The Unwanted Wendigo [ManxMan]

Chapter Thirty: Dinner is Served

[AN: So, yeah, WARNING: Wendy's detailed, gory eating habits.]

~Chapter Thirty: Dinner is Served~

The city of Santa Cruz is right up along the beach, which is where the most activity is in the late afternoon. Normally, when on a hunt, I would be actively searching for my next meal, but at this point, I am a little worried that if I start following people around, I might not be able to stop, even if I deem them decent human beings or, at the very least, not worth eating. I usually have better control, but I still vividly remember my last real hunt that caused me to black out in some kind of a feeding frenzy, and I really do not want that to happen again, as I am still only really guessing that the first woman I ate that day was guilty of something.

Can't really prove something I don't remember, though.

And with who is with me on this little field trip, I would rather them not accidentally see me kill an innocent person. The Mer might have been okay with my diet up to this point, but that might all have been due to not being torn up over who I was eating rather than what. Plus, then there is Atasah, who I am pretty sure only approves because it keeps me alive. And even if they do not care, I won't want them to see me afterwards if I mess up.

Especially not Felix, who shouldn't even really be here anyway.

-

"You want to what?"

Maybe it is the way my question is asked in a slow drawl, or maybe it is because I am pretty sure everyone - Nero, Valentin, Atasah, Lady Fish, and a few Mer who seem to have something to do with security or nobility - in the room is staring at him, but Felix looks away and stares fixedly at the wall. When he crosses his arms, however, I immediately sense the oncoming stubbornness.

"You heard me," the king replies, his voice sounding more confident than he looks.

Mimicking him, I cross my arms as well. "I did," I reply, "but who knows? Maybe I heard wrong? Maybe you pulled a me and used the wrong word?"

The look Felix gives me is definitely cold, but I just tilt my head and wait. Eventually, he sighs, "This isn't up for debate, Wendy."

"It kind of is, actually," I disagree. Gesturing at Nero, I add, "Your brother clearly doesn't agree with this idea, and I'm on the metaphorical fence. We'll be fine without you there, Fish Man."

"I'm going," Felix states anyway. "And that's final."

-

The fact that Felix had decided to join our little field trip was definitely a surprise when he announced it this morning along with the actual field trip itself, but it is not like his presence is a hindrance. After all, according to Nero, Felix is the strongest Mer in the Pacific Kingdom while in the water, as his control of water magic is second to none. And in terms of physical strength, he is apparently well above the male Mer average, even above land.

So, yeah, definitely not a hindrance.

Still, Atasah, who is also a part of our little party, is the ultimate above-water fighter. He is about as useless as I am underwater, as his magic apparently requires oxygen - not to be confused with the pseudo-oxygen the magic bracelets give us while active - that is not present underwater, but on land, he will be the best against any wendigo that happen to show up, as he has his own brand of strength and the ability to summon fire on a moment's notice.

Not that any wendigo should show up, though.

With any luck, there should be no reason for their abilities to be tested against wendigo, all of whom are almost certainly stronger and better than me in most every way but speed and agility. After all, we were not stupid enough to return to the same city - Santa Monica - where I was found and almost captured last time. It is unlikely that the wendigo are actually still in that area, as it has been long enough that they have probably moved on, but with everything that has been going on with the ocean gods and whatever deals they might have struck with my kind, we were not willing to risk it, even if the meal options were a little better in that city.