[MillietheWarrior]

Laroo herself had been very young when the Hunter species was cursed. She could remember her mother, she could remember the strong presence of her father. She remembered sadness, despair, hatred, anger. She remembered panic flooding through every fiber of her being…and then she was alone. Naasade could never understand something like that.
[1]

[MillietheWarrior]

There were hundreds of her kind, all over the lands. They had been created in a lab, they had kinship. Laroo overlooked the mechanical, half biological part. It didn’t matter. Naasade still belonged. Naasade and Charge had their boys; Eyes and Tihaar. Laroo had Dusty, but even he had been part of a family bigger than she could imagine.
[2]

[MillietheWarrior]

Though she was now surrounded by more creatures and humans than she had ever known or cared about in her life, Laroo still felt infinitesimal. She still felt alone. She still felt…lost. She had long since been given the ability to feel and to love by Dusty, but now that seemed more of a curse than a blessing.
[3]

[MillietheWarrior]

She hadn’t been set free; she’d just been trapped in another kind of prison. Charge and Naasade watched her. Both, or at least, Naasade, had a good idea of what was going on in her head. Naasade understood that desire for love and happiness. She had been an orphan when Eyes and his squad found her.
[4]

[MillietheWarrior]

Their first instinct had been to eliminate her. But Naasade had been nothing more than a kitten then. She was harmless, and Eyes had made sure the rest of his squad knew it. He’d been ‘Ice’ back then, and he hadn’t been blind. Naasade had repaid his kindness with absolute devotion and love. She wouldn’t trade it for the world.
[5]
[20,20,20]

[MillietheWarrior]

The Clones understood the fear of elimination. They understood that there were people out there that wanted to hurt and kill them for what they were. They’d heeded Eyes’ pleas, and they had spared Naasade. The giant, mechanical cat turned. She glanced over at her companion, and prospective mate.
[1]

[MillietheWarrior]

Charge was standing silently, having long since given up trying to understand what they were talking about. He was as new to the world as Laroo. He knew little about being  what he really was. He had no idea how to live. He was as much an experiment as Naasade, but unlike her, he had not been born. He had been created. The ultimate living weapon.
[2]

[MillietheWarrior]

He was slowly learning to be a real cat, and not a gun. Naasade knew he was a volatile creature, who could snap at any time. Only Tihaar, his master, could truly control him. But here he was, standing docilely at her shoulder as if he’d been there his entire life. He fit into their close knit world and family, and Naasade was happy to accept him.
[3]

[MillietheWarrior]

She turned and glanced at Laroo, blue eyes glowing briefly as a dozen different lines of information scrolled through her bionic mind. Laroo was still watching, although her eyes seemed distant and faraway. She seemed wrapped up in a memory of some kind. Every few seconds, Laroo would twitch as if some sort of dream held her enthrall.
[4]

[MillietheWarrior]

Naasade observed her with silent intelligence, deciphering that the bad memory must have been on of kit-hood. She wondered, then, if Laroo even had a kit-hood. Had she ever been small? Had she ever been a cub? It was hard to imagine the stately, beautiful lioness as anything but what she was. Had she ever been little?
[5]
[25,25,25]

[MillietheWarrior]

The crystals along her neck and fur were sharp, finely honed. Naasade knew Laroo had been a fighter; she’d even participated in a tournament. She could rip the Khimera apart if she so chose. But both Naasade and Charge were here for training as well.
[1]

[MillietheWarrior]

Sekudui was ideal for training. Laroo had won the tournament she’d been participating in. Her use of teeth, claws, and her special attacks put her a cut above the rest. Naasade was interested in finding out how she’d managed to win. It was obvious she was strong, and her crystalline body helped, but then, what was her secret?
[2]

[MillietheWarrior]

She’d dodged attacks, and made it out almost unscathed. That kind of ability and maneuverability shouldn’t be possible. But Laroo was a feline as well. Naasade took into account her reflexes. Her skills. Herr grace. She was death in cat form.
[3]

[MillietheWarrior]

Why then, had she let her prey escape without killing them? Perhaps that had meant disqualification form the tournament. Eyes was always telling her it was ‘bad to kill’ even if he did it all the time. It’s okay when you have to, but if it isn’t necessary, then you should seek only to harm and disable, but never to kill.
[4]

[MillietheWarrior]

Naasade was slowly coming to grips with that idea. But Charge…she glanced at him, and he still seemed distant. She doubted Charge would want to let anyone or anything live. He was programmed to destroy. So then…how to overcome that?
[5]
[30,30,30]