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Within months of the strangers arrival they had suddenly responded by moving nesting and worse still for the Cflen getting ever more higher with where they put their nests.
This for the Fodawke however was NOT an ideal solution, the problem was the hatchlings when they hatched were prone to wandering and would die by falling from great heights or if they wandered into the path of other than their own, get eaten by them.
They also had the age old problems, of other predators, like the rats to fend off! So it was and yet it wasn’t surprising, that numbers were on the increase, though factors as said, kept the figures below, what could have been a massive rise in the numbers of Fodawke.
The rats too, did not have it all their own way. They were FOOD for the Fodawke. If they scattered when attacked, there would always be a number the Fodawke gobbled up.
The last morsel of Regen waste had been consumed. A different taste to the rats, had not put them off, feeding on them.
If anything, it had had the strange effect of making them want to eat more of them!
You see, the Regen waste had over the period of time mutated, with increased density enhanced growth hormones.
The rats were double their normal weight! Their legs not used to such massive bulk, made them easy prey for other predators! In particular as we know, the Fodawke who were catching more and more of them.
Yes they had been greedily consumed and regurgitated to feed to the hatchlings, the ones who survived.
The Cflen had stepped up attacks on nests. The Fodawke would dive at them trying to get them away from the eggs.
A seized Cflen caught up in the jaws of such a creature spelt certain doom.
Often a fight between two of them as one attacked the other with the food in its jaws ripping off limbs mid air, the screams those terrible screams that finally died away to nothing could, would not be forgotten! Thus it was, the Cflen had long pointed spears that pierced the hide of any would be attacking Fodawke.
It caused them a great deal of pain that the Fodawke were not keen to attempt to embrace the Cflen for.
However the Fodawke attacks on the Cflen relaxed, they had other interests which distracted them. It was weeks of Fodawke attacking or trying to attack the base camp, each time the targeting arrays took them down and left them for the ‘rats’ who now relished the almost regular supplies of food coming their way. Then one day it stopped. NOTHING!
They flew over they flew past but never even with Lumor and the others walking around did they swoop to attack.
Joden had taken one of the Fodawke and cut it open, he had heard Caley laughing when the comment was made.
“Perhaps they’ve learned some respect for us.“ He had reasoned as he told her. “Their brain is too dammed small to be anything like intelligent.“ The skull was large and he had to admit, it was puzzling as to why such a small brain was suspended in such a large cavity.
“Must have been on the same ecological ladder as Dahhan.“ Gi and Caley fell about laughing. The wings and the rest of the muscular appendages were incredibly tough, immaculately bonded and the strength must be phenomenal.
“Look “ Hissed Lumor. “Lets not forget, it bloody picked that drone up that time and threw it around like matchwood.“ Drones weren’t light, not the main ones anyway. The maintenance drones were needed to lift extremely heavy loads and so were weighted, they could weigh up to half a ton. That thought alone, made them more than wary of these creatures.
Caley had not forgotten to tell Lumor what had happened re Dahhan and the incident with Gi, he was furious threatening to impose restrictions on him, if he tried it again, which would secure him in his quarters.
The Regen units were working, no problems detected. It would be another two days, before they could assess the first of the ‘Regeneratives’ ‘Regens’ were used for experimental purposes, for assessing how drugs, treatments and other things worked.
They weren’t family or adopted, they were GROWN as Lumor always emphasized, for ‘purely experimental purposes’.
It was later that morning that Dahhan was sent off, to find some fresh water, to replenish the main tanks. He took a terrain mobi unit with him. Pump units, to fill it and filter it as it was pumped into the reservoir tank unit.
Additional spectral and other equipment, made sure it was not contaminated. Truth be told, Dahhan was glad to get away from the camp, he had taken the precaution, of loading the Enercen packs, to fully power the weapons array.
If any Fodawke attacked, he would be armed and able to destroy them before they did any damage. Landing by the first lake, he came to, he did the usual tests and finding it OK, started pumping water into the tank.
Now technology as it is, well speed wise, it still wasn’t blink your eye, the tank is full. It would take time.
No, he had to wait, so he thought he would explore around the lake.
Taking his weapon with him, he ventured toward the brush on the left of the craft. There seemed to be a clearing beyond, what we would call trees, as he moved in closer, he could now see a clearing.
Arvania had landed to avoid a Fodawke flying overhead, it had spotted her but she had been too quick in landing.
As she scuttled in amongst the trees, it didn’t follow.
Some Fowdawke actually died flying into trees, chasing Cflen. She had been walking through, when she came to the clearing. The Fodawke had been circling. Seeing its chance to grab its prey again, it swooped down its claws out, to scoop her up. Dahhan had stepped into the clearing to see it.
Taking his weapon almost a reflex action on his part, in response to the oncoming threat, he fired, not once but three times, until it dropped crashing into the trees, to plummet feet from them. Its body, wedged between branches.
Arvania stared transfixed watching until she was now feet from its carcass and staring at it. A sense of relief?
Dahaan was not looking at the Fodawke. His eyes were on her. She was, he noted, almost Humanaa. Her body was well formed, she had breasts, firm and beautifully pert. Wearing a light form of covering which showed them to perfection, her legs her thighs her face and eyes, if it were not for the wings she would be indisputably to look at, Humanaa.
He was careful NOT to scare her as he talked to her thinking to himself. ‘She won’t understand a thing I’m saying.'
“When.” she replied, almost perfectly in his tongue? He almost fell over’
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