NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50: Rakali
Thankfully none of the girls had gone past ankle deep, and they quickly turned around and escaped back to the beach, taking the horses with them.
Miro looked back at Delphi with what she read as resignation, and she nodded firmly at him; get rid of them. He blinked enigmatically back at her.
The dragons retreated into the shallowest water lapping the lake's edge before making their stand against the tubiàn, forcing them to emerge from the deep water.
"Rakali," breathed Feifei.
"What are they Feifei?" asked Ruby.
"They're a native water rat."
"Grown really, really big," said Lili.
"I wonder if you can control these ones Delphi. Do you know if your ancestor helped make them?" asked Loveday.
"I have no idea," said Delphi slowly, distracted by the sight of the rakali opening their mouths, displaying a huge set of incredibly sharp teeth, top and bottom. "And based on the size of those teeth I won't be offering them a bite of me anytime soon…"
"Those claws look lethal too," said Feifei as the rakali raised their front legs in preparation to fight the dragons.
Their claws were long and sharp, like five curved swords on each foot.
"I hope the dragons will be okay," said Ruby with concern.
"They're big boys and girls. I'm sure they can look after themselves against some oversized rats," said Delphi dismissively.
"I recall these might have been developed as a counter-weapon to defend against the dragons," said Feifei softly. "I'm hoping I'm wrong."
"Actually that rings a bell," said Delphi. "And they weren't fully successful, but they gave them a run for their money?"
"Mm. I think that's what happened," said Feifei. "Although they were designed late in the war, so their capabilities weren't fully exploited."
"Let's hope they haven't evolved any 'extra' abilities," Delphi replied. "No wonder the rakali appeared so quickly. They were drawn here by their mortal enemies. It really would be better if we could avoid this fight, but it's too late now…"
"Look out Alinta!" called Winter as the first rat struck out at her dragon.
"You named her fire, Winter? That's a good fierce name. I'm sure she'll be okay," Arrie assured her.
Actually Alinta didn't look like she was holding her own against the rakali, and Miro sprang into action as the rat raked it's claws across her back, drawing blood. Miro bowled the rakali over, tumbling it across the shallow water and leaping onto it, where they disappeared into the deeper water in a tumble of scaly skin and otter-like fur.
They disappeared below the surface and all that could be seen were bubbles. Delphi watched anxiously for Miro to reappear.
Both beasts surfaced briefly, wrapped in a fierce embrace, then sank back into the murky water together.
"It looked like Miro had his jaws clamped on its head," said Loveday.
"Yes, I think so," said Delphi. "Hopefully he gets the upper hand."
A rakali pounced on Feifei's dragon, Rulli, but the dragon used his height advantage, standing on his hindlegs in the shallows. He gripped the rakali on either side of its head, careful avoiding its lethal teeth, and pressed his claws into its skull, killing it instantly. Rulli tossed the carcass towards another one of the water rats, where it smashed into the creature.
"Living up to his tough-guy name," said Lili with admiration.
"Ruby, I think Jedda might be struggling," Indy looked at her sister with concern.
Sure enough, a tear was already trickling down Ruby's face as Jedda's neck was pierced by the huge incisors of a rakali. Jedda struggled for a few minutes, turning her eyes to meet Ruby's moments before she slumped, and her eyes closed in death.
Ruby started sobbing, and Indy moved to hug her.
"Don't be too sad meimei. You've only known her for a day."
"But I'd bonded with her, and I already loved her," Ruby sobbed loudly.
"Murphy's law it would have to be Ruby's dragon," muttered Delphi. "The one among us who would already care the most."
Miro resurfaced on his own. There was no sign of the beast that had attacked him, so Delphi assumed he had dispatched of it.
He swam at speed towards Jedda, gathering up Rulli on the way. Rulli picked up her body and passed it to Jannali, then the pair of male dragons attacked the beast who had killed Jedda.
Rulli bowled the rat over and Miro raked his claws across its guts, spilling its intestines.
Loveday's dragon, Menny, was holding a rakali at arm's length while its snapping teeth were chomping inches from his face. He chose his timing, then spat a big gob of poison straight down its gullet.
The creature closed its mouth, swallowed, and then started to thrash wildly in Menny's arms. This horrible process went on for at least two to three long slow minutes, before the rakali's frenetic movements slowed, and it finally slumped in a state of shock, looking to be close to death.
Menny dropped the rat dismissively, and swam off to help Arrie's dragon, who was trying to wrap his jaws around the neck of a water rat. The creature was successfully keeping him at bay with its claws and teeth. He had taken a swipe to his side which was bleeding.
"I'm not sure how bad that cut is," said Arrie. "It doesn't look like its bleeding much, but that could be because of the water. I hope I don't lose him. He's a real character. I've named him Pawee because he is a 'rascal'."
Menny slammed into the rat Pawee was fighting from behind. He pulled its head back and spat a gob of poison down its throat.
They all winced at the gruesome sight.
"Geez Loveday, he's vicious your Menny," said Delphi. "You definitely gave him the right name. He's the 'hitman' of the group. The silent assassin."
Loveday nodded proudly, "that's my boy."
The death toll must have been higher than the rakali were anticipating, because they suddenly turned tail and swam off, disappearing as silently as they had arrived.