Saturday, September 28, 2013

-Within the Absence of Light- ::Part Five::

[Onyx's Note; Apologies for the delay, I had this ready to go a few nights back, but decided it needed something else...and ended up writing a whole new part in its place XD These two Definitely have history together (And yes the characters have been in other stories as well, but this is has a different back story :D) and in this part, you get a small glimpse into their past... And if it seems a little cheesy or Mary-Sue, no worries...they're both incredibly flawed. And on that note, Enjoy!]

…Twelve Years Earlier…

A living thunder swept through the cooling air as the last lingering streams of heat danced away from the steel walls of the cargo hold, “Red and green connect into the interface, not the yellow and blue.”

“Yes, Richard…I know.” She snapped at the ex-con as he proceeded to tell her how to rewire the air conditioning unit on their small rig, “I heard you the first time.”

“I’m just makin’ sure you did because if you cross the wrong wires, you’ll fry the mother board…”

She cut him off with a snarl, “If you think you can do a better job, then by all means…” she paused long enough to turn and glare pure venom in his direction, “if all you’re going to do is stand there and try to tell me how to fix My Fucking Ship, do me a favor and shut it before I lose my temper and slap that smug look right off your face.”

He quirked a brow at her hostility. “PMSing again?” He mused in her direction and ducked just before a wrench collided with his bald head, “Heh, I’ll take that as a yes.”

Riddick.” She snarled through clenched teeth and prepared to launch a full assault when he threw his hands up and began backing away with a shit-eating grin on his face. Her voice dropped to a quiet and deadly tone, “Not in the fucking mood.”

He gave a slow nod and fought back the laugh bubbling in his chest at how adorable she looked when she was pissed. “Easy, Wildcat.” Riddick rumbled with a lopsided grin and smirked when she scoffed and went back to work on the wires, “Just givin’ you shit.”

She let out an irritated growl and forced herself to ignore his eyes staring holes into the back of her head. “Just go away so I can get this fixed. You’re distracting.” Wildcat announced under her breath and felt him give her another look. “And stop lookin’ at me like that!”

Riddick let out a laugh, “fair enough.” and decided to give her the space she required before she made good on her promise. As entertaining a thought it was to see her go into a full on rage, he was in too good of a mood to keep pushing. The last thing he needed was for his fiery counterpart to ditch him on that rock for pissing her off one too many times.

He trotted a few feet away from their shared craft and peered up into the darkening sky. Streams of fading sunlight clung in desperation to the horizon as the beginning of night used a gentle hand to sweep the lingering light of day from the heavens. He found himself in awe of the twin moons beginning to crest over the very tips of the black sand dunes to the east, reminding him of an obsidian sea; the eerie lunar light igniting the waves in liquid mercury as they curled a glowing silver against its dark surface.

Time trickled by quickly as Riddick stood motionless while facing the rise of those twin satellites. It was as though something in their heavenly silence spoke to him and held him, a wordless song that quelled the dark fury so deep inside.

Wildcat finally emerged from the ship and stopped just off to his side, her cat-like gaze focused on the moons slowly ascending the darkened sky. “Isis and Osiris…” She murmured thoughtfully and got a sideways glance from his direction.

A small curve pulled at the edge of his lips. “Very fitting.” Riddick replied and slipped his goggles off, enjoying the cool air as it swept over the small beads of sweat just along his eyelids.

She returned the smile as she removed her work gloves and stuck them in the left pocket of her dark brown cargos. “Seemed better then calling them Satellites A and B.” Wildcat added and crossed her arms loosely beneath her bust, a soft shimmer dancing through her irises as they’re eyes met.

Riddick enjoyed the silent exchange between them, the comfort in her presence, the way she peered into his metallic gaze and didn’t recoil in fear. He was also aware that her mood had shifted; which meant she’d fixed the problem and the hostility that had bubbled to the surface was now pouring out of her body like invisible streams of smoke.

“Fixed?” He asked the obvious and she nodded, her posture telling him she was relieved. “Good, cuz I don’t need you tryin’ to go shiv-happy on me.”

Wildcat chuckled and shook her head at him. “Definitely thought about it.” She teased and stepped closer so she could gently bump him with the left side of her hips. “You are an awful pain in the ass sometimes.”

“Funny, I was just going to say the same thing…” Riddick mused wickedly and received another glare followed by a small warning slap on the bicep. “What?”

“Don’t start.” She shot back, completely unimpressed with the innocent look he was giving her. “You know that doesn’t work on me.”

Riddick was about to make a sexual crack when he was stopped by the eerie sound of strange howls piercing the air.

Wildcat exchanged a look with those shined eyes, a silent understanding that they were on the same page. “Hope they’re friendly…” She muttered into the now tense air and watched Riddick turn in the direction of the howls which had risen from a few clicks behind them toward the west.

He could sense that was just the first of many vocalizations they’d be hearing while they remained on that rock. They had also happened to land in the only oasis for miles, which meant they wouldn’t be alone for long. “Guess we’ll find out.”

She scoffed, “that’s comforting.” and witnessed those blue/fire orbs shimmer in her direction. “You know I love critters as much as you do, but if they happen to be territorially aggressive, it’s gunna take an hour to get this hunk of steel warmed up and another fifteen to get her into the air.”

Another chorus of growling howls lifted into the early night, their voices sounding allot closer then the two would’ve liked.

Wildcat continued, “and by the sound of their approach, I’ll barely get the hatch up in time before their arrival.”

“We’ll just have to buckle down and wait.” Riddick mused in that terrible thunder that told her the darkness that inhabited the empty space within his mind was starting to make its way to the surface. That cold and calculated energy he embraced right before he killed. Wildcat knew that energy better then anyone…because it spoke gently to the darkness inside of her.

-*-

They didn’t have to wait long as quarter horse sized shapes bounded gracefully into their shared line of sight, making a beeline toward the sleeping ship. Probably the most beautiful creatures Wildcat had ever seen. They held the perfect blend of characteristics from her favorite Earth predators; Wolf and Lynx. Seeing them charging around the ship from her vantage point at the top of the craft made something inside her fill with a strange kind of warmth.

She had a sudden overwhelming urge to join them.

Riddick must’ve sensed the pull between the pack and his Wildcat because one moment he was crouched in the shadows at the back of their ship and was suddenly grabbing her around the waist, stopping her from leaping off the nose onto the sand below, which would’ve dropped her right in the middle of over twelve huge beasts.

A growl rolled through her chest and was about to make its way passed her teeth when he clamped his hand over her mouth, hoping the rumble would be trapped there leaving them unnoticed.

It wasn’t the betrayal of sound that brought a dozen iridescent orbs of liquid fire in their direction… It had been a familiar scent Riddick tasted on the back of his tongue when a breeze weaved through the darkness and chased it up and over the ship, right into his heightened senses. A puzzled crease entered his brow as his brain processed the information. It was eerily similar to the woman who struggled wildly in his powerful arms.

How interesting… His voice thundered inside his head when a loud THUNK echoed behind him; something very large had leapt up onto the back of the ship, its weight echoing through the metal frame like a giant tuning fork. The low rumble of warning swelled away from the advancing shadow as Riddick removed his hand from her mouth and began easing it down his side toward the deadly blade at his belt when delicate fingers halted his process.

“Don’t,” her voice was barely above a whisper as she tilted her head back enough to look up into his haunting gaze of intelligent starlight. “Do you trust me?”

Her question threw him for a split second as everything in him screamed to take care of the very large problem stalking toward them. “Now’s not the time…” Riddick began to counter in a gravely tone when she cut him off; her eyes pleading.

“Do you trust me?” Wildcat repeated, voice firmer as she started to turn toward him and began side stepping around him toward the thing that didn’t seem all that keen on pleasantries.

Riddick searched her depths and found himself growling, but easing away just enough for her to get past him. “It’s the bruiser I don’t trust.” He finally replied in that tense octave he only used when all he wanted to do was react with violence.

It must have been something in the gentle smile she gave him, the way it touched those feral eyes and revealed a flickering rarity hidden within her depths. There’s no other way to explain why he suddenly took a step back and allowed her to face the huge predator heading straight toward them. Wildcat wasn’t the type to initiate violence. She’d delay the moment, hold back the urge to sink her blades home if she could sway the situation in her favor. But this wasn’t some slick-shit wannabe bad-ass tryin’ to play who’s got the bigger pair. She was facing off with a beast with a bite radius that could take her head and shoulders clean off of her body in one lightening quick snap of its massive jaws. There was no way in hell she could talk her way outta this…

Riddick just blinked at what transpired next and couldn’t help the words that dripped from his full lips in utter disbelief. “You gotta be shittin’ me.”

The beast crept forward and bowed its head low enough for her to place her delicate hand palm flat, against the space between its glowing eyes. A strange rumbling growl poured from its chest, its eyelids drifting closed when she brought her face forward and mimicked the sound under her breath.

Seeing this happen in front of him… Witnessing this monstrous carnivore with enough power in its form to tear a hole in the ship, treat her with the same kind of gentleness it would one of its own offspring made him go completely still. Riddick’s approach was very different when it came to connecting with an animal. He could stare them down and get them to submit with the promise of violence if they didn’t accept him as Alpha.

He was taken aback by how she’d gotten the beast to submit… That flicker in her eyes, that hidden weapon he caught a glimpse of wasn’t aggression. It was innocence.

-End Part Five-

1 comment:

  1. this is getting way too kool...truly love the hybrid beastie methinks is proto-ancestor of feline/canine breeds...best of both species...speed and agility...pack and cooperation. fire and ice, captain, fire and ice.

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