As you finish coupling with Green Wolverine the voice speaks inside your head again. ‘Come to me’ it said. “Follow the scent of Pine needles to me. I have a job for you.’
You wonder what this is about. What job does the voice have for you?You don’t think it would be a good idea to hesitate so you get up on unsteady feet. When Green Wolverine asks you what you’re doing and that you need to rest you politely tell him that you have been summoned. As you walk out of the alcove you notice Pink Skunk leaving her alcove as well on unsteady feet.
Pink Skunk looks at you and asks “Have you been summoned too.”
“Yes I have” you reply. “I wonder what it’s about.”
“We’ll see when we get there” Pink Skunk said.
As the two of you follow the scent of Pine needles you head deeper and deeper into the cave. Along the way you meet some other Magni that seem to be guarding the one you seek. They snarl at the two of you but let you pass. You wouldn’t want to be the human or Magni that finds their way here without an invitation. Soon you emerge into an enormous cavern lit by the same substance you noticed in the other areas. You wonder what the substance is but figure that there will be time enough to ask questions a little later. There is a dark recess in one wall and something comes out of it. You gasp and take a step back when you see that it is a T-Rex. You had thought that they were extinct. You then realize that it’s skin is reflecting the light and you know that this must be one of the Magni that survived the calamity. You relax a bit and see that Pink Skunk also relaxes. The two of you stare in wonder at the sight of this Magni.
Soon the Magni speaks to you, out loud this time instead of in your head. “Welcome to my chamber sisters” it said. “I have called you here because a new place for a nest has been found. Since you two are the newest females you shouldn’t have coupled enough times to form the Birthing Egg in you yet. While this isn’t ideal it is preferable to ones who have started to form the Birthing Egg in them. You two will lead two groups to the new nest. Each group will leave a few minutes apart. Hopefully this will prevent you from being followed. If you run across any human either capture them so they can be turned or kill them. The scouts have laid down scent trails for you to follow to the new nest. The one who is in the first group will also lay down a scent trail so the second group can follow.”
You don’t know how to lay down a scent trail so you say “Forgive me but how do we lay down a scent trail?”
“It is a simple matter” T-Rex says. “You can produce a fluid which you will squirt out along the way. It is similar to the way humans and other animals eliminate liquid waste.”
“So we have to pee to leave our scent” Pink Skunk asked.
“Essentially yes” T-Rex said. “You two will be responsible for setting up the new nest.”
“Won’t you be coming with us” you ask.
“I can not leave this chamber” T-Rex said. “After the calamity I was able to make my way in here but sometime after I fell into my slumber the entrance closed up leaving me trapped here. Do not worry about me though. If this nest is invaded I will kill as many intruders as possible before I fall. There may be a chance that this nest won’t be attacked. It hasn’t been attacked in the nine days you were in your Birthing Egg Pink Cat. Though I am not fool enough to believe that it won’t be. The human who was with you may be gathering his forces for an invasion of this nest. That is why we are establishing a new nest.”
“Will an Old One be there with us” Pink Skunk asked.
“Yes there will be” T-Rex said. “She is in the form of a Compy and will arrive in two days time under heavy guard. You will need to find a suitable chamber for her before then. Until she arrives you two will be in charge of the nest. I am trusting you two with this. If you fail to set up the nest before she arrives the consequences will be most severe. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes” Pink skunk said.
“Very clear” you said.
“Good” T-Rex said. “You will choose those that go with you. You may take any female who has started to form the Birthing Egg though only those that are eight days along or less. It takes nine days for the Birthing Egg to form and we can not risk one being expelled out in the open as sunlight will kill the Magno inside.”
“So we’ll be traveling during the day” you asked.
“Yes you will be” T-Rex said. “Ordinarily you wouldn’t but the threat is too great. We must establish the new nest quickly which entails certain risks.”
“What risks are those” Pink Skunk asked.
“Well besides the risk of being seen in broad daylight you’ll find that you get weak and tired after a few minutes” T-Rex said. “You will have to press on though. The new nest site is five hours away.”
“What do we do when we get there” you asked.
“You will instruct the snails on where to secrete the Holding Membrane” T-Rex said. “You will also instruct them on where to lay the Lumocus, the substance which gives us our light. Keep an alcove free of the Lumocus in the Old One’s chamber like you see in mine. It’s much more dramatic when one comes out of the shadows. As soon as the Birthing Eggs start to be expelled the snails will adhere them to the walls in what you designate as the Birthing Chamber. By that time you should have some humans to turn in the Holding Chamber. Now leave and prepare your groups. May the spirits be with you on your journey.”
With that T-Rex walks back into his shadowy alcove and you and Pink Skunk leave. As you make your way back to the Mating Chamber you give Pink Skunk Steve’s description. You don’t want to see him killed and he could provide useful information. You want to know if he told any humans about the Magni and the nest and how many of them believed him.
“So T-Rex didn’t say who would be going first” Pink Skunk said.
“I think he left it up to us to decide that” you said. “So do you want to go first or should I?”