-Shiva? Are you here? [Claw's worried voice echoed in the room, bouncing off odd forms.]
-Brother, I'm glad you can join us.
-...WHERE IS SHE? [Claw hollered]
-...You should be honored-.
-What honor is there to be in the presence of a kidnapper?
[Claw makes a sort of low roar-growl like sound and snorts.]
-You should be honored that we have chosen you. [A new voice said. the voice emerged from the shadows. This was a winged lizard with a long snout and goldish armor.]
-TYRANOUS! [The dragon laughs menacingly, the sound echoing off every single wall, filling the room with his evil presence.]

[Laughing reappears and slows to a chuckling.]
-So you know of me. I do know a good deal about you. A great warrior like yourself, chosen to lead us to freedom.

:-:-:

-The reptiles want their _freedom_? That doesn't make sense to me. Lieutenant, what do they mean by regaining their freedom?

:-:-:

-Don't you already have your freedom?
-The mammals have moved us aside for too long. It is time we regain our native land. This was our planet, all of the land was ours until the time when MAMMALS came to colonize. A new era will rise with you, in the history of the Dragon Rebellion, as the one who leads our first attack and WAR. You shall begin this glorious history and shall be remembered always as one of the greatest warriors who ever lived.

:-:-:

[Everyone gasps: Claw, Siam, Cougar, and Slugger.]

:-:-:

-But you said that I was going to be remembered in history for leading the first war and being one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. [Slugger whines out.]
-Do shut up, would you. [This dragon takes out his sword and cuts Slugger's fore arm, just enough for the arm to be able to heal later on, but bleed a lot now.]
-Arghhhhhh![Slugger grabs his arm] Y-ye-ye... yesss S-s-ssir. I am but your servant, Oh Mighty One.
-Now, [the dragon puts his bloody sword back in it's protective cover] will you join us or do we have to... [light appears and Shiva can clearly be seen. Her head is bowed, her hair is a mess. She is restrained and a knife is planted in the wall next to her head. She is also breathing hard and panting.] make a sacrifice for our kind?
[Claw is so shocked that he is frozen in place, looking at Shiva, his eyes wide open. He takes a step forward. Slugger painstakingly takes his gun and aims it at Claw.]
-Not an inch closer, brother.
[He looked at Slugger, Slightly confused and scared. Then his gaze returns to Shiva.]
-sweet heart... [he almost whispers] talk to me... please.
[Shiva twitches and barely raises her head, just enough to catch Claw's gaze.]
-I-- I'm fine, darling. [She was so tired, she was hardly able to pronounce well.]
[Claw was practically petrified at the horror. This did not look good.]

:-:-:

-Hey, Cougar, does Claw have any weapons on him?
-I doubt, but lets ask. [He approached the mike to his lips.] Crucial question. Do you have any guns or weapons on you? Take a step back if you don't. If you do, look towards your half brother.
[In his visors, Cougar deduces that he had taken a step backwards. Cougar sighed in exasperation]
-What do we do, Cougar?
[Cougar paused a moment to think. He then spoke into the mike once more.]
-We're moving in.
[Siam looked at him strangely as he shut of visual contact. Cougar started looking through his back pack and pulled out a weird looking water gun, two thick containers attached to it.]
-How is this going to help?
-This ... [lifting the gun.] is a liquid nitrogen dispenser.
[Siam retracted one of her own guns that she carries around for protection. They hurried into the complex.]

:-:-:

[Inside the building, Claw, still under gun point, had to answer to Tyranous.]
-Well? Do you join our ranks?
[Claw positioned himself for strike.]
-As long as I live, not you or any of your minions shall ever hurt by beloved.
[Slugger began to lose attention on his target and let his guard down slowly.]
-Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?
-It's a 'NEVER'.
-No matter. You'll change your mind soon enough. [He gestures his paw, signaling two assistant dragons to come out of the shadow and take out their rifles. The two dragons aimed their gun directly at Shiva's abdominals.]
[The faint sound of soft footsteps distracted the two armed dragons.]
-Did you hear something? [dragon#1 asked dragon#2.]
[Claw stood up straight and tall. He looked directly at Tyranous.]
-I warn you, if you do not let us go, things will get ugly.
[Shiva was really starting to worry. She knew that Claw would never start a fight. "Please, don't do this. Let there be no casualties, remember your values." She thought]
-You bring no threat to us... Kentrose. You will be remaining here, for as long as it takes for you to realize that you belong in our forces.
-Think again! [Cougar said out loud.]
[The two cats stood by the entrance of the room. Siam set her pistol and Cougar armed his Sub-0 riffle aiming dragon#1 & dragon#2.] We decided to crash the party. Hope we won't make too much of a mess.
-Ughhhh! Felines! I HATE FELINES! [Tyranous grunted.]
[Cougar blasted a steady stream of liquid nitrogen at the dragon's rifles. Dragon#2 advanced on the cats, but Cougar aimed at it's left wing. The dragon screamed in pain, his limb was technically frozen. One single move would cause it to shatter. Siam noticed a third dragon sneaking up behind Cougar. She gasped and rammed into it with her shoulders. Her arms still extended, hands clamped tightly on the gun, she ran into it's chest sideways and knocked him down.]
-How dare you intrude in our plans? I will slice you each in half. [Tyranous said pulling out his sword.]
-And I can shatter you each in a trillion pieces. [Cougar said in return.]
[He aimed his rifle a the leader, then at the chains linked to the cuffs on Shiva's wrists.]
-Get rid of them, soldiers! [Tyranous ordered.]
[The many dragons that filled the room came in and practically surrounded Siam, Cougar and Claw.]
-How are we ever going to get out of this? [Siam asked Cougar quietly in worry.]
-Shoot the chains, that would be all you'd need to break the links. I'll take care of these reptiles and catch up with you. [Cougar replied.]
*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*
-Let's get out of here Claw! [Siam screamed as the 9 foot tall hybrid picked up his fiancée.]

:-:-:

[Outside, the door flew open and out ran Siam. She hopped into Shiva's convertible just as Claw came out.]
-Come on! [Siam yelled right before starting the car.]
Claw sat in the wide back seat, Shiva was now resting on his lap.
The car now started to speed up on the flat terrain.
-Shiva, are you okay? [Shiva started to stir.]
-I'm alright. But where's genius?
-He's right on our tail.
She stared into the rear view mirror seeing just what was going at a distance behind them.
At that moment, the doors to the complex burst open and a thick mist of frost crawled out as Cougar ran out still holding onto his nitrogen projector. He grabbed for his helmet and the low mist disappeared. The blond feline started his engine just as Tyranous and some of his followers began to catch up with them. Cougar raced down the road until he was in a five yard range of the car. The dragons where fast aswell and caught up with them soon enough. The car and the motorcycle kept speeding to avoid the dragons that where hot on their tail. The two dragon guards flew in a position in front of Tyranous, their speed increasing even more then the vehicles. The two guards split and Tyranous came soaring out of the formation, quickly gaining more speed he now gained an other fifty yards.
"Look ahead! WATCH OUT!" Cougar tried to warn her about Tyranous's advantage. But his voice could not travel trough the moving air to give his message.
Tyranous quickly retracted his giant sword and plunged it into the windshield of the convertible.
Siam screamed in horror. The blade penetrated the glass, shattering bits flew into the wind. The car made a surprising recovery after swiveling around to avoid the dirt ditch.
Tyranous laughed once more, even louder and more threatening then before.
-Kentrose! You've just made the biggest mistake of your life!
He yelled in mid air and flew in place.
-This isn't over between us, we have just barely BEGUN!
On the side of the road, Cougar, Siam, Claw and Shiva watched the villain retreat and head back to their secret base.

:-:-:

Inside a government office.
-And that's what happened, sir. We have to act quickly... before it's too late. Who knows what else they had planned.
-I see your concern with this... dilemma, Lieutenant. Tomorrow morning, we will hold an emergency audience with their chief.
-Can the situation be avoided? Shiva asked.
-I don't see how it ever could. The reptiles are of a rather impulsive and hostile civilization. It will practically be certain that... our two kinds will declare what is called 'negotiative attack', a war in some cases.
The senator took a deep breath. The room filled with the tension built up by the silence. Cougar stared down at his hands that laid on his lap.
-Doctor Cougar Lyon...
He brings his head up.
-Yes, sir?
-In the consequences that we end up in war, the government will probably request of your services. You are one of the finest, creative, most intelligent genius that I have ever encountered and I'm sure that you will be placed in the new technology division with our research group. This city can certainly use your help.
-I'll do what ever it takes to help our city... probably our nation if I have to.
-I wouldn't expect nothing but the best from you, Lyon. I almost have full confidence that we will get through this and survive. All we need to know is how dangerous these dragons can be and if they will cause a lot of damage.
Everyone looks at each other.

:-:-:

Outside the government building, Cougar steps out into the cool night to gaze at the star, somewhat reflecting on the preceding events that occurred in that one day.
-What happens now?

:-:-:

Somewhere, out in the middle of the darkness, in the cold bleak sky, the silhouettes of dragons circle around like vultures of death.

THE END of the beginning. End of part II

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