're not sure?"

"I had someone. He betrayed me. My parents don't care about me. I don't know if there is anything to go back to."

"Well, I don't know where you're from, but here, it's normal for children to break off from their parents once they've reached maturity. As for the male that betrayed you, he did you a favor. A male that cannot commit shows signs of weakness. If he cannot keep his relations to you, what else will he give up on? You're better off."

I hid my sad eyes from her and said, "Perhaps."

"My name is Lonna by the way. I just came of age a few nights ago."

"Oh. My name is Wren. Nice to meet you."

"And when did you come of age?" She asked.

"I am sixteen years old."

"Me too! Let's be friends Wren." She latched onto my arm and I smiled.

"Ok."

"After the barter, I plan to go to the city as well. We can stick together. I'll have your back and you have mine ok?"

"Ok."

"What kind of warm blood are you? You're very curvaceous which makes me think something with muscle. Like a boar."

"Uuhhh, no." A boar?? I look like a boar??

"Hmm… a zebra perhaps? They're curvy and well built."

"Look, I'd rather not talk about what I am."

"Well, you did come from the abyss in the lake. So perhaps you're something else entirely and just afraid to say?"

"Lonna?" This came from Kian who had Jinn hanging on his arm, who looked smug. "Can you take Wren with you to your dwelling? I can take her with me if you're uncomfortable?"

"It would not be appropriate Kian." Jinn said, ruffling his arm.

"Unless he wants to mate with her. Then it would be completely fine." Lonna said.

Kian looked off to the side and Jinn said, "She'd have to respond to his song. And no one has so far. Plus, I believe I will be the one to find it." She looked up adoringly at Kian.

"I don't need to stay with anyone. I don't want to be any trouble. If I could just-"

"Nonsense." This came from both Kian and Lonna.

"You can stay with me until the barter Wren. After all, we're going to the city together. Us female beasts must stick together. Until we're claimed. Then we will drag our males with us."

"Males? You want more than one?" I asked.

"Of course. We all have more than one male as there are scarce females. Everyone deserves a mate." Lonna said.

"You wish to have one mate?" This came from Kian.

"Yes. I don't think I'd feel right having more than one."

"She's lying. No female would want that much work. She's just trying to attract you." Jinn said.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Show me where to go Lonna."

Taking off my wet sneaks, I fell into step with Lonna, making our way through the village, many people looking at us. Probably because I wasn't a croc.

"Do you see that female with Lonna?"

"Yeah, she's a warm blood. I was told she came from the abyss in the lake."

"Seriously? Why did Kian bring her here?"

"His father and brother might have something to say about this."

Lonna squeezed my arm. "Pay them no mind. Practically nothing happens here and so you being here is a big deal to them. Yet another good reason to not stay here."

There were many stands with goods being bartered. Tools, clothes, dishes, and food. There was a happy manor in most of the people and a feeling of being ok came to me. Perhaps this is better than where I was.

"Lonna, my darling girl who is that with you?"

There was a girl with two guys on either side of her. She looked just like Lonna except her eyes were a murky brown. I guess I'm about to meet Lonna's mother.