Chapter 16 New Residence

"One. Two, Three, four, five, six, and seven." Counted zarda.

Standing before him were more animals, which he had never set eyes on before.

Zarda examined them closely with his. He stepped up to a short brown headed creature. It smiled a happy, wide grin from ear to ear. Speaking of ears, they had very, tiny ones. Its face was an oval shape. Its hair looked waterproof and smooth. Warm brown eyes, big and round, stared at him in as much wonderment as zarda did. The small animal was curious to know what large beast towered over them. They were nervously fidgeting with their tiny hands.

"Hello little one. My name is zarda. I am an African Lion. What is your name?" He asked.

The little brown creature looked around at the others before looking back at zarda.

" I am Irabel wife of oscar." She replied timidly.

"Huh, nice to meet you, irabel. I thought you were a child. My apologies. What is your kind called?" Zarda questioned.

"Your fine, I get that a lot. We are known as otters from the great rivers. Oscar and I were, heading towards the kingdom of Havardr, the high guardian sanctuary, before the abductions. Havardr, rests deep within the woods, far from Nexus. All the animals that I knew, fled there after the transformation took place. It is protected by many gods." She explained. 

Zarda chuckled to himself, " Huh, protected by many gods." He thought.

"So, then why are you all here in Nexus, if your gods are so protective?" He asked. 

Irabel was starting to get scared. She had never been asked such a challenging question before. It was one she didn't have a correct answer for. She only assumed the reason why they were taken and the other's not. Their gods didn't speak back to them. They definitely couldn't do what Elohim did. So why did they follow them?

"I'm unsure. Some say it is because the majesties needed a sacrifice to the god, Njord. For prosperity among the kingdom. I feel uncomfortable saying all this to you. Is it okay if I just watch now?" She asked. 

Zarda nodded and moved on to the next animal. Which was definitely a treat to look upon. An exotic bobcat stood next to irabel. Shoulder-length hair swept down her face, partially covering it up behind long pointy bangs. The color of white with black tips.

"And your name would be?" Zarda inquired.

The bobcat lowered her head as he spoke. He took a quick glance at her face before it was out of view. What he did see, looked more like a round human like face, with cat-like features, then a cat-like face, with human features. Her type of feline was definitely different from his usual kind. Most of the lions in the pride lands had long faces, hers was not. Her body, though, reminded zarda of natia's and delilah's, the typical female type, he thought. The shape of her was a slender hourglass. Her eyes remained downcast, until she was ready to respond. She fekt his eyes boring holes into her.

She looked back up to answer zarda. Her eyes were crystal clear. They were as white as her hair. The only color in them were on the outer ring of the iris. A very, faint pale blue. She had a cute small button nose with an ugly scar across it. She didn't smile, which zarda could reason why she did not. Her strong voice caught him off guard.

"I am oridian, the bobcat of the green root forest. I, too, was heading towards sanctuary, kingdom of Havardr. Most of us were trapped. No one had ever known of one another, until the mother goddess spoke to our spirit animals. Our gods to some of us is new. Take me for example. I grew up believing in nothing, but what was right in front of me. My mother, my sister, and I. I never met my father or others like tourself. You are the white ghost, fylgje." Oridian spoke.

Zarda wondered what she meant by the last part?

"I'm a seerer in practice, by the way. I've seen you. Before you've ever existed in our world. Do you bear the markings?" She asked.

Zarda continued down the path of confusion with oridian.

"Please, explain what markings you mean?" He asked in reply.

She pointed to his chest. Zarda looked down and realized she was talking about his burn marks. He looked back towards her eyes, shaking his head yes. Zarda's attention was soon drawn away by the group of animals walking back into the bunker. They had finished bathing, and were all dressed in new, clean apparel. The scent of fresh minty soap filled the room. It was definitely a welcomed aroma compared to the musty piss odors. Dane led the other four back over to help zarda to relieve osborn.

"Any luck getting every animal out yet?" Dane curiously asked.

Zarda shook his head no.

"I fear this will be an all-nighter, with one master key. There's at least three more aisles full. I've accomplished two. Sadly, the majority of my time was wasted opening cages full of decomposing beasts." Zarda mentioned.

"How many do you recall were of the dead?" Asked dane.

Zarda had to think on it. He retraced his steps over in his mind and counted at least twelve cages of the deceased. Dane was doleful.

"Let me finish taking down names here, and you can help me afterwards. I'm trying to keep a head count. It's better if we know who is with us, or in case we lose anyone, it works as a buddy system. Would you and the others show irabel the otter, and oridian the bobcat to the showers? " Asked zarda.

Dane was more than happy to help, he escorted the two back to the bathrooms. Zarda moved down the line to a fowl of a unique kind. Her hair was a light brown angled bob cut. On top was a displayed pattern of dark brown spots, freckled all over. Her eyes were beautiful almond shapes. They were a dark brown to black hue. Long eyelashes extended outward frim them into a lovely swoop.

Although lovely as they were, Zarda's eyes drew down to the display under her chin. Bright yellow feathers covered her chest. Forming on top of them was what looked to be like a thick necklace, at the end was a v-line of tiny black feathers. She had a long sharp beak where a nose and mouth should have been, thought zarda. She was a cute creature. Like many of them, she was malnourished from lack of food. One thing, zarda knew, he needed to get everyone fed soon.

"Hello young creature. What is your name and kind?" Zarda asked.

A little chirpy voice replied.

"My name is emeryn, but I can go by em' for short. I am a yellow necked, western meadowlark of the emerald grasslands city. It's very, nice to meet you, zarda. May I go take a bath now?" She gently asked.

"Of course, let me have one of the others take you there. Zarda walked over to the other four, clean animals, standing by chatting with one another. They had decided to hang back if needed. It was a good thing they did. He now required of their assistance. Zarda walked up to the first bear he saw.

"Excuse me, we haven't officially met. I'm zarda the lion, and you are?" He asked, holding out his hand.

The bear reached out for his, and shook it lightly.

"Yes we haven't. So nice to meet you. I am Bjorn, the bear of grizzly falls city." She replied.

She was a lovely plus size figured female, with even bigger, brighter blue eyes to look upon. Bjorn had long brown hair adorning her head. The contrast of colors between her hair and facial fur were obviously two tones. What zarda liked about bjorn the most was her smile. It was, very, contagious. Her teeth were so white, that every time she smiled, zarda responded back with a smile.

"Bjorn, I need your help. Would you walk emeryn meadowlark to the bathrooms, please?" Asked zarda.

Bjorn obliged, she put her arm out and pulled over a smaller bear like cub.

"This is my daughter bria, can see join me? I don't want to leave her alone." Said bjorn.

Zarda looked down at her cute little face. She looked just like her mom, only smaller. The young cub's eyes were lavender. Her hair hadn't grown out as much, leaving it fluffy and spiked on top. He didn't spend much time examining then as he did oridian and emeryn. Zarda quickly consented, sending them on their way.

Turning back to the task a hand, he gathered the other animals names one by one. He went on to meet a bat named drauqr, a large elk called Alvis, which he said meant all wise.

Another grey wolf, that went by randolf. He was an older wolf compared to dane. His gray hair was turning white. His voice was deeper, too. As soon as he had their names, he had them follow him over to the last three helpers left. Standing before the three individual creatures, zarda proceeded to speak.

"I'm sorry my time has been brief. Let me get your names. If you'll escort these three to the baths, that would be great." He spoke.

A large bear like osborn limped up first.

"I am vidar, the bear of grizzly falls city. Don't mind my limp; I got it caught in an iron trap back during the first capture. I'm not disabled, just a little slow. I'm still capable of working. Likewise, I'll be glad to help." Said the wide warrior.

He was a big, manly bear. The hair on his head was reddish brown, not like osborn's darker shade. Vidar displayed three slash marks across his right eye. They were from a grizzly fight, no doubt. Zarda liked the way it gave the bear more character to his old face. It wasn't long, and they were joined by a male red fox and an adorable young female skunk.

"You can add us on board friend. My name is vulpix the fox, of fern hollows city, and this is pipsie the skunk of dandelion fields city. She is my friend's daughter. We were all separated during the humans' invasion. She hasn't spoken another word since the event happened. So, I speak for the both of us. We will gladly help in any way we can. " Said vulpix.

Zarda was pleased by all the help. The new residence was going to work out just fine, thought zarda.