the inciting

this is the beginning of a story i wrote about the future when animals have evolved and become bipedal and sentient. the way it was supposed to be was book 1 was that the ants incited a rebellion because they were given too little land and then book 2 the humans made war on the animals and book 3 the animals made war on the humans. so this is the beginning of Anna's Book, the Inciting.


     I woke up feeling refreshed. I fixed my long body hair and yawned, letting the air seep into my mouth between the gaps in my large sharp teeth. Glancing at the clock I noticed there was just enough time for a quick run. I hurriedly pulled on some shorts and a tee shirt, shoved my uniform into my backpack, and left. As I jogged I passed several people I knew and I shouted a hi. Checking my watch I changed direction and headed toward the base. The minute I opened the door I was scooped up in a huge bear hug, or, I guess you could say an eagle hug.
     “Anna! Long time no see!” I looked up to see a pair of precision blue eyes, white head feathers, and a wide smiling beak. Peter was a 6’8” humanoid bald eagle. He had on a brown leather jacket and blue jeans. This would have been strange except that I was a 5’10” humanoid wolf. About half the people in the room were likewise evolved animals and most were sentient. Peter put his arm around my shoulder and I smiled in spite of myself.     “Let’s see. The last time I saw you was ...... 6 years ago! When we won the Giants’ war! How have you been? I’ve been great.” Peter went on talking about his adventures over the previous years but I had stopped listening. I was trying to find my brother, Andrew. “Oh and there was this one time-“      “I’d love to catch up but do you know where Andrew is? He’s a-     “Hey look! There’s he is!” Peter told me. I looked in the direction he pointed. There sat my brother in a chair, snoozing. I walked over and shook him hard.      “Huuuuggghhh? Oh hi!” he sat up quickly. “How long was I asleep?”     “12 hours straight man.” A rat climbed up on Andrew’s shoulder. To me he said “hi! My name is Phlin!” he sat up and twitched his little pink nose at me.      “Wait, how do you two know each other?” Peter asked indicating Andrew and me.     “Oh, hi Peter. I’m her brother.” Andrew answered. He was about to say more when a voice rang out from the front of the room.      “Will everyone please take your seats?” The voice came from a middle aged man in a blue uniform with two stars on his shoulder. Peter and Andrew moved to the front and I followed. I sat in a chair with Peter and Andrew on either side of me and looked at the large projector screen. The light dimmed and the man began to speak.     “I am General Anderson. I am going to be giving you all of your assignments.” I rolled my eyes. This was going to be so boring. I pulled out a book and began to read, engrossing myself in the story. I had just gotten to the good part when the general called my name.      “Anna Namrekca, you shall be on a team with Peter Darkstone, Andrew Swettam, and Serpent.” Oh no. I thought, automatically on alert. One word names are only given to praying mantises when they’ve disobeyed orders! “You move out at o six hundred ours. You are all dismissed.”
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     I placed my clothes in the backpack, strapped on my belt with a gun on it, and pulled the backpack on.
     “You ready?” Peter asked from my doorway. He had a muscle shirt & shorts on with his backpack and medallion and cross necklace, his sharp beak curved up into a smile.      “Oh uh yeah I suppose.” I replied.      “
     When we got to the ship, Peter whistled.
So what do you think this serpent will be like?” Peter asked. “I mean we know he will be a mantis but, we don’t know what else.” I shrugged. “Come on” I replied “let’s go meet him.” I rose from my hard mattress and walked towards him. He bowed overdramatically and announced “Milady.” I chuckled slightly. Then we walked down the hall.“So this is the u.s.s. Bartholomew.” He ran his hand on the underside of the bow. I heard clicking as I can round to the side of the ship. It was short and clipped like the heels of a business woman. As peter and I came round to the hanger we saw a 1’9” mantis. He glanced to the side and saw them . he turned to face them and said in a rough voice.     “Hello. I’m serpent. I’ve had two years in medical and flight classes, and three year in the sniper core. I’ve also had demolitions training.”      “Wow. So this is how you begin you’re conversations? Serpent I presume?” Peter asked, bemused. “Oh and by the way, I will be piloting this mission. Not you. I am officially on the team as pilot.”      “Hmm. Alright then shall we go?” Serpent replied, walking back up the ramp. “Talk about abrupt.” Peter commented before following Serpent. I smiled and walked into the ship too. Once inside I found peter in the pilot’s seat and serpent in the gunner’s chair.      “We ready to go?” Peter asked powering up engines. A door at the far end of the hanger opened and a figure ran toward the ship.      “Wait for me!” Andrew shouted. He ran up the ramp just before it closed Once we were all settled, Peter began to switch controls and power up the ship. I took a deep breath and fingered the small ring that permanently sat on my right hand. It was my good luck ring, given to me by my father before the wars had claimed his, and most of my family's, life. Andrew and I were the only ones left, and when I glanced over at him, I saw him gently running his fingers over the small chain hanging around his neck, the gift my father had given him. Peter slowly pushed in the acceleration, and we shot through the open hanger door into the air.      “I’m uh- I’m going to go check out the hanger.” I slipped into a narrow corridor and then out into the wide hangar. I smiled as I looked down at my tank. This tank and I had been hell together 6 years ago and I was happy to have it safe back in my possession after it was wrecked almost beyond repair. I made my way back into the corridor, but just before I reached the cockpit an explosion rocked the ship. Once I steadied myself I ran for the cockpit.     “What’s going on?” I screamed over the warning light. “We are under fire!” Peter replied. “Ship named the Scragg.”      “That’s Zero’s ship!” Serpent said with disgust.      “Zero?” I asked.     “Another time.” Serpent replied “we gotta get outta here!” I could tell something was bugging him but like he had said he didn’t elaborate.     “Does this have anything to do with that bright red light perhaps?” Andrew asked.     “Yeah. Engine 1 has died and engine 2 is overloaded. This baby is going down.”
     “     “Dang. She was such a pretty bird too.” Peter said glancing at the door. “Ok we got one chance. You three get in Anna’s tank. I’ll open up the hangar door. Then you three drive out of the hangar.”Why are you the one who will open the door?” I asked, curious and afraid for him.      “NO QUESTIONS! NOW MOVE IT!” He shouted. Leaping from his chair he hurried into the corridor and I followed. I ran for the tank while Peter leaped off the pedestal and flew toward the control panel. I activated the remote hatch and slid into the cockpit with Serpent and Andrew directly behind me. Peter turned and looked back at me. I raised my thumb toward him. He smiled slowly, then pushed the button. then all hell broke loose.’s burning hulk, which was still headed straight toward us. There was a screech, followed by a soft sliding sound before the three of us sat back. Then serpent was hit by a sudden shock before crying “No! Peter!”      “Whoo! What a rush!” he shouted as he came in for a landing. He glanced back at the wreckage and grimaced. “That would’ve hurt if I’d been in there.” I looked at him and rolled my eyes. A hot wind blew by, rustling my white fur. Sand came with it that jumped and darted before my eyes before disappearing into the vast expanse around us.     “So...any idea how we find a city ‘round here?” Peter asked. I shrugged and glanced in all directions. I saw nothing and, apparently neither did any of the others.     First the hatch opened, sucking everything inside the hanger out toward the ship with a fury. We fell down toward the ground with more speed than was comfortable. We moved quickly, getting outrselves in the safest positions possible, and braced for impact. We hit, bounced once, bounced twice, and bounced three more times before skidding to a halt in the sand on our side. I lifted my bloody head from the dashboard, quickly taking in that Andrew was unconscious and Serpent was trapped under his restraints. I released my own restrains and opened the hatch. I looked on as the drop ship exploded in one massive fireball.     I smiled. We had survived. Then my smile faded as aI realized the ship was still moving; sliding straight toward us. I slid back down and freed serpent. Then I released Andrew and shook him.      He drowsily lifted his head and binked in confusion, not understanding where he was. I took him by the waist and flung him through the hatch. As soon as he was out I helped Serpent out and and lifted myself up as well. Time seemed to slow as we raced away from the dropship     Then I realized Peter was gone. I stared around in every direction. I saw destroyed ship and smashed tank. Nothing else but sand for as far as the eye can see. The three of us stood and began to look for our high flying friend but to no avail. Just as I sank to my knees in despair something caught my eye. Before I even dared to hope a familiar bird swooped down over our heads.

     Once we were, moving, I undid my seatbelt and said.