Jonathan dove in the moment he was near the edge and Aiden followed. The other three Brothers had never learned to swim and yelled for their family toe back. They didn’t like that they couldn’t follow.


    “Don’t be upset,” Bane soothed picking up Rees and Mycah. “We’ll all bathe and then we’ll teach you to swim.”


    Damien carried Niah in and we found a shallow area by the steps. Jonathan and Aiden showed up with shiny rocks they’d found on the bottom. They had gotten one for each of their Brothers. The gifts didn’t totally soothe the hurt feelings of being left, but it helped.


    We scrubbed ourselves and the boys in the warm, swirling water. Pretty soon we were all clean, our charges weren’t worried about that, though. Mycah’s family wanted to learn how to swim.


    I figured we’d bete for the morning meal at this rate, but the boys loved the swimming lesson. Jonathan and Aiden had quickly disappeared to explore the pool as Evan taught their Brothers how to move in the water. The little boys were desperate to follow their Brothers.


    My method of swimming was not the same as what the men did. There wasn’t much I could teach them on this front. I pulled myself up the steps and dried my body by the fires. It seemed like a good idea to get dressed so I could help Mycah’s family when they got out.


    Several families had little boys and they were getting them re-clothed after their bath. It was funny to watch the other men battle with the little ones as they did up their outfits. Stubborn children were used to doing this themselves, even if they did it wrong. Male children in the Child Keepers rarely got the undivided attention they were all getting now.


    The love and affection from their caregivers would allow them to form strong bonds. The Keepers were always kept too busy to really pay attention to one family. This type of attention was normal in the camp and created strongmunal rtionships. I was d to see it happening so quickly.


    Jonathan and Aiden were all over the water exploring. I’d see them pop up for air as they examined the contents of our bathing pool. The two boys had no fear as they explored the water. This was fun and liberating. They seemed to be having a grand time.


    Evan felt Jonathan, he always had. My family was aware of their offspring, but except the one time he tried to bond with them, Jonathan had not seemed overly conscious of his male breeder. As I sat and watched my family, I realized that had changed. Suddenly I felt Jonathan projecting powerfully to Evan. It wasn’t something I wanted to feel, though. It was a call to arms.


    Before I could stand on my feet every man in the hall moved as one. Little boys were literally thrown from the pool and caught by men that were standing around me. Short knives were grabbed from the clothingying around and tossed into the pool. Men’s arms darted out of the water and grabbed the weapons in perfect synchrony.


    I’d never been this close to the men when they were grabbed by The Great Harmonious Spirit before. The raw power of it silenced the scream that I wanted to let out. There was no fear in this room, only determination. Our quiet morning had be a battle and we would win.


    It was like slow motion as the huge ck shape rose out of the water near the edge of the light. I couldn’t see into the darkness that well, but the men could. The snake like alien writhed and coiled. It’s jaws were wrapped around something small and pale and I did scream.


    Jonathan’s body was caught in the creature’s teeth. I saw Aiden biting frantically at the creature’s neck trying to make it let go. That wasn’t what forced the alien’s actions, though.


    Damien’s family swarmed around the thing taking out chunks of its flesh. The razor sharp secondary teeth my men carried were not just for show. My family was joined by several other families of men and together they tore the creature to pieces.


    More men rushed into the bathing room from outside. Mund’s family led the charge with Basin’s right behind. They roared a mighty war cry as one being and the walls resounded with it. They were being called andmanded by The Great Spirit. The men’s power was in their numbers and their absolute cooperation, we certainly had that here.


    The pool had to be searched and the danger neutralized. The new men stripped and plunged into the water intent on finding the invaders hiding in this space. Other men stood between the little boys and the water, weapons drawn and ready.


    The men in the pool had torn the first creature to pieces in the water. There were other aliens hiding and they were treated the same way. The Paterian men attacked them the way a school of piranas would have. The aliens fought back viciously, intent of maintaining this entrance to our living space.


    I didn’t feel any panic from my family, despite the great risk. The Great Harmonious Spirit was in control and there was only order to their thoughts. Still, I couldn’t quite tell what had happened to my baby boy.


    Mycah and his two Brothers had been tossed out of the pool before Damien and his Brothers went after Jonathan. The little boys were standing and staring at the water. Their teeth were down, but they weren’t frantic. The Great Spirit had them and they were doing what itmanded.


    The men found many snake creatures hiding. I watched in horror as they tore them apart in the water. We had literally been on top of them, but they had been waiting for something. Realizing I stood defenseless, I pulled my gun out and trained it on the water.


    Evan appeared suddenly at the steps, he leapt out of the water with our two boys. He ced them on their feet behind his armed campmates and disappeared back into the pool. I wasn’t spared a nce as he returned to the hunt.


    I turned and looked down to see Jonathan and Aiden panting. They were bloodied and had jagged bite marks on their upper bodies. What really got my attention was what was hanging out of their mouths. Both the children had taken a chunk out of the alien. Their mouths were full of bloody, dripping alien flesh.


    “Spit that out!” I ordered, unsure if the nasty alien fluids were harmful to us.


    Both boysplied and grinned up at me with their teeth down. They were Paterian children alright. Wicked, fierce boys whose instinct to fight could not be denied.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I was grateful neither child appeared too badly hurt. They were standing and breathing, for which I was thankful, but I didn’t have time to fully examine them. We were currently at ground zero for the alien invasion and we all needed to be alert. I turned my attention back to the bath just as a long ck shape shot out of the water toward us.


    It wasn’t a Paterian male and I didn’t hesitate. I knew how these things moved. I shot my gun and tore the thing in half, right where the arms met the body. The alien dropped down into two parts and made a sickening st as it hit the floor in pieces. The men didn’t spare it a second nce as they stayed vignt for more invaders.


    The water in the normally calm pool roiled as the men fought beneath the surface. In my mind’s eye I saw the n the men were following. Once the pool was cleared we needed to find what ess point the aliens were using. They must be swimming in where the water entered and we needed to defend that entrance. Right now, it was imperative that the children be moved to a safer ce, as soon as possible.