Predator: Wolfsbane

Chapter 3: SLASH

     He had landed on top of Wolf, who was unconscious. He shook his dizzy head looked up for a split second to see several guns aimed at him. He got up and began running to the west of his master. As his legs began mindlessly pushing him forwards, he felt nothing but anger towards himself and burning guilt. He had left his master to die... but he would survive at least. He finally had reached a pretty far distance from those armed people, and his scrawled up a tree. His legs and arms were sore from all of the running. His panting and drooling could be heard from a mile away, his claws leaving permanent marks into the bark. He continued slowly climbing to the top of the tree. He faced the sun and he screeched as loud as possible, echoing and causing everything in the area to go silent. He panted as he leapt from tree to tree getting away from the place of his master. His slime trail would end about a mile and a half from where he landed by doing this. After getting another mile and a half, he was exhausted from the extra exercise. He finally climbed to the center of a large tree and curled up in a circle, his tail touching his snout and began to rest. His dreamt of nothing but darkness and self hatred for the afternoon.

     He awakened once the glare of a sunset shined upon his body. He got up on his branch and jumped from it. He landed heavily on the ground and got down to a sprawled position. He was hunger and thirst stricken. He began walking on the ground looking for the sound of a river flow. Sure enough after a thirty minute walk in the same direction, he finally hit a stream. His slowly crawled over to the stream and looked in the reflection to see himself. He felt sudden rage due to his cowardice. He slashed at the water, rippling it and ridding it of himself. He then began to use his second mouth to slurp the water. Normally he could feed himself with the resin of the hive... but his hive is dead. His queen was brutally murdered. Slash continued to quench his thirst when suddenly the sound of a twig snapping caught his attention. He looked up and saw what caused the noise... a beast. It stood at around 7 and a half feet tall. It's sharp fangs dripped with a black substance, spikes protruded from multiple place in it's back, it's body was a dark grey and black. Slash stood up sizing up this new adversary. It snarled and muttered something in it's native language, bending down to get a palm-full of water and guzzling down it's throat. It then got up, facing Slash. The creature was sentient, judging by how it gestured to Slash for him to drink up. Slash got down and started to drink some water.

     After the drink, the creature started walking toward Slash, who was a little anxious. The beast got close and knelt down to Slash when he was on all fours. He put his hand on his chest, "Shykestraith", he growled out to Slash. Shykestraith pointed at Slash. Slash clawed at the ground, attempting to get him to understand. He carved the word, 'SLASH', into the ground. He may act like an idiot, but he knew how to spell his own name. Shykestraith then growled, "Slash...", he then ran over to a nearby tree, climbing up it. Slash stood there taking it all in. It understood the human language. Slash crawled under the tree and looked up. The creature sat on a trunk itching behind it's jaw. Slash felt safe again. Suddenly... he heard something. A low clicking noise. Shykestraith immediately recognized that sound. Shykestraith snarled and climbed into the undergrowth of the tree out of sight. Slash thought it was his master finding him. Slash gave out a shriek to let his presence known. Suddenly he saw three red lasers hit the ground next to his left arm. Slash looked down at it and watched it slowly creep up his arm. It then crept to his blindside... his dome headed skull. He looked for the source of the laser and saw a creature that looked much like his master. It was more muscular though and had scaly skin. This beast was much larger. He then heard a whirring noise. He knew to start running now.

     The blast hit next to his right leg and sent him flying towards a tree. He smacked up against it and shook his head trying not to become disoriented, and started to run out of that spot. Another blast hit the tree he was at half a second ago. The tree fell down and one of the branches hit the hunter. It bellowed in pain and infuriation. Slash could hear it's cloaking being deactivated from the hit. Slash crawled behind the fallen tree to take cover from the anger-fueled hunter. He could hear the hunters heavy footsteps approaching him. Slash had three choices. Lay there and accept death, run away, or fight back. Slash was always stubborn... he would fight this thing. His muscles tensed up as he prepared to pounce. Then a shadow stood over him. NOW. He jumped towards the shadow and tackled it to the ground. Shriiiing. He felt a sharp sting coming from his left. He clawed at the hunter who roared while plunging his blade deeper into it's prey. The hunter then twisted the gauntlet which caused Slash to screech in agony. The hunter grabbed Slash by the throat and pulled him off of the blade. Slash grabbed at his injury in his belly, acidic blood dripped from it. The hunter stared Slash down and snarled. It pressed a button on it's gauntlet. A high pitched noise filled the night. Slash cringed by the noise. The hunter then cloaked itself and chuckled as it jumped into the trees. Suddenly Slash heard the sounds of something running through the forest. Correction... several things running through the forest. Slash could see the glowing red eyes of some quadrupedal monsters running through the forest. "GO!", shouted Shykestraith as he ran into the shadows. Slash decided to run as well. Safety in numbers after all.

     Shykestraith turned his head to see the pack of Hellhounds chasing them. Their eyes glowed yellow as the trampled through the woods. Slash was slightly behind Shykestraith, but that made no difference. Those things were after them. They were catching up. Slash stopped for a brief second. He then grabbed the end of his tail, and slashed the tip of it open. The hounds were coming. His tail dripped with acidic blood. The hounds were nearly there. Finally he could see all of them. There were at least a dozen of them. Horns protruded from their bodies, and sharp fangs covered with blood and saliva were bared at him. Slash hissed as he whipped his tail in a diagonal direction across them , flinging acid towards them. The hound stood still and unaffected. The acid just dripped down their leathery skin. Slash started to slowly back up. The lead hound snarled and leapt towards Slash. Slashed hissed, then suddenly Shykestraith charged at the hound from out of no where. He grabbed it by the neck, and slammed it on the ground. Shykestraith ripped one of the horns from the hound and plunged it into the beasts head. The hounds then all roared as they started to for a circle around them. Slash and Shykestraith stood back to back. The hound start to get closer to them. Shykestraith bared his claws and teeth, Slash did the same.

     The first one jumped on Slashes right. Slash impaled the monster through the head with his tail. He then felt a sharp pain in his left leg. He looked down to see a hound chomping down on his leg. Slash screeched in agony. He raised his left arm and plunged it down on the beasts eyes multiple times. It let him go and backed up, blood and white liquid dripping down it's eye socket. Slash grabbed his leg and backed up. Shykestraith was busy as well. He was choking two of the beasts with his bare hands. He had to resort to feeble attempts to kick the others away. One of the hound pounced on Slash and started to bite down on Slashes right forearm. Slash opened his jaws and shot his second mouth out, penetrating the beasts skull and shooting brain matter on the ground. Slash kicked the hound off of him, and into another one that was about to go for Slashes injured leg. Shykestraith roared in agony as a hound pierced his left rib cage with it's sharp horns. He turned to see the creature had at least one foot of horn into his body. Using all of his strength, he pulled the horn out of him and slammed it down on another hound, both died instantly from impalement. During the battle, they didn't notice the burning c-shaped spacecraft entering the planets atmosphere... and heading in their direction. it wasn't until Shykestraith took a breather and was the first to hear it, that he looked up and saw the ship heading in their direction. Shykestraith grabbed Slash by the tail and began to run. Shykestraith was too busy to realize that there was a log in their way, and the hounds were after them. Suddenly, the ship crashed. Slash saw a wall of soil, trees, and fire heading in their direction. The hounds yelped and howled after being burned alive and crushed. Slash found this somewhat blissful... until a wave of debris collapsed on top of them. 

     BANG! BANG! BANG! Is the first thing Slash heard when he came to. Slash realized he was under debris. Slash began to stand up. His body ached and his skin was burnt. Slash growled as he got up. Dirt fell off of his back. The banging continued. His leg was mauled by the hounds. The wound was cauterized, though. Same for his arm. He got up and stood on the ground, which felt like sand. He fell over and lay there. There was one more loud bang. Slash slowly turned his head at the ship. There was a huge hole in the side of the ship. Then a large fist proceeded to rip it open. Slash lay motionless. A humanoid being stepped out. It was at least 9 feet tall. It stepped out and roared. Suddenly, two others stepped out. They looked around, and started running into the night. Slash stood up, and looked at the ship. He limped over to the ship. He looked at the hole in it. He then heard what sounded like claws skittering on metal. Then something emerged from the dark ship. A creature with dark blue skin stood up to face Slash. It was a foot taller than Slash. It opened it's mouth to reveal a second pair of jaws, and hissed at him. Slash raised his hand in curiosity. The creature followed this motion, until their hands connected. Slash tilted his head, and the creature did the same. It was like Slash... an outcast. Slash finally had a hive. The creature suddenly let go, and turned it's head. It let out a loud screech, and multiple other creatures answered. A large creature with grey skin emerged from the shadows, it was around ten feet tall. Another beast emerged from the shadows, one with white skin and it revealed a large set of fangs. A yellow xenomorph emerged and hissed at Slash. Shykestraith emerged from the debris at this moment. He saw walked up behind Slash. Finally, they all bowed underneath their new kings. Slash finally had a new Hive. The Hive of Misfits.