[Chapter 6. The Nightly Excursion]

  Searanox seated himself at the Computer once more. The screen illuminated his features as his fingers moved across the keyboard, searching. He perused the results for several moments before turning to Iris.

  "I trust you are not fatigued," he said, his voice carrying a melodic quality. His finger traced a route on the map displayed before him, indicating a location approximately thirty minutes distant.

  He then presented Iris with a pair of Jeans and extended an invitation.

  "Shall we go for a walk?"

  A subtle smile touched Searanox's lips as he dressed himself in dark jeans and a black hoodie. The practicality of his choice was apparent as he observed Iris, who had managed to don the jeans he had given her with some effort. The fabric strained against her athletic, furry limbs, creating an effect that was at once curious and strangely becoming.

  The journey proceeded in silence, broken only by the steady thrum of the engine and the occasional rustle of Iris's movements as she adjusted her position. City lights streaked past the windows, a familiar scene rendered somehow distant. Searanox drove with a focused intensity, his hands firmly positioned on the steering wheel as his eyes tracked the road ahead. Another target had been neutralized, from then on it remaining motionless, hovering in place without further movement.

  A thought occurred to him, and he questioned whether the Drone remained stationary due to a lack of subsequent commands following its target neutralization.

  With a focused intention, he reached for the ethereal tether that linked him to his creation, transmitting a concise directive.

  `Return.′

  Instantaneously, the Drone pivoted and commenced its approach toward him.

  `Curious.′

  He then dispelled the Drone, conserving his technological resources in the process.

  "Everything alright, Iris?"

  Searanox inquired, his gaze remaining fixed on the road ahead. Her amber eyes glowed faintly in the car's dim interior as she turned to face him.

  "Yes, Searanox," she responded, her voice a low rumble. "I am merely... processing. This is all very new to me."

  Twenty minutes elapsed before the car veered onto a desolate dirt road, flanked by overgrown weeds. Searanox killed the engine, and the sudden silence that descended was profound.

  He turned toward her, her features discernible despite the surrounding darkness.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "We don't want to be seen. And unfortunately, you'll need to be up close with them. Tell me, Iris," he paused, "can you walk on all fours?"

  Iris regarded him for a moment, her amber eyes reflecting the faint moonlight filtering through the windshield. A slow nod followed, her movements deliberate.

  "Yes, Searanox. I can move on all fours. It would prove more efficient for traversing this terrain and maintaining a lower profile."

  With practiced fluidity, she lowered herself onto her hands and feet, her bipedal form transitioning seamlessly into a quadrupedal stance. The borrowed jeans strained against her movements, fabric stretching taut over her athletic limbs, though she appeared unperturbed by the discomfort.

  "I will await your command."

  "First, you must remove the clothing," Searanox instructed, his voice measured. "Then I will deploy a Drone. You are to follow it. Make every effort to appear as a beast—a wolf, perhaps. Once inside the barn, you may eliminate everything you encounter."

  `The property should house approximately five hundred head of cattle, with considerably more chickens and pigs.′

  "When you have finished within, you may continue outside. Time is of the essence. Be swift and efficient."

  With that, he observed as Iris stepped out of the car and set aside the ill-fitting garments. Once she was clear, Searanox summoned his Drone.

  The ethereal construct materialized with a low hum, its solitary blue lens first locking onto Searanox before pivoting toward the distant silhouette of the barn.

  Searanox's voice cut through the quiet night.

  "Go, Iris. Follow the Drone."

  Iris responded with a single, decisive nod before loping into the darkness. Her form became a fluid shadow against the pale moonlight, her quadrupedal movements disturbingly silent. Searanox observed her departure, a complex mixture of pride and anticipation stirring within him. This was the commencement. He settled back into the driver's seat, his gaze unwavering as it fixed upon the distant silhouette of the barn, awaiting the inevitable slaughter.

  The Drone surged forward, a silent silver streak against the dark canvas of the night. Iris followed, her powerful legs propelling her across the field with terrifyingly fluid ease. She became a specter of death, a dark blur moving with an efficiency that spoke of ancient predatory grace. She reached the weathered barn, its wooden slats bowed and cracked from years of exposure to the elements.

  With a single, powerful leap, she cleared the enclosing fence without a sound, landing in a crouch on the other side. The Drone maintained its position near a large, sliding door, its blue lens methodically scanning the perimeter. Iris approached the entrance, her claws unsheathing with a faint whisper of steel. The Drone's lens flickered once, emitting a thin, precise beam of red energy that sliced through the lock mechanism with a quiet sizzle.

  The heavy door slid open with a low groan, revealing the cavernous darkness within. The air that billowed out was thick with the combined scents of hay, manure, and the lowing of cattle mingled with the nervous clucking of chickens.