The Hard Life

Riddick/OC

Based off Movie (I don't own Riddick)

Chapter 1 Chance

There were always new arrivals at Cremetoria. Not many convicts lasted two days within the tough caves and no daylight lock downs of this triple-max prison.

This new convict was different however. Her white hair framed a face that could kill with a look but could also make a man fall deeply in love with another. Dressed in complete and utter black with one strip of purple that served as her belt and if need be her mask. There was only one was to get into the main chamber in crematoria and that was by chains tied to your wrists and you were lowered down slowly, painfully to the foggy floor.

Like all others she was lowered to the floor by the iron shackles and chain. Unlike the others however her eyes were closed, her face calm. Suddenly her body convulsed and twisted. Many of the convicts didn't see what happened next such was the speed at which it was preformed. What they did see was that her chains had snapped like twigs and her body almost floated down to the ground like a feather to land in a feral position; The stance of a hunting cat. Her chin length hair swished around her head when she landed and shadowed most of her face from view with the exception of her left eye which was still shut.

The eye that was visible snapped open a moment later and blinked slowly as she rose gracefully for her position on the dirt floor. Hardened murders cringed, stealers and cons jerked back, and traitors fled at the sight of her one deep purple eye. Only one person in that entire cavern dared look her in the eyes; one who was scary in his own right. Riddick.

As he gazed at her unbidden memories flashed before his eyes. His mind searched for the right one, a memory purposely buried. The mysterious and dangerous purple eyed woman who held his gaze stared at him with cruel amusement. She knew who he was and what connection between them he was looking for and couldn't find. She enjoyed his feeble attempts to remember his past and considered this part of her payback…part of the payback she was going to take a long time extracting from him for abandoning her.

In the background another woman flicked her gaze from one mystery to the other in total confusion. Kyra had known and trusted Riddick since the day he had saved her and the old priest from a death on the planet Pitch Black. She didn't trust this new arrival though. Her ice cold eyes and predatory posture set her on edge.

"Who is she?" Kyra asked. Looking around she noticed Riddick had left her and standing in front of her staring with those unnatural eyes was the new addition to Cremetoria. Wise, hard eyes stared at her and seemed to dismiss her as nothing but a bug. Kyra growled and glared at the figures back as the woman turned and walked away also leaving Kyra.

"FEEDING TIME!!" a gruff voice through the speakers rang.

"Shit!" Kyra spat as she flew up the rusty metal stairs and into the first empty cell she could find! Finding a empty cell on this level was easy. This was the level that the beasts known as Crusnivks (made up name for the Scaled cats) were let out to feed. Any convict not behind bars with the door chained shut usually fell prey to their massive sharp fangs and muscled jaws. Crusnivks were giant cats whose native planet was the deceased Furyan and even on Furyan they lived only on two small islands in the middle of the biggest ocean on the planet. The large carnivores looked like cat/dragons. They had metal scales that changed color when they were mad or hunting and large silver fangs and claws.

Kyra had learned never to go near one or anger one for she had seen the kitties tear their way through the thickest metal bars to get to a certain prey that had angered them. She had learned a great deal while in Cremetoria but one of the most important was that Furyan must have been a vicious planet for such beasts to have been created there. Never mess with Furyan born people or animals; they were untamable. Riddick was a great example of Furyan power.

Shutting the cell door with a thunderous bang she weaved the chains in between the bars and held them tight. She stood there heaving for breath, trying to calm her raging thoughts and slow her pounding heartbeat. With her nerves on edge she heard the sounds of quiet breathing behind her. She whipped around to find Riddick's bulk taking up the space in the back of the cell.

"Riddick? I didn't see you!" she gasped.

"Kyra do you trust me?" Riddick's gravel voice asked.

"Yes…why?" Kyra responded hesitantly. It wasn't that she didn't trust him fully more over that she didn't trust anyone fully. She had learned in her short life to trust few and distrust most. Being cautious was her nature.

"Come with me," Riddick said and unhooked the chains from the door and walked out of the cell, ducking to avoid the low ceiling above the door.

"RIDDICK!!" she shouted, "You can't go out there. The feeding time isn't..."

"Yes I know Kyra. They will not harm us," The man said cutting her words off.

They walked in silence for a while until they reached the waterfall at the very edge of the bottom chamber. Riddick stood frozen at her side and she craned her neck to see around him and through the rushing water. What she say had her speechless and damn near frozen also. Sitting by the far side of the small pool in the earth was the mysterious new convict lowered just a few minutes ago. The surprising and a little intimidating was that she was not alone. Sitting next to her on either side of her hips sat the two Crusnivks; their scales a calm mute blue. Petting them and singing a small lullaby seemed to keep the predators well sedated.

"Are they purring?" Kyra whispered. Bad idea she realized after the words left her lips.

The two large felines were up and growling, turning red in the process, in less than it took her to see her mistake. "Opps."

"Dalamar, Karko, Come back here," a quiet heavenly voice commanded. Instantly the two misty eyed cats were back at the woman's side purring once again as she stroked their plated backsides. As she petted them she turned her face and eyes up and into first Riddick's then Kyra's eyes. Kyra shivered as the icy depths pierced her soul.

A loud buzzing filled the caves. The cats somely departed from the white beauty's side and sauntered towards Riddick and Kyra. Kyra pressed herself to the back wall as close as possible as the cats passed. Dalamar the larger male took snap at her exposed thigh but missed as Riddick's hand flew and cuffed him below the jaw line. With a departing growl in their direction the animals took off back to the handlers.

Riddick turned to face her and raised an eyebrow; a question in his gaze.

"I'm fine," she responded and at his nod turned back to the only other living thing around them; the woman in black. She sat twirling her hand absentmindedly in the water as she watched them walk closer to her and stop 6 feet away.

Glancing up, "why are you here?" her smooth voice asked.

"Do I know you?" Riddick growled low, straight to the point as always.

"Hmmm interesting question. Why do you feel that you should? Am I familiar?" the woman retorted and smirked.

"Yes you are very familiar," Riddick narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'm sure," the voice said completely cold. Icy would have frosted over the entire area if words could impact the world. Kyra flinched. While still musical that coice reminded her of the night her parents were killed and her left alone. It was almost enough to drop her to her knees…almost; instead she wobbled.

Riddick gently grabbed her shoulders and steadied her. Bracing her back to his chest for support. One elegantly sculpted eyebrow was raised just slightly in the older woman face before that too disappeared into her expressionless mask.

The next question was easy enough to guess, "Who are you?" Riddick was annoyed. She could tell by the way his voice had a little nick at the end. Apparently the woman in front of them heard it to for her grin grew wider and she let him stew there for a good 25 seconds before she responded.

"I'm a long dead legend. One who has been forgotten even by those she loveth dearest. I'm a long dead legend and now is the time of my resurrection."

Kyra did not get the message in those words Riddick seemed to however for her froze once again and bowed his head. When he spoke his voice came out as a choke "Impossible. Your dead. I saw you fall."

"No, I did not fall for long Riddick nor am I dead," she said.

"How?" He gasped.

"You know what I was born with and how it is used. You were my only friend and in the end even you abandoned me," the tone was icy again.

"Akkal," he whispered brokenly, "forgive me."

Kyra had never heard Riddick anything but strong and fierce, and now that she had she wished he would return to normal. This Riddick scared her. If he wasn't her pillar of strength who would be? She gazed at Riddick as he sat on the floor motionless then up at the woman who could so easily destroy a man with just her voice and words alone and for once wished she would never have that power. To tear someone down so utterly was not something she wished for.

As Akkal stood up she moved away from the small pond and towards Riddick who was crouched on the ground, eyes reverted towards the floor. Akkal walked slowly and deliberately forward and stopped just two paces from Riddick. Kyra had moved back and to their left so she wouldn't be in the way. As Akkal Kneeled in front of him she raised his head by the chin with her index and middle finger and stared into his eyes. They stayed stuck in that position for at least 5 minutes before she seemed satisfied and stood; bringing the empty Riddick with her. He looked exhausted and emotionally gone. His stubborn strength had fled.

"Riddick, servant of the Crown of Furyan and of the service of the High Queen Akkal Wildcat of the North, I Forgive you," Those last three words brought life back into Riddick's muscles and he bowed low and came back up with a frown on his face. They gripped their forearms together in a warriors greeting.

"How?" Riddick asked gruffly.

"My miracle," Akkal replied with a hint of a grin.

Once again Kyra stood gaping at the wonders this Akkal had shown. She had destroyed Riddick with words and now with just a few more she had restored him in better condition than before. She was true power and Kyra admitted maybe she was a bit jealous of this High Queen of Furyan.

DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER!

Dude that was long thing to write. Hope you enjoy it.