Kings and Queens: Phantom Cove

Chapter One....

The wind whistled through Peck's ears as her paws fumbled the tiny parchment she was handling. The monumental oaks of Sarepia Forest whistled by, only brown blurs, as she heard the clattering and roaring of the beasts behind her. As she leaped over fallen logs, rolled under long branches, she felt like she was invincible. She would get this message to Queen Mira if it killed her.

She felt the presences closing in on her. ''How the heck? ''She marveled. She felt like she was zipping by faster than Sophia the horse alpha, more nimble than Lady Sylvia the rabbit alpha, more cunning than Turos the tiger alpha. The phantoms couldn't be all that fast. It wasn't like they could teleport!

The distance started getting closer and closer to Quira Cave. Those rocks would collapse if Peck tried to whiz through! Gapping her jaws, Peck flashed her front paws out in front of her, tearing through dirt layers and trying to skid to a halt. The rain from last night didn't make it any better, lessening her traction as she wobbled off balance. The wind suddenly picked up, and her nose twitched wildly in fear. She was getting closer and closer to Quira Cave...

Then she heard the roar. She squeaked, unclenching her fists. Her parchment from Lady Sylvia flew out of her paws, whipping away in the wind. Peck's purple eyes widened to what seemed as far as they could go as she grabbed wildly for the paper. It was just out of her reach. She turned, breathing heavy, to face the glowing eyes of the first two phantoms.

"Nowhere to run now, bunny wunny." A husky voice boomed. The phantoms clattered, advancing, their wet tentacles catching purple electricity. Their fat pupils shrunk to mere black slits, as they outstretched their stumps. Peck stared at the electricity, remembering what had happened to Timmy the neighbor after the last phantom raid.

She backed up slowly against the jagged, cold stone of the cave, her nose twitching madly like all bunny's do when they're nervous. The phantoms hissed a cold laughter as they outstretched their tentacles. Peck started studying the situation. The phantom's had tentacles on every part of their body except their heads...

As the phantoms got too close, she faked cowering. "O-oh, please... no, no! I can't be captured so young...!" Peck wailed. The voice boomed in hard, cold laughter.

"Get 'er, fools!"

The phantoms leaped forward. She flashed out her hind legs, kicking the first phantom upside the head with incredible force. The phantom squealed high-pitched, flying against a sycamore tree trunk. It's pupils swirled as it unpeeled from the bark, slamming down headfirst on the rocks. The second phantom was two late to uncover from its shock. She back-flipped over the phantom, grabbing a tentacle (in the surprise, he had forgotten the electricity) and judo threw him into the second phantom. He was not so lucky, getting electrocuted by the other's electric shock.

"Get-!" Peck screamed.

-

"Peck! Get up now or you will be grounded to your hollow for the week!" Her mother's voice shrieked. Sitting up in bed, Peck rubbed her eyes. ''That dream again! Peck absolutely loved ''that dream. It made her feel like a real life superhero, one with a cool name like Peck the Great. The forever-feared phantoms would be conquered, the rabbits would not be looked at as fuzzy-butted inferiors. The tigers, bears, wolves and even... wait for it... RHINOS would cower in awe at the name...

Peck leaped out of bed, spreading her arms wide. Giving a little excited cartwheel, she barreled over to the cork board and stared at the drawing labeled...

Peck, alpha of the BRAVE!

***

Chapter Two....

"Jamaa was founded by Queen Mira on the day of Unity. She believed it was a sign from the ancestors of all the lines of alphas before her. The alphas in the days of the Wild Roam, when animals ONLY stayed with their types of animals, where it was unsafe to roam with any others." Gilbert, the tiger with the highest grades of any Philosophy 101 students, rambled. "Queen Mira thought this was a place where animals could be safe from the wild, where animals could push the boundaries and combine packs, groups, and even roles in our everyday lives. Life became more than survival, it became living. Here in Jamaa, we can socialize, we can play, we can... we can be everything we've ever wanted!" Gilbert roared. Peck jumped, her claws making a dull imprint on the wood of her pencil.

Mr. Kurti, Philosophy 101's giraffe teacher, adjusted his four lavender worn ties. "Thank you Gilbert! Excellent projection, definitely an improvement from your last few presentations." Mr. Kurti clapped, the loud clattering of his hooves making the entire class join in.

"Yeah, good one, nerd." An impish voice snickered. Peck whipped her head around, her long ears flattening. She cracked a grin, though she knew she shouldn't. ''It's mean and rude to make fun, Pecky. ''Mama Marie always told Peck and her five sisters and four brothers. Graham, the biggest bully of the entire class (most likely the one who had made the remark) poked Gilbert with a sharp jab as Gilbert lumbered by. Gilbert twisted his lip, like he did sometimes when he was trying not to growl, as he sat down on his mat.

"Yeah, braniac, it's just like you to not defend yourself. What's ya gonna do, you big fat idiot?" Graham cackled. Peck rose from her desk, she knew this was the last straw, but someone else beat her to it.

"Leave him alone, Graham. Or... should I remind you about when you accidentally swallowed a screw during Builder's Class? Mhm, or how stupid you looked then?" The new transfer, Liza the panda, blew one of her black ponytails out of her face. Graham's face boiled to a crimson red. His tail twitched, swaying back and forth as he fiddled with his pencil, shrinking down behind his desk as the roars of giggles erupted.

Peck's eyes widened. ''Way to go, girl. ''She smiled. Mr. Kurti rose from his desk, his green eyes screwing to slits. He banged his hoof on his workstation, his long neck leaning over dangerously close to Graham's front row desk. "Silence, class! This is not how friendly animals act. If you all don't settle down, I might have to send you to Mr. Greely's office!" Mr. Kurti threatened. The room suddenly got dangerously quiet.

Mr. Kurti snorted. "Mhm, I thought so. Now, open your textbooks to Chapter Twenty-three, the Alpha's Diplomatic Stand."