Tale of Panthera Regina (Remake)

Bonus Chapter #4: The Pestis

POV: Swamp

The moon was setting, allowing the sun to take its place in the sky. It didn't matter the color of the sky because, in the Acer Swamp, the thickness of the trees pretend a lot of light. Thus, making the behind the canopy has a green hue to it.

A strange creature of shades of green and brown rose out of the water. Swap stood up, and the deep swampy water met his thighs. He was what the animals called him, a Swamp Monster. They will hunt by day and by night, much like a cat. They are opportunist hunters.

However, this Swamp Monster was different. Swamp wore a brown satchel around his neck and chest. It was a gift from the Native People of the Alligators for his hatching day. The Native People of the swamp often worship this tribe as they were the Guardians of the swamp.

However, after about 50 years or so, either way, Swamp's tribe started to die out. Rumors spiral of either the humans were doing the killing or the Stars of Fate had finally rejected the Great Beast for not mating outside the tribe.

The Swamp Monster wasn't always isolated. Swamp had a mother named Mangrove, who taught him everything he knew. He didn't know anyone from his tribe but didn't care. However, being alone does get lonely after a while.

Swamp had witnessed his mother's murder when he was only five. This happen around 20 years ago. The young kid had grown up always moving around the swamp. Two outcomes will happen when the people of any tribe see him: give him gifts or run. This didn't bother him. He avoided others as much as possible.

The water was chilly, but the air was hot and humid as he started to walk through the swamp. The birds were loud as always, and the snakes just hissed as he passed by them.

Despite knowing the Common Tongue, Swamp only used it when he had no other way around it. He mostly used it to trade with the Native People for their colorful books. Now, that did take him a while to learn. Learning how to read wasn't the easiest thing. However, Swamp was a pro now.

It should've been like every day of the past 15 years. Swamp would start to head South for the sea for the annual Seafoam festival that the Native People always held. He only went there because they gave him books.

The insects kept biting at him. The Swamp Monster wished that someone would remove the noisy pest. Mosquitoes weren't needed, in his opinion. He wondered if anyone else had similar thoughts.

Swamp paused in the water and looked left, right, and all around him. His green eyes appear to glow in the low light of the Acer Swamp. Despite the creatures being careful to avoid him beside the Native People that seemed him out.

They often asked him to help them in some way. Sometimes they offer gold or other worthless junk. However, they got word from other villages that Swamp would accept books, pots, and art, but there is never a guarantee that he would do anything.

There he felt vibrations in the water. They were faint, so maybe about 100 feet away. Swamp was getting hungry, and it would take a while to get to the place where they held the festival.

So, with a shrug, Swap went back into the water and followed the vibration. In the water, he moved like a snake but was bigger than an alligator.

"Oooo, it looks like someone wants to meet me for lunch," Swamp said, cheery mimicking an Anhinga, a swamp-loving bird that will spearfish with its bill.

About 50 feet, the water was moving, causing Swamp to make an evil toothy grin. He started to swim slowly, trying not to make a sound.

Swamp calmly dodged the giant trees that planted their roots into the water. He carefully avoided the underwater vines that like to trap their victims. Swamp could hold his breath for half a day, but he hadn't been stuck for that long.