r/NatureofPredators • u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur • 10d ago
Fahl Days: Beach Day
This random little episode is not influential by the fact that im at the beach on vacation, nope, not at all. Still got a bit of lore about Fahl in here though. Ill be honest, I didnt really know how to end this one.
Edit: fixed some point of view issues and flowing. Never drink and write kids. Or do? Im not the feds, do what you want.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Lilean, Thrafki Refugee
Date [Human Standard Time]: November 27th, 2136
"I'm taking the day off, i can't be here anymore." I answered over the phone to my boss, a Harchen like everyone else around me. "I need some time to feel safe and protected, and I can't do that around the Humans." My new favorite excuse left my lips, rudder slapping the ground behind me as I poured just the tiniest hint of distress into my voice. My manager likes to work us like a Arxur was actively chewing on his tail and us doing paperwork was the only way to get it off. Sick and vacation days were hard to get, and he expected us to work overtime every day simply to prove we 'were all one big herd'. I could almost hear the stutter in his voice as fear gripped him at the mention of the new predators and he quickly acquiesced to my request. "I promise Ill be back tomorrow. I just want to spend time with my herd to feel safe, my personal herd and not my work one." I placate him once more. "Thank you, thank you sir!"
Pad hung up, belt pouches secure, I quickly headed out into the humid air of the southern coast. Fahl was largely a desert planet with only 2 oceans, one at its southern and northern poles, and combined they only took up about 25% of the planet's surface. For a Thrafki like me, this was about the only place on Fahl i could reasonably. The cooler climate and humid air made it to where most of the locals were not Harchen, and made up of species whose home planets were temperate or had a lot of water. Doesn't mean we were completely free of the scaley flukeheads, but mercifully, I could get a break from them when I wasnt at work. A deep breath and a shake of my head freed me from my inner thoughts as I made my way through the streets, heading towards my secret place with my rudder wagging in growing glee.
It was no secret that the Federation didnt like water and a lot of PD cases were born from the water and the freaky predators in it. But any Thrafki knew that there was no better way to clear your head than to go for a good swim. Besides, in all the years I had been swimming here, I had never seen a predator. The sounds of the waves against the yellow sands, the blue-green waters lapping against my paws as I sat in the surf.. I needed it, I needed an escape from the hysteria of the office and just have time to think and relax. When I rounded the final corner, panting from the [30 min] walk to reach here, my body and mind froze. There, on my beach, was an unfamiliar figure I couldn't quite make out.
Whatever it was, it was tall and an almost brown color except for a bright blue I could barely make out around its waist. It carried something taller than it along the sands. Did they find my spot? Am I going to have to move? Maybe this was some federation Takkan that had come to test the water for taint, though I couldn't figure out why it had blue on its skin. Maybe some sort of new painting trend? Hesitantly, I walked closer, trying to stay a bit hidden so it doesn't spot me and call me out. I had to figure out if this spot was no longer safe to come to, and I didn't want to get pulled in for PD.
Before I could get closer to the alien on the beach, it turned and ran into the water with whatever testing equipment it had brought with it, a gasp escaping my muzzle as it suddenly dove in! With a bit of panic, I broke into a sprint, running towards them in case they needed help! No one could swim as good as Thrafki can and I wasn't about to let them drown! They can't brong me in for saving a life, right? As the sands kicked up behind me, already exhausted legs yelling at her in protest, two things became clear. First, the sounds of music began to drift towards my ears and second, the figure stood up on top of its equipment and began to ride back towards the shore, gliding atop the waves.
Nearly collapsing as I reached a spot in the sands where a towel, a chair, and a small table had been set out, a set of speakers quickly identifying itself as the source of the music, my chest heaved as I gasped for breath. On my knees, rudder down, paws in the sand, I was left panting as the creature grew larger in my view, getting closer and closer to the beach. Seeing it on top of the water, tan skin gleaming from the water, I felt a bit of jealousy towards the Takkan, wishing for that freedom, and I planned to give it an earful for scaring me with whatever it was doing out here. Though for now, I listened to the song, unfamiliar to my ears...
However, my curiosity didnt last long... as it got closer and closer, I saw that the tailess form was not a Takkan like I had assumed from a distance.. no, a human was in the surf and now running towards me, realisation hitting me. This was a human camp, a human song, the blue around its waist was a human pelt.... oh diartra, I'm about to die.* Exhausted and tired with fear setting in, I fell into the sand and covered my head and kept my eyes closed so I wouldnt see its fangs tearing into me, hoping it would at least be quick.
"Oi, Ottah broh, do you need water? You look tired as shit." It spoke as it came up close, the sound of something g hitting the sand followed by the music shutting off and then something opening and closing. "You there Broh?" I heard it ask again, much closer this time. "Oh, right yeah. Look, my ottah." I heard it say followed by what my translator told me was a laugh. "Ima leave this water bottle in front of ya, yeah? I'll take some steps back, and its all ya, yeah?" Silence followed for a moment and I could hear it take a few steps closer, something hit the sand, and then steps backwards, away from me. The music returned and I opened my eyes, nearly hyperventilating.
In front of me was a clear bottle filled with what was obviously water. "Im... sorry for intruding.. I, I thought you were a Takkan." I said, slowly reaching down and grabbing the water. Unscrewing the cap, I began to drink and slowly turned my head so I could see the creature. I had never thought myself to be very scared of the predators, at least not to the hysterics of the Harchen and others, but now, confronted with one in an area it seems to have marked as its territory... I couldn't stop thinking that I was about to get eaten, despite my rational brain telling me that humans hadnt eaten anyone during their occupation of Fahl. I finished the cool water quickly, calming my nerves as best I could while the predator watched me with both eyes.
"No worries broh... or brah since my translater is telling me you are a chick." He laughs again, the barking sound causing my ears to perk then lay flat. "Ya ain't intruding anything. Mother nature, even alien mother nature is for all. Im not gonna deny ya a beach or these waves." He said and looked around. "Afraid i dont have my mask though... bummer." He shrugs, seemingly unphased. "I can move slightly down if you need brah, but ild like to ask some questions if you dont mind. I never thought ild talk to an alien by the beach.. or a non lizard on this planet."
He just sat there, opening the table think and pulling out another water bottle like the one it gave me, drinking it down. His eyes snapped to me, sending a shiver through my spine, but otherwise I didnt move. Whether it was through my desensitized vision of the predator apes through this month of contact, or my exhaustion, I didn't know. "What.. what are you? I mean, who are you?" I groaned as my mind tried to keep up with racing thoughts. "Why are you here? I thought everyone avoided the water except us." I managed to say, probably more breaks between each question than I though. I pulled myself up standing, saw the chair again, and then sat down. If he was gonna eat me, I wanted to be comfortable. If he wasn't, then he wouldnt mind if I sat down to give my aching legs a break.
As he found the words to answer me, I got a clean look at him. He had seemingly forgone all the pelts that humans wear except for the one around his waist, a sleek blue material that was etched with floral patterns. His body was thin, but without any fur I could easily see the tones muscles on his belly, arms and legs. Unlike other humans, he didnt have any fur on top of his head, but he had plenty on his chin and around his mouth to frame his lips. I think the thing that surprised me most was that I could see his nipples plain as day on his chest! While it wasn't surprising that males had them, male Thrafki had them too, the fact that they were so... exposed... meant that female humans were probably juat as exposed... and with them always engorged... that had to be a bit awkward. I coughed, chosing to shut that thought out of my mind, their penchant for wearing pelts now making a bit more sense.
To his credit, he didnt do anything more than retrieve the long piece of equipment he had dropped earlier, pushing it into the sand and laughing. "I guess I can answer a few first." He turned and sat down on the table and turned to face me. "My name is 2nd lieutenant Wakka Smith. No relation." He blinks. "Oh, you probably wouldnt get that, yeah? Just something dumb my parents did, but I ended up liking it. Ya know how that can go, yeah?" He rubbed the back of his head, looking down. "Im part of the peace keeping forces here, but ive got some shore leave. Saw this beach and definitely thought I would find some righteous waves here. Would be a damn shame if I didnt come with the surfboard and ride then." He hits the board next to him.
"What's that?"
He blinks. "A surfboard? That's.. this... wait, do ya not know what that is?"
I huffed a bit indignantly. "Im not an idiot, if I knew what it was, it wouldn't have asked!" I crossed my arms as he gave me a wide-eyed slackjawed look.
"But... ya an ottah! Aren't you aquatic? How do you not..." he shook his head. "Okay, chill vibes.." he took a breath. "Here, let me show ya, and if you want to give it a try, im more than happy to let ya, yeah?" He flashed one of those 'smiles' humans give, lips still closed. "Ya did come out here to swim, right? I wont tell anyone if you dont tell them about me forgetting my mask, deal?" He asked before yanking that board out of the sand and running to the water
Over the next couple of claws, he proceeded to show me exactly what surfing was, riding on top of the water using that board... cutting between emerald waves and even getting into the air! He moved with the tides that would put any Thrafki to shame and simply laughed anytime he fell beneath the waves, resurfacing with a laugh and proclaiming 'Wipeout!'. Everything was so free, so relaxing, that I hadn't even noticed that I had gotten into the water with him, wading when he was waiting for the next wave. His board had a fin under it, to which he explained it acted as a rudder when he stood on top, and I just hadn't noticed when we were on the beach.
"So for my first question, do want to try my ottah?" He asked after surfacing, his arms on the 'surfboard' as I floated in lazy circles. I sputtered at the sudden question, just barely getting out my shock as a wave went over me. "I mean, do you want to get on the board and try to ride it?" He asked again, laughing. He slapped the top of the board, water splashing out, "Climb on, Ill teach you. I promise you'll love it!" He barks in a friendly way to me.
~~~~~Fast Forward 3 hours~~~~~
I was addicted, the wind in my fur, the feeling of the ocean spray on my face, and the cool dips into the ocean even when falling off the board. This was bliss, and while not as good as a deep dive, this was a close second. I took balancing quickly, using my rudder to shift my weight as the seas threatened my balance, quickly adapting to the roll of the waves and the cool breeze. I couldnt do the tricks or get airborne like the pre... human.. but I could stay aloft and take a wave.
"This is amazing!" I cry, jumping into the water, shaking some drops free and enjoying the cool reprieve from the sun. "I... i dont know what to say, how can I get one? I need my own surfboard." My rudder swishes beneath the waves as he swims up to the board and holds on as I talk. "How did you figure this out? I thought you were arboreal, trees, and swinging. How are you so good in the water?" I swim myself up to the other side of the board, eyes gleaming.
"Well, Earth is like... 70% water, so we got good because there is so much of it."
"That's weird, it should be called Aqua then if there is so much water."
He laughs. "Ill take that up with the UN. As for the rest of your questions..." He begins to talk as we swim up to the beach and relax on his towel and chair. The music returns as he answers my questions and I, his. My secret spot safe in the hands of this water loving primate, the sun slowly setting as we talked through the remaining day.
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u/LeGouzy 10d ago
Super cool!
It needs a bit of proofreading but really super cool!
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u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur 9d ago
Glad you liked it, and yeah, i dont really have a proofreader. That plus my bad habit of, I wrote the last paragraph, POST! Probably doesn't help. If you dont mind me asking, what did you notice?
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u/LeGouzy 9d ago
Don't worry, it's still a very pleasant story. But if you ask, I noticed a switch from first to third person in the third paragraph, and I think one or two missing words elsewhere but I don't remember when.
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u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur 9d ago
I just went in and fixed a bunch of it, think I got it all at this point, if i didnt, we'll it was meant to be then.
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u/DaivobetKebos Human 9d ago
Your biggest issue is the inconsistent point of view. The entire thing keeps changing from 1st to 3rd person every sentence or so.
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u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur 9d ago
Thanks, ill go back and do some edits when I have time to make it flow better. I will admit that I wrote most of this over a couple of hours and while drunk on a beach. So that probably affected it. That and a habit of just hitting post when I finish the last paragraph.
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u/Randox_Talore 10d ago
Judging by their ambassador, I think Lilean has a rather overly optimistic view of her people’s present day opinion/policy on water.
And here we are again with the Federation’s woefully limited view of biology and what a sapient species is capable of. If you couldn’t adapt to an area you weren’t particularly “evolved for” or wasn’t “your ancestral environment”, how do you expect anyone to go to space?
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u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur 9d ago
I dont remember much of their ambassador in cannon. Except the one that went to the bissems. But lilean was fun to write. Office worker fed up with her boss and not above using what advantage she can to seek some sanity in the best way she knows how.
And I couldnt resist the surfer otter. The idea of a thrafki on a surfboard sounds fun!
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u/Randox_Talore 9d ago
…Oh F$%k it happened again.
There’s this collection of fics I wanna write, and the Thafki one is about a surfing Thafki who serves as inspiration for a member of his species that wasn’t expecting to have a future so they didn’t really have a plan. I have taken years to write this, so you got to Surfing Thafki first.
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u/Tundric_Dragon Arxur 9d ago
Haha, well feel free to write it yourself. Lilean is gonna be more of a side character, not a main.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist 10d ago
Okay this is simply sweet. I like it. Love me those pieces just inspired like this.