Training Exercise

Writing prompt: A platoon of battle hardened commandoes is put through their paces in a training course. They go into the ducts and suddenly are hunted down by a bunch of predators.

This was only supposed to be a training exercise. They were just supposed to be running an obstacle course designed to simulate an environment that would normally be difficult to traverse, like a ventilation system, and that should have made it safe.

They were some of the elite of the their Military. Special Forces Commandos, and nothing should be able to put fear into them.

But these monsters that Command managed to source? They were something else. Nothing should have been able to move like that in these confined spaces. There shouldn’t be predators small enough to fit in here, while still having the necessary limb structure to clamber over the gaps. Afterall, the whole point of the metal obstacle course was that it didn’t offer purchase for claws.

But somehow these predators did exist, and they seemed extremely motivated to eliminate the entire team of Special Forces Commandos. The shrieks of squadmates being eliminated one by one until they were the last ... It was soul chilling.

But not as soul chilling as turning a corner to find one of the predator’s grinning faces cm from their face and hearing the high pitched whisper of “Got you Mr. Fuzzles!”, before a hand grabbed their shoulder, and then that was it.

All of the Special Forces Commandos had been eliminated by these predators ... What a defeat...

“Hey, thanks for letting us borrow your Kids for this training exercise. These guys needed to be reminded to take things seriously, and your Kids certainly did that with that game.”

“Yeah, it was good exercise for them, and honestly I kinda thought this setup was a playground initially. We played in similar ones when I was a Kid.”

“Kids, time to go. No, you can’t bring him with you. Because first off their name isn’t Mr. Fuzzles, and secondly, they’re a person, not a pet.

No, you can’t keep them as a servant either, I don’t care if they said that their life belongs to you, it still belongs to their military. Yes, my word is final. Because I’m the parent, and you’re only 4. Now let’s go.”

The after action reporting and meeting was subdued. The platoon of special forces commandoes were unable to look at each other or the command staff at the front of the room.

The chattering and giggles of the enemy in the rear of the room were just pouring more fuel on the bonfire of agony each commando was feeling.

The shame of being defeated so easily by these predators was now so far ingrained in each one that it would be months before they could be deployed into a combat zone, the Major thought to himself. He looked around the room and noticed the pack of predators was still energetic and literally bouncing in their seats and he couldn’t understand how they still had so much energy after what they did this morning.

Major Wrexoph looked at his troops and thought that there was nothing he could do at this minute so decided to dismiss them and reconvene tomorrow after they had had a good sleep and time to deal with the terror and shame they went through.

“Troops, Dismissed.” he yelled out. The platoon stood as one and saluted. And then turned to leave.

At this movement, the pack of young predators started squealing again. “Mr Fuzzles is the cutest one.” “No he isn’t. Miss Snuggles is cuter.” “Nuh-uh. Fuzzy-Bitem is the best one of the whole troop. Aren’t you fuzzy?”

At this series of shouts back and forth between the pack of small predators started up, the platoon of battle hardened commandoes all stopped in fear and then broke for the doors.

As soon as they started running for the doors, the pack of predators all shouted “Get em.” and started running after them. It was another massacre.

Some quick thinking troops ran for the curtains down the front and started climbing. It didn’t help at all.

A couple of the small ones quickly ran after them and started climbing even faster than they could.

Very quickly the platoon had all been caught and they were all sat on the laps of the Human children being petted and stroked and called a range of names that would leave them with PTSD for years.

===End===