It was inevitable my little roach host would be killed.
As I was enjoying the monotonous, yet exciting, flight from the little creature, another decided to make itself known.
At first, it scurried up beside us, head tilting and turning when it tried to figure us out as we gave flight again.
With each little step forward, it was already there to eye us.
I couldn't do anything to protect myself when it finally decided to peck towards us. I had no sharp teeth or powerful arms. All I could do was flick my wings out before the bird stabbed around the roaches' body and threw it back into its beak.
It was all so quick that I didn't feel the host die. Before I met another acidic end, I peeled from the squirming roach to pierce through the veiny throat of the bird.
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It definitely gave more of a fight than the roach did. It knew something was invading it and tried to run.
Steering it back, it fought against me; circling stupidly as we both fought for control.
It's heart hammered. Its beak opened to pant, unfurling my long tongue.
The legs stopped. It blinked and eyed the ground where the roach has been, confused by the meal it has just scored.
It didn't fight me. It couldn't anymore.
Now, THIS was more like it!
I could already feel how powerful the legs were on this thing. Each brown feather fluffed out and shook when they slowly turned black. Ones on top of my head fluffed out to drag in the heat and warm the body.
The beady eyes spread and became familiar voids to let in more range of the landscape.
I could see further in the wasteland that burned back. Blinking, I turned to test the long tail feathers of the bird that were the same length of its body.
I was thrilled I had wings again; better this time. Spreading them out, I forced the bird to run.
It easily gained speed in seconds. The ground became a blur under the beast stamping it with its oddly shaped toes.
We would reach Las Vegas again in no time!
"Now, fly, bird!"
It leapt up, flapping pitifully. The creature gained height, gliding down towards the ground.
"You can't fly?!" I huffed as we sailed onwards with our legs tucked up "what good are you? A chicken flies better than you!"
It clicked back, stumbling on the landing. Clicking again, it took off running.
Gaining speed again, it lowered its body to cut through the boiling air blanketing it.
The ground was a blur. I hadn't felt this kind of speed since the horse I had taken hostage.
That was a good ride. Eddie was there. We flew through the air like we actually had wings. A horse sailing off a cliffside flew better than this bird.
But, could it run! I wasn't even pushing it to reach these speeds. It was naturally blessed to be this fast. I could push it further....
Before i could, it's eyes locked onto movement.
"LIZARD!"
Skidding to a halt, the bird pattered it's way back to the large rock where a wary lizard was basking. It took off when we approached, thrilling the bird into a brief chase before it snapped its toothy beak around the tail, squashing the lizard under its crossed foot so it could grip it better and throw it down its throat.
"DELICIOUS!" I roared when I could feel it's blood and guts popping within our squeezing throat. My teeth lining the beak only made it easier to shred the flesh of the animal and break its bones. The pulpy mess only put a dent in our empty stomach.
The bird was starving.
I could fix that.
Pushing a fraction of power into it, I tested what it was capable of. Running off again, it spied another lizard perked up amongst the dirt.
Stopping, I squeezed a little more into the legs of the bird.
The lizard took off. The bird's heart leapt at the movement.
"Come here!"
It shot forth like a bullet. Leaping onto the lizard, the bird smeared its body across the ground.
Food was food. We returned to lick and bite through the lower half still connected to the upper through coiled intestines.
This wasn't so bad. The brains definitely were much smaller out in the wild, but it seemed being this bird was the most advantageous so far.
It was a good host. It was grateful for the unnatural boost to fill its stomach.
We needed the energy for the long run to Las Vegas. It had taken that family hours in their old van. It would probably take us a whole day if I didn't push the bird to the point of a heart attack.
Tearing through the intestines, I quickly finished our feast so we could continue on again, shooting off in a plume of dust in the same direction.
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The bird refused to move as it stood before a long black river of tar.
It knew stepping onto it meant death. Any living thing that chanced the burning, slaughter void would be surely mowed down by the metal monsters that hunted them.
Smart creature.
But, which way did we go?
Looking left, the road carried into the hazy distance of nothing. It was the same for the right.
There were blurs of signage to the left. The right was again the same.
Groaning in frustration, I steered the bird left.
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It walked alongside the road, wary of the danger right there.
It's head perked up when it saw the smeared remains of roadkill burning under the sun.
Racing towards it, the bird stood at the side of the road, eager for the feast.
The bulk of the kill was crushed in the middle of the road. The face and spine were several meters away, smeared the entire way. The guts spilled outwards across the other side of the road. The chest was gaping and inviting.
The bird wanted it. It placed a toe on the road that sizzled.
I pulled it back. We had to be cautious about this.
"Look left" I directed it, moving to head to check the emptiness "look right."
There was a car way off in the distance. It was much too far to be of any significance to us. We would be off the road by the time it even developed features.
"Now you can go."
The bird sprinted out to wedge it's head into the chest, ripping off the dangling, bloodied meat there.
Using it's foot to stabilize the rocking corpse, it fluffed in happiness at having this whole meal to itself.
It checked the coast. The car was still too far away.
Was it even moving?
Who cared? We had food!
Dipping down again, it clawed it's way up onto the torn fur of the roadkill so that its feet weren't being cooked on the tar.
"Smart bird" I praised "eat up. We need fuel to find Eddie."
It didn't care what I had to say. It shredded and tore the innards to gulp down greedily. It wanted to fill its belly before larger predators decided to change the slaughter zone.
Lifting it's head again, it checked the car again.
"It's fine" I soothed it "there is nothing h..."
I heard honking. Turning to the noise, a car was barrelling towards us from behind.
We were too focused on the wrong direction.
The bird panicked and darted towards the safety of the dirt. Instead of veering away, the car followed.
They didn't usually do that....
"It's been fun, bird" I sighed as I split from the creature moments before the tires of the car crushed its body.
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Gripping to the front of the car, I crawled around to the side door.
I heard whooping inside and the slapping of skin.
"Did you see that thing?!" one voice gasped, laughing "that was insane!"
"One hundred points to us!" the driver exclaimed. There were more cheers.
"It didn't look right" another voice piped up nervously "the face was all wrong. Did you see it?"
"See what?" the driver laughed "give me another hit."
There was a long drag of breath inwards. Smoke billowed out the crack in the window that was rolled down further to filter it.
Feeling it wash over me as it was blown away, I slithered to the back door to wedge myself inside and latch onto the nearest twitching leg.
Hopefully this host would last longer.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
