The Token, Kevin Bird [dark books to read TXT] 📗

with them now. They’re all in good health, so it should be OK.”
As non-techs they’d always had an issue with their animals. Genetic engineering was something they didn’t want anything to do with, but scientists had adapted their blues and greens many years before. So long as it was in the past, they told themselves, it was not their doing. The problem came when they needed to breed them. Long ago domesticated animals were denied the ability to breed naturally, too dangerous to the males apparently, so artificial insemination was developed. That had worked for a long time till the engineering of these blues and greens. If you were going to play God with them, why not go crazy? The scientists had created them to be only one sex, female, and they could now become pregnant with just changes in diet. Non-techs weren’t too pleased with this situation, but clearly had no option and no say. Manipulating breeding cycles with changes in diet was a relatively small compromise in their non-tech lives.
“I figure that if enough of them become pregnant and bear young, then the Token can be filled by including adult animals I’d usually have kept for breeding purposes. I’ll still have enough of an animal population that in a few cycles they’ll be of breeding age again, and with luck could be back on track for the next Token without too much trouble.” He looked over at Blake whose face didn’t show much excitement at the plan. “I know it’s a risk, but it’s my best hope for now.”

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As the night birds began their familiar calls we once again moved down the rocky slope towards food. Our injured comrade was healing well, but had stayed behind to recover fully; we would bring home plenty of food, so all would eat well. Like any predator an injury was a liability, but at least our group mentality allowed for compassion and mutual aid. None would ever go hungry if there were still active members capable of hunting and with prey to bring down.
Tonight our hunt took us to an area we had previously hunted a large animal that had been easy to kill, since it had been over in one corner of its enclosure alone. The images passing between us as we ran lightly over the ground showed us feeding till we were heavy. Then we saw ourselves taking plenty to our hungry fellows waiting for us to feed them.
Though we expected no problems, the scare of the previous night reinforced the need for care when hunting, as anything could happen. We spent plenty of time raising our noses to the air, as we slowly closed on the barricaded area containing our target. We could not smell any two-legs, but this did not comfort us greatly, as we had not smelled the creature that had injured one of us the night before either. One image we had seen was that the attacker was covered in what looked to be the skin from a prey animal. It was possible the smell of the skin had hidden that of the two-legged creature we now had grown to fear. If that was the case, our noses might not be able to help us as much as we normally expected.
Now we moved forward using the rocks and trees to our advantage as much as we could to hide ourselves from anything that might be out there waiting. We made full use of our excellent night vision and before we had reached the rocks immediately next to the stacked tree parts that we would have leapt from, an image shot into our minds. Our prey animals were gathered in the center of the enclosure all huddled together with no animals off on their own. This was confusing. It had been at least five nights since we had hunted here last. Our experience was relatively new with this kind of animal, but we felt sure that by now they should have relaxed their tight defensive group.
Suddenly an image came in. What was going on? What we had taken for smaller prey animals were now clearly seen as some of the two-legs once again wearing skins from their animals. They also had the flying sticks in their hands that had caused so much pain to our friend. What should we do?
Immediately the picture of us feasting on prey further away came to our minds and we all began to move back up the hill. Once we were well out of sight of the two-legs below we headed to an area that we had taken food from four nights previously. Surely this group of animals would be spread thinly to allow us to pick one off. Our hunt had to be successful; we could not have any of our growing young spending a night hungry. We older ones would soon be relying on their strength to take over more responsibilities on our nightly hunts.
We reached the shadows surrounding the cleared area that held the prey we were after and stopped to survey for dangers. The first thing we saw, shot between us in clear images, was the sight that these animals, like the ones before them, were in one tight mass in the center of their enclosure.
Again? Why? As the questions came to our mind we quickly saw why. More two-legs in the skins of our food! They were spaced around our prey clearly making sure none strayed from the safety of the group. This time the two-legs had also reduced their inefficiency at night by creating some kind of a light source on the ground that opened many shadows as if by daylight. We would not have the time to go to any other areas to see if they were likewise prepared for our hunt. We would have to try here as we all agreed that our hunger was to be dealt with now. Dawn was approaching and we could not wait for another night.

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Over at Dale’s farm he and his two neighbors, Santor and Gamik, were all guarding his flock of greens. With them were Gamik’s two sons, both teenagers, robust and vital, prime fodder for being pressed into the service by the Collectors. Gamik was, like Jacob, more than ready to do whatever was necessary to avoid not meeting the Token even going against his non-tech beliefs of no violence and no weapons. He was not willing to lose his two sons, Adam and Lane.
They were all dressed in the thick skins of the blues and greens giving them ample protection against the chill they knew would be coming during the night hours spent away from their soft, warm beds. They were all nervous and spoke to each other in whispers afraid that talking aloud would somehow attract danger to them. They had started a small fire to give them some further comfort against a dark night where a strange and dangerous creature might be lurking that they had no urge to meet.
“What’re we expected to do if we see anything, dad?” said Adam quietly as he walked with Gamik around the inside of the perimeter fencing.
“Well, just like Jacob said. He was able to make one bleed the other night, so they’re not invincible and if we stay alert and don’t panic we should be OK,” Gamik explained. “If one of them comes over the fence stand with your back to Dale’s greens and stab at whatever gets close enough to you. Your pitchfork is long enough that if you keep it between you and these monsters they can’t get at you. In any case, they probably won’t show up tonight.” The man’s gruff, assured tone complimented his stocky muscular frame.
“Anyone want something hot to drink? Carlee made sure I have enough for all of us,” Dale asked. He was standing by the fire and the others came to him offering their cups, pulled from beneath their cloaks. He began to fill them one by one. The men stood in a tight knot for a moment enjoying the feeling of warmth and safety the hot liquid and proximity of their friends gave them.
As Dale offered a refill he said, “Drink up, it’ll be a long, cold night.” The wisps of vapor from his breathing attested to his words.

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Ahead of us we saw the two-legs walking around our prey and we tried to decide how to get close enough to surprise the animals and stay away from those who would hurt us. Though their eyes didn’t seem to be as good as ours in the darkness, as long as they kept facing outwards they would not fail to see our approach. We were about to just take our chance and bound over the barrier when we all saw our chance.
The two-legs suddenly all converged on one of their own at the far side of our grouped food and then they turned their backs to where we were in hiding. We didn’t know what they were doing but they were certainly paying no attention to guarding their animals for the moment. We wasted no time, the mental picture passed amongst us and as one we acted.

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The sound came suddenly and deafeningly to their ears. In an instant they knew what was happening before they even had time to turn and have their eyes confirm it. They all remembered vividly Jacob’s description of his encounter with these creatures and the hideous scratching noise the claws had made on the rock surfaces when they were moving quickly and without fear of being detected.
Pointlessly, Gamik shouted, “They’re here!”
The men turned in the instant as all hell broke loose all around them.

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We all leapt from the rocks around the perimeter and soared high over the stacked wood. Not the clumsy way we did on our usual exit from these places with our bellies full of meat, but with a smooth motion creating exhilaration we all felt together. We landed on, amongst and around the animals. We had to take the chance of possible injuries from them in the confusion in order to throw the two-legs off their guard, and what better way than to scatter the group of frightened prey between them and us.
While two of us attacked a large food animal the rest of us continued leaping around the remainder so they remained frightened and moving about, creating an impenetrable shield we felt safe behind. One of us shot an image of pain as it was kicked savagely by the hind hooves of a big beast and the force of the blow sent our comrade flying over the milling group and out of our sight. Two sets of images came to us at once. One from our injured comrade in pain; the other of success, our hunt had been successful and one of the prey animals had been brought down.

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Black shapes were flying over the far fence and into the corral landing amid the greens, frightening them awake. They jumped up and some even screamed in their fear expelling hot breath into the cold air in plumes like exploding geysers. Dale was as scared as he felt his flock was, but he knew he and the other men with him needed to act, but what could they do. They had a fence behind them and a wildly kicking mass of hooves and big green bodies ahead of them. The men desperately tried to force their way through the group by whacking the animals on the sides with the pitchforks, but without any luck. The greens were far too frightened to worry about these inoffensive men.
“Adam! Lane! Come stand by me!” Gamik was clearly terrified, but still had