Ukeo with da beasts

The Flood

Ukeo stumbled out of a sewer drain, inhaling water and air. She couldn’t differentiate between her up and down until she sunk to the floor.

The water drained away and she pushed herself upright, coughing out the water she had inhaled. She wiped the extra water off her mouth with a soggy sleeve, “I’m out! I’m on the surface, it’s so bright out here! What-” She coughed, “What was that mega-mute? It was definitely not a giant slug like Kipo had thought. It had roared!”

Ukeo gasped in the realization that she was away from her family, “Kipo and Dad! I almost forgot!” She ran towards the pipe, but it was blocked by rocks from the ceiling back in her burrow.

She groaned, half worried, “I can’t get to them. What am I going to do? They’re going to miss me so much!” Ukeo looked out at the dead world around her, the silence deafening.

The world was empty years ago, ever since a disease spread through animals and pets that made some of them extremely large and dumb, and others grew people-sized and could talk.

She’d never been on the surface before. Nobody had ever dared to, anyways. The burrows had a protocol to go into the safety bunker, but they were climbing the giant stalagmite pillar in the burrow when it was attacked. They had to fall down into the water irrigation system to escape, but Ukeo and Kipo fell in separate currents.

Ukeo climbed out of the empty cement plot where the water had emptied, “I’ll find you Dad and Kipo. Whatever it takes.”

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Ukeo sat at a little fire she made. Stars were shimmering above her, and she gripped her ripped-up jumpsuit with her whole life. Something moved in the undergrowth, and she quickly picked up a branch she had sharpened into a spear.

Ukeo stabbed the thing in the woods, and looked at it on her spear, “Oh… You were so cute… I’m so sorry.” Ukeo said and held it above the fire. It was a dead pig, a tiny one, but it would be enough to feed her for the night.

As Ukeo was eating it, another thing was in the background. She heard a low growl, and then a roar. Before she could react and grab her spear, it was on her,

“Er- Hey! Get off me!” She flailed around, kicking but it wouldn’t get off.

“Hi!” The thing said playfully and got off of her.

Ukeo jumped, quickly standing up and grabbing her spear, pointing it at the thing, “You can speak?” She said, backing up.

The mute giggled, “Of course I can!” It stuck out a paw, “I’m Lily!” She told Ukeo, trying her best to smile.

Ukeo shook her paw hesitantly, “Er… I’m Ukeo.”

“I’m a tiger mute!” Its tail flicked back and forth in excitement.

Ukeo looked her up and down, “Well, I can clearly see that.” Ukeo looked at the obvious context clues in front of her. The paw, the tail, the orange fur, the... Stripes.

“Oh yeah. It’s kinda obvious.” She smiled and stood up, practically towering over Ukeo, “You should really change that.” Lily warned, “Scarlemagne already has it out for you.”

“Scarla-what?” She said, “Look, if you’re going to go into all ‘great and glorious leader’ things, this isn’t the place for you.”

“Bragging? Why would I brag?” Lily looked astonished, “Wait until the King hears about this!”

“And who is the King?” Ukeo said, rolling her eyes, “Surely not an ‘Oh no!’ person.” She turned around, “Look, I wanna be your friend, but I can survive on my own, thanks.”

Lily growled, “Well… Fine!” She turned around, “Stupid humans.” She said as she walked away.

“Finally.” Ukeo gripped her chest, “Oh my god that gave me a heart attack! What was that thing?” She looked towards the dead pig, “Yeah, you’re right. Probably something dangerous.” She smiled and took another bite out of the pig.