© 2020 Becky Walsh

The beast that perched on the dusky red rocks was massive. It twitched its tail as it watched Chimera with piercing red eyes. She crouched, her eyes never leaving it and every muscle tense. A Kágro. Vicious bastards and top of the food chain on this barren desert rock. A world which was literally a dog eat dog kind of place and contrary to popular belief, the biggest is not always the strongest.

The unbearable heat leaves little plant-life, except for a few stunted bushes and bristles of tough grass that had stubbornly set root in the cracks and provided for the myriad of wildlife that roam the dry lands. With great sweeping plains of sand and looming cliffs of jagged rock, every narrow crevice and winding valley could be deadly. Much like this enclosed ravine, with only one entrance, had turned out to be.

The beast shifted one foot, the blinding sun flashing on deep black scales, reflecting with hues of blues and greens. The Kágro opened its powerful jaws and roared, its serrated white teeth looking wickedly sharp. Vibrant coloured fins flared out around an elongated head and shook as it crouched down on its haunches, a matching fin rising along its spine.

Chimera twirled the daggers in her hands, flexing her fingers as she tested her grip. Soaked in sweat, it ran into her eyes and more tickled her sides as it plastered her ragged top to her ribs.

Nine days stuck on this hell cursed planet, and it all came down to this moment. Nine days of baking heat, freezing nights and dust. Nine days of little food and barely any water. The only water she had found was a tiny stream that disappeared beneath the rocks almost as quickly as it emerged. Warm and gritty as it was though, it was better than no water at all. As for food, she usually hunted in her other form, but for this test, shape-shifting was forbidden and she had failed spectacularly to catch much. With such intolerable heat, most creatures burrow underground through the day or hide in cool caves, only emerging in the cooler dusk. Some animals braved the heat, but not usually the Kágro. Being black, they preferred the darkness of night, only suffering the heat of the twin suns when desperate.

Chimera had not found herself on this hell cursed rock of nightmares by chance, though. No, this was a test of survival and they sent her for a reason. Survive nine days in a land of predators and limited resources with basic weaponry. Upon returning to the Battle Academy, they expected each student who survived the nine days, to have a trophy to present before the Academy Mentors. The more fierce or the more difficult to catch the trophy was, the higher the grade and the more respected you were. Most settle for the fast, long-legged Burrow Rat with its vast network of underground tunnels. It is also incredibly sensitive to the slightest tremor through the ground, making it hard to sneak up on.

Another popular creature is the more dangerous Rockcat. Smaller than a person, it's rusty red and black coat was perfect camouflage. Chimera had decided on something harder than the usual, though.

The Sand Sweeper, a large burrowing serpent that uses stealth to get close and speed to strike. Once it has a vice-like grip on its prey, the Sand Sweeper will wrap itself around the helpless victim and squeeze, breaking bones. It would be a dangerous prey to subdue and survive. An impressive trophy to return home with. What Chimera had not expected to stumble on, though, was the King of the Desert. If she could kill herself a Kágro, well, the thought was enticing. At least it would be if it wasn't so bloody insane. A Kágro was far larger than the average person, heavily armoured and viciously armed with teeth and claws, they were strong, agile and bad-tempered. A fully grown adult Therian, with their shape-shifting abilities, would have a hard time taking down a Kágro on their own and the young adolescent students of the Battle Academy had to complete this task, with their shape-shifting abilities suppressed. A test of survival in their weakest form, unable to call on the shape-shifting to better defend themselves. This test taught students not to rely purely on shape-shifting to get out of a situation. Common sense dictated that avoidance was best when these creatures were in the area, and Chimera wondered why she insisted on ignoring her common sense, as the Kágro roared again, unhappy that she had not retreated.

She fought the urge to scratch at the collar around her neck. A thin metal collar with a vibrant orange crystal, normally used only on volatile prisoners, to suppress their shifting abilities. It left her feeling itchy, vulnerable and constantly wired. The Mentors gave the collars to the Students for a few days before the test, to give them time to get used to the feeling of not being able to shift. They had made it sound so easy to adjust, but the suppression of such a large part of their genetic makeup had been painful. Chimera felt the loss as keenly as if she had lost a hand or an eye, and she suspected that even after years of wearing a collar, she would never really adjust.

The Kágro launched at her, its talons swiping mere inches from her side as Chimera ducked and rolled. She took a shaky breath, eyes fixed on the Kágro as she stayed crouched low. She circled around, scanning for a weak spot and it growled deep and low. Its massive paws kicking up puffs of dry dirt, its claws leaving scratches on the hard stone. As it twisted around and bounded onto a set of rocks, using the higher ground to pounce, Chimera surprised it by launching forward. She slid underneath it, hitting the rocks it had pounced from.

Male Kágros are highly territorial and vicious to anything that wanders within their boundaries. Females are usually more docile unless they have pups and then even males avoid them, which is why the Academy avoids pup season.

Now pinned with her back to the rocks, on the far side of this small valley from the only entrance, Chimera partially hoped the Kágro would just leave, but it seemed she had firmly pissed it off.

'Story of my life'

She thought dryly.

Chimera slashed with one dagger as she sidestepped the beast's attack, but the dagger bounced off the smooth black scales above its nose. The blade tinged like it had struck stone, sliding up and biting into the soft flesh of its eye. It roared in pain, lurching sideways, and Chimera felt a tug on her left side. They both veered away from each other and Chimera gasped as a sharp pain hit her. She glanced at her left side, seeing blood well up from a pair of slices in her top. Across from her, the Kágro was shaking its head, pawing as green blood flowed down its face. It glared at her, its teeth bared and Chimera smiled nervously. She had pushed it from pissed to enraged.

Oh dear.'

She thought, clamping a hand over her side.

The wounds were shallow enough to ignore, but they would need tending if she got out of this alive. Its fins flared out and the Kágro roared. It swiped at her and she leapt back, sucking in her belly as she smacked into the scorching rocks behind. Chimera snarled back and swiped with a blade, startling the Kágro into retreating a step. They circled each other cautiously, watching, waiting for any sign of weakness. Chimera lost focus for a split second, as something caught her eye and the Kágro leapt forward, smacking her with a massive paw. She slammed into a rock and hit the floor, landing with a crash on a sun-bleached skeleton. One dagger skidded away through the sand, the other lay beneath the bones, as Chimera blinked rapidly, the world spinning. The Kágro pounced on its now prone quarry, but Chimera rolled onto her back, just missing the snapping jaws. Snarling, it snapped again, but Chimera growled as she caught it on the first thing she could grab, the leg bone of the skeleton beneath her. The Kágro growled and snarled as it shoved against the bone, its paws scrabbling at the surrounding dirt. Chimera could feel her heart pounding, teeth gritted as she let out a scream full of fear, anger and adrenaline. It took all her strength to hold the Kágro back as the beast was so strong; it was shoving her across the valley floor. Then she saw what had distracted her earlier, a gap in the scales, along the base of its jaw, allowing the Kágro full manoeuvrability. Chimera saw one of her daggers off to one side. In frustration that it can't get past the bone, the Kágro pulls back to renew its assault and Chimera took the opportunity. She slammed the bone into its jaw and the Kágro yelped, surprised and wary, as Chimera scrabbled for the dagger. She spun onto her back just as the Kágro dived for her again and she jammed the dagger into its neck, feeling teeth scrap across her left shoulder. The beast let out a gargled howl and convulsed, slumping over her legs.

Chimera moaned, coughing under the weight, twisting the dagger just to be sure it was dead. She flopped back onto the ground, panting. Her entire body shook as it slowly dawned on her. She had survived. The Kágro was dead, and she was still breathing. Chimera peered at its face laid on her belly, seeing the uninjured red eye go cold and dim, and felt a pang of regret. It had been a beautiful creature, if somewhat cranky.

Chimera sat for a moment, getting her breath back, flinching at the pain in her side and shoulder, but her legs were going numb from the heavy body pinning her down. It took her a long time to wriggle out from underneath the Kágro, between the sheer weight of the beast and the pain of her injuries, but eventually, she succeeded. Exhausted, dirty and covered in red and green blood, Chimera flopped in the sand and dozed.

When she came to, her skin felt tender from the sun, her wounds stung as the scabs pulled loose and her parched throat felt like sand. She stared at the Kágro's body, then up at the darkening sky. Her wounds needed tending. She ran a hand over the smooth scales of the body and stood up.

"I'm sorry. You truly were stunning."

Chimera walked to the entrance of the small valley where it opened into a dried lakebed. The sky stretched in a vibrant blend of reds, oranges and yellows to the horizon. Chimera removed four crystals from a pouch on her belt. Another held some water, carefully collected and boiled clean one night. Taking a swig to ease her throat, Chimera ripped the shoulder of her shirt and gritted her teeth as she poured water over the wound. A strangled groan fought its way out and she bowed her head, squeezing her eyes shut. Taking a few deep breaths, Chimera did the same to her wounded side. Sitting on the dusty ground, she placed the four crystals in a circle, one to each direction. Each crystal reflected the setting suns, their deep colours entrancing. Laying down, Chimera winced as she put weight on the wound over her shoulder that stretched down to her shoulder-blade. She withdrew two more, slightly larger crystals of a deep rich red. Placing one on her shoulder and the other on her belly, Chimera took two shaky breaths and closed her eyes. She focused on her breathing, keeping it deep and steady, embracing the pain from her injuries. With each breath, the pain eased, as she drew on the power of the crystals, breathing in their bright energy. Around her, the crystals seemed to glow with a flickering light, like they held a flame deep within. The two crystals over her wounds grew ever darker with every breath out until they turned black, the wounds healing beneath them. Chimeras eyes opened, but she didn't move. She could feel the hum of energy in the ground beneath her. She could feel the crystals connected to her, to each other and to the earth itself, a physical bond. It danced through her like a warm fire, energising and calming all at the same time. No matter how many times she did this, it always left her breathless.

Eventually, Chimera released the connection and sat up. She checked her wounds and was pleased to see her side almost completely healed. The enhanced healing of her race would see it gone in just a day, if not less. Her shoulder though had been deeper and larger. It was no longer a danger, but even with the enhanced healing, it would scar. She gathered the crystals carefully and her mind wandered to the next step.

This was the last test before graduation and leaving the Battle Academy for good. Her final initiation. It filled Chimera with nerves, for they would now enter active service. Some Captains would request particular students, but normally they were just sent where the Mentors felt was the best fit.

She didn't see the orange crystal on her collar flash, as a beacon activated, guiding the pickup team.

It was almost dark by the time a round-bodied spaceship landed on the lakebed and four soldiers emerged, scouting the area for danger. A fifth person hurried down the rear ramp, in the uniform of an Academy Mentor, a gold braid around her waist revealing her position as a member of the Academy Council. She strode to Chimera's side and raised an eyebrow, her hands clasped loosely behind her as she watched Chimera drinking from an offered bottle. The soldier then checked her wounds, nodding to the Mentor.

"You survived. Good."

Chimera huffed, her voice croaking as she replied.

"Did you expect any different?"

The Mentor grinned.

"Oh, I don't know, with your stubborn mood, it could have gone either way."

The Mentor gently pulled back the ragged remains of Chimera's top, to better see the mess of her shoulder. She surveyed the girl closely, pleased to see her skill with the crystals had improved. Chimera had struggled with them for longer than any other student, but once she got the hang of using them, the girl had excelled beyond all expectations.

"Are you okay?"

She waved a hand at Chimera in her blood and dirt-stained glory. Chimera shrugged, then winced as her shoulder protested.

"Nothing much I can't handle. Mostly just need some food and I'm pretty sure I could sleep for a full season cycle."

The woman nodded, then crossed her arms. Chimera said nothing, partly out of pettiness, but mostly because she was just dozing off again. The woman smiled softly and rolled her eyes, then flicked Chimera on the ear. The shape-shifter jerked, hissing as she pulled on her shoulder. She glowered, but the Mentor merely chuckled.

"Come on. I don't want to be here for too long. Did you catch something?"

Chimera wiped a hand over her face and waved back into the ravine. Leaving the exhausted warrior to rest, the Mentor and three soldiers entered the ravine, to collect the body and were brought to a halt, staring.

They stood stunned, but there was only one body in the valley and the Mentor laughed, shaking her head.

Covered in its blood, with her dagger buried in its neck, there was no denying what Chimera had killed.

The most dangerous predator on the planet, A Kágro