The Hydra's Curse

Chapter 6 - Recovery

It took about four hours to find the lost elk. It was hiding pretty damn far away, scared out of its wits. After some planning, Alva set chase to it, swiping at its hindquarters to get the thing moving. It ran and called like they always did when Calvin dropped at it from the sky. Little jets of flame, just enough to discourage it from going in the wrong direction. It took about an hour of chasing, Calvin up high and Alva on the ground, forcing the animal to go the way they wanted. Eventually when they were about a quarter mile from the cave Calvin dropped from the sky and landed on its neck, driving the beast into the ground. There was a satisfying crack when his foot connected that told him he'd aimed well, killing it in one blow.

Alva gave him a look of satisfaction at the kill. "Not as good as hypnosis for getting it here but still works."

Calvin nodded. "That drop is fun. Animals never see it coming."

The shadowcat gave him a wry look. "I wouldn't either. Let's go check on Sasha."

They did. Calvin resisted the urge to fly the quarter mile and walked with Alva, discussing the predicament the hunters were putting them in. They really didn't want to kill people but if arrows were going to be flying like that, maybe they needed to start driving people off with force. It was a tricky predicament, it wasn't possible to play nice when the other side wasn't. Alva was worried the unspoken live and let live truce was fading.

When they got into the cave, Sasha had two nearly fully grown arms on her right side. They looked like they belonged to a young teenager.

"Already?"

Lucy laughed, Sasha was still eating. "You should have seen in, the moment she started eating they started growing at ten times the speed."

Sasha licked the bone she had been pulling the raw meat off of, her long tongue snaking out around it getting the last of the blood. Calvin had a sudden vivid image of it around his dick. You asshole, she's hurt. He scolded himself and buried the mental image. "Makes sense." He said. "She needed the energy for the limbs."

"Yep." Sasha tossed the bone aside. "Got more? I've been reduced to licking bones now."

Alva nodded. "A short ways outside. You feeling up to moving?"

She got up in response. "Yes. I'm surprised it healed so quick actually."

"Makes you wonder how fast the hydra recovers between attacks."

Sasha's eyes bulged a little. "Don't scare me. I've been telling myself it was in the order of months."

Calvin shrugged. "Well it might be tied to food supply right? And the fact that your arm wasn't actually cut off."

She made the same gesture with both right hands, not even realizing. "Good point." She looked at her three hands, seemingly annoyed with the asymmetry.

"Still want someone to stab you?" Lucy joked.

Sasha's expression stayed somewhat serious. "I'm thinking that. May as well get it over with to."

Lucy plucked the knife from off the floor and pressed Sasha against the wall, who didn't resist but looked uncomfortable. "Then before you get used to asymmetry. No point in suffering longer than you need to, we have food now."

"Wait, I'd rather do it after my other side is ok. I'm not sure- OW, FUCK!" She devolved into yelling and a scream when Lucy lashed out faster than his eye could track and jabbed the blade into her good shoulder. The blade made a sickening crack as it split the bone, doing what should have been permanent damage. Damage to permanently compromise the arm. "I wasn't ready you prick!" She panted through agonized breaths, pushing the shadowcat away with her right arms.