Between Scylla and Charybdis

Chapter 17.

Like a serpent, Charybdis rushed away from the gathering. Shooting through a maze of tunnels until he finally came to a halt in a place that smelled of the cold and sand. Almost reminiscent of home. Familiar. An abandoned tunnel.

His breathing heavy, one claw clutching his chest, while the other pressed against the chalky walls of the cavern. Though his mind was still racing, the thrum in his head kept a slow and steady beat, pounding increasing pain into his very being with each passing second as a maddening itch crept up his spine.

There was little doubt now. His body, drained from the strain of fighting and the constant need to remain in this lesser form, demanded blood. The anger he felt at the little she-mer only fuelled his need and instincts even further. That daft little thing figured she could toy with him? Well in that case, she had another thing coming. How dare she treat him this way? Make him feel like this?

Charybdis gritted his teeth. Enough. He would debase himself to pining and heartache no longer. He'd entertained those feelings under the guise of them being somewhat pleasurable, but no more. They were beneath him and he'd deserted them a long time ago. All that was left of him ought to be sharp and hardened.

A wisp of an idea formed in his mind. Staying in this form was messing with him. Making him soft. Mastering his emotions never was a problem before.

He let out a frustrated sigh. Just a little longer. Then the fishfolk would serve him and he could do with them as he pleased. His gaze focussed, seeing through the stone and settling on a path forward.

First things first. He needed to hunt. Luckily, there were troves of intoxicated merfolk nearby just ripe for the picking. All he needed to do was find his way back. Glancing around, no landmarks or tunnels looked familiar though. In his rush to get away, he'd chosen a random direction and bolted. Anything to be away from Scylla and those damned Mer. No matter, it only meant that his hunt would be a little more challenging.

On a whim, Charybdis extended his arm and raked its claws across the stone with enough force to leave deep gashes. His normal modus operandi was to lie in wait, but pain, nerves and frustration demanded something more...visceral. A hunt.

With a short flick of the tongue, he tasted the water and honed in on something smelling vaguely of saffron and rain. Following it was childsplay, the scent appearing before him like a brightly colored veil, floating gently through the water. As he got closer, much of the aroma became more defined. Female, young adult. A hint of fear hidden underneath the stench of curiosity and excitement. He could even smell the Astakos she had for dinner.

His pulse started to race just enough to drown out the incessant pounding in his head, as he sank down. After spending some days in this body, moving silently wasn't too difficult anymore. Only the ache in his body diminished the elegance of his approach, slowing him down to somewhat of a crawl. Luckily for him, he was nothing if not patient. Slow and steady, he crept closer, cutting through the water like silent death.

He turned the corner, ready to strike, but a flash of red shocked him out of his concentration and stealth. Scarlet scales colored a tall but lean frame. Her shade was not unlike Scylla's crimson coloring, but different enough upon closer inspection. Alas, his moment of opportunity had passed. The female turned to face him, her eyes quickly assessing the situation.

As conspicuous as he must have looked in that moment, bracing against the stone like a panther in crouch, her eyes only widened and glistened with a spark of mischievous enthusiasm.

'You're...' Her hands raised slightly, instinctively covering her core and neck. 'You're one of Scylla's suitors.'

She was alone, the scent of ambrosia heavy on her breath. Easy pickings.