20

The land was stark, no life apart from those attacking one another and it was so barren that there was not even dust rising from the footfalls of battle.

Reds and oranges, like the landscape was on fire, the sun a deep burgundy red as it died slowly in the background, another brighter sun beyond it quickening it's demise as the two factions fought.

Harbinger and Grey Man… these Grey Men were larger, longer limbed and stronger. The animals they were fighting were huge, untamed and unfettered like the more normal version asleep on the foot of the bed as Ianto sighed and moved restlessly in his slumber.

There was not supposed to be weapons. This was a gentleman's agreement to meet here in Death Valley for battle but the Grey Men had deceived them and the sanctioned fight was in effect, a trap. Mind you, many had said it was beforehand, had argued, fought, begged, wept but the powers that be had believed these grey bastards that it would be a fair battle and they would adhere to gentleman's rules.

A cry to his left had him turning to see a beautiful woman die, her lips curled back from her teeth as the Grey Man fired again, taking out part of her muzzle and silencing her scream of pain. She flew back last him, her lambs loose and ribbony as she was already dead now and he crouched to allow her body it's natural arc to the ground behind him then he focused on the Grey Man with the Sonic Blaster that was thinking he could aim at him next.

With a roar he leap at him, his mouth wide as he let himself grow and he saw the raw fear in the Grey Ma's face as those almond eyes grew with horror and the Harbinger the size of a bus descended.

He tasted wrong.

Bad.

Ianto choked in the bed, his grimace severe as he dry wretched in his sleep writhing away from the smell and the taste of this foul creature that was being ripped to sheds as a bite of pain had him lifting his head to look at another Grey Man firing on him.

Really?

You think those silly little guns can penetrate MY hide?

Then one opened up with a new weapon a face full of hated and manic glee as he fired and the first jolt of pain had him yelping as he felt himself….

IANTO… WAKE UP

Ianto sat up and looked around, Myfanwy sitting beside him with a paw on his chest to ease him back down and he found himself going over the dream. Not as strong, not as cruel or severe…it had ended sooner than..oh.

Ianto turned his head to find Jack laying there awake, his hand nestled in Ianto's' and Ianto knew he had called him out of it, had helped him release himself from the grip of the terror. "Hey"

Jack pulled him into his arms and they settled again, Ianto taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes and listened to that heartbeat of a good man.

That weapon had been different. It was something he had not focused on before… so much happening but now... in the dark and safety he milled over that image, the split second of arm swing and gun… no. That was not a Sonic was it.

.

.

The next day Ianto and Myfanwy went exploring. Jack did not see them go but had no worries about them so when he got a spike of alarm form somewhere he was on his feet and running in that direction without a second thought.

Owen saw him vault the fence and keep going, following with his own concern. He seized a first aid kit as he left the house and Toshiko looked up from the garden she was weeding with some of the others, sitting back on her heels to frown and wonder what the hell was going on now.

Jack fond Ianto tin the woods, crouching by a dog in distress and for a moment Jack feared the worst then saw it was not Myfanwy who was standing back with open fear, shifting from foot to foot.

"What is it!" Owen demanded as he came to stop behind Jack, panting from the run.

"A trap." Ianto said as he tried to touch it again only to yelp and fall back. Jack crouched and looked with horror at what Ianto was pawing at and seized Ianto's' hands that were torn and bloody from trying to rescue the mutt.

"Ianto… it's a kill snare. It will not release the dog, it will continue to burrow into the flesh until it severs the limb completely, slow and painful death for any animal caught." Jack said softly.

"Where the fuck did THAT come from" Owen said as Jack drew his Webley and fired.

"Them" Ianto said with despair "These are Harbinger Hangs. Designed to sever a paw and rendering the creature unable to transform to another form."

"So they are here" Owen rose to look around with concern "Come on, inside the walls."

He was right.

Ianto turned to reach out for Myfanwy but Jack was already there lifting the dog in his arms, no easy feat as he said to Ianto "Put your feet where I put mine. Where there is one, there are more."

They all obeyed, even as Owen glanced back into the dark woods with open fear.