Skunked

Just a little one Mal/River

This is all from Mal's point of view.

I do not own the rights to the show, all of that is from the great mind of Joss Whedon. This was just for fun and nothing more.

SKUNKED

MAL'S POINT OF VIEW:

I can not say I was in a bad mood, but can't say I was in a good one either. The job had gone off well enough, but than we had problems with the engine and had to land. Now we are here on a little moon no where near where we need to be. Their was a small settlement about ten miles due east and they had the parts needed. Kaylee said it would take bout three hours to get us back into the air.

So I gave the order to go planet side and walk a bout for a bit. Simon had choose to stay with Kaylee to help out. Jayne had said something bout going hunting. Zoe was sound asl left me to seep in her bunk. That left me and River. I was not much for walking today but the girl wanted to walk around counting flowers. We was not on the best of moons so it was best I went along with her. Not that the girl could not take care of herself.

We walked along the forests edge as she danced along picking flowers.

"Look at these." She said as she held up some blue ones I did not know. "They smell nice." She said holding them out to me.

"Yes they do." I said not at all very interested in the flowers. She gave me a funny look then said. "Flowers are not just for girls."

"What have I told you about being in my head little Tross." I hissed not to amused she had just used her reading skills on me.

"To stay out." She replied.

"Then do so." I snapped a little more then I should have.

"Your mind is very interesting, fun to be in."

"Not funny."I said turning back to give her my best do as I say look.

She bounced back off, happy to be in her own little world. I had to admit she had come a long way. My mind went back to the first time I saw her curled up in a Cryo unit. She was so tiny and helpless looking. She had grown so much since Miranda. Her powers in reading had gone to a whole new level. She was in better control, and could sort through things better. She had somehow was keeping a tight hold on that weapon side of her. I am quite sure though if it needed to come out it would.

Her dreams still came to her, and at times they scared the hell out of her. For some odd reason she choose to talk to me about them. I had learned more about her and what they did to her than I had ever wanted to. In a way though I was glad. It gave me a better understanding of her and all she had been through. She had come along way. She still had her moments, and today was one of them.

I turned back to check on her and saw her collecting more flowers. She could tell me their names in Latin as well as their species. I shook my head at looked towards the sky. It would be dark in about an hour or so.

"Little Tross. We need to wrap this up soon it will be getting dark."

"Yes." Their was a pause then she called out. "Captain come help, found lost trapped kitty."

Great I thought as I turned. "River don't ya go messing with no cats. Its wild or something."

"Not wild, just kitty." She said as she was reaching into a hollowed out log. I knelt next to her reaching for her hands.

"Don't ya go reaching in dead trees darling." I reached in a took a hold of her hand. It had something very fuzzy in it. "Gorrammit River let what ever that is go for it bights ya." I said trying to pull her hand free.

"Trapped kitty, just going to free black n white stripped kitty."

"Ah what" I bellowed just as she and my dumb ass pulled it free from the log.

What happened next well lets just say that kitty weren't no kitty. River let out a shriek the would have woken the dead. I yelled and said several curses. None of which should have been said around her young years. River tossed the skunk, which needless to say landed in my lap. Which set the little bugger off once more. I jumped up grabbed her and took several steps back.

The skunk just looked at us and decided to go back into its log.

"Kitty was not a kitty." She said looking dumbfounded at me.

"No River kitty was a skunk."

"Skunk... Mephista mephista"

"You know the gorramm Latin name for it but ya don't know what one of em is."

"Latin name means noxious vapors."

I shook my head and turned to the sound of Jayne and Zoe both runnen up to us both heavily armed, no doubt to Rivers scream.

"Captain... oh.." Was all Zoe got out before she stepped back about ten feet.

"Damm Mal what the hell did ya get into?" Jayne asked standing about a foot behind Zoe.

"Do ya really want me to answer that." I hissed

"Skunk.. Mephista mephista." River said.

Zoe and Jayne both laughed in uncontrollable fits. "Sir you and River stink." Zoe said

"Ya think." I said all amusement gone form my voice.

"You guys need a bath." Jayne hissed waving his hand infront of his face. "Guess we won't be eating them maters." He added.

"Jayne." I said rather loud "Knock it off."

Zoe smiled at me and slowly started backing away from us her hand guiding Jayne. I looked at her and she turned and started running towards the ship.

"Oh no you don't."

"Sorry Sir. But can't let either of you in Serenity, she'll smell for a month out." She and Jayne took off in a dead run. I sighed and turned looking back at River.

"We stink like skunk" She said looking at me then at the log.

"Ok skunk Woman" I said as I reached out taking her hand. "Lets go back to Serenity and hope they took to being kind and left the maters and some clothes out side." She looked at me oddly.

We walked back to Serenity to find everything just as I said. Their out side was the crate of maters and a bag with clothing in it. Kaylee had rigged the doors of the gorramm ship closed. I hit the comm.

"This is still my gorramm ship." I said into the comm.

"Yes sir it is." Came Zoe's voice on the verge of laughing. "But for now sir I'm gonna have to ask you to stay out side."

"This is not funny." I hissed

"I am so sorry sir, but it is very funny. Doc placed some kind of sope in the bag said to use it with the maters."

I turned and looked at River who was standing looking at a stream near by.

"Come on Tross lets go take a bath." I said grabbing the bag and several maters. She grabbed several as well and followed me.

We got to the stream and she just stood and looked at me and then the water. I took off my shirt and she turned away from me. I sighed. "Tross. We gotta do this so you watch while I take a bath and then i'll do the same for ya."

"Yes sir." She said he voice sounding strange.

"Ya alright there Tross."

"Sorry sir." She said. "Just wanted to help the kitty." She said.

"Its ok. You and I will be laughing at this with the other soon enough. Just promise me one thing."

"That would be."

"No more reaching into things for lost kitty's."