CAVE OF THE SIRENS

The Doctor struggled against the burly arms of the guards while Clara did the same. They had landed on Cipro, a planet that was ninety percent water, home to many mermidians and other creatures similar to that or so the Doctor claimed. The creatures that were currently holding them captive were amphibious bipeds who resembled Gill Man from The Creature From The Black Lagoon except they were jet black with shimmering scales. All of them were naked. The males were huge and muscular but the female was a bit slimmer with prominent breasts. The Doctor had no idea who these creatures were but judging from their welcome, he figured they weren't the friendly type.

"Who are you, what do you want from us?" the Doctor said to the female as he struggled to get free.

"You are an intruder here, you and the female," she said, pointing to Clara.

"Haven't you ever heard of sightseeing?" the Doctor said.

"Follow me," the woman said to the guards.

The Doctor and Clara were forced to walk behind the female while she led the way across a deserted beach to a high cliff in the distance.

"Doctor, I thought you said this was going to be fun," Clara said.

"You're not having fun?" the Doctor said with mock surprise. "I thought getting kidnapped by fish people was the reason we came here."

As they neared the cliff face, the Doctor could see a huge gaping hole at the bottom of the cliff near the sea.

"Um...what is that big nasty looking hole there?" the Doctor said as they were compelled to follow the amphibious lady.

"That is your doom," she said over her shoulder.

"Yeah? Well, many people have said that to me before," the Doctor said with bravado. "We shall see how successful you are."

Twenty minutes later, they reached the hole. The hole was cut jaggedy into the cliff face. Not manmade by the Doctor's judgement.

"So what happens now, does my doom jump out and eat me?" the Doctor said to the female.

"You and the female will enter the cave," the female said to him dispassionately. "If you make it out alive, then you will be spared a horrible death."

"What?" the Doctor said with raised eyebrow. "Let me get this straight, our doom is inside this cave but if we evade doom, we won't have to face the doom out here, is that what you're saying?"

"Put them inside," the female said, pointing to the opening.

"No wait, don't harm Clara," the Doctor said. "I'll go in willingly but let her go."

"Put them inside," the female said pointedly. "Both of them."

"Who are you?" the Doctor said to her.

"I am Shalax of the Thrailites," the female said, raising her head haughtily.

"Nice to meet you, Shalax, I'm the Doctor of the Time Lords," the Doctor said, aping her haughtiness. "And this is Clara of the Humans and we're going to be your doom if you don't let us go."

Shalax sighed.

"Throw them in now," she said to the guards.

"Wait, what's in there?" Clara asked.

"Excellent question, what's in there?" the Doctor said. "And please don't say "Your doom." I'm picky. I like to know what my doom is so I can have tea with it when it comes."

"Sirens," Shalax said.

"Sirens?" Clara said, frowning. "You mean like police sirens? Are you going to burst our eardrums or drive us insane?"

"No," the Doctor said to her. "She means Sirens as in the mythical creatures that used to call out to sailors and lure them to their deaths. Only on this world, Sirens aren't a myth."

"And you will meet them…in here," Shalax said, pointing to the opening.

"And you think that these sirens will be able to tempt me to my death?" the Doctor said.

"The sirens can read minds, Doctor. They can see into your soul and manifest your greatest fears…or desires. Now go before I put your mate to death before your eyes."

The Doctor glanced at Clara.

"Her? She's my friend," he said.

"Yeah, we're not…mates," Clara added.

"Whatever. Just go," Shalax said.

The guards let go of the Doctor and shoved him roughly. The Doctor grunted.

"Alright, I'm going then," he said angrily to the guards as he straightened his waistcoat.

He took Clara's hand when the guards let go of her. Clara swallowed hard as she walked with the Doctor to the cave entrance. She could hear the faint sound of sloshing inside and reasoned that part of the sea must also be going under the cliff.

"We're going in without a torch?" Clara said when they stopped at the opening and peered into the blackness of the cave. "What if we trip and fall?"

"Somehow, I get the feeling Shalax and company don't care about that," the Doctor said.

"Don't we get some sort of light?" Clara said to Shalax.

"Go inside, you will see light soon enough," Shalax said, gesturing to the opening.

"Bitch," Clara muttered after she turned her head around.

She glanced at the Doctor. The Doctor gazed back and smiled bravely.

"Come on, Clara, it's an adventure," he said to her.

He squeezed her hand before both of them stepped inside the cave.

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