Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. The name 'Adakaias' is a variation of Adakias of Razia's Shadow: A Musical.

"You know, you're really bad at finding exciting places to take me." I mumbled as I stuck my head out the TARDIS doors and looked around. There was nothing but trees all around. Accompanying the trees was an envelope of darkness, the only light green from thin spots in the canopy above.

"I am not!" The Doctor quipped as his head popped out. His eyebrows sat in the middle of his forehead.

I folded my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm… This is her fault!" He pointed back at the Console. The TARDIS visibly shook, and the Doctor braced himself in the doorway. "Oh, don't go all high and mighty on me, you big box!"

And that's when her doors flew shut, kicking him out by his backside.

He stumbled forwards, barring his teeth at the time ship as he reached back to rub where the doors had hit him. He mumbled some harsh words as he slowly stepped towards me, and stuck his tongue out at her before snatching my hand from my side and pulling me off into the trees.

"So," I started, dragging my hand against the rough, slightly damp bark of one the trees we passed. "Do you have any idea as to where we are?"

He grinned. His teeth managed to shine despite the poor lighting. "Nope! Isn't that brilliant?"

I rolled my eyes and looked around again, taking more notice to the specific appearances of things. The trees were all large and tall, their leaves unreachable from the ground. A few plants dominated the ground – such as bushes and a few moss-covered rocks – but most was covered in a layer of dead leaves. As we stepped, I could hear twigs that were buried beneath thin layers of dead things on the ground snap beneath our weight. Everything smelled wet, but at least the air was clean.

We were quiet as we walked. It had been a while since we'd been in a place this serene. It was nice to just be for a change. Every once in a while, the Doctor's fingers would wiggle or tighten around mine, and I would remember that he was walking beside me. His face was calm all the while, admiring the beauty of the scenery.

The further we walked, the clearer the area. After a while (I wasn't sure exactly how long) we were walking through a grove of pine trees. There was a gravel path now, and the dirt crunched beneath our feet. This area was drier than the last had been; the air was crisper. Pine needles littered the ground, but grass could be seen now, poking up around the trunks of the trees.

In a matter of minutes, a thick fog descended on the forest. I managed to see ten feet in front of me at best. Our pace slowed, but we didn't stop, and we were careful to follow the path.

Suddenly, the Doctor slowed to a stop, his head swiveling around.

"What is-?"

"Shh!" He held a finger up to his lips, silencing me. He continued to look around, and I followed his lead, my ears searching for sounds other than our own breathing. For the longest time, I heard nothing at all, but then a crack resonated through the silence. My hand tightened around the Doctor's, and I took a step closer to him.

"What was that?"

He didn't answer, soothing me by caressing the back of my hand with his thumb. It helped, at least until I caught a dark shape shifting out of the corner of my eye. I gasped, and my head whipped towards it, but it was gone. My breath was caught in my throat as I swept my hazel eyes over the trees again. The silence was overbearing.

Suddenly, a snarl ripped through the air like cannon fire, and a beast leaped from the recesses of the trees. It flew through the air towards us, and I hardly registered the motion as the Doctor tore me from my spot and to the side, only narrowly missing the claws of the creature.

My breath rushed out in gusts as I stared at it. In a fearful way, it was beautiful. It looked like a cat, albeit a very large one. I couldn't tell if it was bald or just had very short hair, but its body was that of a shadow on dark cement. It was the perfect camouflage for such a dark place. At the tips of its paws were sharp-looking claws, and long, white teeth extended from beneath its jowls. Its eyes were the most captivating part, as they were orange through and through; they had no pupil whatsoever.

A guttural roar ripped through its chest, and it leaned forward, readying itself to pounce as I'd only seen at the zoo or in the Lion King.

"Run!" The Doctor shouted, pulling me behind him as he sprinted in the opposite direction. I followed obediently, though I hadn't necessarily needed instruction to realize that this was the best plan.

We gained little if any ground on the creature before it caught up to us. It padded roughly onto the ground to our right and snarled angrily. We jerked the other way, ducking off the path and into the trees. Thin sticks jutting out from bushes and low trees scratched my legs as we ran. I stumbled on large roots while the Doctor managed to leap over them agilely, keeping his balance masterfully.

However, it only took one wrong step to fall.

My foot caught one of the large tree roots, and I tumbled to the ground. The Doctor's hand jerked roughly out of mine. Panic coursed through my veins, and my legs felt as if the bones had up and disappeared when I tried to stand. The Doctor called out my name, and I turned to look at him as I stumbled again. His eyes were wide, all of the blood had drained from his face, and he almost seemed paralyzed.

A low growl caught my attention, and I whirled around to face the thing. Its shoulders were hunched as it prowled towards me, its mouth open and its fearsome teeth acting as an intimidating tool. It blinked, and yet another growl tore through its throat. It leaned forwards to pounce, and sprung powerfully off of its hind legs.

In that moment, several things happened. The first was the Doctor shouting for me again. His voice was coarse, and I was heartened by the emotion in it. The second was something – a large blue light – shot over my head and struck the beast squarely in its broad chest. It fell backwards, and hissed at something behind me.

I turned to see four or five men dressed in military-type clothing rushing past the Doctor, who was still staring with a fearful expression. One of the men – the only one carrying a gun – rushed to my side and gently grasped my arm.

"Can you stand?" He had a deep voice, and an angular jaw. It looked like he hadn't shaved for a few weeks, and his comforting dark-blue eyes easily found my hazel ones. He was an attractive man. Not necessarily my type, but still attractive.

I nodded, and he helped me to my feet, ushering me towards the Doctor. He shouted something to the other men, who all shouted something in response. I was too stunned to comprehend. The Doctor, a look of relief on his still pale face, hurried over and pulled me roughly against his chest. His arms were a vice around my shoulders, but I still found the grip comforting.

"This way," The man said. The Doctor released me, and I glanced back at the beast as we started to hurry away. The men had surrounded it, but it was still much larger, and I was afraid one of them would get hurt. We were on the move for only a couple of minutes until we stopped and hid in a small space cleared of trees. However, the foliage around it was thick, and I couldn't see anything past it.

"Thank you," I mumbled shakily.

The man glanced at me, and then moved his eyes to the Doctor. "Who are you two? Which base are you from?" He asked with a tone of authority.

"I'm the Doctor," The man beside me said. He still sounded a bit strained. "And this is Catherine."

"A doctor?" The man looked as if he'd told a really bad joke. "We don't have any doctors. What are you going on about, mate?"

The Doctor snorted. "What kind of off-world colony doesn't have at least one doctor?"

He scowled. "Who are you?"

"Better question is who are you?"

Though a bit hesitant, the man straightened his back and squared his shoulders. "Nicholas Hulse, level twelve Captain."

The Doctor took a step towards Nicholas and squinted at his face. "Nicholas Hulse…" He muttered under his breath. "Hulse… Where have I heard that name before?"

"Perhaps you knew my father," Nicholas said. "You look about his age."

The Doctor appeared to think about it for a minute, and then frowned. "Oi! Are you calling me old?"

"Oh, the irony…"

Both of the men quickly turned to face me, as if they'd forgotten I was there. Actually, it wasn't that unusual. I hadn't made a sound for a while.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Nicholas asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Then you can walk unassisted?"

I blinked and raised an eyebrow. "I believe 'fine' entails that, yes."

He shot me a half-glare, and turned to the Doctor. "You two will come with me," He said forcefully. "I don't understand you, but maybe Winn will."

The Doctor's brow jumped, but he just nodded and gestured for Nicholas to lead the way.

Nicholas glanced between the two of us skeptically once more, and then pushed his way through the thicket of trees. The Doctor snatched my hand and gently tugged me after him, following Nicholas's path exactly.

No one spoke for the longest time. We just walked, Nicholas several paces ahead of us. He'd glance over his shoulder every now and then to see if we were following. The Doctor's head was on a constant swivel, searching for something. The wariness in his eyes assured me that he was watching for anything that might be dangerous. Knowing this, I huddled into his side. I didn't want to be caught off my guard again.

"Catherine," The Doctor whispered to me, his eyes still on the move. "We're going to be alright. I know where we are, and these are people we can trust."

I felt something jump in my chest. "Oh, then where-?"

"Nicholas?" A new voice interrupted me. It was rough and weathered, like the cry of a soldier who'd seen too much war. "My dear boy, is that you?"

"It's me, Adakaias." Nicholas called out.

Suddenly, a wall of leaves shifted, revealing a man with a long white beard and a pair of cracked glasses. He reminded me vaguely of Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter. The only things that spoiled the look were the camouflaged clothing and combat boots.

Adakaias's face dropped as he caught sight of the Doctor and I. "Nicholas…?"

"Take them to see Winn," Nicholas said darkly, turning away and starting back into the thick forest. "I'm going to go help my boys."

Adakaias nodded, and pulled the cascade of leaves to the side, allowing the Doctor and me to duck through. I was shocked at what lay on the other side. There was a wide open space, cleared of trees and the natural forest floor. The ground beneath my feet was a light shade of brown, and packed hard. Across the clearing, several canvas tents were set up. They appeared to be odd shapes sewn together, though. People crossed the expanse, most of them tall, bulky young men. Young women wandered through as well, and the elderly were not absent from the mix.

"This way…" Adakaias glanced at us fearfully, wringing his bony hands over and over again, as if we were going to shout at him shamelessly.

As we slowly progressed through the small village in the clearing, I examined even further. There was what appeared to be a garden – more like a farm – at the far end. Many middle aged men and women were there, tilling and digging. Young people came out of the smaller tents, most of them sporting bandages or ice packs. When one came out, another went in. The stream seemed endless. And, at the center of it all, was a tent of massive proportions. I don't think you could even call it a tent. It was more of a canvas castle with a bland shape. I was curious as to what purpose it served, and wondered if I'd be able to find out.

"Um," Adakaias mumbled. He still seemed uncomfortable. "In here." He pulled aside the canvas of one of the smallest tents. A symbol was sewn into it with bright blue thread, and it was beautiful despite the sloppy work.

I offered him a smile as we stepped inside, which he shied away from, and merely allowed the canvas the flow shut. I shook it off, and turned to look around the inside of the tent. It was rather plain. The floor was the same of which I'd just been walking on, the walls were blank, and there was little furniture. There was nothing but a battered chest, a wooden desk that had been missing a leg (repaired using a thick tree stump) and the chair in which a woman sat.

"Adrienne Winn," The Doctor muttered. "Never thought I'd meet you."

The woman's head flashed up from a book she was reading, her eyes wide. She quickly looked between the Doctor and I, confusion in her features. She was beautiful. Her skin was pale, but it appeared that everyone here was. Her lips were full, and her eyes were deep blue, though it was impossible to be sure in the dim lighting. Her long, black hair was braided and thrown carelessly over her shoulder.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" She rose from her seat, snatching the handle of a rough dagger that looked as if it had been carved from some stone, like the ones Native Americans had used.

"I'm the Doctor," He held his head high. "This is Catherine. We're travelers, and we seem to have lost trail of our ship."

Adrienne snorted. "Travelers? What kind of joke is this? And you even added on doctor!"

"If you don't have any doctors, who was patching up all of those young men and women?" I asked.

She shot me a look. "The elderly. They remember bits and pieces from their own experiences, but they're not doctors. Half of the injured don't survive."

This silenced me, and I shamefully looked down at my feet.

"Stop fooling around. Why are you really here?"

"We're travelers, nothing more, nothing less."

"You can't be. The other humans think this planet is dead. They wouldn't send anyone here."

"See, that's the thing. I'm not human. She is – she's human as they come, Catherine is." I looked up at my name.

"Um, yeah, that's me, the human." I nodded, glancing up at the Doctor. "And he's… not…"

Adrienne's delicate, graceful eyebrow was raised high, barely wrinkling her forehead. "You two are odd." The Doctor grinned, pulling me into his side. I just rolled my eyes. "I'm willing to provide you with lodgings for the night, but I'm not sure where. We only have a specific number of hammocks."

"Captain!" Nicholas burst through the canvas, pushing the Doctor and I out of his way as he proceeded towards the desk. I could only see a small fraction of his profile, but from what was visible I could tell he was scared. Maybe even slightly panicked. "Marcov is dead."

Adrienne's face dropped, and she reached out to gently touch Nicholas's forearm. "A moment of silence for your fallen friend, then."

My heart ached. Marcov was no doubt one of the men who'd fought off the beast. And he'd died doing it. If I hadn't fallen, if I'd just kept running, he might still live. I knew his death wasn't my fault, but I felt connected in some way. So, I bowed my head and prayed for him, despite the fact that I hadn't been to church since I was a little girl.

"Now," Adrienne's gentle voice broke the silence. "Go fetch one of the burial skins from the store, and give him a proper funeral."

Nicholas nodded, and sneered at us as he hurried out of the tent.

Adrienne sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Well, at least I have a hammock for you now." And then she smiled.

A/N: Alright, I've nearly finished another chapter, so I thought I'd post this. We're getting near the end, now. It's actually rather sad. I'll miss this story a lot when it's finished.

Anyways, I'm afraid I don't have much time. Basketball tournament today, and I have to leave in less than an hour. I also still need to get ready, so... yeah. Thankfully, I only have one more day of school, and then I'm free! FREE!

Oh, and thanks a lot for being so understanding about the slow updates. Seriously, I've been super bust lately.

Anyways, I'll leave it at that. I really have to go! Bye!