Oh, bloody hell. This has been long in the works. Can you say overdue? How about withdrawal? Ugh. I have missed this series! Not to mention all the things coming with the series...namely-all you readers out there!

So...let's just get this out of the way: Hi! And I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting!

After battling my computer to stop eating files, then overcoming the obstacle of explaining my plans to our star couple before they let me play some more-wow. And after they gave express permission for me to continue playing...I couldn't write. Not just on this, but on anything. Life has bee riding me like a naughty little minx in leather shackles and it's been more pain than pleasure. As I sit here knowing my life still hangs in a suspended state of familial drama and school and production responsibilities, I know my only place to turn to for any sense of comfort is the waiting and open arms of readers and my muses.

Prodigal Daughter has returned, coffee in hand, pen poised as I focus on the most important thing:
Writing for my pleasure, and yours.

Skiff Time: Arrival

Riddick plots the course and sets auto as he turns and heads toward River.

As he walks Jack eyes him from her place beside Kaylee, "Lot of questions whoever we run in to. Could even be a merc ship. So what the hell do we tell them about you?"

Riddick smirks as he drops by River, ignoring Zoe and Shazza beside him.

"Tell 'em Riddick's dead. He died somewhere on that planet."

River smiles weakly and whispers, "But he can live again."

"Only if you can keep up in the games wa hua."

River giggles, "We'll give you a run for all your worth."

The skiff floats through the sky, fallen stars replaced in the black.

Skiff Time: Five Minutes

Riddick settles into the pilot seat and adjusts the power settings, arranging the course and settings for maximum distance. He inhales a deep breath of the skiff air, hints of rain still clinging to the filters as the scents of each individual seeps around. A muscle twitches in his jaw as he catches the heavy scent of River's blood.

River twitches as she takes a rough, ragged breath and blinks with heavy lidded eyes. She glances at the faces of those surrounding her, Jack huddles by her shoulders as Zoe and Kaylee kneel to her sides. She pouts slightly as pain shoots through her body and the slick wetness of blood suddenly feels nauseating. She lets her beast probe for Riddick, missing his presence by her as her eyes close.

Jack squints as she watches River's eyes fall closed. She waits for them to open-a breath in, a breath out, a breath in, a breath out, a breath in. She swallows hard and glances nervously to see Zoe and Kaylee logging wounds. "River?" Jack whispers plaintively, eyes seeking help from Zoe or Kaylee. Eyes flying to Shazza and Riddick as she nearly screams, "River!"

Zoe snaps her head up from looking at the gashed leg, eyes focusing on the empty face of her friend. Kaylee mewls in protest as she grabs River's hand and squeezes, pushing at her thigh and hoping for any reaction. In worry, Shazza falls to her knees behind Jack, slapping River's cheek as she murmurs, "Riv, lass, wake up. Open your eyes and beat the bloody hell out of me for slapping you. Come on Riv, no bowing out now."

Riddick squeezes the arms of the pilots seat tightly, teeth grinding together as he stands with slow purpose. He turns in a frighteningly calm pivot and strides in two long steps to the huddled group. Without a sound he shoulders between the others to get at River. He looks her over, quickly assessing. Without hesitation he places his hands around her waist, half pulling, half pushing her to lie flat. Her head thuds slightly from the transition of wall to floor, yet her eyes do not open nor do they flutter.

"Hey! Don't hurt her you quang bao hou zi de xiong meng de kuang ren!" Jack screeches the words in slight hysterics as she tenses to lung at him, desperate to protect the woman who was her mu hou.

Riddick registers the way her cursing is worse with stress, he also registers her tensing up to pounce. With a voice full of finality he speaks, "Shazza, take Jack up to the front. Tend your wounds if you have any and don't interfere with anything happening back here."

Shazza does as instructed without more than a second of hesitation.

Riddick looks over his girl as Kaylee and Zoe move back, hovering but giving space to the man who could, would help the woman that was their protector. They knew he would take care of his pet, just as they knew she needed her pet to be the one to heal her.

"Not for me." he murmurs as he leans closer, watching the way her eyes stay still-not even a flicker behind the lids.

With a determined set of his jaw he grips her right hand, bending back her index finger until a sickening pop signals the breaking point. So focused on his task he does not pay heed to the duo at the front whirling from their view of the stars, nor to the pair of women scrambling away. He does not notice them preparing for battle as he grabs her middle finger and deftly bends it back as well, another pop signaling the second injury inflicted by his own hands.

River jolts awake with a pained scream rising in her throat, swallowing it down as her eyes meet Riddick's. She flicks her eyes behind him and Riddick slowly glances over his shoulder to see himself at the wrong end of two guns, a shiv, a metal pole and a wrench.

River speaks with a strained voice, calm still clinging to the hoarse notes of her melodic voice. "Easy. Turn away. Trust him. We are in his care and he is doing right."

Zoe pushes Jack into the copilot's chair and Kaylee into the pilot's chair, ushering Shazza to sit in the bench along the wall. She makes to step toward River and Riddick but stops at River's look. She sits next to Shazza and pointedly looks away.

Gently as he can manage Riddick settles her hand to the floor, rumbling steadily, "I gotta remove the claw. Then I'll tie off the superficial wounds and burn the others with a hot shiv. I just had to wake you with a little pain wa hua. No matter how tempting you can not go under again. Dong ma?"

River closes her eyes and opens her mind completely, letting her beast reach out to his.

'Broke our finger. Have to set it back.'

'I'll be quick.'

Riddick takes her hand in his and grips her broken index finger first. Snapping forward he moves the her middles finger and repeats, then lays her arm to her side. River focuses on not wincing.

'If I hurt you, scream.'

River barks a laugh and opens her eyes, staring shining eyes at him.

'Won't scream. Won't make a sound. Continue.'

Riddick smiles and nods, turning to glance at Kaylee. "Put the wrench down and come here."

'Where'd she get a wrench?'

'Toolbox built into the wall.'

River chuckles into his mind and he smirks slightly as Kaylee nearly runs to his side. She looks worriedly at River and tears well in her eyes.

'Tell her we are fine.'

"Little Kaylee she's fine. And if she ain't I'll get her there. I need you to do something for me."

Kaylee nods, large wet eyes staring at him, trusting him with her alpha.

"Take this shiv, get the blade as hot as you can. Try the front panel by the controls."

Kaylee takes the shiv with shaking hands and looks between it and River, "What do ya need it hot for?" her voice is trembling and she works to swallow.

"Bubbles, I'll take care of her."

Kaylee nods with a watery smile beginning to pull her frown up.

"It's gonna hurt baby girl."

River nods and tries to speak, only able to make a grunting sound.

'We shall be sure to pay you back later. We refuse to scare our pack any more. Will stay silent. Just do it.'

Riddick watches Kaylee return to looking out to space from the pilot's chair. He sees Jack hesitantly slide from the copilot's seat and walk to settle in Kaylee's lap. He waits until all four women are watching the passing stars and then sets to work.

Riddick angles the shiv carefully over River's leg. Zoe glances over her shoulder before looking straight ahead again with a clenched jaw. She knows a lesser man would shake. Or let their woman suffer. No, Riddick knows he must hurt his woman in order to help her.

Riddick feels his hellhound in him wrapping around River's black panther. He digs the shiv in and pops the claw out in one smooth swipe. He hears the sharp edges of the claw sliding from her tender, bleeding flesh and a fierce need to protect her roils within him. A little late, in his opinion.

'Don't tie the superficial. Burn us.'

Riddick tenses and looks at her face, drawn taunt in pain and paler than ever.

"I won't burn you if I don't have to."

River huffs a breath and clenches her jaw. 'Cleanse with the flame.'

'Prefer you dirty myself.'

'Must live with us kind of dirty. Hot metal not flame. Partial cleanse with the burn.'

Riddick smirks slightly and leans over her further. He rips a shred from her dress and twists it, laying a hand on her forehead he whispers, "Open and bite down." His eyes narrow at the slight upturn to the corners of her lips. "On the cloth." he speaks in dry humor.

'Only thought we would nip at you.'

'Yeah, I just don't want you to shatter your teeth my partially dirty masochist beast of a woman.'

'What have we said about ownership?'

'What have I said in response?'

'Give us the shiv, we have to stop your bleeding.'

'Not bleeding anymore baby girl.'

'We can fix that or overlook it. Either way.'

Riddick smiles and watches River bite harder on the cloth. He hears some ripping. Carefully he goes over her body, pressing the shiv to anything that bleeds and cauterizing her wounds.

River is silent the whole time.

Riddick finishes and tosses the shiv to lie on the other side of the skiff. He reaches for River and pulls her into his arms. Carefully, almost tenderly, he carries her and lays her on the benches on the left wall. He removes the cloth and River smiles at him.

"Not for you. Will not die for you." Riddick straightens and looks down at her, face stone as he wonders why everything in him is yelling he would die for her, do anything for her. Why he wants her to feel the same. He knows her words are tumbling out as she slips between delirious and oblivious. "For you. Will live for you." Riddick reaches out and catches her flailing hand as she reaches for him, she squeezes his hand gently before closing her eyes and relaxing into sleep.

Riddick watches her breathing even out, watches her face relax. He hears her black panther purring in rest. His mind whirls with an overload of things, most everything realted to the little woman that was his-his pet, his master. "Yu shi bin ni, wa hua." He relaxes his tense frame and raises his free hand-one still busy cradling River's left hand-to push a strand of hair from her face. "I'm with you."

At the front of the skiff the four women exchange smiles of relief for their alpha's recovery and of glee at the final matching of their alpha to someone who could keep up with her dances.