Chapter 57: New Threat or Old Enemy
Yoa sniffed at the sand, following the pawprints of a large beast that had dragged its victim into the crashing waves. It had struggled for its life, that was clear, but if this manner of creature was the legend, the ancient he thought it might be, then his evenings would be getting busier. The waves were dark, pitch black and not their usual vivid turquoise and clear waters. That meant it was still nearby.
Yoa’s growl rumbled in warning along the shores, the sound causing a rippling effect in the sands circling outwards from where he stood on all fours, glaring into the sea directly where his senses were pointing out where the creature was still lurking and no doubt feasting on its latest victim. The foam from the waves was left bloodied.
Not the colour of red like normal. It was black. The prey it had dragged into the sea was a vampira. The black blood along the foam was evidence enough.
The ancient being Yoa now knew for certain was the Akhlut. Only these creatures turned the waters black upon their approach, shifted between land and sea mammals, and left bloodied foam behind their prey. It was an Apex predator with a nasty bloodlust, almost one as bad as the vampiras.
But those leeches had been dealt with many cycles of the sun and moon ago. The Akhlut hadn’t made itself known since Yoa claimed his right upon his first rite of passage. Still, he’d patrolled the shores of the island once a night since, but it hadn’t appeared.
Not until now.
Yoa’s attention flicked to some of the black furs of the Akhlut’s landform. Something had woken it up, and to make matters worse, it seemed as though it made a statement, a warning to others. It was not a creature to be reckoned with.
There wasn’t an issue with its return. The power lining Yoa’s blood thrummed at the challenge and brought his beast forward. The jaguar in him wanted to chase after the ancient, which was now in its mammal form. Although he was a strong swimmer and liked the water, that was the one place he knew with certainty that the Akhlut had the upper hand.
Yoa paced along the shoreline, the water splashing up his silky black fur, his blood pumping with the feral need to unleash his might on the being that seemed to laugh back at him; the sounds of its pulsing echoes reverberated back to him along the waves before water spurted upwards, out of the sea, indicating its laughter at Yoa.