21

Marley arrived in a hail of clickers and materialised in the bathroom where she took one of the robes to cover herself.

"I came straight over, Billy will follow once the water has gone down enough as it is still waist deep in some places" she said as she strode into the room and climbed onto the bed with the kids, "It's OK. The water is going away. This time tomorrow there will just be some puddles down there."

"The Bug got drowneded" Dean whispered and she crooned as she kissed his cheek.

"Billy will work on a new one with Mickey" she assured him, "It's OK."

Ianto was changing clothes into something old and Marley rose from the bed.

"I'm coming too" she said and Ianto nodded as Jack looked over at them.

"Ianto, the committee…."

"Will talk about it, consider it and vote" Ianto said as he kicked off his boots and slid the pants down to swap for the track pants, "I don't have time for this shit. That was almost our pups. Don't you see Jack? I have to end this. Now."

"I'm not arguing with you love" Jack soothed, "I wish I could come."

"You can't" Ianto hugged him, running his hands over his back, "You have a bun in the oven that we can't afford to risk. Besides, with Billy not here and Marley going with, who else would I trust with the babies?"

"I know" Jack sighed, their kiss slow.

"It's time they remembered who and what I am" Ianto said firmly, "Not just the team. Some might not know, some should know but by this time tomorrow…they will all know not to fuck with us."

"Agreed" Marley said as she untied the robe, "I'll go ahead Taddy. Let you know what my many eyes can see."

"Good girl" Ianto said and Jack stood at the front door watching his husband and daughter-in-law slink into the shadows, transforming into wolf and clicker swarm.

Gods he wished he could be there just to see their faces before they die.

Ianto moved swiftly in the dark, driven with rage and as he passed one of Tosh's sensors he never blinked, wraithing along as the swarm overtook him and disappeared into the dark.

The sound of clickers went silent and Ianto ran until he found Marley swarming in a spot hear an old fence line, almost half her mass.

"Can you speak?"

YES

"Are they asleep?"

FOUR ON WATCH I TAKE ALREADY

"Right, they all there?"

NOT WOMEN AND CHILDREN - THEY AT SITE FURTHER BACK

"Right. OK." Ianto considered, "We kill all on watch and those at the checkpoint. We let the children and women live, those back at their camp. With a warning."

YES TADDY I DO NOW

Ianto lopped along and into the screaming as Marley showed her miniature teeth. He passed though the writhing bodies and swiped at those running to help, finally stopping at the camp where people were huddled as they listened to their night watch die.

Ianto crept around the edge of the firelight, his Wolfling eyes adjusting, then he calmly walked into camp in his largest transformation.

"Hello" he growled, "Some of yours came my way today and I take offence. I have eaten them. Tasty."

More than one person stared to pray and Ianto canted his head, "That won't help you. Remember in the bible, the end of days? We've got the dead walking the earth, the year long winter and now…"

Marley swarmed into the camp and swirled around Ianto like a miniature tornado, "Now there is pestilence. If you piss me off again you will find the end of days is upon you."

"What are you" a woman bravely asked.

"The protector of the south" he replied, "If you come my way again I shall return to smite you."

"What are you." she repeated as the swarm thickened and Marley became solid enough to be a human form, walking towards them.

WE ARE DEATH

Ianto was impressed that she had anticipated his reply and they spoke as one, their unified stance unnerving, even for Ianto.

"We see you, we hear you, we smell you and we will kill you if you step one foot past the fence line." Ianto snarled, "I let you have your dead. Those who came after my pack, as I said, I have eaten. Next time I will come back and eat your young."

"Oh dear god" a mother whimpered as she hugged a child to her breast.

"God?" Ianto swung his head and allowed himself a toothy grin, "Do you really believe there still in one?"

The giggles erupted in the dark around them as the Mara decided to let themselves join in and now even the remaining men who stood forward retreated to hold their partners and children.

"We are everywhere" Ianto said, "In the trees, on the breeze and in your nightmares"

Ianto turned to lope off into the darkness with Marley following, the giggles of the Mara dulling as they approached the fence line and Ianto stopped to look back.

The Mara's laughter carried on the breeze, becoming more sinister before fading away.

Last warning.

Next time, he will kill them all.