Konnor woke with a start, realising the water was still cascading down his body. Hurriedly, he scrambled across the wide bathtub to the tap, flicking the lever down. The water shut off, the small amount that had collected in the bag still slowly dripping out. He stood for a moment, teeth bared and ears sharp, waiting for Sara to start shouting. No shouts came. With a sigh of relief and quickly drying himself, Konnor stepped out of their bathroom and into the remainder of their Abode. He often wondered about the houses of the old world, how they stood tall and gleaming in the sun, looking down on the people below, like careful guardians watching over them.

​

Through the low candlelight, Konnor waded across their Abode, shuffling past his Scouter kit and Sara’s cookery bag. The bags themselves were tall and wide, supposedly carrying everything they could need for their duties, but the couple would often complain to one another about how they lacked certain items, usually relying on colleagues or friends to help them. As his leg brushed past his Scouter's kit, Konnor stopped. Turning back, he knelt down and plunged his hand into it, quickly finding what he was searching for, pulling it out. Clutched in his hand, he brought the small image to the nearest candle, the colours contained within it bursting into his eyes. A smile grew he trailed the back of the beast with his finger.

 

“You're not looking at that picture again, are you?” Sara asked behind him, having returned from whatever venture she had been on. Konnor turned to her and smiled through his thick, bushy beard. She rolled her eyes and threw a pair of ripped trousers at him. “And put some clothes on,” she scoffed and turned, walking to her cookery bag and pulling out a small package. Konnor frowned.

 

“Got a job tonight?” he asked. Sara looked at him and sighed, a familiar sympathetic smile spreading across her face. Konnor’s eyes widened with recognition and nodded. “Ah, right,” he muttered, lowering his head back down to the picture. Sara walked over to him, resting her hand on his arm, still smiling.

 

“You know why,” she whispered. Konnor nodded and turned away from her, slipping the picture back into his bag. “He’ll never get over it.” Konnor stopped and closed his eyes, not that he needed to with the small amount of light in the room. He could remember the day, ten years ago. It was the first time he had told anyone, and everyone mocked him. He thought they were his friends, he thought they would believe him, or at the very least trust him, but they didn’t. It was months before he was Scouting again, and years before others trusted him enough to allow him to train trainees. Konnor sagged at the memory, Sara appearing at his side.

 

“You knew what would happen,” she said, stroking his back. “You just have to deal with it.” Konnor nodded knowingly. Behind them, the tannoy crackled as a cough came through it. The pair looked up at it, as if it were emitting the sound itself.

 

“Would Scouter teams A, C and F report to the Scouter Hall and Squad Delta report to their barracks,” the tannoy said, in the distinguishable voice of Trell Troy, the man’s nasal and squeaky voice instantly recognisable. Sara looked at Konnor and he shrugged, picking up his Scouters kit and swinging it over his shoulder. With muttered goodbyes, the pair walked in opposite directions. The path to the Scouter Hall was long, for Konnor at least. He wasn’t sure of it, but he assumed its distance from his Abode was intentional, the hall having been moved a few years ago and conveniently closer to many of the other Scouter’s Abodes. However, he paid no attention to the move, trying to force the views he knew people had on him aside.

​

He walked through the market, the only place in Homestation that was allowed to have glass installed in its dirt ceiling, allowing for the grey clouds to roll over the sky, the sun occasionally shining down, illuminating the beautiful reds and greens from the food on display, the only bright colours that sat in the whole of Homestation. People had tried to brighten Homestation up, tried to bring a smile to the faces of the new-born children, but the overall brown and grey and yellow interior drained the colour and they soon became saturated with dirt and smoke from its surroundings. Eventually, they gave up and the colour drained further.

 

The smells that surrounded Konnor as he meandered through the market were indescribable to him. Since his birth, he had been brought up around the market, even helping his mother sell some items a few years in a row, but the smells were bland and boring, usually the dirt and grub, but over the last year, the smells had increased, filling the air with flavour, giving the area a glorious aroma that often wafted around, intriguing every nose it passed. However, once you passed the market, the smell usually stops, melding with the dirt and soil, and the colour returns to the dim yellow of the poorly lit lamps hanging from the beams that sat low across the ceiling. The change of scenery always saddened Konnor, wishing he could spend as much time as possible around the market, but with nothing to sell and nothing to buy with, he was often shooed away from stalls and told to leave, and when recognised, often thrown out.

 

Konnor sighed as he entered the Scouter Hall, seeing that the meeting had already begun. No one looked up as he entered, masking any glances his way with another to a friend beside them. The Scouters circled Commander Jontone Kiltrill. The man had become the Commander of not just the Scouters, but the Infantry as well, marking it the first time anyone had ever done so. Granted, their current history was short, with many firsts happening every day for those surviving, but it was such an achievement, many regarded it as one of the greatest. Jontone was currently in some rousing speech, reaching the tail end of it as Konnor arrived.

 

“So if we crush them now, we might save humanity!” he cried, and the Scouters cheered back at him. Konnor joined the circle but it dispersed before he could ask any questions, his false smile on his face. The rest of the Scouters ignored him as they wandered around him, the Commander even taking notice of the confused man. Frowning, and with a sigh, Konnor adjusted his grip on his backpack and walked after them, following the group out towards the entrance tunnel, the narrowest section of Homestation and the only way in or out.

 

The group stopped and dropped their bags on the floor, chatting amongst themselves, once again ignoring Konnor. He had grown used to it by now. Even in ten years, the opinion of him hadn’t changed within the Scouters. Not since he confessed his soul to them. He could picture their faces again, the horror and confusion, the shouts and cries as he explained why, but they didn’t listen. All they heard was that he sympathised with them, the beasts above. The creatures that drove them from their homes, their families killed and devoured in the thousands in moments. From what they were told, Konnor had always assumed that the beasts attacked for no reason, appearing from the sky and immediately laying waste to the world, leaving it a burning cinder of what it was. But after his experience, Konnor’s opinion changed, seeing the beasts as gentle, kind and caring. Thirty years ago, they hadn’t attacked because it was their nature, they attacked because their young were threatened, because their territory was invaded. His experience questioned what he had been told as a boy, that the beasts were evil incarnate. He knew differently.

 

The chats of the Scouters dispersed as the Infantry arrived, carrying their huge backpacks and led by Captain Rolt, a man of similar stature as Jontone. As with the Scouters, the Infantry’s eyes glossed over him, their figures almost shielding one another from him as they moved past him towards the entrance. With a heavy sigh, Konnor gripped his Scouter kit and moved on behind the now larger group, the trails of their conversations hitting his ears. They stepped out into the world. In the past, Konnor thought, there would be a blinding light from the sun as you left the skyscrapers that now lay covered in ash and dust across the ground. Now, the world was grey and cold, the bright light only coming from the small gap that occasionally passed them. Konnor stopped for a moment, taking in the sight.

 

It had been a while since he had left Homestation, and the area around the entrance had changed. Small tufts of emerald grass had pushed up through the dirt, a small collection of pale and yellow flowers pushing up after it, covering the ground in a soft green glow that stretched into the distance. A gentle breeze washed over them, swaying them as if they were waving to him. The clouds in the sky were still their dull grey and black, a rumbling coming from far across the horizon, and a screech quickly followed it. Konnor froze and his smile dropped. In front of him, the group did the same, the Infantry’s hands darting to their weapons instantly. Konnor’s own hand drifting to his make-shift sword, the sword had followed him for years. Konnor having crafted it in a session with the blacksmith when he was young. Since then, the sword accompanied him everywhere.

 

When the screech was not followed by the devastating flaps of wings and roars of fury that shook the sky, the group relaxed and continued to move forward, Konnor quickly jogging to join the back of the group, still unnoticed. It was dark by the time they made it to their campsite, the group quickly constructing their tents and cooking what rations they had with them. Konnor, of course, set himself up as far away as he could, feeling their disinterested glares from the centre firepit. Their laughs and murmurs were hushed, Konnor hearing the conversations quickly moving off him and to their mission at hand, which Konnor still couldn’t hear. Suddenly, Konnor heard the light, cautiously moving footsteps of someone getting closer to him. Konnor tensed and kept his eyes trained to his rations, gulping down the tough grub. The footsteps stopped beside him and Konnor remained still, waiting for the person to realise where they were and leave.

 

“Hey?” a voice said, as if unsure where they were, like a lost traveller asking a stranger for directions. “You Konnor?” Konnor’s head snapped to the person and she jumped back in surprise. Quickly, trying to ease the woman, Konnor smiled and nodded, his confusion still apparent.

 

“Yeah,” he said apprehensively. “Can I help you?” The woman smiled and gestured to the floor beside him, brushing her brunette hair aside from her wide, green eyes.

 

“Mind if I join you?” she asked. Konnor was taken aback by the words, muttering his acceptance quickly and the woman sat in front of him, closer to the fire than him. Her smile didn’t falter as she started to eat her food, silently spooning handfuls into her mouth, swallowing them with ease. The act was something Konnor had become jealous of over the years, the ability to swallow the disgusting rations without gagging or sign of regret, a look he had seen in many other faces over the years. Unsure of what to do, Konnor continued eating, straining with every swallow, feeling the food slowly etch its way down his throat before dropping into his stomach, giving him a small sense of relief, only to repeat the process. The woman before him set her food aside and smiled at him again, this time looking into his eyes. Konnor looked up at her and flashed her a smile as he took another piece of rations and placed it into his mouth, the taste, once again, overwhelming him.

 

“I’m Adde,” she said, still smiling. Konnor looked back at her and flashed the same smile, hers not quivering at the repeated action. Neither of them spoke, Adde clearly waiting for him to break the silence. Konnor stubbornly refused, holding a small handful of rations from his open mouth. At that moment, Adde’s face shifted, her eyebrow suddenly cocked up and green eyes curious. Konnor sat back slightly, nervous and dropping his food back into its packet.

 

“Why are you sitting here?” she asked, gesturing to the small fire and tent beside him. “Alone? Away from everyone?” This time, Konnor raised his eyebrow and turned slightly, seeing the confused and startled eyes of the rest of the group looking over at them, sharing mutters and groans between them. He looked back at her and shrugged.

 

“They haven’t said?” he asked. Adde shook her head slowly and glanced back at the group, now seeing them whispering between themselves. She shuffled uncomfortably. “They’ll tell you eventually,” Konnor muttered, returning to his food. Adde narrowed her eyes, moving further towards the fire in an effort to get warm.

 

“Why can't you say?” she asked and Konnor sighed, another mouthful begrudgingly making its way down his throat.

 

“Because I’ll say something that you might like or understand, you’ll go back to them, repeat it, and then you’ll be ridiculed like me. So it's best if you go back and listen to what they say.” Konnor finished with a grunt and spooned another mouthful in, finishing his rations. Adde sat back, slightly startled by the words. Her emerald eyes darted over to the group, who were all still watching intently, their interest captured by the outburst. Without waiting for an answer, Konnor curled himself up and rested himself on the dirt, gazing up at the stars. Silently, and with a mutter of an apology, Adde stood and walked back to the group, their mutters picking up as they asked questions, which she politely declined to answer, walking to her tent. Konnor turned his attention away from the group and slowly crawled into his tent, closing it behind him.

 

It was early next morning when the roar echoed across the sky, everyone scrambling to their feet in a flurry to hide. The moment the last man was safe, a beast soared above them, the beat from its wings sending tents flying across the sky, scattering the campsite everywhere. Everyone held their breath as it flew away, its screams following it until it disappeared from sight, its roars sill echoing across the sky. With the coast clear, Jontone ordered everyone to gather their things and to follow the trail, this time led by Rolt. Konnor was the first ready but last to leave. He noticed Adde kept her eyes on him, following him as he meandered around the site, lazily kicking up dust. Eventually, the rest of the group was ready and they were on the move, heading further north.

 

As the journey continued, Konnor tried to listen in on the rest of the group, trying to catch on to what they were doing and where they were going. However, his eavesdropping didn’t reveal things he didn’t already know about those he listened to. Once again, Konnor remained at the back of the group, every so often lifting his eyes to watch them walk along. He was faster than most, mainly due to them being too engaged in conversation, so Konnor often caught up to them, only to pull himself back by staring out at nothing, pretending to be distracted until he was an acceptable distance from them. The sun had started to set, sending streaks of orange into the sky like a child’s drawing. At the head of the group, Rolt stopped and turned, holding his hand in the air to freeze the group. Everyone stopped and fell silent. Konnor assumed they had arrived.

 

“We’ll set up camp up the hill,” he hissed, Konnor only just hearing his words. “Tomorrow, we set our plan in motion.” A series of nods and murmurs echoed through the group as they dispersed, Konnor taking his usual spot at the edge of the circle that slowly developed. A few hours later, the sun had set, plunging the world into darkness, the only light coming from the series of small fires that had been constructed. Konnor stared glumly at his fire, his rations cooking slowly over it. Again, footsteps approached and his head snapped towards the sounds. Once again, Adde was approaching him, her smile different, more nervous and cautious.

 

“Hey,” she said, repeating her same greeting. “Mind if I join you?” Konnor shrugged and gestured wildly to his surroundings, Adde taking a seat on the floor eagerly. Before Konnor could question her, she opened her mouth. “The others told me about what you believe.” Konnor’s heart stopped and he sighed, realisation flooding him. “You still think that?” Konnor lifted his dropped head and looked at the patiently waiting woman. He at least owed her that much.

 

“I do,” he said plainly. “We’ve been told one thing our entire lives, they may have killed thousands of us, but they definitely didn’t do it unprovoked.” Adde nodded along with his words and Konnor raised an eyebrow. “You agree?” he questioned. Adde shrugged.

 

“I think there are questions in this world that we don’t know yet,” she answered plainly. “What we’ve been told isn’t the entire picture. And we’ll never know it because of what the world has become.” Konnor found himself smiling and nodding with her. A question flashed across his mind. He looked behind him, leaning forward and catching Adde’s intrigue.

 

“What are we doing here?” he asked quickly. “What’s the mission?” Adde pulled back, brow furrowed and eyes narrowed.

 

“You don’t know?” she asked back. Konnor gestured to the area around him and Adde nodded self-consciously, realising her mistake. “Well…um…” she tried. She furrowed her brow further, as if trying to fake the story she was about to tell. “We’re here because a Scouter found this place where several of the beasts have gathered. Scouters to lead the way and return safely and the Infantry to kill the new-borns.” When she had finished, Konnor’s mouth hung open, picturing the massacre of the babies, their mothers too weak to act as they died alongside them, the males returning to find a genocide. He could hear their screeches. Scrambling to his feet, Konnor turned and sprinted towards the campsite, heads immediately snapping towards him, their glares clear.

 

As he reached the main circle, one man pulled him to the floor and the group fell silent as a rumble shot through the earth. A low growl ripped through the air, followed by a wing extending upwards into the sky, the horned, scaled head of a male following it. Its eyes were closed but its nostrils flared, sniffing the cool night air for intruders. Konnor watched the beast with fearful eyes, the man holding onto him increasing his grip, feeling the fear irradiate through him. Slowly, the head descended and the sound of the beast hitting the ground echoed through the small valley below them. Instantly, the group relaxed and turned their gaze to Konnor, who was now standing awkwardly in front of them, having pulled away from the man’s grip. Jontone stood and quietly walked over to him.

 

“What do you think you were doing?” he demanded, keeping his voice hushed. “If you compromise this mission, you will be…”

 

“You can't kill those new-borns,” Konnor interrupted, followed by Jontone’s sinister and fury-filled eyes and snarl.

 

“I think you’ve forgotten your place in this world, Upritt,” he snarled, baring his teeth at the man. Konnor glanced behind the commander, seeing the saddened and perplexed looks of the rest of the group. “You follow orders, do you understand? You're only here because I think you can be useful. You are good at running.” A small snigger floated up behind them. “Going to make me change my mind?”

 

“These creatures have managed to co-inhabit with one another,” Konnor spluttered, desperate to keep himself from shouting, the yellow eyes of the male burning into his mind. “They’ve evolved, learned from us. That means they…”

 

“Should die!” Jontone hissed, his face now red and eyes bulging with anger. Behind him stood Rolt, a hand over his make-shift pistol. It could only fire one bullet, but one was all he needed. “If these creatures are able to form societies like us, then we need to deal with them. This is the world we live in, Konnor, not some fantasy world where the outcast manages to befriend the beasts and save the world. This is the world now. This is how the world will remain if we don’t act now.” By the time he had finished, much of the group were standing behind him, their minds set in their eyes. Konnor could see the bloodshed in them, see what they would do without mercy, without a second thought.

 

“Your one experience is nothing compared to the millions of others when those creatures burned our homes. Homestation is all we have. We must protect it and those we love.” Jontone paused and rested a hand on Konnor’s shoulder. The anger in his face was gone, replaced by pity and hope, a hope Konnor knew was misplaced. “Like Sara.” A small smile slowly spread across his face, his hope welling up again. Silently, Konnor pulled away, nodding as he did, and returned to his campfire where Adde still sat, watching him with eager and saddened eyes. As soon as he arrived at his fire, he turned away and headed for his tent, slithering into it quickly, avoiding the conversation brewing in Adde’s mind.

 

That night, sleep didn’t come easy to him. He tossed and turned, startled by every sound, every rustle of wind. Every growl. A few were from wild dogs that had ravaged the campsite looking for some easy food, but like they always did, they found nothing. He had listened intently as the group muttered their goodnights and crept into their tents, snoring slowly filling the campsite. They were all asleep. Konnor knew who was on watch tonight and he also knew where he would be. No night watchman took their job that seriously. If any of the beasts tried to creep up on the camp, their low growl and haunting roars would wake anyone before it had a chance to attack, and the wild dogs knew better than to mess with a human. The wind gently brushed against his tent, the dancing shadows against it creating wild tales for his mind to run with, once again picturing the massacre that was coming the following morning. Konnor’s jaw stiffened as he remembered Jontone’s words.

 

With a sudden sense of confidence and belief, Konnor threw his blanket off himself and crawled out of his tent, the harsh cold biting his face. Pushing forward, he pulled himself out and walked towards his fire, the embers still glowing red against the black soot beneath it. Pulling his Scouters kit off the ground, he plunged his hand into it and pulled his sword out. Over the years, he had managed to piece more knives together to form a more rigid blade, one he thought people envied. With a smile on his face, Konnor dropped the kit and walked to the edge of the hill that the camp sat upon, looking down to the den below them, where the beasts lay. Before he could change his mind, Konnor strapped his sword to his hip and slowly made his way down the sheer drop, carefully stopping any loose dirt or stone from breaking away. Eventually, he landed on the floor. It was strangely smooth for a den constructed by animals, the ground flat and crack-less as if crafted by a stonemason. The floor, however, was not at the forefront of Konnor’s mind. He had landed beside a gaggle of new-borns, all tucked into one another and sleeping. Braced and frozen, Konnor looked around himself, scanning the area. His jaw dropped.

 

Above him stood a vast dome that covered the den. It wasn’t built, he could see that, but carved out of the stone. From above, the den looked like a cave for shelter, but now he was inside, he could see the beauty of the creation. In the side of the dome, as it touched the floor, sat large holes. Inside lay females, beautifully golden and crimson, their bodies rising and falling slowly. They were dying. Stage two, Konnor could assume by the look of them. As he continued to look around the den, he could see several of the holes blocked off with huge slabs of concrete and boulders that the males had collected from the ruins around them.

 

“Where the dead ones are,” Konnor thought. Soon, he had completed a circle, finishing back where he started. Slowly, a thought crept into his mind. There were no males. The one they had seen earlier must have slinked off into the night, most likely for food. This was his chance. Checking his sword was still attached to his hip, Konnor turned to the sleeping new-borns, who had seemed to spread themselves across the den, their bond with each other clear and heart-warming. He didn’t even have to outstretch his hand before a new-born's eye snapped open, startling Konnor. The new-born's head popped up in curiosity, its yellow eyes intrigued by the new figure in front of it. With a nervous laugh, Konnor regained himself and stood above the creature. Despite standing a good few feet above it, and most likely stronger, he couldn’t help but imagine the feeling of its jaw clenching around his neck.

​

Slowly, it moved, slipping out from under several of its kind and wandered towards him, its curiosity unwavering. Konnor smiled at it and crouched down, hoping not to seem too threatening, presenting his hand to it. The creature stopped at the movement, its nostrils flaring at the sight of the hand. Gradually, it inched closer, pressing its scales against him. A new level of fear spread through him as Konnor felt the cold scales slide across his hand and up his arm until their eyes met. They weren’t filled with the malice he was told they were born with. They were child-like in their glow, obvious based on its age. Konnor’s smile widened and he stood slowly, allowing the creature to understand his height. It didn’t pull back in fear, rather it stepped closer to him, reaching forward a clawed foot and patting his trousered leg, confused by the sudden growth. Konnor chuckled.

​

Behind him, a sudden swoop and rush of air froze him, the terrifying wing flap of a male filling the den. Deep in its throat, its usual growl sat as it landed on the opposite side of the den. Konnor froze and silenced himself, but the new-born didn’t. Immediately, it started chortling and crying out, gleeful to present the male with the new arrival. The male’s head snapped towards the noise and Konnor cried out. With a deafening roar, the male bounded over to them, it’s jaw wide and teeth sharp. Still screaming, Konnor turned and ran back to the hill he had come down, but it was too steep. His foot slipped and he fell back down into the den, the new-born at his side. Acting quickly, he pushed the new-born away and pulled himself to the other side, diving into one of the holes in the wall, the male close behind him. Spinning on his heel, Konnor dove behind the resting female who was too weak to move in protest. Upon seeing her lying there, the male skidded to a halt and growled at the back of the hole, where Konnor lay, curled in a ball, breathing heavily. The male looked down at the female, who let out a soft moan. The male’s eyes changed and he dropped his head, rubbing his snout against her’s in an effort to comfort her. Eyes wide and adrenaline pumping, Konnor eyed the small gap he could see between the female and the open den. As quietly as he could, Konnor crawled across the floor, carefully keeping his sword off the smooth floor as he slowly exited the hole.

​

Once he was out, he started sprinting to the den’s entrance, feeling his legs pounding against the floor and echoing across the den, drawing the attention of the rest of the drowsy new-borns. A roar echoed behind him and Konnor pushed himself further to the entrance a few meters away. A light chuckle started to bubble up his throat, feeling the cool air rushing in as he got closer, but his celebration was short-lived. The cool air became icy as another roar echoed across the sky. The chuckle dropped into dread as it fell into his stomach, his eyes looking into the black sky, seeing a shimmering shroud of scales glistening in the moonlight. He could hear the male behind him scrambling closer, jaw stretched out. He could feel the teeth slowly surrounding him. With a final gulp of air, Konnor jumped as more males swooped into the den, immediately letting out a raging roar as they landed. Konnor landed on the ground in a heap, burrowing his head between his knees as he waited for death to consume him. But nothing happened.

​

He could hear the snarls and cries of the beasts and they fought and growled, but he couldn’t feel their hot breath on his back, nor smell his own flesh melting off his bones. He opened his eyes and sat up, staring back into the den, and his mouth dropped open. There, across the floor, lay several dead new-borns. Their throats were slit, crimson blood pouring down across their golden bodies, their lifeless eyes gazing out into the den. Among them lay the severed limbs and torn pieces of human flesh. Konnor looked up at the hill, seeing the male’s climbing the side, hoisting themselves above the campsite, breathing fire down upon those who were still screaming. Horror descended into his mind as he watched pieces of tents fly into the air, the burning remnants of the group turned to ash, the embers flying into the sky, melding with the stars.

​

With his eyes distracted, he could barely make out the image of a male turning to face him. The same one who was chasing him before. The male stood over the dead bodies of their young, his eyes now full of the malice and rage Konnor had been told about. The one they're born with. The male started towards him and Konnor scuttled to his feet, stumbling his way towards a rock formation in front of him. He could feel the tremors in the ground as the male thundered towards him, snarling and growling. Screaming in terror, as Konnor reached the rocks, he didn’t have time to react to the gaping hole that sat there. Without a second look, he jumped, the male’s jaws snapping above him as he fell. As he dropped, he turned, facing the beast as he glared at him, its yellow eyes narrowing before Konnor struck the back of his head against the floor, darkness consuming him.