When I woke up I was strapped down to an operating table. Great, exactly how I wanted today to go. There was even a hole in the bottom of the table where my tail went through and was also strapped down to the bottom. Of course the first thing I tried to do was bust out of the restraints, but nothing. Guy probably made some kinda magic-blocking drug like we have back home from his experiments, because no leather straps can hold down a carvation. Well, magic leather can, but those are sold in… very specific stores.

What I could do was get my tail free though, because of its sharp edge. That was something, but I needed more if I wanted to really break out. The doctor walked in.

“I wonder… what does it take to keep you down for good?” he asked.

“I got hit by a train once and was out for two days,” I groaned, struggling against my restraints. “Maybe you should start there.”

“Next question,” he said, ignoring that comment. “Why do you look so old when all the others don’t seem to age?”

“Ouch. I’ve been told I don’t look a day over 300.”

“Hmph. Fine. I’ll just find my answer from the inside out.”

He looked through his tray of dissection tools and such. I also saw some papers and diagrams there too. I closed my eyes and started quietly speaking.

“Listen, Temple, I know you and I haven’t been on the same page and have had our differences, but I need your help to rescue all these carvatians here who deserve freedom. So lend me your magic and help me free these souls, and I’ll take the punishment afterwards for it.”

I waited in the dark, still weakened, still tied down, and still waiting for some crusty doctor to come dissect me while still awake. The silence seemed to mock me.

“I never liked your stupid marbel collumns anyway, you petty ass building!” I spat.

“Were you… praying?” the doctor asked, putting his gloves on and picking up a tool.

“Were you getting stung in the crotch by a scorpion tail?”

“Huh?” he asked like an idiot as my tail stung him in the crotch. Guy’s lucky my toxin’s fast acting. That shit hurts. It wasn’t the doctor pulling the strings, but it still felt satisfying nonetheless.

“Temple or no, I’m fucking done with these humans.” I growled, summoning what little magic I could muster into making talons. Playtime was over.

When I went outside the tent I remembered two things about hiring humans. One was that it was expensive to find people to work. Second was that it was even more expensive to find people to work well. There was almost nobody outside, and the ones that scarcely populated the place were, well… taken care of.

Several minutes and a dozen blood splatters on my body later, I finally got back to that lady carvatian from earlier. I helped her out of the cage and then ran away with her in no time. I still had to find the others, yeah, but I couldn’t just leave her in a cage. So she showed me around to where the other captives were.

Of course, I kept the lady behind me while slashing throats. Let it be known that I try my best to be a gentleman when applicable. It turns out that about a dozen of these guys had been captured and held for who knows what. Well, they know what. Then they told me, so I know what. But trust me, you don’t want to know. I think the sawed-off horns, removed and lacerated wings, and sliced off tails could lead you to a conclusion. I’ll never understand how my brothers and sisters can stand being peaceful creatures when humans will do shit like that. I’ve got enough rage for us all though; down here I’m judge, jury, and executioner. When it doesn’t get me in trouble, that is.

My favorite part was the final place we went to though. That damn doctor was putting his gloves on, almost about to dissect into a carvatian who was yelling and struggling against her bonds. His face was priceless when he saw me. I’ll admit, I didn’t smile like that ever again. I rushed forward and clutched his arm before soaring into the sky. I held him dozens of feet above his giant carvatian trap.

“Any last words?” I asked.

“I d-don’t want to die…” the man shivered. Pathetic really.

“Don’t worry,” I said with a smug smile. “I’ll be gentle.”

Not that the over 100-foot drop was gentle, but I can’t lie, I loved every part of the fall. He was great in his final moments.

“Is that everyone?” I asked when I landed with everyone I rounded up.

“Yeah, it is,” said a giraffe-patterned one. “But who are you?”

“He’s that one who got banished way back!” said another that resembled a flamingo.

“Whoever said that, nobody asked!” I shouted. “Let’s just get out of here.”

“None of us are at full strength though,” complained one. “How are we going to get back home like this?”

“How adverse are you to holding hands?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.