The Phoenix Colony

Chrys gagged, afraid of what might come. The stress of everything hitting her at once, she leaned over for relief, and fell into the water...

...Look, momma, I can't swim...the water feels nice...water...HISSS, water! hisss! OUT! OUT!the water's niiiicccee Chrys watched the clouds from beneath the water, smiling to herslef as it all went black.

 

Chrys seemed to be getting back to normal, so smith ran over to Ray. He wondered if she was ok. The blood on side of her head looked bad. At the thought of blood he glanced down at his side. The gash had been worse than he had thought. It ran down the side of on of his plates a good four inches long. At least he could still feel pain, he thought as he began to take off his shirt to wrap it around the wound. Then before he had time to try and close his wound Chrys went down. He ran out into the water after her, picking her up out of the water wincing at the pain in his side.

 

Chad pulled Chrys on the bank. "She's not breathing." Raylene put her mouth around Chrys' nose and mouth and blew into her lungs, urging her body to respond. "Come on Chrys." She blew again and prayed.

 

"Momma! Momma! You can't let them take me! Why!? Momma!" The little girl screamed through her tears as the borgs took her from her mother.

Cynthia just watched her daughter, not telling her the truth. She was dead inside, and wouldn't live much longer, with Harold in the pen, there was nothing left for Diane where she was. Cynthia watched her daughter wail and fight, "I love you."

Momma? Is that you?

-Yes, my little kitten. It's too early for this conversation.

What are you talking about?

-Open your eyes and you'll know. GO ahead kitten, I'll be here when you come back. Cynthia carressed her daughter's cheek,I'll be here, don't come back so early...Live my kitten...

Crys' eyes fluttered, she saw a fuzzy figure lean over her, Oh no! She sat up quickly, narrowly missing the fuzzy figures as she let go of everything she's consumed that morning.

 

Raylene stroked Chrys's head, just like she'd done with all her children when they were sick. "You'll be alright Chryssy Kat." She looked back at Chad, tears running down her face. Why can't you read my thoughts. I don't think I can handle much more today.

 

Smith stood by hopeing she'd get everything out of her system. Even if she was part cat the human stomach couldn't handle that much raw meat, it wouldn't be used to it. His one hand held against the four inch gash on his side wincing. He looked at Ray's ear, he had let that happen, if only he had held on tighter. How long where those claws of hers? He wondered, the blood was steadily draining down his side. It'd take a long while before he lost a dangerus amount of blood and if chrys went kat again he'd need to be ready to stop her, Ray couldn't do it again.

Ray was crying, holding Chrys. Smith knew he couldn't do much to comfort her but he sent her the thought that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to eaither of them.

 

Chrys stopped gagging, and crawled over abit to lay herself on the ground, "What the hell is wrong with me? Ray, I'm so sorry." Tears came to her eyes, she looked over at Chad, "Oh god, did I do that too? I am a monster, I can't believe this." She sat herself up a bit, "You two need to get back to the cave, I 'll be behind ya'll. Go, don't worry about me. GO!"

 

"I'm NOT leaving you here Chrys. Chad and I will carry the deers, and you will go ahead of us. Don't make me carry you back instead of the fawn." She wiped the tears from her face and stood up. "Now come on. We're all going back."

 

Smith was't going to have any of that. He walked over to Chrys and reached down scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder. Winceing as he did, his side killing him. He thought to Ray to lead the way back, and to take the rifle just incase this blood attracted something.

 

"Why are you crying? Stop it. Please?" Chrys began crying herself, ...If you insist, I'm crawling... She pushed herself off of Chad's shoulder, "You have yourself to worry about right now, kay." She fell to the ground and sat for a bit. Then, Chrys stood herself up, and promptly fell back down. She tried again, this time refusing to let herself fall, taking one step at a time.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left....

 

Raylene picked up the fawn and slung it over her shoulder, grabbed the rifle and started walking back towards the cave. "I can't carry the doe. She's too heavy. Chad, will you carry it? Chrys, I may not be your mother, but I'm not going to let yours down by letting you give up."

 

Right. Left. Right. Left. "She's dead, you can't disappoint her." Chrys muttered, focusing on her mantra once more.

Right. Left. Right....

 

This was taking way to long. He ignored her protest walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, and lifted her off the ground. He had a bad feeling that this beast liked human blood and he and Ray had lost enough. Ray tell her to give up and let me move her, we don't have time to take our time.

 

"Chrys, let him carry you. You almost drowned. It's ok! And please don't beat yourself up over this." She pointed to her ear. "It's just a flesh wound." She laughed a little at the nonsense! She just wanted to get home.

 

Chrys gave in, "You are as bad as Derek. Just saying, and I'm sorry about the wound, to both of you." Chrys just rode along on his shoulder as they reached the clearing before the cave. "People are going to think we had to fight some creatre for our dinner." She let out a sigh, "I'm sorry that you two did."

 

Fox sat by the entrance of the cave, on guard duty when she sees the hunting group walking toward her. Raylene has blood running down the side of her head, and Chad was favoring his side, where blood was running out of it. Fox runs up to them and asks "What the hell happened to you guys? Did you get attacked by a predator?"

 

Smith winced at being compared to Derek, he had tried to befreind Derek he just wasn't going to let it happen. He carried her quickly to the camp and when they all finaly reached it he set her down, breathing heavy, a bit dizzy. He looked for his shirt that he had been preparing for use to wrap his wounds. He must have dropped it. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. Ray i'm going to fetch that deer, stay here and keep and eye on Chrys. He thought and turned to head back into the woods.

 

"Quit apologizing or I'll throw you in the water again!" Raylene didn't blame Chrys. She knew that she couldn't control whatever it was that took control of her.

 

Chrys looked at Fox, "No, I went berserk. Chad! Leave the deer, there, it'll keep the thing away from us! Don't go!" Chrys broke into tears for the third time in and hour, " I went-weird-I'm a monster!"

 

Fox walks over and hugs Kat. "Hey guys, you two should get Cull to patch you up. I'll keep an eye on Kat for you. Ok?" says Fox.

 

Raylene took the fawn inside the cave and set it down next to the fire. "Don't ask!" Was all she said when the others noticed the blood and her ear. She grabbed her bag and walked back outside to see Chad's wound while the sun still had a little power. She took one of the magic pods out and split it in half and smeared it on Chad's cut. She then took the fabric off her ear and put some more on her own wound.

"Are you ok?" She took his hand in hers stroking the sensitive side and she looked into his eyes.

 

Smith looked down at Ray, would have smiled but couldn't, her hand was so soft and smooth against his. He was a bit dizzy but not bad, they needed the meat from that other deer. He looked at Chrys. They needed that meat, Fox'll go with me, Ray you need to stay here and watch after Chrys please. He looked over at Fox and hoped Ray would translate for him.

 

"He wants to go get the other deer. And he want's Fox to go with him. I'll stay here and take care of Chrys. We do need the meat. You just have to hurry!!! And take the rifle." She hands it to Chad, but holds on as he tries to take it from her. Please be careful, she thinks to herself. She lets the gun go and tries to take Chrys inside the cave.

 

"No! Do not leave this camp Chad." Chrys growled, "We will do alright, we already have a surplus, we can hunt tomorrow, and you need to heal. Stay!" Chrys stood defiant now, hoping nobody realized what a husk she had become now.

 

"Kat is right. You two, go in and get patched up and relax. I know I'm not the leader but I'm sure Reva would agree with me on this. Besides, right now, I doudt Kat really wants to talk to Raylene. Give her a little time to cool down. Like I said, I'll keep an eye on here." says Fox.