Kiera's heart had hardly slowed down since the metallic beast had stopped moving. With her back still pressed flush against the wall she pushed herself to her feet. This was something that Kiera had never anticipated she would experience.
She took one step forward and the lion shifted forward. There was a dull thud and suddenly she was sliding forward slightly. She regained her footing before cautiously continuing forward. As soon as her foot touched the ramp she ran the rest of the way down. Her mind was racing with a scared excitement, heightening her senses, she was surprised to say she liked it.
She turned back to the red lion, watching as it rose back up to it's sitting position, continuing its silent vigil over the empty desert.
A vibration echoed in her mind. It was warm and inviting, like fingers running through her hair. She identified the sound that filled her head as a purr. "Did you hear that?" she asked, turning to hear a response. She wasn't looking to anyone in particular but her eyes zoned in on one soldier in particular.
He shook his head a confused look coming across his features as he adjusted his gun in his hands uncomfortably.
"Hear what exactly?" a voice spoke behind her.
Kiera turned only to find Peyton with a steady hand over his tablet ready to copy down everything she said.
"What was it like? Did you see the pilots chair?" He fired question after question off not giving her anytime to answer even if she wanted to.
Shiro's left hand landed on Peyton's shoulder quieting him. "Kiera are you alright?" Upon being interrupted Peyton frowned.
Kiera nodded, crossing her arms across her body. The adrenaline was coming down and her eye lids were feeling heavy plus with her not sleeping for the past few nights she was running on no energy. Hunk slipped a blanket over her shoulders and Kiera pulled it tight.
"We can talk more about this tomorrow," Hunk said stepping in. "It's been a long night for everyone."
As they made their way back to camp Peyton came up beside Kiera. Glancing over his shoulder as if we was avoiding someone, "You have to tell me everything tomorrow!" he whispered. He gave one last look over his shoulder before picking up his pace to follow behind the paladins.
The paladins were not to far ahead and she could hear talk of plans to return tomorrow in order to move the beast onto the ATLAS, but even from here she could tell the lion wanted more. Kiera furrowed her brows, since when was she able to tell what a mechanical beast wanted?
Even as they walked farther away from the red lion she could hear it's gentle purrs rolling through her mind. She dared to look back and from where she stood she saw the yellow eyes flash to life. The lion called out to her roaring as if she was a lost cub. Despite the fact that everyone was headed back towards camp she found herself drawn back out to the desert. It was enough, because the next thing she knew was that she was sprinting back towards the red lion. The blanket fluttering to the ground where she once one payed her any mind as she ran past her eyes only focused on this fascinating machine.
Keith happened to glance back. Almost immediately he noticed Kiera sprinting back towards the red lion its eyes glowing. Movement to his left drew his attention and what he saw sent him shouting orders.
In the sky making a slow descent to the lion was a galra cruiser. Drones were already being deployed making their way towards Kiera who was almost to the red lion. The sand kicked up as they landed sending swirls of the granules everywhere making it difficult to see. The night sky was lit with purple streaks as more and more drones landed.
"Kiera!" Keith called taking off after her. Protests came from the other paladins but he ignored them. The last thing he wanted to happen was for her to get captured. He called her name again hoping to get her to run back, but it was too late, the sentries were already upon her.
By the time she heard him she was already surrounded by sentries blasters all trained on her. She drew to a stop her hands coming up to hover just above her hips. She stood as if she was a statue her eyes trained only on the sentry in front of her.
"Hey!" Kiera heard Keith call out from behind her, "Let her go. She has no part in this."
The sentries didn't respond and instead pushed him into the middle of the circle. Keith slid across the sand to Kierra's side his back against her's. The sentries who had pushed him retrained their blasters on him. Four sentries entered the circle two of them holding cuffs, they quietly approached and restrained their hands before leading them back to be taken aboard the battle cruiser.
"Kiera, Whatever you do don't fight back." Keith mumbled, "Your paladin training starts now."