Chapter 42: The Apatka
[ AN: Music Recommendation: Warrior Rhythm by Primal Shaman ]
Subtly, Yoa moved Nova behind him in the waters, eyes fixed on their next foes. He’d never had any trouble with the Apatka. They respectfully stayed in their lane, remaining the majestic hunters of the rivers and marshlands.
Yoa was one of the most powerful creatures on Isla de Tayun, but scrapping with a caiman would still cause him some trouble. His gaze moved further downstream to the others floating in the calmer waters, their eyes above water or their bodies sunken below, bubbles occasionally popping from where they rested. More sunbathed with their jaws open on the sides of the river, still as anything and incredibly boring.
Many remained in their reptilian form— more animal than human. Cold-blooded to the core. In the shallows, some of the younger Apatka, still children yet to be men, wrestled in human form, twisting and splashing as they fought to gain the upper hand and drown the other. Such was the way of the Apatka. Only the strongest survived, whether child or grown.
Yoa reached out to a boulder, guiding Nova to the river’s edge, his eyes trained on the others in the river. He was a good swimmer, but they were better. It was their domain. The Apatka were also further downstream, a small advantage for Yoa and Nova, who could still climb out of the water before a croc caught up to them.
That was if the caimans were bothered to waste such precious energy on a meal that was well protected by Yoa.
With his free hand, Yoa urged Nova towards the river edge, moving closer like a shield around her tiny figure, his eyes sweeping everywhere, his body taut, ready to fight for her. The Apatka had never been his enemy, no more a foe in search of a good meal, but if they decided Nova was easy pickings with her slender and smaller form, then they’d meet his wrath.
Nova had yet to catch her breath, she was sure there had been more than a few potential near-death experiences and now she swam in the same waters as crocodiles. It chilled her more than the rivers depths to see those unblinking, reptilian eyes, completely unmoving like wax figurines. They were certainly not wax though. The telltale signs of the bubbles from more beneath the water reminded her that others could be closing in or beneath her.
Yoa wouldn’t let that happen, though. There was a certain sense of ease being with him as if she knew she could rely on him. If he said he would protect her, then he will. He’d proven it many times. Neither would anyone fault his promises from looking at the sheer size of him.
With a little nudge onto her backside, Nova was mostly scooped out of the water whilst she hoisted herself up. The light blue of her dress was muddy and soaked, weighing her down more as she crawled over the grass. Yoa followed behind her, and his body covered hers, crouching over her protectively.
Nova looked up at him, shocked by how fiercely protective he was right now. They were out of danger, weren’t they? Yoa’s jaw was set, his claws slicing through his fingertips and into the ground as he looked directly across from them.