21

It had been a wonderful time but soon they were going to be heading home, their last real party as everyone laughed and settled on the spacious lawn outside the communal house. Ianto liked that, communal. The time he had spent here had shown him many things, not least of all the need for family in all their forms and he was already considering the need for a communal centre at home, somewhere the village could go and feel safe.

Lola was off in the distance with other children, all playing some weird game where they froze and were statues, then all screaming as they took off once more, racing hell for leather across the soft mossy ground. Ianto lay back on the ground, the smell of the dirt comforting in a weird way.

Jack and Owen were gushing over Tosh who was enjoying the attention as others congratulated hr as well, the community taking credit as it had happened in their warmth, declaring the child blessed. Ianto rolled his head to ask Jack something when he noticed the silence in the air, rolling his head the other way to look at his child. He knew Logan was asleep with Franklin inside, both of them worn our trying to keep up with Lola and his only concern was for her, standing frozen to the spot with her arms at her sides, looking at the far tree line.

Ianto rolled to his hands and knees, looking at the far trees with interest, his advanced eyes honing in on movement and he knew…he knew as he rose to run, pounding for his daughter as he screamed at her to run, the other children all turning to obey as she still stood watching with her eyes wide.

"Babe?" Jack was running after him, as always he was ready to follow and as Ianto got to their daughter the first shot blasted past them, John running with his mouth open in a scream of battle, others joining in.

Ianto grabbed John's sidearm as he ran past and began running again, Jack scooping up their daughter and turning to run back to those coming towards them with weapons. He turned once they we safely behind the cordon and watched the swarm coming towards them. They were like dogs, like hounds from hell with weird spikes on them. Porcupine dogs…like … rat features…black and silver and glistening like they were wet ... not making a single sound as they galloped.

Jack then remembered the kit, his face draining of colour as his beloved screamed a war cry and dropped his spent weapon leaning to remove the blade from his boot before he ran towards them with nothing more than a blade.

The creature slammed into Ianto who calmly threw it back over his shoulder, the blade sliding back out of its chest with an arc of blood splattering his face, then he was swinging back to face the next one. The soldier behind him was slamming the butt of his rifle down onto the skull of the dying animal.

"Shit, take her!" Jack said to the nearest Blu-Man-chu before he ran with a pulse rifle towards the battle, focused on his love who was now dancing with one of those things and he roared as he fired, hitting the thing square, sending it back into two others circling Ianto.

"RETREAT!" Jack yelled at him and Ianto turned to glance at him with surprise then nod, turning and running without a backward glance as John moved to cover his flank.

Eventually the things retreated as well, the world falling silent save for a few groans and snarls amongst the wounded. John walked along firing into the skulls of the downed creatures and glanced back at Jack "To be sure."

Jack nodded counting three injured soldiers still on their feet and willing to defend.

"I have to check on Ianto, he is in Kit" Jack finally said and John swung with horror to gape at Jack, then look back at the warzone.

"Fuck"

"Yeah, he saw Lolly and forgot everything else. Is probably beside himself now" Jack strode towards the houses and found Ianto sitting on the sofa with his children in his arms, his face ale and eyes wide.

"Cariad?"

"Three of us with spilt blood, no one seriously hurt. Eight of them down and I know at least seven others wounded that managed to retreat with the others. More will die out there in the night" Jack assured him "John is bringing out the electric riot fencing, by tonight we will be in a security grid. It's OK."

"And when we leave?" Ianto whispered, "What will they have then?"

"They come, usually steal a child or woman collecting flowers … once maybe twice a season. They have never come in masse like that" an elder frowned as he patted Ianto's head affectionately, "Never a swarm in daylight and never in this area of the valley. We were always safe."

"The seasons have changed, it was bitter last winter, another winter nears and they fear it?" another surmised, "They are adapting. Gods, the Hand is right, who will protect us if they decide to come across the field into the village? They have never been so bold."

John crouched and placed a hand on Ianto's knee, "Like he said … you are the Hand. Maybe you need to speak to the King."

Ianto nodded rising to go to the away vessel that would take him up to the ship orbiting above. He would make a vid-call. This was the responsibility of the entire quadrant to protect their own.

Ianto had to make a call. So did his King.

He knew it would be the right one.