Cypher 0X

Chapter 3 - Cog in the Machine

Spider leaned his head against the molding wall, tired, but eager for the Festival of Dreams. He stretched long, pale fingers against the wall, scratching off ash. Smirk nudged her head forward, smacking into Spider's hip, her striped half facing towards the wall. He pushed himself off the wall and pet Smirk. Spider glanced at her mechanical leg, noticing that it had gotten muddy, he sighed at her before returning to the rest of the hunting party.

This village had survived the war pretty well, but it's people hadn't. Smirk stepped over a corpse trapped in ash before bounding in front of Spider. Sennek glanced at the animal behind him, taking everything not to sneer at it's blind eye and missing leg. His grip tightened on his double pointed spear, making his the skin on his knuckles turn a shade lighter than the rest of his hand. Sennek knew the area was good hunting grounds, but he hadn't even seen a rabtic in the area.

Spider looked in the holes of the buildings, finding bone, ash, and the occasional mouse family. He was investigating something shiny in one of the cracks when Smirk barked wildly, signaling possible chase. He quickly grabbed the glimmer and ran ahead of the rest of the group, following the sound of metal pounding against dead grass. He focused on his breathing, making sure the breaths weren't shallow. He saw a flash of pale black skin then the black, brown, and white coat of Smirk. Understanding that she was chasing an ash feeder, Spider followed in quick pursuit. He leaped over Smirk, and the world seemed to take a breath. His spear burrowed itself into the ash feeder's spine of it's exoskeleton, disabling it's back legs with a loud crack.

When Sennek caught up with Spider a large ash feeder was already skinned and shelled. He hated the fact that the Gods had made the smaller Spider the best hunter in their tribe. He hated how Spider had gotten a Dark Strider, even if it was deformed. Sennek hated Spider like a brother hated his more successful and loved brother. Sennek was the only one Spider seemed to trust, and trust was valued over first place.

Smirk pranced around the ash feeder's bleeding corpse. Black blood was leaking from it, showing that it was healthy when it was alive. Smirk was proud of her find and looked back to Sennek, who was frowning at Spider. Smirk made a face similar to Sennek's and walked back to Spider, sniffing at the metal in his pocket. Spider shoved Smirk's face away from his pocket and directed his attention back to figuring out how to bring the large beast home.

"Good kill, Spider," Veil said when she glanced at the ash feeder, "the Gods will be most pleased when they receive it's nutrient filled hearts." Spider grunted in agreement before lifting the beast off the ground. Sennek rolled his eyes at Spider's spindly form picking up the blob of meat and fat that was the ash feeder. Sennek finished picking up Spider's kill and dropped it on the waggon that the Clic twins were managing. The two smiled in agreement, it seeming like the twins were one person.

"Elders won't like the broken wheel we have, Sennek," Tera told him.

"The Elders will appreciate the kill though," Byte corrected his brother.

"Just make sure the waggon doesn't break more. You two can fix it when we get back," Sennek nodded before returning to the front of the hunting party.

Spider removed the shine from his pocket and moved a pale thumb over what looked like a dented copper cog on a chain. With a smile, he put the necklace over his head, and shivered when the cold metal touched the back of his neck. The the eyes of Spider's tribe, the Gods had just given him a gift, a gift that would last longer than a lifetime.