"I can, can't I?" Naruto asked, his heart swelling hopefully as Riddick looked at him again. "Trust you?"
"Actually…" Riddick shrugged, frown on his face. "That's what I've been askin' myself."
Riddick was running at a fast pace ahead of them. His goggles were off and his eyes were glinting in the dark as he tried not to think about the bitterly hurt, tan face that watched his every move. Naruto was pulling the sled with Imam and Johns, grunting as his muscles grew taunt. They were like malamutes on a dog sledding team, yanking the drag-sled full of power cells through the night. The oldest of the pilgrims was at the first side-guard position with little Ali by his side. Fry and Jack were at the second, each carrying an umbrella torch; fireballs blazing. Shazza wasn't far behind Fry, and she kept her eyes trained on the woman's back—she wouldn't lose someone else. Paris brought up the tail, sweeping his welding torch back and forth at every shadow. They were a train of fire and blue light. All of them had tubing from the ship's hull wrapped around them and connected to a single power cell. The sled had five more power cells in it, and eight bottles of booze—maybe they'd make it.
Naruto grunted, toes digging into the earth beneath them. He was straining against the weight at his back, but he wouldn't—couldn't stop. He felt his abnormal strength draining from his body as each moment passed, and he wasn't sure if he was dying or if the planet had some weird effect on his/Kyuubi's powers. He was still strong; more than the average muscle man, but he couldn't go fighting an entire army anytime soon. His senses were still frighteningly sharp: he could hear every sound, and he could still smell the blood on Jack, and if he wanted he could see the way Riddick did. The only thing was, he didn't want to see the way Riddick did.
Suddenly, Johns stiffened, and Naruto looked to the ground for why. They weren't following the trail anymore. The sand-cat tracks had vanished.
"You noticed, too?" Johns asked softly, looking to the panic stricken blonde.
With a string of foreign curses, Naruto came to a stop and unhooked his belt. "Riddick."
He didn't stop, but everyone else seemed to freeze.
Naruto let out a low growl, and what felt like a gust of hot wind came tumbling from around him; it gave off an incredible aura of danger as the fire flickered and the creatures around them dropped away. "Riddick."
He seemed to grind to a halt. Turning around, he wandered back into the light. Naruto glared up at him coldly as Riddick regarded him with indifference.
"Where are the sand-cat tracks?" He asked. "Why aren't we still following them?"
Riddick shrugged, "Saw sumthin' I didn't like."
"Such as?" He waited, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hard to tell, sometimes… you should know that," He commented dryly, giving Naruto the one-up. "But it looked like a bunch of those big boys chewin' on each other. Thought we'd swing wide. Okay by you?"
The aura of danger seemed to die as something darker took it's place. Naruto's shoulders slumped a fraction, but no one noticed except Riddick. Weary, exhausted blue eyes met his even in the dark, and his face was hard as Naruto pulled into himself. He wouldn't let himself get hurt. Glancing over his shoulder, he let himself peer into the night just to catch a glimpse. Shaking his head, clicking seemed to break out around them.
"Let's move," Naruto said, voice in authority mode before he softened it to talk to Jack. "Just a detour. He'll get us there. I trust him."
Riddick tensed, eyes catching Naruto's in a grid lock. Good God, he did trust him.
"Can we switch?" Paris asked suddenly.
"What," Shazza questioned, brows furrowed. "Switch what?"
"I think I twisted my uh—my ankle running backwards like that," He stumbled over his words, noting the way they looked at him. "Okay, that's a lie. I just don't want to be alone back there anymore. If you could just give me a few minutes up front here—"
Johns stepped in there, towering easily over Paris. "Well, the muscle has to stay up here and pull. The young ones can't be back there, and Fry is the pilot. Shazza could, but she's a woman—"
"Even if I wasn't, I wouldn't go back there," Shazza said with a scoff, earning a small smile from Fry.
"What happened to all that feminist angst?" Paris sneered over at her. " 'Women are just as strong as men', right?"
"Didn't say us girlies weren't," Shazza shrugged, wrapping her arm around Fry's shoulders. "Jus' sayin' that us girlies aren't going to be stickin' our bloody necks out."
"And you expect me to?" Paris cried in outrage. "Am I so disposable? Who says I can't pull the sled—"
"Oh, Kami-sama!" Naruto stepped between the confrontation. "I'll go back there!"
The blonde ignored stares as he clamored to the back. He snatched the welding torch from Paris, his eyes gleaming red with anger. Everyone took their new places, and Riddick resumed his run. They trundled on, Naruto the new tail-gunner. As Paris struggled to chain to the sled, Fry came up to him and took his spot. He looked at her with a grateful smile as she passed him the flaming torch. At side guard, Paris seemed to relax. Even though the clicking never seemed out of ear shot, they all trudged on. A weak fireball spewed from Paris' torch, and his eyes widened. Checking the reservoir, he found it almost empty.
"Light, please," He muttered out. "I need light here…"
Still moving, Johns and Imam trained their light on Paris. The esteemed man struggled with the umbrella as he tried to refuel. Jack watched, shining her light on him as well until her light slipped from her fingers. Shazza had her umbrella torch, letting Jack free from the blue ropes to stray from the fray. Letting her stray from the light and into the darkness. Suddenly, creatures were at her, dive-bombing down from above. Naruto hissed, his red eyes glowing in the dark as he detached from the group and tore off his own blue lights.
He dove into the darkness, that same aura of danger seeping from his pores. He would not lose Jack. A fierce growl echoed within the plethora of clicking. It was a warning of death to any who harmed his important person. At first, the clicking ceased, allowing him to find Jack huddled around her single light with fear in her big brown eyes. He took long strides, reaching her in no time when suddenly the clicking hit a high-velocity. It was like an incoming missile. He was only feet away, but he wouldn't make it in time. He lunged at the last second, flattening Jack to the ground.
Scythe-like blades swung above, cutting deep into the flesh of Naruto's back. He cried out in pain, a clawed hand swiping behind him to slash the beast's body. The foul smell of their blood hit his nose as it ran over his hand. The creature shrieked in pain, pulling away from the attack and sending all others to cower. Johns whirled at Naruto's groan of pain, and blasted into the dark, hitting the predator square in the back. Light beams leaped around, searching for the wounded blonde and whimpering Jack. The predator was down, but so was Naruto. Even with the warning of death in the air, creatures started to swarm again.
"Naruto," Jack wiggled out from underneath the panting man. "Naruto, are you okay?"
She felt him shaking. He was hurt, really hurt. The gash in his back was deep, and the blood was flowing freely—gushing really. The wound would have been fatal if he wasn't more than human. It was almost to the spine, and the pain was blinding. His limbs were numb and they wouldn't move even as he commanded them to. Jack was scared and vulnerable, and Naruto was no use to her in his state.
There was gunfire and light. It was moving to them fast, but not fast enough. Inquisitive clicks made the blonde quake as he struggled to move. Arms pushed up, and legs slid in the blood slicked dirt. Jack was by him, tugging at his shirt; trying to help him stand. With his demonic eyes, he could see the creatures creeping up languidly, like the predators that they were. Suddenly, Jack's worried fingers were gone, and Naruto was struck with fear even though he didn't hear any screams.
Then, hands were on his shoulders, turning him onto his back. He let out a strangled scream at the searing pain that flew across his nerve endings. Those same hands scooped underneath him, picking his limp form off of the ground. Gritting his teeth, Naruto clutched at a strong shoulder, his claws leaving angry red lines on the tan skin there. He could only smell the copper of blood, and couldn't see past the tears in his eyes.
Within a few moments they were in the light again, but even with the new luminescence Naruto couldn't make out his savoir. Jack was there though, sniffling pitifully for the broken boy. He was set down on his stomach, and the survivors crowded around him with concern. There were sobs as they caught the gory horror of his back, and his shirt was torn off of him so that they would pour alcohol over the open wound. Strong hands held him down as he thrashed against the unwelcome burning, more tears in his red eyes, pain in his voice as he let out half-broken sobs.
"Enough!" He barked out, voice strained as his fists clenched and unclenched in the dirt. "Enough… I'll be fine. I'll heal. Save the bottles—I'll be fine."
They were tempted to ignore his words, but watched in amazement as the cut started to heal right before their eyes. Shazza fell to her knees next to him, taking his hand in hers as he squirmed. It was uncomfortable to watch as the blood seemed to boil, and the torn skin mended itself slowly. His shirt was shredded into strips, and wrapped tightly over the wound. A firm hand gripped his elbow and pulled him to his feet. Naruto staggered forward—legs like jelly—as he hit a firm chest. He looked up at his hero with a bleary gaze, meeting silver eyes that asked a silent question: Are you okay?
The pain was still there, but it was fading as he grabbed the welding torch from Shazza's outstretched hands. "I'm fine. We have to keep moving."
Fry stared at him, stock-still with her eyes swimming in question. "What are you?"
Naruto tired not to flinch, but the words stung like she'd slapped him. "I'm the guy trying to save you. If we don't get moving, we'll run out of light—" Suddenly, the power cell with the blue tube lighting jerked off the sled and went skidding into the darkness. Glancing around quickly, he searched for a missing face. "Where's Paris?"
It seemed that in all the confusion, Paris had been left in the dark. He crawled away, stinking of cowardess as he took their main light supply with him. He pulled farther and farther away until suddenly, the lights started to power down and fade. He'd ripped the generator from the cell that supplied them their light. The blue glow died, leaving the group to their flame and Paris in the dark.
"Oh, sweet Jesus…" He said, digging in his robes for a lighter, the bottle of alcohol he'd had still in hand.
He fumbled with it, frowning as clicking encompassed him before suddenly stopping. He flicked the lighter on, light brightening his face. He took a large gulp of booze, glancing around blindly in the night before he blew out the alcohol from his mouth over the flame. A cloud of fire burst into the black, sending the surrounding creatures into a shrieking frenzy. Suddenly, the bottle dropped. The blood flowed. The clicking started again.
Faces whipped around, but they couldn't reach him in time before his death scream seared through the night. Paris was gone. He'd been snatched away by a swooping blur. Light-beams jumped fitfully, vainly as they searched, but Naruto and Riddick already knew. Red and silver eyes peered into the night, seeing predators feasting on the Englishman. Carrying a youngling on its back, a female predator arrived late and couldn't find a way through the trough. With shocking apathy, it whipped the youngling off of its back and began to devour it. Other predators started in-fighting, killing themselves for food.
Naruto almost gagged at the sight, and his knees buckled again as a shock of pain ripped through his back. He pitched forward, a trembling hand covering his mouth as he waited for the impact with the ground. Instead, Riddick moved with a rapid ease, catching him before he could hit the ground. The blonde slumped in his hold, tremors shaking him in the taller man's clutches as he clenched his eyes shut tight.
"What do you see?" Fry asked, still looking at the other blonde as if he were some sort of disease, and when all she received was a shuddering breath, she looked up. "Riddick?"
Before he could answer, Naruto was getting steadily on his feet and turning to face Fry with a hard look. "Hunger. I see sixty years of hunger."
Riddick looked back to the feeding beasts. The clicking passed between them, a kind of communication as well as a way to see in the utter dark. Their attention was drawn over to the light, to the object of their desire—rather, objects. Jack stood there, looking with concern at Naruto as the blonde tried to give her a reassuring smile. The monster's clicking increased in tempo as something tasty smelling hit the air. They wanted Jack… but why?
He sniffed the air, smelling the blood there. It wasn't just from Paris and Naruto—It was Jack. Jack was bleeding. An eyebrow rose over a silver eye as the clicking went up to something almost deafening. Now they were smelling something else—not blood—something animal. More animal than Riddick. Naruto limped a bit as he walked down to the end of the sled with the welding torch in his hand, and the beasts in the dark purred with delight. Their object of desire was Jack. Their object of complete satisfaction was Naruto.
Clouds had begun amassing in the sky, blotting out blackness with an even darker black that seemed to consume the planet. Into a rising wind, the survivors ranged on. Jack was carrying a bottle of Jack Daniels with a cloth stuffed and lit at the mouth of the glass. Naruto seemed to be handling the rear-point fairly well, until the cutter in his hands started to sputter. He cursed, watching as it died. He was still healing, so he couldn't fight any monsters off if the dark chose to snap him up.
Twisting around, he picked up him speed, making it to Jack and her light before the cutter died. Ditching it, he snatched the bottle from Jack's hand and gave her a tight smile. She looked scared and it hurt to see that fear. Setting his hand on her shoulder, he gave it an assuring squeeze which earned him a bright grin.
"Bottle-count," He said after a moment, letting his hand run over the girl's scalp.
"Four fulls, one half." She stated with renewed confidence. "That means we're halfway there? I hope?"
It was a great question. After having steadied out, Naruto had urged the party on. They couldn't waste anymore bitch light. Fry had been reluctant after seeing what had happened with Naruto's back, but Shazza seemed to have worked her magic and easily subdued their pilot. The only other problem was bitch Johns; something about Naruto had attracted the man to him, and that attraction bitch seemed to have doubled—Johns had a thing for power. The pilgrims had simply accepted Naruto as their savior—the young boy, Ali, was even calling him 'Ibn Allah'. Which, as flattering as it was, was a bit over the top. Riddick had taken lead once again, and they'd been blindly following the light on his back ever since.
The smell of Jack's blood on the air made his insides clench, and he looked down at her for a moment before calling up to the front, "Can we pick up the pace?"
Working like a mule, Fry growled to herself. "If you think you can do any better…"
Naruto heard and was about to comment about how he had done better when Shazza nudged Fry. The blonde woman gave her a sheepish look and they whispered to each other for a moment until falling silent, hands intertwined. Johns watched the exchanged with a roll of his eyes, but suddenly froze. Abruptly, he slapped an arm across Imam's chest, bringing the whole line to a halt.
Blue eyes were trained on the dirt ground, and Naruto followed his trail of sight and gasped. They'd been going in circles—They were going in circles! The sound of a gun ratcheting brought him back to reality, and he looked up sharply to see Johns out of his chains. He moved forward with purpose, and with a quick, jerky motion he jammed his shotgun into the back of Riddick's neck.
"We aren't completely stupid," He growled, finger hovering over the trigger.
The clicking that hovered just outside the light seemed to get faster, but it was quiet enough that the others wouldn't hear unless they tried. The violence excited them. Naruto handed the bottle down to Jack, stepping forward after Johns and ushering everyone else close to the battery cells. The blonde man walked with a bit of a limp, eyes bleeding from blue to purple on his tan face. He couldn't go crimson while he was still wounded and healing.
"Stay in the light," He called over his shoulder, making his way next to Johns. "We need to stay in the fuckin' light."
"We crossed our own tracks," He bit back, finger twitching. "He's running us 'round in circles. Look for yourself. Look!"
"I know," Naruto hissed, putting his hand on the muzzle of the gun, which earned him a rather heated look from Johns. "Riddick?" He pushed the barrel of the gun down, gritting his teeth as the bald man turned to face them. "What the hell are you—"
"Listen," he said, voice rumbling low like gravel.
Johns quieted, and so did the chattering of the group a few yards behind. Naruto knew what they would hear because he'd been listening to it the entire time. It was like a hundred Geiger-counters sitting right next to a truck load of plutonium. It rode on the wind like an omen, sending chills down everyone's spines.
Johns gulped, sweat trickling down his temple as the gun in his grip went lax. Naruto scanned him apprehensively, violet eyes gleaming in the bit of light that they had. Naruto grabbed the man by the shirt, quivering as the clicking intensified for a moment, and dragged Johns back toward the sled. Riddick followed not too far behind, but stayed in the shadows when they stopped in the light. Naruto looked to him then, the unbridled trust making itself known again as amethyst met silver. It sent a shock right through Riddick, making him want the powerful man all the more.
"Canyon ahead," he said, never taking his eyes from Naruto's. "I circled once to buy us some time to think."
"Think about what?" Shazza asked, accent thick.
"About how to kill us and still get these cells to the skiff," Johns growled, hand clenching on his gun again.
He was about to level it at the man's head when Naruto snatched it out of his hands with lightening reflexes. He flipped it over his shoulder, catching it in his other hand with a confidant look. Everyone watched as he yanked the rifle open and let the shells inside spill to the ground. Johns' hackles seemed to rise and his blue eyes narrowed.
"Goddamnit, we're just doin' the heavy lifting for this prick!"
Johns was pleading with him, trying to get him to let the merc finally do the villain, and Naruto simply shook his head. "No one else is dying."
Shazza looked between all three of the men before training her gaze solely on Riddick. "Think about what?"
"About the girl," He replied, still not breaking the hold with Naruto.
"What?" Shazza asked in confusion.
Riddick spotted a flash of realization hidden within violet orbs as the smaller of the two took a step forward, brow raised. "What about her?"
"What it's gonna be like when we hit that canyon," Riddick said. "With her bleeding. With you bleeding."
Naruto's face went up in flames. His back ached at the mention of the pain he knew was there. There was a soft tug at his cargo pants, and he looked down to see a rather pale Jack. He snatched her free hand up into his, squeezing it softly as she looked up at him with a hardly hidden horror.
"What're you jaw-jackin' about?" Johns growled, glancing longingly at his shotgun before resting a piercing blue glare on Riddick. "Girls' aren't cut. Not like him."
"No," He agreed, giving a slight nod as his silver orbs landed on Jack, and it hit like a two-by-four. "She's not."
Jack's eyes darted around; she resembled a deer in the headlights as she squeezed Naruto's had in a death-like grip—even earning a wince from him as she confessed, " I didn't want you to leave me there… I was just pretending b-because I thought it would make it easier," She sniffed, tears filling her eyes as Naruto coddled her close. "I d-didn't want you to leave me… back at the ship…" she looked up at Naruto, sobbing softly because she thought maybe he didn't know. "That's why I didn't s-say anything—"
"Shh," He cooed in her ear, kneeling to the ground to hold her close as she cried against his shoulder.
Fry watched with concern for a moment until she, too, joined in comforting the girl. "We'd never have left you."
"Shoulda told us sooner, pet," Shazza added.
Johns stared for a moment before rolling his eyes. "Aw, this can't be happenin' to me…"
Jack seemed to calm her hysterics just long enough for Naruto to pull away. Fry and Shazza pulled her to them, both mother-henning as the blonde dragged a hand through his hair. He rolled his shoulders, testing the sting of pain there. Riddick and Johns seemed mesmerized by the rippling of taunt muscle for a moment until the half-demon cleared his throat.
"Done oogling?" He smirked, plucking at the sash wrapped over his chest and back until it came loose. The purple of his eyes darkened, going almost red, but it wasn't quite as intense as the deadly crimson from earlier.
Riddick stiffened, snapping out of it first. "They been nose-open for the both of you ever since we left. They go off blood—but they've been tracing you since they felt you feel them."
"Animals," Naruto muttered with a roll of his eyes. "Always getting in the way."
Riddick would've grinned if he hadn't seen the look of guilt flash across the boy's face. "How's the back?"
Naruto's smirk broadened. "Better. I can pull. If we keep Jack close, and move fast, we could make it."
"Yes," Imam added with a nod. "She'll be safe if we put her between—"
"There is no 'safe'." Riddick bit out, glaring at the old man before looking to Naruto. "And what about you?"
"I can take care of myself," He snapped back, insulted a moment that Riddick thought he couldn't. "I can keep us safe as long as we're moving—"
"There is no 'safe'." He cut in, letting the wind carry a cloud of ominous clicks for effect.
Panic hit Naruto in the gut settled in nice and cozy as Riddick's words made him doubt his strength. "It's not gonna work. We gotta go back."
Johns brayed, turning on the blonde even as a tan hand clenched around his gun. "Hey, you're the one who got me out here, turned me into a goddamn sled dog. An' now you 'spect me to go back like a whipped dog?"
"I was wrong. I admit it," Naruto frowned, not liking the words that so easily slid past his lips. "My bad, okay? Now let's just go back to the ship."
"I dunno," Johns shrugged, blue eyes darting around the black. "Nice breeze, wide open spaces—you know, I'm startin' to enjoy myself out here."
Everyone watched in silence as Naruto let loose a low warning snarl, dropping the gun to the ground. He didn't need it. Johns' lip curled up into a sneer and he took a step closer to Naruto. Blue met red, and something snapped as Johns brought his hand back and across—back handing Naruto so hard it made the blonde stumble back a step. With a feral sound, he lunged, claws at the ready, until a well-muscled arm caught him and held him back. His razor like nails barely skimmed Johns' cheek before Naruto was jerked back.
"Jesus! Are you fucking high again?" Fry hissed at the merc, surprisingly taking Naruto's side. "Just listen to—"
"No, no, you're right, Naruto," Johns grinned bitterly, ignoring Fry with ease. "What's to be afraid of? My life is a steamin' pile of meaningless toadshit anyhow. So, I say much on!"
Naruto shook with anger, even as strong hands held him away from the mercenary. Soon, his canines were larger, and his pupils had shrunk to slits in the blood red of irises. Riddick watched him with an odd fascination, not even hiding the curious sniff he gave to the top of his head. This enraged Naruto was almost sexier than the lustful one… Almost. Riddick didn't think anything compared to his boy's trusting, hot-and-bothered azure gaze.
"Canyon's only a couple hundred meters, after that we're in Skiff City!" Johns exclaimed with a dry excitement. "So why don't you just butch up, stuff a cork in that kid, and get-"
"Naruto is brave and knows what he is doing," Imam broke in. "We should listen to him."
"Listen to him? Him?" Johns asked skeptically. "Do you even know what he is? Didn't you see it? Don't you see it know?"
Everyone paused a moment, looking to Naruto's wrathful gaze. They knew he wasn't right. They'd known since he first broke out of those spires with bright red eyes. He glanced at all of their faces, seeing disgust that wasn't there. Guilt melted away the anger, and suddenly they were all staring into sorrowful pools of summer sky. He wanted to protest—but couldn't.
"What's he talkin' about?" Jack sniffled, looking at Naruto through loving, trusting, caring brown eyes.
"Back at the village, he told me—"
Naruto cut him off with a pleading glare, "This doesn't help us, Johns."
"—that he was a demon," Johns stated. "A demon. Our lives have been in the hands of one of the things that's out there in the dark trying to kill us!"
Naruto struggled against Riddick's hold, "Shut up, Johns!"
"And have you seen the way these two are together?" He continued, oblivious to the many glares he was receiving. "Naruto's just as bad as the things we're running from. I'm sure he'd kill us in a moments notice if it burdened his plans to get off this rock. He's a monster."
If Johns had been winning any of the survivors over, he lost them with his comment about Naruto killing them. It just didn't click. If they were all just disposable, then the blonde wouldn't have saved them on more than one occasion."
"He's a monster, and he led us out here." Johns continued. "He's leading us to our death…"
He stopped struggling then, slumping in Riddick's hold. 'I'm a monster.'
Fry cast him a sympathetic look before leveling a dark glare Johns' way. "We cannot go through there…"
"You're no better," Johns scoffed, turning his cold gaze on her. "Tried to kill us in our sleep, you did."
She reared back, brows knit together in hurt as he blurted out something she'd told him in confidence. Shazza steadied her, pale hands resting on her shoulders in comfort. Fry twisted around, tears in her eyes as she muttered an almost inaudible 'I'm sorry' as Shazza pulled her close.
"S'alright love," She said, eyes downcast as she ran her fingers through short blonde hair. "You didn't know us."
Johns rolled his eyes before looking back to Naruto. He seemed broken, there in Riddick's arms. The sight of something so strong being shattered so easily sent a shock of pleasure straight to Johns' gut. This buckled form of Naruto was something he'd wanted since he was first slugged across the jaw by the twenty year old. He smirked down at the blonde, lording over him triumphantly.
"How much do you weigh right now, Naruto?" Johns sneered. "Huh?"
"Fine, fine," Imam stepped forward, face hard as he pushed Johns back rather roughly. "You've made your point. We can all be so scared as you."
He scowled at him, snatching away the man's light. "Verdict's in. The light moves forward."
He pulled his chains back on after picking up his shotgun and reloading it, waiting only a moment until Imam and Shazza followed suit. Fry held Jack's hand as they moved forward, both tired and weary from the previous events. Riddick hesitated as the sled went past, feeling Naruto shift in his arms. The blonde looked up through teary eyes before blushing and pushing himself upright. He palmed the back of his head, chuckling guiltily with tears still streaming down his cheeks. Riddick watched for a moment, taking in how the forced laugh slowly morphed into sobs. Naruto covered his mouth, trying to stop the crying with no avail, and squeezed his eyes shut tight.
Riddick stepped forward then, placing a kiss on the smaller man's forehead before he whispered, "The only monster here is Johns and me. And we're about to have us one less monster."
Nice and long don't you think???
Hope you all liked it,
Much love,
Tara