"So, you're saying the reason they haven't prospered as a people is because they haven't been around any males to impregnate them."
"More like no male will have them."
"That doesn't exactly inspire confidence that I'll be able to convince them to join us. How many are there?"
Themys' eyes flooded with sadness. "Less than ten, and that number dwindles by two or three with the passing of years. If you had not come along when you did, I fear my people outside of Theros would pass into extinction by the end of the decade."
"So, you mentioned I'd know where they are and how to find them," Jake said. "What about what threatens them? I would have thought nothing could kill any of them, considering how strong Tatiana, Sestia, and Lenore are."
"Unlike my daughter, they are not like Wonder Woman," Themys replied with a coy smile. "Only the women on the island were blessed with those abilities due to the ritual."
"Then how are there Amazonian women in the world if Themiscyra was destroyed to a man... or woman?" Jake asked.
"You did not think all of our people were in the city when the Grak'gull attacked, did you? There were many out in the lands beyond on missions given them by their queen. When the city fell, I sent two of our fastest scouts to spread word the city had fallen and for none to return. I ordered them to go out into the world and make lives for themselves elsewhere. Only one scout was successful; the other died at the edge of the city, sacrificing herself so the one could escape with the message."
"That makes sense, I guess. How many--"
"Jake, you will know all of this already in a few moments," Themys interrupted. "As for what kinds of threats the remainder of my people face, I will give you a glimpse into the one most urgent. I implore you, when you leave the island, find them first. For they are the ones in the most danger. I will not tell you the why, and will block out the evidence from the vision as well."
"Vision?" Jake asked.
Without another word, Themys reached out and placed both of her index fingers on Jake's temples. Jake was confused for a moment before his mind leapt from the bed and instantly soared away. His consciousness flew, screaming through the air with the speed of a fighter jet. His vision blurred as he approached a large, unrecognizable landmass at the speed of sound. He was sent careening through thick, forested vegetation before slowing down.
As he flew around trees and through branches, he caught sight of a group of about thirty of what appeared to be indigenous inhabitants of the land. They were running full bore through the forest with weapons ranging from spears to bows and arrows. One man toward the front even carried a lever-action rifle in his hand. Recognizing the hunting party for what it was, his consciousness soared ahead of them.
Looking ahead, Jake saw three women frantically running away from the hunting party. Two of them were on the ground, while the third agilely leaped from one treetop to the next, moving like a monkey. Despite being in the trees, the lone woman kept pace with the two on the ground.
Jake looked back and forth between the two groups of people, worry creasing his nonexistent brow when he realized the women weren't going to be able to out run the hunting party. One of the women must have realized it as well because she lagged behind. Shouts erupted from both parties -- the first from the women as they argued back and forth. Jake assumed the lagging woman was explaining that they wouldn't get away unless one of them sacrificed themselves. The second came from the hunting party, their bloodlust spurring them forward with the anticipation of the impending kill.
"KEEP RUNNING!!" the woman yelled to her companions as she dug in her feet and stopped. Turning, Jake just now noticed she had a spear in her hand. She readied herself to throw the spear, waiting for the first of the hunters to come into view.
Two men rounded a tree, one right after the other. The woman hurled the spear, the weapon shooting from her hands like a shot. The two men cried out as the spear impaled them both through the chest. They crashed hard to the earth, the man in the rear dying before he hit the ground.
The woman turned to flee but was slowed when a rifle shot echoed through the trees. Blood sprayed from the side of the woman's thigh, but she ran, limping as she tried to get away. Spears rained down near her, one embedding itself in her right shoulder and she fell. She struggled to her feet as she pulled the spear through her shoulder. Jake marveled at her grit and determination in the face of death.
The rifle cracked again and the woman's legs turned to jelly, unable to support her any longer. The bullet struck her in her lower back, tearing through bone and flesh to obliterate her spine. The doomed woman crept forward with one hand as she tried in vain to get away. Steeling her nerves, she managed to roll her body over. Eyes manic with the shock of her injuries, she lay motionless as she awaited her fate. The man with the rifle cautiously approached. Seeing his downed prey, he cocked the rifle once more, preparing to end her life.
With the speed and dexterity of millennia of fighting, the woman cocked her good arm back and loosed the spear at the man with the gun. At the same time, the gun fired. The man fell forward, dead, with the spear lodged in his throat halfway up the shaft. At the same time, the woman's body went limp as the bullet tore through the bottom of her chin and lodged deep in her brain, killing her instantly.
Jake wished he had eyes to close so he could mourn the loss of such a beautiful human being. Since he couldn't look away, he committed the woman to his memory. He vowed that when the time came, not only would he honor her sacrifice in some way, he would also hunt down those responsible for her death.
The remaining hunters gathered the dead and carried them away. Jake's gaze shifted to the direction the two women had fled, hoping they had found a safe place. At first, he saw nothing but the dense foliage of the forest. Then, slowly, two sets of eyes appeared. The first, a golden-amber color, blinked through dark green leaves. The second set, a dark gray like storm clouds, looked down from the thick branches. Both sets of eyes freely leaked tears for their fallen companion.
The world blurred as Jake's consciousness was propelled backward, returning to the bed with the queen. He opened his eyes to see Themys' hands moving away from his face, her sad eyes moist with unshed tears. Jake's cheeks were also wet with tears of sadness, brought on by the senseless loss of one of his people in the vision.
[My people.]
For the first time, Jake found himself thinking of the Amazon women as his people, and despite the gloom of recent loss, it felt right to claim that bond. His eyes hardened, and his mouth set in a determined line as Themys looked at him with pride. A slow smile spread across her face, conveying her silent recognition of Jake's resolve and connection to his newfound people.
"You need not say anything," Themys whispered. "Your face says it all."
Jake nodded.
"The final bit of knowledge I give you," the queen continued, "is information I wish I had from the start. That was my only regret when I died and the knowledge came to me. You will have the knowledge of the Grak'gull and their true purpose. You were right to force Sestia to agree not to kill the remaining Grak'gull. She truly is the last of her species."
"What can you tell me that I won't already know?" Jake asked with a somber expression.
"Nothing that you do not already suspect," Themys answered. "Even if you do not know it yet. They were our mounts once upon a time. We had a sort of symbiotic relationship with them. There were never more Grak'gull than Amazon Warriors. Since they grow quickly, an egg never hatched until a warrior reached adulthood.
"Over time, somehow, we separated. As a result, the Grak'gull seemed to resent us for not keeping them as mounts. With the limitation on the number of Grak'gull hatching removed, their numbers grew quickly. Every ten years or so we would have to raid their territory to keep their colony in check. Many times we tried to wipe them out completely, but always a few escaped, only to breed mercilessly again.
"Before Themys fell, three decades passed without seeing more than a few of them at a time. I was foolish to think they had willingly decided to leave us alone."
"And you don't know why they separated from our people?" Jake asked.
Themys smiled widely at Jake's including himself with them. "I am glad you are counting yourself one of us now, Jake. But, no, I do not know why. Even Hestia, the Grak'gull lore keeper of our people, does not know."
Jake had more questions. He felt like he needed more answers. However, Themys had other ideas. The redhead reached down and grasped the hem of her shift before pulling it over her head. Her knees spread apart, showing a pool of liquid desire on the bed beneath her dripping womanhood. Her small, freckled breasts bounced freely. Her hard, pink nipples, surrounded by dark-red areolae, called to Jake, inviting him for a taste.
Jake's manhood throbbed with need. His balls ached to be relieved of the pressure contained within them. Queen Themys didn't give him a chance for foreplay as she pounced on him. The warrior queen pushed Jake onto his back as she crawled up his body. Jake snaked out a tongue to lick a budding nipple as slick heat enveloped his cock.
