Revelation

A pair of mossy green eyes peered towards the sky, watching the heavy, grey clouds float over the English countryside. A cool wind blew through the trees, bringing with it the smell of rain and a promise of sweet reprieve to the small workforce nearby. "It will storm tonight," the elaph to whom the eyes belonged spoke. She looked down, scanning the surroundings; both through the trees and grasslands. "Lilian, your shift's up," called out the voice of a young man. The elaph woman turned and nodded, a slight smile spreading across her features.
Like most elaph, Lilian was tall and graceful, with a massive set of antlers protruding from her temples. Her skin was rather pale, but smooth and mostly unblemished. Her slightly curly, light brown hair reached to just past her shoulders. The man that spoke to her smiled back, a slight blush gracing his cheeks. Lilian, however, payed no mind. After emerging from the darkness of the rock, she'd found most humans that she spoke with responded in a similar manner. Until recently she'd assumed it was part of human culture. One of the guards she shared night duty with explained to her that even an average-looking elaph appeared very beautiful to most humans. He then admitted he even found males attractive, which was apparently taboo in human culture.

Lilian decided that she didn't fully understand the people whose planet she now inhabited. Many were not very accepting of what was considered 'abnormal' or 'unnatural'. The community she'd found herself in, however, seemed to be more welcoming. The humans went as far as allowing themselves to be exiled in order to build a settlement with the non-humans. Lilian considered that noble. 
She returned to her quarters, quickly pulling off the guard uniform, which consisted of a red coat and black pants. The elaph woman found it unusual, as she would have dressed herself in dull browns and greens to camouflage herself from potential attackers. She pulled on simpler clothing--leather pants, knee-high boots, and a white blouse. 

She stepped out and headed towards the building where most of the humans congregated. An inn, she remembered it was called. Another gust of wind blew past, bringing the thunderheads even closer. She stopped and looked at the sky once more, taking a moment to enjoy the weather. Despite spending most of her younger years in extremely low light, Lilian enjoyed cloudy and rainy days the most, though what the humans called 'spring' was lovely as well. She entered and found a seat next to the human man that was called 'mayor'. He was an older man, quite a bit shorter than Lilian's six and a half feet. The others knew him as Doctor George Ainsworth. Lilian just called him, and Lilian just referred to him as 'Lord Doctor', though it took a while for her to understand 'doctor' was not part of his name. The nickname still stuck.

George, despite being in his early forties, was still a thin and fit looking man, with close-cropped brown hair streaked through with grey, and a matching beard that he kept closely trimmed. His voice was low and rumbling, matching his stern expression. Many that met him initially felt intimidated, but quickly learned that he was actually very kind.

"Evening, Lilian," he said, looking up from a letter. "I've received word from London, it seems they have agreed upon a shipment of building supplies and food. Looks like salted meat and pickled vegetables,  from what I'm reading. I would have been content with the building supplies alone, but the extra food will be a Godsend."

Lilian smiled and nodded. "Yes, I have heard some of the guards complaining about the recent rations. What else have they told you?"

Dr.  Ainsworth continued reading. "It seems that they will only ship it half way; we are to meet them and take the rest of the supplies ourselves. I should have  suspected there would be some unreasonable circumstance...Bastards, we don't have the military force to travel that far."

Lilian remained silent for a moment. "Perhaps we can gather some volunteers to make the trip? It will be difficult to move as a large group, but I believe if we take enough extraspecies, we can make it to and fro mostly unscathed."

The doctor considered it for a moment. "Go ahead. I will write back, and arrange for a meeting place. Gather as many volunteers as you can that will be willing to fight or haul supplies, and notify me. We can't spare too many guards, but we also cannot send out a force of all greenhorns, either. Truly a predicament. Go, spread the word and come back to me in a week."

And so she did; she spoke to her fellow guards, and any people that she spoke to throughout the day. Every night she would wait at the inn and discuss her plans with any who would show up. There she was, three days later, finding a spot at the inn. She ordered only distilled water, and waited for any who had heard of her plans, or those who wished to hear more.

 

Lilian's pointed ears picked up the sound of a rather melodious female voice. "Greetings, madam Hargrave, my name is Lilian," the elaph responded. "I presume you are here about the supply collection? I think one of your talents will be an excellent addition to our group. But first I must ask, miss," she said, her expression becoming more serious, "have you ever fired a rifle before?"
Lilian's voice was quiet and smooth, and moderate of pitch; normally she sounded content and at peace, but now she sounded more serious, almost foreboding. "The area through which we shall travel is known to be frequented by Taihou. I, along with a trio of other guards will be overseeing the security of our group. Unfortunately, four of us will not be able to defend everybody if we do not train others the basics of combat." She paused for a moment. "Before you commit to this, I am obligated to ensure that you understand the dangerous nature of this task, and that it may end in grievous or fatal injury for you or others."

The look in the elaph's eyes was melancholic after finishing her warning to the adlet. Lilian had already experienced so much death and despair upon leaving her rocky prison to find the surface of Earth, and she expected miss Becca had as well. Many of what the humans called 'extraspecies' did. From what she'd heard, though, not all of the groups were in nearly total darkness for decades, like the elaph. Lilian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her moss-green eyes traveled up to look directly into Becca's. "I do not blame you if you do not wish to enlist," she said gently.

 

A sad smile spread across Lilian's lips. "We have plenty of rifles, most of those consisting of the older, muzzle-loading models, though there are a few that are breech-loaded and use cartridges. It is a shame we cannot have more, the efficiency of the new rifles is wonderful." Despite the elaph's outward gentle and serene appearance, she rather enjoyed the feeling of firing a rifle. When the meteor containing the elaphs was split open, the new world was a very dangerous place for many of them, and Lilian was somewhat desensitized to killing out of necessity. They didn't have rifles, and they did not know what plants were edible, so they were forced to hunt for sustenance.

Lilian blinked several times, reminding herself that she was at the inn with a recruit for the supply retrieval mission. "Well, if you are still willing after my warning, then we shall gladly accept you. In four days, I want everyone to meet back here. We will be receiving our official orders from Lord Doctor at that time." The elaph woman nodded slightly towards Becca, who seemed interested in something outside. Lilian spared a glance back, where she caught the lanky form of a bipedal canine rummaging through something. "Ah...I better go shoo away the garou before he tries to creep into someone's residence," she remarked, quickly dismissing herself and heading outside.

She whistled loudly at the creature, approaching slowly and carefully, but with her head leaning slightly forward, so that all twelve of her antler points were leaning towards the creature. "There's no children for you here, shoo!" she called out, waving an arm at it.

 

Lilian watched the Garou babble and gesture and twitch with a slightly amused expression. Becca tried to communicate with it, which didn't seem to do much. She wasn't sure if she'd have to chase the creature away or if it would leave. "Becca," the elaph spoke. "Do not try to befriend the wretch. These poor souls are not the brightest, and even if you were to give them rules to follow, they would just break them."
Lilian did nothing until 'Manges' tried to pull the duo into the dark alley behind the tavern. Her hand snaked out to grab Manges' wrist, her elegant fingers like a vice grip. She pulled him forward, then backed off and lowered her head slightly, so that the points of her massive antlers were pointed right at Manges' face. "No," she scolded, voice cold and harsh. "You will not receive your meaty-things and shiny-clinky things here! You will leave now or I will drag you to the edge of town myself!" The normally quiet and gentle elaph now displayed an air of uncharacteristic dominance.

"Unless," she began, voice quieter, an idea forming the recesses of her alien mind, "you promise to be subservient to me. You will only eat what is given to you by me, and you shall only play with what is given to you by me. You shall not be hungry, and I will ensure that you are not bored, but you will be giving your undying loyalty and servitude to me. Understood?" Lilian folded her arms across her chest, raising her head. She took a step back and glared at the garou harshly, waiting to hear his response. "Should you decline, I expect you to be on your way immediately, or face a harsh penalty."