Theo wasn't sure what it was, but he got the sense that Lori didn't like to lead from the front. Whenever they had a moment, she seemed to cling to his shadow, or hover around him, and seemed more relieved to be behind, or alongside him.
It was a shame, Theo liked watching her lead the group. It certainly gave him a magnificent view. The way her tail moved as she strutted, her ample hips swaying from side to side, was breathtaking. More than once he had to check himself, clearing his mind so that he wouldn't get too uncomfortable. The ceramic jock-strap guarding his bulging manhood wasn't pleasant when he grew stiff.
He was so transfixed by her feminine figure, he almost didn't see the shivering mass on the floor in front of them. The chamber they just entered was spacious, with a high ceiling, and bathed in a disturbing green light. The ground was swarmed by a thick layer of slick and leathery, slime coated, tendrils. The pulsating mass seemed to reach up the walls, as its dark grey skin flexed with a sickly motion.
"What the literal hell is that?" Cassie gawked, gazing at the floor, the hair on the tip of her tail was standing straight, as was the hair on the back of her neck.
They had been following Lorelei through miles of tunnels, until finally finding what looked to be a major junction. Here, the Redever paused a moment before leading them into this room.
Theo tried to analyze the rest of the chamber. The walls were layered with empty cabinets, sinks, and counter tops. There were also several prep stations, propane grills, and several large stoves. It had the look of a massive circular kitchen, and Theo wasn't sure what to make of it.
The creature, or creatures, on the floor could only be described as a writhing pile of throbbing tentacles. It squirmed and stretched out, as if hungry for air, pressing against the walls, and reaching toward the open door.
Theo's eyesight had fully returned, allowing him to study the creature from a distance. Seeing it writhe made him feel sick. The large creature seemed slippery and gross, the tentacles girth was at least the width of his arm, and he couldn't tell how long they were.
Was it one organism, or several? Theo had no idea.
"That's…a Squirm," Lorelei cleared her throat while she spoke. "Don't worry, it's harmless."
"It doesn't look harmless!" Cassie was pointing her giant sniper rifle at the creature, as if at any moment, it would try to grab her.
Lorelei dashed over to Theo, and he was glad to have her by his side. She seemed embarrassed by the wolfskins sudden outburst.
"Should we be worried?" He asked her.
"Believe it or not…there delicious." Lorelei peered around him, using him as cover against Cassie's scowls of contempt.
"WHAT!" Cassie barked.
"Pipe down," Konrad patted the wolfkin on the head. "In Redever cities, there are few things to eat or domesticate, there are Slithers that are semi-intelligent, and sometimes dangerous to hunt, but Squirms are common in the under-dark caverns, and thrive on moss, mould, and…small animals. Redevers harvest them, let them grow, and use them for all manner of dishes."
"You've eaten them?" Marci's voice was one of shock, looking over to Konrad and Lorelei.
"I've…I may have at one time had a cut of Squirm steak before. It wasn't to my liking." Konrad scratched at the back of his neck, not wanting to elaborate further.
"What do you think they fed us?" Lorelei defended herself. "Of course they hardly cooked it though." She seemed embarrassed, uncertain as to why everyone was looking at her. "When I was in Titalia I got to eat an actual proper dish, Squirm stew actually. It was delicious!"
"Please stop saying Squirm," Cassie snapped back.
"Yeah I'm less convinced," Marcie sighed. "But, after living with you, I know you've got better tastes than this, so maybe it's just a Redever thing."
"Are you ok?" Theo looked over to Lorelei, noticing her desire to hide behind him. Her tail was already curled around his leg.
"Just…don't want wanna get in another fight with her." Lorelei leaned into him closer. The warmth of her body seemed to absorb through his clothes.
Cassie tried her best to keep herself from gagging. "I still can't believe you ate that. How do we even get through it?"
"Is it just me, or do they look hungry?" Lucy took a step closer so that she could get a better look, her vampire girlfriend was close behind.
The creature seemed to notice Laura's movements, a thick tentacle appendage slid out from the greater mass, reaching out towards them. Its flesh was a soft pinkish color, the head a vibrant red.
Seeing its reaction, Theo couldn't help but feel that she was right.
"It probably is hungry." Lorelei had her arms crossed beneath her bosoms. "It mainly eats moss and fungi, but it could also ingest the moisture from someone's skin."
"Ingests the moisture from someone skin…" Cassie seemed even more anxious.
Lorelei sighed. "No, they aren't dangerous."
"Why is it here?" Theo asked.
"Even if only a single tiny Squirm was left behind, it'll grow and try to feed off anything nearby. And…I'd say there are plenty more like this down here. Look up there," Lorelei noticed the way Theo was glaring at he chest, and blushed, but wanted him to look at where she was pointing. "That's black mould all over the walls, so everyone should put on their respirators."
"This whole place is a health hazard…" Marci kept a wide berth from the room. "How are we supposed to get through that?"
Theo stiffened, it was a good question, but before anyone could answer, a series of loud bangs nearly deafened him. The wall next to his head shattered, a new crater formed from the slug of a high caliber bullet. He winced from the high piercing whistle, followed by the sharp cling of its impact.
"What the!" Theo turned around in shock.
There was no time to think, only to react, and yet he found his feet frozen in place. He saw something steadily approaching from down the hall behind them. It was hard to see, overshadowed by smoke, and the air around it seemed to sizzle like steam. He could only catch a small glimpse of whatever it was, but it seemed to be the shape of a man, albeit with much longer limbs than usual, and much taller.
It fired upon them again, its weapon firing heavy, yet sporadic, bursts. While it was relentless, it wasn't very accurate, which was their only saving grace. Sudden chaos erupted around them, as the walls were chewed up around the doorway, and Theo swore as he felt shrapnel scratch against his armor.
Theo was quick to grab Lori and push her behind him, while everyone else tried to return fire at the haunting assailant.
Konrad was the first to shoot back, followed quickly by everyone else, but the hulking shape seemed unfazed. The noise it made as it continued to march toward them was unlike anything Theo had ever heard, it was even more alien than the noises of the Cyber Hounds outside. It was the sound of a thousand dying animals, reshaped to mimic a human voice, but each word was stretched and malformed by the binary shriek of mechanical vocal chords.
"We have to move!" Konrad shouted, firing another shotgun burst. He grabbed Theo by the shoulder, and yanked him inside. Lorelei held onto his arm, but her eyes were lit up, and furious.
"NO! I don't want to go in there!" Cassie fired her rifle at the thing in the hall, and while a substantial portion of it was ripped away, torn off the greater mass, it continued to advance, firing with each step.
"Too late, we're going!" Konrad threw Theo into the room, Lorelei alongside him, and was quick to grab Cassie by the back of her neck, and yanked her inside.
Marci, Mike, Laura, and Lucy were sweating bullets, but had already followed their fight-or-flight instincts, each of them rushing into the room of Squirms the moment the thing attacked them.