Sylara woke up alone, feeling raw and exposed. Her muscles ached, and the heat had faded to a dull throb. She lay curled on her sleeping platform, replaying every moment. She thought back at the way she had clung to Kaelor, sobbing against his chest while her body burned with unwanted need. Heat rose to her cheeks in shame as she curled tighter, her tail wrapped around herself on her sleeping platform.

How can I face him now? Will he find me disgusting if he knew how good it felt to be comforted in his arms?

My tail swatted around as I groaned in embarrassment.  

He was only helping me. Get a grip!

After a lunch mainly composed of various grilled meats and a few vegetables, handlers came to fetch her for a solo combat drill. In the sterile white hallways, Sylara caught a glimpse of orange and black fur. Her pace slowed. Through a reinforced window, she saw a male tiger snarling against his restraints while scientists conducted tests.

“Move,” the handler behind her said, pushing her forward.

She stumbled, her tail swinging as she regained her footing. They weren’t alone. Project Chimera was much bigger than just her and Kaelor.

“Who was that?” she asked, but no one answered her. “What even was Project Chimera for?”

“Silence,” the same handler raised the prob as a threat. “Get in.”

She was ushered into the large arena mimicking a thick forest. She growled and glared at the handlers before looking around. She smelled the air, ears twitching as she searched for Kaelor’s presence. But she was completely alone.

The researcher’s voice boomed through the arena. “Sylara-01, destroy the aerial drones.”  

Her tail flicked and swatted at a nearby tree trunk. Hearing the mechanical whir, she stared at them as her claws dug into her palm.

A minute passed, and another.

“Sylara-01, disobedience will not be tolerated.”

“What is Project Chimera for? Why are you making me do this?” she shouted, her voice echoing across the arena.

She was met with silence. Her collar buzzed, and a heartbeat later, it delivered a sharp electric shock. All her muscles tensed and her vision blurred. Sylara cried out and dropped to one knee, gasping. The shock only lasted a few seconds, but it left her trembling and weak.

“Sylara-01, take out the drones.”

“What you’re doing is illegal!” She dragged herself back to her feet, her jaw clenched. “Who is funding this project?”

The collar shocked her once more, with a higher voltage. She fell to her knees, her vision blacking out. It only lasted a few seconds longer, but it was enough for a faint burnt smell to reach her nostrils. She groaned, her vision gradually coming back.

“This is the last warning. Disobedience will not be tolerated.”

This time took her a longer moment to regain her senses. She shook her head to clear the buzzing sound in her ears before glaring at a camera on the ceiling. Finally on her feet, she quickly climbed a tree. From there, she jumped to reach the drone flying above her head. Her claws easily tore the metal like butter. From there, she methodically took out all the drones one by one, making sure to evade the traps and nets thrown at her.

“Drones were successfully destroyed. Results are within the expected parameters. Second wave incoming.”

Because of her disobedience, they made her work an extra hour without a break. Sylara used the opportunity and used all her pent-up anger and frustration to destroy the drones. Breathless, she finally destroyed the last one and landed clumsily on her feet. Her fur was wet with sweat, with her tongue and throat dry as sandpaper.

“Sylara-01, return to your enclosure.”

Exhausted, she was led back to her enclosure. She hurried and reached for the water jug only to find it empty. She growled, ears flattening, and swallowed thickly. Resigned, she slowly climbed to her favorite high perch and lay down. With one arm covering her eyes, sleep eventually claimed her.

She jolted awake to a loud buzzing sound. Her sore muscles screamed as she observed two handlers waiting at the entrance. Although she wanted to make them wait, her parched throat convinced her otherwise. She jumped down, her knees giving out under her weight. Sylara cursed before walking to her enclosure’s entrance and following them.

They led her to the communal habitat. She had hoped to catch another glimpse of the tiger hybrid, but the area was empty. Without surprise, the silver-haired male was already there in his usual spot. He waved at her. She ignored him and hurried to the water and drank until her parched throat was soothed.

“Thirsty?” Kaelor asked with a raised eyebrow.

“They took away my water,” she answered as she chose the perch next to him.

They were close, but not within touching distance. She could smell him, and it annoyed her that she found his scent soothing. She played with her tail awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

“Why?” he tilted his head slightly.

“I asked too many questions and got shocked in return,” Sylara grumbled.

He frowned as his eyes scanned her body. “Are you okay?”  

She nodded, splitting the fur on her tail. “A little sore… but the worst has passed,” she paused. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he said, smiling softly, fangs showing.

Sylara’s tension flew away as she smiled to herself. Her tail wiggled happily in her hands, unaware of Kaelor’s lingering gaze. He quickly looked away, his cheeks warming.   

“I was wondering…” she whispered. “Why snow leopard?”

He glanced toward one of the hidden cameras before answering in the same low tone. “I’ve overheard things. It’s all about their behaviour.”

“Behaviour?”

He nodded. “While snow leopards are predators, they are naturally more shy, elusive, and non-aggressive toward humans. They wanted those traits in us, along with the agility, strength, and endurance in harsh conditions.” He paused, staring at his claws. “Perfect traits for soldiers.”

Sylara’s tail flicked sharply as she processed the information. “But… Why us? Wouldn’t it be easier for them to use actual soldiers?”

He thought for a moment. “Apparently, the vessel needs to be highly compatible with the animal DNA. And your score was unusually high.”

She remembered the words exchanged the night of the kidnapping: Her genetic markers look excellent from the pre-scan data. She’s going to be a prime match for the snow leopard line.

“What about you? Was your compatibility high too?”

Kaelor nodded slowly. “It was high. But not as high as yours.” He gave a small, bitter smile. “Finding matches that are highly compatible with a specific animal’s DNA is rare. But we are still disposable for them.”

The words unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. Project Chimera wasn’t just about making hybrids. It was about making weapons, super-soldiers. She and Kaelor were only the beginning.

A buzzer echoed throughout the enclosure, signalling the end of social time. Sylara asked one last question. “Has anyone ever escaped?”

Kaelor’s expression darkened. He didn’t answer right away. But when he finally did, his voice was barely a whisper. 

"I don't know. But I hope so."