Title: THE RAGE
Author: ForeverRK
Characters: Richard, Kahlan & Zedd
Rating: PG
Timeline: During Season 2
Story Type: Angst/Romance
Summary: During a fight Kahlan is injured and Richard's rage takes control.

Hey guys so i've had this Hunger tag One Shot over two years now and it wasn't until just recently
that LordofKavaka told me i should post it, (and you all know me with all my insecurities about my
writing) so after some convencing..he did some editing and betaling for me. It's finally ready for you all to read. I hope you like it and you all have LOK here to thank or else i would have Never Posted it
LOL. Enjoy! :)

The Rage: A "Hunger" tag

They were under attack. The men who had abducted the innocent woman's husband out numbered them. So many seemed to be coming at them, swords flashing and arrows flying. Richard tried to stay focused on the fighting, but his thoughts were too consumed on keeping a watchful eye on Kahlan.

She was off to his side, fighting with one of the other men. She moved gracefully, as she always did during combat. Kahlan made a quick move and she got a tight grip on the rogue's neck. Richard felt the thunder without sound and knew that she had released her deadly touch, confessing the man. Just then, as she was concentrating on using her powers of confession, an arrow flew through the air—seemingly out of nowhere—and embedded itself in her right arm.

Kahlan's cry of pain rung in the air as Richard turned towards her, his heart clenching in his chest with worry. He felt a tinge of self-loathing, having lost his focus on Kahlan for just the briefest of moments while he had been fighting. It troubled his mind that he could not protect her from that arrow. He should have been able too!

"KAHLAN!" Richard screamed when the sound of her cry reached his ears.

Losing complete focus on the man he was in combat with, Richard was pushed back and stumbled. But through the din of battle, he could still hear Kahlan call out to him as he fell to the ground.

"I'm alright!" came her voice.

Despite hearing her words of reassurance—meant to ease away his fears—Richard was still in a fury. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and sliced through the man facing him, and then, in a mad dash, he rushed to Kahlan's side, gently touching her injured arm. His brow furrowed in concern as he looked at the arrow, seeing that it had penetrated deep into her arm.

"Kahlan…," Richard tried to speak with a soothing and calm voice, "I'm going to pull it out."

He obviously didn't do a good job at it, as the look on her face made it clear that she could hear the worry and fear in his voice, and no doubt see it as well in his expression. Kahlan immediately knew that if she didn't let him pull it out, he wouldn't be able to focus on fighting the rest of the marauders.

Giving a nod of her head, Kahlan gave Richard approval to do what he had to do. Slowly, he pulled the arrow out. As soon as it was removed arm, blood began to pour from the wound. Richard put his hand over the wound, trying to stop the flow. It made him sick to see her in pain or injured, and now seeing all the blood coming out from her arm was almost making him nauseous.

He was her Seeker. It was his job to keep her safe at all cost, and he hated the idea that he had failed her today.

Kahlan sensed the turmoil of emotions running through Richard. She reached up with her uninjured arm and put her hand on his cheek. "Richard, this isn't your fault. I'm alright now…," she spoke softly. "Please go and take care of the others. Zedd can take care of me now."

The wizard had seemed to materialize by their side, and he was kneeling down beside Kahlan. Zedd gently pushed Richard's hand aside and began inspecting the wound.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Richard asked anxiously.

"Yes, Richard, I'm fine… now go," Kahlan said, then paused and gave him her special smile, the one she gave to no one but him.

Giving Kahlan one last look, Richard gave a brief nod and then took off in a dead run with his sword tightly clutched in his hand. He could feel the rage flooding him. Not just the rage of the Sword of Truth, but also a rage of a strange power within… a darkness he couldn't quite control.

Whatever the darkness inside was feeding off of, he welcomed it. It made him yearn for the blood of the man that had tried to kill his beloved. Seeing or thinking of her in danger had always made his blood run cold. His eyes roamed the field and he spotted Kahlan's would-be-killer in the distance.

Richard charged at him with every ounce of rage he felt flowing through him. The man turned to run, but Richard grabbed him from behind, not giving him any chance of escape as he raised the sword and ran the blade straight through the man's heart.

He vowed to be her guardian angel in times of need. He would never let anyone touch or harm her. She was his, just like he was hers, and no one… no one was going to tear them apart.

And that was, above all else, what Richard promised himself.

END