Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(62)

The child handed off her gift then ran back to the jungle gym and started to monkey up it. Her parents smiled kindly and Hope nodded in greeting.

The children were small, pudgy, charming versions of the adults. Much like human children they were little balls of excitement. The children were so happy and boisterous, not nearly as reserved as the adults. Even their skin color undulated in excitement as they played. It was funny how similar children all over the universe were. Carefree and awesome.

The playground had numerous interesting panels decorated with wild colors and patterns. The tots would run up to them and mimic the outlandish pattern with their amazing ability to change colors. They took great delight in it, like a game of hide and seek.

Hope giggled as they scampered about.

"Too cute." Tara grinned.

"They will learn to control themselves better as they grow." Ophidian commented.

Hope decided that was probably the reason for the funny colored playground panels, to help teach that skill. Viper was certainly a master of disguise.

"Viper and I played a similar game in the arboretum on the ship." Hope smiled as she remembered how beautiful the garden had looked.

Ophidian considered Hope for a moment.

"I have seen a change for the better in Prognatus Viper." Ophidian smiled.

"Really how so?" Hope asked curious of what he was talking about.

"Before the Morbo attacked the Anguis, Viper wasn't nearly as serious. Like many of our people, the loss of much of his family changed him. But Viper took on a greater burden than most. He's made it his mission as the Prognatus, and our future Rex, to see to it that the universe is purged of the Morbo."

"That's an awfully heavy weight to shoulder." Hope frowned.

Hope knew Viper took the loss of her planet personal, she could only imagine how he handled his own family's murder. Viper was a good man, he gave up a lot to serve not just his own people, but the entire known universe. Viper deserved some happiness himself. Hope's heart swelled at the thought that she brought him a measure of respite.

"I never realized how important such frivolous things were." Ophidian smiled at the playing children.

Hope nodded.

The trio moved on looking around the market district, taking in the shops and gardens. Hope enjoyed the abstract statues and took comfort in the cooling mist that wafted from the fountains that dotted the numerous island green spaces. All the while the streets continued to fill with overly curious citizens.

By lunch time Hope was socially exhausted from all the smiling and greeting of strangers. It was freaky being recognized by so many strangers. They found a restaurant and sat in an out of the way corner. There was a large screen nestled on the cafe wall showing what was going on, on Anguis Prime and Anguis Minor. Hope watched as the Anguis version of news showed the new human colony, discussing the numbers of other human refugees that would soon arrive.

Hope felt a deep sense of relief as she thought about her sister that would be part of that group.

"I hate the Purists." Ophidian growled as he stared at the screen.

Hope glanced up from her drink to see an older Anguis man with a sour face on the large screen. It was the Purist leader Wyvern.

Hope didn't judge the Anguis harshly because it had a few bad apples. She was pretty sure the Anguis would've been even less welcome on Earth than humans were here. In fact some of the revived humans were down right nasty when dealing with the Anguis.

"Everyone has its racists." Hope shook her head. "I still think we should put the ungrateful humans in our bunch back to sleep. They'd probably be happier and it would certainly put a stop to all their hateful belly aching. What do you think Tara?"

"Hope you know that's not ethical." Tara shoved her.

"Ethics schmethics."

Ophidian chuckled at their antics. "No Tara is right." He smiled at Tara. "More would just turn up. Idiots are everywhere."

Hope turned back to the screen. The Purist faction leader was ranting about how the Anguis were foolishly wasting resources that might be better served shoring up Anguis defense against future attack. The man didn't appreciate the Anguis assisting several species' colonies, but he focused most of his ire on her people since their refugee camp was located on Anguis Minor.

Hope realized the crowd of people she'd seen at the far end of the street earlier were probably Purist protesters as she listened to Wyvern rail against humans.

"It is bad enough that we are supporting yet another species which is clearly weaker and has little to contribute to our society, but now our new Uxorem is a human foreigner." The racist spat out the word human like it was a curse. "I have sources that inform me that the foreign Uxorem refuses to acknowledge the mating which is a slap in the face to any of us who can only hope to find a mate. But if this insult weren't enough, I also have proof that our Prognatus allows the human female to dominate him." Wyvern growled in disgust.