Odd and Varied

Venom 1

It was too late. He could feel the venom pumping up his arm, it was cold where it spread through his blood, like it was slowly changing to slush. Minho shook his arm once more and pulled the red bandana off from around his neck, tying it at the warmest place- just above his elbow. If he could get far enough away from the creature he wouldn't have to worry. The venom was a tranquilizer. Its only purpose was to numb him enough to stop him from running. As long as the main door was still unlocked, he stood a chance of escaping.

The lights of the main gate shone 20 meters away. As soon as he got through the dense brush and over the protective entrapments that lined the section they'd cleared when they set up, he could collapse in peace.

They were a new kind animal. A discovery that was still so deeply under wraps there still hadn't been any real paperwork. They had four months to study them. It had been two already, and the scientists had only learned three things.

One. They were most like the fictional merpeople in modern mythology- only attuned to the rainforest instead of water. They looked a lot like people, with eerily smooth skin that was as pore-less as a tree frog. They had only blue or green eyes and kept to the high points of trees where the humidity and shade was densest. They used their powerful hands and feet to steady themselves on branches- and could fall from amazing heights without injury. Most of them were pale, freckled, and blonde, but the moss growing atop their heads usually covered the bright color so that it appeared grey or green.

Two. There were no signs of their young or mates. Minho had only seen males so far. The one they'd become closest with had even learned to mimic some English and they'd given him the name Felix, since it sounded the closest to the clicking gurgle the others in his tribe produced when they called out to him. A few of the doctors had made the young blonde laugh- a deep pleasant sound- and they'd exchanged small pieces of information through imagery and gestures. Felix seemed to actually understand that they were there only to study them, and from him they'd learned that the tribe was heavily protected and hidden. The realization that the creatures could understand anything at all had been enough to get them requesting even more time. Like when they'd learned gorillas could speak sign language.

Three. They had a venom in their mouths that they used on prey. It was one of the first things Minho had noted in his findings, and one of the only things they'd yet to get a sample of. They could spit it at flying birds, and a minute later the bird would careen to the ground, breaking its own neck on impact. Sometimes they'd grab small animals and sink their teeth in once, releasing it, just to watch it stumble a few feet before dropping. They carried no weapons and were lithe but not scrawny- showing slight muscles through handmade clothing of no discernable color.

Minho had been at the end of his rope trying to get that saliva sample. Felix seemed to like him, going so far as to mimic some of his small human habits. He was the only tribe member who had begun rinsing the moss out of his hair and had an adorable habit of standing almost too close while Minho collected samples from his skin and clothes. He'd seen another researcher bump Minho with a shoulder in good humor, and had added that to their meetings as well. He also seemed to like saying Minho's name in his deep voice.

"Minho."

The human gasped, jolting out of his reverie and spotting Felix's glowing green eyes in the tree above his head.

No. He was too close. He didn't want to be food. But worse- he didn't want Felix to be executed through some misguided sense of obligatory justice. If he killed and ate Minho it might change the future of their race's involvement forever. Why had he pushed so hard to get the blonde to open his mouth? Why the hell had he let himself get so close?