Gypsie was startled awake by the sounds of applause, and looked around. She and Reala lay nestled into each other in the private sanctums of the lounge. She sighed a breath of relief, and leaned in to kiss her sister.    From the darkness of the room came a bestial growl and a sinister laughter.    Just like one she’d heard before.    Matron Sawtooth.    
Gypsie adjusted her eyes until the visible light glinted off the whitened eye of the Northern predators leader. “Two for the effort of one, easy but necessary.” The Huge carnosaur female lunged at Gypsie ignoring Reala who slept soundly. Gypsie tried to scream out, even flail to wake her sister but nothing. Her eyes met the working eye of Sawtooth as the pressure on her neck grew tighter. Saliva ran down Gypsie’s bleeding neck as her vision blurred.    “Oh don’t die yet meat. Try to stay awake.    Wake up meat.. WAKE UP!”

	“Wake UP! Gypsie! Wake up!”    Reala held Gypsie as she lurched roughly out of slumber. Her shivering body wrapped in cold.    She had begun screaming in her sleep and could barely contain her fear now that she was awake.    For a long while she lay cradled in Reala’s arms clutching her own unmarred throat. 
Reala placed her sisters head to her chest rocking ad kissing her forehead.    “It’s okay, you’re fine. You’re here with me now. Shhhhhhh”
Gypsie buried her face into her sister’s chest and took a deep breath of her scent. Avaurials were blessed with a 5 chambered olfactory organ, and familiar scents were seen as emotionally therapeutic.    Gypsie gazed up into her sister’s deep purple eyes and hugged her waist.    “You suppress your fear dealing with predators and it finds a way to surface.”
Reala stroked her sister’s head crest and nodded. “It‘s okay now. I know how hard this is. You won‘t have to go back for a long while now.”
Gypsie, shivered and wrapped her tail around Reala’s legs, “I’m--I’m just hungry now.”
Real reached over and collected their belongings. “Okay, I’m sure we can find something near here. “ she slipped her robes over her head and helped Gypsie with her uniform.
Gypsie, still a bit rattled, was a bit slow in getting dressed, but was lucky to have a very attentive ’mate’ for lack of a better word.    They left the inner sanctum of the lounge finding the suns to at last be at their zenith.    The females decided to forgo the local ferry and walk to a diner. Midday was hot as usually but felt fine to the race accustomed to the heat.    The canopy of other housing and business structures provided shade in many places and lent a somewhat spotted and streaked appearance to everything.    The sisters ended their exodus at the ‘Ordovician’, a diner specializing in the older cuisines.    It was expensive, but the celebration of Gypsie’s return was worth it.    They were greeted warmly of a bit confusedly.    Gypsie’s uniform was a dead giveaway for VIP treatment, but Reala’s hornaments caused quite a bit of confusion.    Of course no one said anything to them, after all this was a high quality establishment. Ferns were brought to the table with dipping sauce as an appetizer and the food was grown on site.    The place boasted the best pumpkin stew and sautéed breadfruit in the city proper.    It was actually the baked subterranea that Reala found appetizing.    A blend of 5 types of baked mushrooms and tubers glazed with Ginger cinnamon and a side of carrot chutney.    All items that grew beneath ground but made a heavenly meal. 
Reala rested her chin in her hands watching Gypsie. “Wanna tell me about it?“
Gypsie glanced up from a mouthful of fern and swallowed. “It was the usual devoured by an carnosaur dream. No big deal really. I mean. I‘m over it.    And it‘s all part of the job anyway.    The nightmares stop once we‘ve had time to relax.”
Reala nodded, “I worry. I know it‘s your job, but I don’t like to see you, I dunno--Scared like that.” 
Gypsie placed a finger to her sister’s mouth, “Shhh, I won’t be going back for a few months, I’ll have long gotten over it by then.”
Reala still wasn’t convinced but it was a hazard of the job. She dipped a branch of fern and munched thoughtfully as she heard Gypsie’s snicker.
“Messy, messy,” Gypsie scolded before leaning over to lick some unconsumed sauce off Reala’s lips. 
Reala smiled and responded, “There‘s a tongue I‘ll want to feel more of later.” 
Gypsie gawked and pinched her sister’s nipple, “Slut.” she accused.
“You weren’t saying that while I was tonsil deep in your honey. Honey..”
Gypsie nodded and straitened up. “Not out loud anyway.“ Her flirty wink emphasizing the jibe. ”So what should we do after lunch?”
Reala finished her branch and grabbed another, “I don‘t really know.    Just thought we work it out as we go along.    Shopping, window shopping, stuff like that. Why? Got any ideas?”
Gypsie adjusted herself in her chair, “As a matter of fact I do. After lunch we go back home, get changed into something REALLY sexy, go back to Rim shots, and let the whole world witness our drunken perversities.”    
Reala waved over the waitress, “Now that sounds like fun. A whole day of stares and murmurs”
Gypsie caressed Reala’s tail with her own, “Baby no, it‘s not going to be that bad.    So many have already gotten accustomed to us there. And besides we won‘t be the only ones there. There’s at least 30 other gay and lesbian couples out there.”
Reala smiled and added, “Yeah, but the problem is we’re the best looking couple out there.    No one is as gorgeous, and sexy, and downright heart stopping as us.“ 
Gypsie face palmed and licked her lips, “Yeah, the modesty. S‘what I love about you.”
The food arrived at the moment.    Reala with her usual and Gypsie with something new.    Layered in cheese and tomato sauce she dug into a new treat billed as ‘Nikrell’.    A wide noodle pasta dish with crimson leaf seaweed and cashew slivers.    Dinner with the two was always a sensual affair. Every morsel consumed was done with a particular flourish of tongue and    sucking of fingers.    By the end of lunch both females were excessively hungry.    Though not in the ‘digestive’ sense. Gypsie’s tail had long found it’s way back into the apex of Reala’s thighs beneath her robes, but to the other patrons of the restaurant it seemed only that Reala REALLY enjoyed mushrooms.    Gypsie fed in to the obvious illusion with her own brand of fun, “My, my, sis! I had no idea you loved mushrooms this much. Seems it‘s almost better than sex!” Gypsie worked the tip of her tail under Reala’s clothing and against the warm brown petals of her pussy. “Those look really wet and fleshy too, almost makes you wonder how they taste. Can I have a taste Re? You know how much I love getting laid by y--..OOPS! I mean getting FED by you.”
At this time Reala barely heard her sister’s request. She shakily speared a mushroom and leaned over to fed it to Gypsie while Gypsie’s tail corkscrewed it’s way into her inviting love box.    Through her pleasure she managed to drop the morsel into Gypsie’s cleavage. Gypsie laughed heartily causing her bosom and the trapped shroom to bounce and giggle invitingly.    Reala fought the urge to dive in and retrieve it.    Not only would it be impolite to do out in public but to get to her sister’s cleavage she’d have to bend over the table, subsequently giving the rest of the diners a full view of her impaled pussy.    No,no, much    better to sit here and get deliciously invaded in and out by her sister’s love muscle.    Reala gripped the tablecloth and took a deep breath, scooting lower in her chair to get a good filling which Gypsie was more than happy to provide.    Reala released the tablecloth, as it was losing the battle to remain whole under the strength of her nails.    By this time Reala’s legs were spread shamelessly apart under the table and her tail stiff and straight as a board.    Her hips taking on a barely perceptible rocking motion serving to give her all the pleasure    available in a good public fucking.    Gypsie made sure her tail was in deep enough to mush against Reala’s clit.    After a few tense minutes Reala’s thighs stiffened and she panted almost uncontrollably.    When another couple noticed her, Reala had to make some excuse for her silent orgasm. “Whew! T-these…peppers are….r-r-really HoT.”    
Gypsie let her sister enjoy her much needed cum and withdrew her tail, slowly this time so that every inch would slide messily from her sisters honey pot.    Gypsie pulled her tail up and into her mouth, licking clean the juices left behind by her sister’s pussy.    Reala gently kicked her sister under the table and grinned widely, “Nasty slutasaur.” she whispered. 
Gypsie on the other hand nodded in approval, “Oh, one of the best, you know.    And, I still owe you some tongue.” 
Reala called over for a few more napkins and started up again on her lunch.    “Evil Parasoi, I‘m going to leave a mess in this chair because of you.” 
Gypsie looked shocked, “Me? Hmmm, well I could climb under there and clean your spillage up in the usual way.” She wiped her mouth and extended her tongue to wipe across her muzzle. 
Reala face palmed as her napkins arrived, “You‘re incorrigible.”
Gypsie waggled her tongue faster,    “I‘m not hearing a no.”
Reala stealthily slid the napkins under the table, “No, not here….oh no.    Once I get up the whole place will be able to smell it. Damn our sense of smell.    This is all your fault.”
Gypsie’s intermittent giggles turned to lighthearted laughter, “That’s why I like making you cum in public places, you‘re such fun when it‘s all over.”
Reala finished off her meal, “Oh, it‘s not over yet. I know where you live. And next time You‘re going to be the one Cumming in public places.”
Gypsie stood and offered a hand to Reala, “Then we should choose a suitable venue for your revenge. I‘ve always been partial to the outer gardens.    Or maybe we could just fuck on our front porch.”
Reala took the hand and followed her sister out the door, mindful of the sniff-sniffing of other Avaurial noses as they passed by. Once they were out the door Reala grabbed Gypsie by her tail and pulled her in until her hands rested on Gypsie’s thick hips. “Lets hurry up and get to the outer gardens.”	

	The trip to the outer gardens was quite short. Avaurial cities were usually valleys that rested a few hundred feet above sea level.    Earlier on in the planets history the land was dotted with active volcanoes that had long since spent their rage and collapsed in on themselves.    Nothing more than miles of forest surrounded by the remains of the volcano crater they sprung from.    The outer gardens were closest to the rim of the ancient mountains.    It was here the more attractive and thickest foliage grew.    The natural cover made several bowers, and it was here Reala and Gypsie sat enjoying each other once more. 
	
	Cel brought the containment film up over the crystal pitcher where the sample was stored.    Here it would sit until the gestation period was over, then it would be given to security personnel for border patrol.    All in all it was an easy assignment; legendary Avaurial patience coupled with a plant that had to be monitored almost constantly, equaled a very handsome payday. Cel sat at the master safety switch.    Any unusual growth    and a simple press of the button would drown the sample in highly acidic super-quick drying resin that would halt the progress of anything and tear it apart molecule by molecule.    That is if -240 degree temperatures didn’t kill it first. He read over the expected growth pattern and loaded in the liquid fertilizer. “Three drops per hour should give an equal amount of growth in bulbs.” Cel counted the number of bulbs and documented. Sitting back he ran his hand over the irregular shorn knobs on his forehead and sighed. The tissue underneath was too damaged to regenerate his horns. A Ceratoi male with no horns was seen in the same light as a gelding.    Males pitied him, females saw nothing attractive in his lack of ‘accoutrements’. So here he sat, practically living at the office, no social life to speak of, eyes riveted on the bulbs of some experimental death- blossom, instead of the girthy blossom of some females’ hips.    Usually he could drown his feelings in work, but after hours there was no hustle and bustle to pay attention to.    The anger and disgust almost dripped from his pores.    And the sample responded. It’s leaves curled up and turned a sickly shade of brown.    Cel had specific orders to curtail any unusual growth, but this plant seemed to be dying.    He quickly gave it its three drops of fertilizer cursing his luck that this had to happen on his shift.    The newest weapon in the fight for survival and he’d have been responsible for it’s death.    Still with his hand hovering over the destruct button, he watched carefully.    Hoping, praying to the God and Goddess that tonight did not spell the end of his career.    “Pleeeeease, pleasepleaspleaspleas, don’t die, not yet. Not on my watch sweetie, please wakeup. I didn’t mean it. You’re a gorgeous plant, an beautiful plant, just…not a dead plant, please not a dead plant.”    The sample turned and another leaf died off.    Cel sighed heavily and dropped his forehead on the console.    “Damn. I am so fired. what….fuckin‘…...LUCK!”    His final below was repeated. Cel jumped back startled. Again the word was repeated, and even though Cel knew where it came from he could not allow his mind to wrap around the fact that the plant, the ugly smelly sample, actually spoke. “By the hands of creation….did you just speak?” Cel was so overcome with shock he forgot the directive to destroy any aberrant mutations. The plant however was not growing out of proportion.    It still looked sick.    Though now the main bulb took on the qualities of a mouth, repeating the only word it had heard.
	
	Reala and Gypsie got home later that night.    They’d spent the whole day out, making up for lost time. At the setting of the sun they arrived at home. The pastel pink and orange sunset made a beautiful backdrop to the crystal dome of their tree straddled home. But all was not well. A thick plume of flame roared about 10 feet out of the food storage room. They both rushed inside and grabbed up the hanging bags that served as nutrients for their tree and impromptu fire extinguishers.    A quick poke with a claw and minor firefighting equipment was at hand. 
Gypsie sprayed the area fervently; “How did this happen?!” 
Reala edged her way towards the Volcanus, the source of the flame; “I don‘t know! It started over here!” Gypsie made her way over to her gagging sister. The Volcanus had been sqlit open at it’s base and a swamp gas flower placed beside it. “What the hell is that doing here?” A quick look around showed that no amount of bagged water could save this place. They both scrambled out of the now inferno to a safe distance, and watched their home blaze up into a haphazard column of hellfire. Professional firefighters arrived to contain and stop the blaze but by that time it was just a house sized crater.

	 Cel’s image showed he could barely contain his excitement. The sight fronds were a bit scorched but Tsintai could clearly hear the part of the message that survived.
“….Well, I mean n-not total speech or anything but it can mimic sound!    A rudimentary intelligence I guess it’s got hello, andluckandfeedmedownbutIdon’tthinkitknows… Oh damn, listen to me, I‘m rambling. Anyway this is incredible. Get down here as soon as you get the message. I’m gonna wait a while before I call it in to give you a head start. I think it can also respond to emotions…It sort of…died a little when I was feeling sorry for myself. But now it’s just as excited as I AM!” In the background a small childlike voice could be heard yelping    “IAMLUCKIAMLUCKIAMLUCK!” over and over again. Cel looked over to something out of view and responded; “You sure are sprout, you sure are.“ The image died out and Tsintai leaned back on the crater edge wrapped in her mates’ shirt. “luck? LUCK!? Fuck that dyke bitch and her luck!”    With that she threw the sight frond over the wall with all the strength she could muster, and followed it with a anguished scream to the heavens.

	Cel scanned the lot as the first botanists came in for the change of shift. It had been nearly five hours since he called Reala. He was sure she would be in by now.    She should have at least called him back. He looked over at the plant again. The ‘mouth’ had definitely taken on a muzzle like quality, and the leaves even curled themselves into the semblance of a Ceratoi head ridge. Cel quickly forged his notes and finished his documentation just as the new shift came in. “Dino’s! WE got great NEWS! 
	In the observation room the bulb-mouth oriented itself in the direction of another transmission from the sight frond Cel had called earlier. It tilted it’s ‘head’ and repeated as was it’s way the last words it heard at the other end; 
“…… SAWTOOTH ………….PLANT…………AGAINST…….US.“
 	Cel piloted his walker to his favorite Ceratoi domicile. Reala STILL hadn’t called him back and he began to wonder what could have happened.    She was sure to have gotten his message by now. Obviously she’d been out with Gypsie all night, maybe it was false hope that she might be home by now. Cel looked out of the clear resin solar collector to make sure the walker was on track.    The plants on this planet always needed different types of nutrients, but the walkers were grown with certain deficiencies.    All one had to do was take the plant to where it could find these nutrients and it would not only remember where to get them but uproot and ambulate to the place where it could find said foodstuffs. Tell it that your mother’s house is the only place it can find hydrogen and it’d run there at top speed, dragging or carrying you with it. Walkers were bred with a lack of vital nutrient called Bensa.    Gypsie and Reala’s home had already been ‘programmed’ into the things memory as a place where it could find Bensa rich soil.    Just clip the tube that supplied plant Bensa and the walker would head to the new source at top (80mph) speed.    Cel watched the area with horror.    The pristine tree straddled crystal dome was gone.    In it’s place a blackened pore of earth that smelled of burnt chlorophyll and death. One slight taste of the soil and the walker halted letting off a shrill cry and refusing to go any further.    Cel reconnected the artificial Bensa supplement to quiet the plant and slid out of it’s membrane.    Gypsie and Reala sat huddled together apparently asleep.
“What happened?” he inquired. Both females were too well versed to have let any flame bearing plants overpopulate.
Reala was the first to awaken. “We don’t know, Cel. There was a swamp gas blossom and..”
Cel went wide eyed with surprise, “A swamp gas blossom? Here?    Well…I mean what did you…”
Gypsie corrected Cel’s assumption. “WE didn’t do anything. We don’t own a swamp blossom, and our Volcanus was split at it’s core. 
Cel “Ohhed’ Thoughtfully. Although he knew what that combination was capable of how they were actually put together was impossible to truly fathom.    For now all he could do was offer condolences. “You two slept out here? What if it rained?”
Gypsie cut her eyes at Cel. “Well it’s not like we could actually have planned this, Everything we had was there, including all our trade and financial goods. This was our family home.”
Cel winced in sympathy. “All of it huh? Yowtch. Well let me offer you a place for shelter at least. It‘s not you family home but it‘s not like I‘m going to be raising any hatchlings.    You‘re both welcome to stay with me until your new place grows in”
Reala looked around at the remains of their home and agreed. “Thank you Cel, we promise not to be a burden. 
Cel opened the membrane of his walker and invited the females in. “No problem, I’ve got the room to spare. Do you know who could have done this? I can‘t think of any Avaurial who would be this. This.. Mean.    I mean this is like, Predator mentality here.”
Reala laid her head on Gypsie’s lap, “We’d rather not talk about it anymore.”
Cel nodded, “Right, right, well I guess the news about the sample came in a distant second.”
Reala barely heard Cel, or rather barely understood him. “Sample? What sample?”
The one I did the workup on? A message?”
Both females responded in unison, “No we didn’t.”	
Cel, finding a topic that might lighten the moods started his retelling of the events with great pride. “It was scheduled to be rationed out to border patrol to curb predatory incursions. I was monitoring its growth, and it spoke.    Not full speech mind you. In fact now that I think about it, it was only the last word that I had spoken. Sort of a mimic deal. It was so cute, I was trying to give you some time to come see it before my report went in but…” He glanced in the direction of what used to be their home. Cel opened the soft inner stamen of the walker and removed a few of it’s solar seeds. Cel’s home was the only place it was programmed to get replacements, and they were on their way. Cel was glad to see that his news actually could combat the depression of the lost family home. Unfortunately Cel lived on the opposite side of the city, and halfway through the trip conversation died out.

	The Avaurial youth were allowed unprecedented freedom of expression, due to there not being much beyond average life to express. Though grief of loosing one’s parents, mate, and the hope of a happy future was enough to make any young mind snap. Especially one clouded by love.    Tsintai woke up early, and made a huge breakfast. Her mate had always enjoyed breadfruit with lemon pepper in the mornings. The young newlywed made it her goal to please her mate. Chirring melodically, she set out the flatware, and brought out the steaming baked halves of breadfruit, and divided it into equal portions, though she was the only one in the home. ;”I hope you like breakfast, I glazed it with apple honey…..What‘s that? Oh, I knew you‘d like it!” Tsintai giggled like a hatchling at the imagined answer of a mate she would never see again. ”Oh you silly, why ask me about that?…….Well it’s not like I meant to throw the sight frond into enemy territory, I-I was just so mad…and…now, I’m happy...I’ll always be happy , now that you’re back. Tsintai rushed over to hug her hallucination and grappled empty chair. A few moments there was silence, then a near hysterical laughter, yet tears never stopped falling through it all. Tsintai continued with her day, cleaning house, playing the good wife role with no one to play it for, in her mind all was well, though the mind itself was not well.

	Gypsie was the first to enter Cel’s family home. An abode carved from the side of a mountain, a few more rooms excavated by new additions to the family as needed. Deaths and births maintained and even population so that the place itself was a three-floor mansion. Cel’s parents and siblings lived in the lower 18 room portions with Cel commanding the upper floor. He was rarely there so the placed smelled dank and unlived in.    Reala wrinkled her nose at the scent and immediately went to the ‘kitchen‘; “When was the last time anyone used a Volcanus in here?”    
Cel embarrassedly tried to come up with a good excuse but was lost for one. “About a half cycle ago….”
Gypsie, flopping down into one of the chairs chimed in; ”That’s right, you’re the workaholic Re’s always talking about.”
Cel’s countenance brightened noticeably.    Reala? Was always talking about him? Hot damn, there was hope! Play it cool Cel, play it cool… “Well I don‘t really have much else to do.” he said absently covering his shorn horns, or lack thereof. “Overtime doing what I love isn’t really a bad thing.” Now even though Reala’s rump bent over and prodding the malnourished bulb of his Volcanus plant was thoroughly inviting to look at, Gypsie sitting with one leg over the arm of the seat and the other resting off to the side was just to impossible to tear his eyes away from. “It shouldn‘t be too noisy, the floors are solid sheet stone we try to build outward instead of upward to keep the weight down It‘s a big pyramid here.”    Reala pulled the Volcanus up to it’s base height and opened the fronds letting a warm pleasant yet weakened scent begin it’s journey through the abode;    “Well at least that was the worst of it I suppose. “
Cel glanced around and procured a gourd from the cabinet. “Anyone hungry?”
“Yes, thanks.” They both said in unison.    Munching noisily they took the grand tour. The rooms were all the same size, the largest with a large flagstone for basking. Together there were a total of    5 rooms. Since there was room Cel let them decide which they would use.    In the meantime he went to tell his family of the new tenants.    
Gypsie and her sister had their room chosen and foraging through the cabinets for something to eat when Cel came back, on the middle of a conversation already in progress: “It was a family home, even those who don‘t like us wouldn‘t stoop so low as to destroy something grown by our family.    What would drive someone to that?“
Gypsie sat on the counter sifting through the spices; “Even a predator would actually have a REASON for something like that, usually to scare their meals out into the open, I‘m just as lost as you.” Cel entered with three other behind him, “Hey roomies, a few folks would like to meet you.” Cel stepped aside to let two older Avaurials and a hatchling inside ”These are my Parents, and this is my younger sibling, she doesn‘t have a name yet though, her personality traits are really at the ‘common’ stage right now. 
Cel‘s father, Stegosoi was smaller than his mother, though her hide was more wrinkled.    That was expected. After having quite a few clutches of eggs, female’s skin stayed ‘plentiful’ in their old age. The hatchling was a little cutie. Her spots were near lightly faded, and her color just starting to darken which would put her near about 2 seasons. Cel’s mother had a very easygoing attitude but was very single minded; “ We’re happy to see both of you, since Mooshie’s accident we didn’t think he’d ever catch a female’s eye.”
Gypsie fought    a horribly wicked urge to laugh out loud, she pummeled strangled and beat down the massive giggle headed up her throat just long enough to stammer out; “M-Mooshie?“ 
Cel’s mother patted Cel on the shoulder: “That was his child’s name. Before his Father went to the liberation war Cel didn’t have a name, just like his sister here. It didn’t seem right for his father to be sent to battle not having a name for his child so we chose a temporary name based on Cel’s love of mashed mushrooms at the time.“
Reala nodded, “Anyone who loves mushrooms can’t be all bad.”
Cel’s mother looked Reala and Gypsie over for a long while even stepping behind them as if judging produce. “Should start your litter with this one Cel.” She said poking Reala in the hip with her tail tip. “She’ll make strong boys, this one.”    Reala of course froze up at the idea. “Not offense, but we were only going to be here until we replace our home. It was burned by someone.    We..”
Gypsie butted in to help out; “Weren’t aware that Cel was still looking, he spends so much time at work.“
Cel’s mom, ever anxious for grandchildren, immediately went into matchmaker mode; “Well dear, let me tell you there’s no better provider you could ask for than my Moosh- err…Cel here.” She leaned in close whispering into Gypsie’s ear, “Why the upkeep of our family’s home alone is all Cel’s doing, he’s got a good job and loves children.    Egg sat for me for weeks before his sister hatched.”
Cel on the other hand knew the situation and was more than Thoroughly embarrassed by his mom’s meddling.    “WELL mother!…umm, thank you for your presence, I’m sure they’d like to get some rest after their ordeal.    I was just about to get them set up in a room and….”
Cel’s mother was overcome by a since of urgency, “OH! Of course! You youngsters go ahead and get started on your…ahem……activities and such!“ She herded her hatchling and mate out the door. “Come, come everyone, Cell has twice the normal amount of work cut out for him.” 
The shocked Reala had reached the end of her tolerance and was about to spill the chlorophyll, when Gypsie’s tail swatted her ass once more to quiet her.    
Once the door shut Gypsie deep lip locked her sis and bull rushed her into another room. Cel was there alone. No doubt someone was listening at the other side of the closed door
So for lack of ideas Cel went into the room with them.    Gypsie released Reala laughing hysterically.    Reala of course had nothing to laugh at.    “So I guess you never told your mother that I was a ‘deviant’ to our Race?” 
Cel rubbed his missing horn stumps and sighed, “I’m sorry, But you can image how she’d think otherwise. Reala you…”    Cel wanted to choose his words carefully. Reala was the only female who looked at him as a male, despite his ‘deformity‘.    In Avaurial society at large he was less than a teenager.    But to Reala he was what he wanted to be, A friend, a colleague, and more importantly, a male. “I will apologize for any insult my mother gave you. She only wants for my happiness and the continuation of our bloodline….”
At this point Gypsie realized the seriousness of the situation and took a more mature stance to listen as Cel decided to spill his chlorophyll right here and now. 
“When I was rescued from the predators, everyone was amazed that I’d survived…” Cel sat on a nearby chair and continued, “They kept me from fighting back by cutting off my horns and stabbing the tissue underneath with bone chips to keep them damaged. That’s been the source of my maladjustment. I don’t have to tell either of you the mating prospects of a male with no horns.    It was painfully obvious that this family line would end with me. My mother got old. The old ovaries don’t work that well. The hatchling you just saw was supposed to be my ‘replacement’ for lack of a better word.    But that didn’t turn out exactly how they wanted when ‘she’ hatched instead of ‘he’. My other siblings are female as well.” Reala had never heard the whole story and just figured Cel would tell when he was ready. Now that this was the time, she sat silently soaking up every word. 

	Matron Sawtooth watched the image in the fronds intently. It had been brought to her attention that the herbivores had been developing weaponry that actually gave them a chance in combating their betters. So far nothing gave her any idea as to the overall plan.
 That is until the plant came to rest in what looked like a board room. Parasoi, Stegosoi, and Pachycephloi sat around staring at the sample intently.    For a long while they said nothing as was the herbivore way. Sawtooth almost lost her patience with the silence until one spoke; “Will this still serve it’s original designed use?”
Another, this one female answered; “I think the most important thing is to find out if it’s capable of understanding common words and commands. If it is I don’t think grinding it to powder is the best way to harness it’s properties.”
“So you have another suggestion?”
The female rubbed her neck thoughtfully, “I, in fact, do.    If they can be mass produced this would give citizens a more effective way to defend themselves. A houseplant that can kill a predator.”    Matron Sawtooth cut her eyes at the thought, “So they pacify us with their mammal farms while they build weapons in their dead volcanoes, this is not acceptable. Where was this plant found?” she demanded looking over the slightly singed sight frond.    Her scouts responded, “Outside the city, Fernholme. It was thrown over their wall.”
Sawtooth, turned to walk away. “This was just FOUND lying about? So the herbivores have a plant capable of destroying us and you just waltz in with it right into our midst?”
The scouts were speechless.    Of course that would have been the best way to plant a bomb.    But the fact that it hadn’t ’gone off’ was proof of the sight fronds’ safety.    In saving their own asses they made this point clear to their matron who ignored them.
“Why would they let us see this? And where is this?…….Gather the leaders of the other tribes! We have a counterstrike to plan.”

	    In the board room the sample oriented again in the direction of the open connection held by matron Sawtooth; “FOUND……………..……..OTHER TRIBES!…..COUNTERSTRIKE TO PLAN!…….” Of course no one knew what this meant, Cel’s report said that it could only mimic sound but no one here had said any of that. The directors simply watched the sample repeat itself over and over like a hatchling with a new toy. 
One of the directors spoke up, “Tribes? Only predators move in tribes. Perhaps this is able to locate large numbers of predator tribes?!”
Another joined in; “Well we can’t grind it down now. An early warning detector like this is worth it’s weight….err…that is…worth…a lot.    Since…….you know….it’s only a few pounds.”
The female director nodded in agreement; “Even though it was expressed in a deficient manner, I’m prone to agree. If we could set these up at key locations on the rim, maybe the outer gardens……”    She went to look out of the window. “We are at the center of the city, and it seems to be picking up movement that I can only assume is outside the perimeter.    Although….this could just be a wild walker chase.    We should put the city guard on alert just in case.”
Her counterpart at the other end of the table threw his two cents in as well; “Be that as it may this is still a magnificent discovery. We don’t need to destroy it to harvest the toxin we need. No doubt it could be synthesized from a few leaves or a spare bulb…”
(Elsewhere matron Sawtooth listened intently) “…I’d like to get the go ahead to start the gestation of more…what will the sample be dubbed? We can‘t keep calling it ‘sample‘.“
The sample itself straitened up and bellowed, “DAMN THE NAME WHAT ABOUT THIS TOXIN!” A shocked silence fell over the group and the sample just looked around curiously.
“What the hell was that about?” A director asked, he curiously prodded the sample and picked it up. “The first report said the leaves fell off correct?”
Everyone answered in the affirmative. “Them why does this look like sight frond bulbs, on it’s side?” 
The room went silent as everyone gawked at the possibility. This plant was receiving and or transmitting to other sight fronds
“Until we get to the bottom of this gestation of others is to be postponed.”
All assembled agreed and the sample was sent back for observation.