Aberrant: Phoenix Rising - Fic: Seven: Guard Duty

[Expendable]

The stranger paused at the edge of the woods. In the faint light he looked good. Too good. A mile away stood the walls of Newborough, dimly illuminated by the sliver of quarter moon. But his sharp eyes spotted the lone figure leaning against the wall, obviously a guard of some sort.

"Heh," the man grunted, smiling. "Ain't no way they're stopping me!"

With a soft sigh and a strange liquid crunch he shrunk down. Standing in his footsteps, a small brown field mouse sniffed the air cautiously and then darted forward, heading straight for the town.

Seven yawned, idly toying with the whistle they'd hung around her neck.

"With your eyes, you're the perfect choice for a dark night," the Watch Captain had told her. Only the others got to stand watch on top of the walls, why was she out here?

Her tail thudded against the wall. Maybe the watch captain didn't trust novas? Or just strange novas?

A breeze blowing fitfully across the field made her head jerk upright as she caught a faint scent. Eyes narrowing, she let them roam across the field.

The mouse paused at the edge of the road. Something was wrong. The guard wasn't playing with her whistle or with her night stick.... Was that a night stick?

The guard's head suddenly turned, her eyes staring directly into his. A cold chill ran down the shapechanger's spine as he suddenly darted away - but it was too late. The girl lept, landing in front of him. In a panic, he darted to the left - but she was there! Claws raking the ground in front of him! With a small squeek of terror, he doubled back - but there was no escape.

"Hey Mac, come look at this," one of the guards said, motioning to his buddy on the wall. He pointed out to the field where they could see the nova catgirl leaping about on the ground. "What's got into her?"

"She is half-cat. Maybe she found a mouse?"

The two men laughed.

Her foot thudded in front of him. The shapechanger, frightened out of conscious thought tried to stop, back away but he was too slow as her hands snatched his tired little body up. She smiled at her terrified, squirming prize.

Mmmm. Mousie.

Opening her mouth to take a bite, the mouse suddenly began swelling in her hand. Surprised, Seven let it go, staring in surprise as it grew in mid-air into a naked man that thudded hard onto the ground.

Seven blinked and leaned forward curiously, ignoring the frantic cries of the guards behind her. She prodded the still body with her foot. The man groaned, opened his eyes and stared at her wide-eyed.

The shapechanger screamed. Scrambling desperately to his human feet, He turned and ran away from Newborough and Seven as fast as his legs could carry him.