AUTHORS NOTE: Here's a thanks to my first Reviewer! (hands out a bouquet of flowers and some candied almonds) Thank you so much!

Now, onto the story.

CHAPTER FOUR:

The Fight

She didn't know who "Jimmy" was, but the look on her captors face didn't bode well for him.

Her captor moved infront of her, his back to her, one arm flung out protectively, like he was guarding her. Despite the craziness, she felt a trickle of warmth in her heart from the gesture. `He may be completely cucoo and loud but, in his own way, I think he's just trying to protect me.` She thought of the furs and the cooked rabbit. `How was this guy RAISED!?`

Maybe he was one of those feral kids all grown up…..but those claws….. `A mutant.` she realized with a jerk, wondering why she hadn't come to that conclusion sooner.

"VIIIIICTOR!"

She jumped again at the yell, much closer this time.

The feral mutant glared at her. "STAY HERE!"

She could only nod mutely, still clutching the furs to her.

The blonde behemoth then flung open the cabin door and, just as quickly, was outside and had slammed it shut.

…..

James Logan Howlett, alias Wolverine, growled low in his throat as his bigger brother stepped out of the dilapidated cabin, stinking of the unwashed, his long, dishwater blonde hair matted, sharp teeth barred.

"I heard you kidnapped yourself a hiker, Victor. Didya forget the agreement you had with the professor? I shoulda known you'd be too animal to stick with it."

With a snickt Logans adamantium claws came out.

Sabretooth let out a rumbling growl. "Jimmy….."

…..

Professor Charles Xavier sat nearby in the sleek, black Bentley, two fingers pressed against his temples, projecting his mind, trying to sort through the haze of emotion that was in Sabretooths mind. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

*Logan…* he reached for the feral team member of the X-men. *LOGAN!*

*Not now, Chuck, I'm busy!*

…

Without another word, almost as if sensing a cue recognizable only to them, both Sabretooth and Wolverine launched themselves at each other, claws and adamantium barred.

They clashed in the middle like two great forces of nature, the air charged with their growls like electricity.

"You just couldn't do it, could you!?" Logan growled, slashing four large cuts into Sabretooths chest. Four cuts that healed instantly. "You just HAD to kill!"

Logan promptly found himself thrown into a tree, his own hard head meeting hard oak.

"She's MINE!" Sabretooth roared, barreling after him, but his little brother slipped underneath him and stood, whirling around to slam his claws into Sabretooths back, trying to sever his spine.

*LOGAN! STOP!*

It was then that Victor Creed caught the scent of wind and gardenias. The wind witch. Sabretooth roared his race to the heavens, turning to attack this new threat.

…..

When the white haired woman with beautiful chocolate skin was the one who opened the door, Cassie nearly fainted with relief.

"Miss. Andrews." Ororo said soothingly, holding out both hands in a 'peace' gesture. "We're here to rescue you. You are safe now, but we must hurry."

Ororo took note of the still blazing fire, the rabbit skins and bones on the floor with the blood, the furs wrapped around the young shell-shocked woman. "Are you injured?"

The brunette shook her head, eyes huge.

"We must leave, quickly. Come now." She went to help the young woman rise when a great clawed hand reached in and grabbed her around the neck, yanking her backwards.

Cassie screamed, clutching her hands together at her face, digging her nails into her skin.

"SHE'S MINE!"

"STORM!" the other man yelled.

"ENOUGH!" that voice not only rang through the air, but in their heads and suddenly both Wolverine and Sabretooth froze, as still as statues with only their eyes moving with rage.

Then she heard it again, this time personally inside of her head. *Miss. Andrews, please, calm yourself. Everything is alright. Now, please, dress yourself and come out. No-one will hurt you. You are safe."

…

For awhile everything seemed to become a blur. She managed to dress herself, somehow, then she was outside to find her captor and another just as well muscled man (but considerably shorter) frozen like stone, the beautiful African American woman standing and rubbing her throat with one hand.

Then a man in a wheel-chair who still managed to sit with great dignity and power and also managed to look extremely handsome without any hair.

Her mind produced the random thought that somehow it was only possible for men to make the 'no-hair-look' look sexy.

The man in the wheel-chair smiled at her gently. "Miss. Andrews, please follow my friend Ororo here, she'll take you to a car. Do not worry, you're quite safe."

She blinked at him, but allowed herself to be gently led away by the African woman, not seeing the man in the wheel-chair lose his comforting visage and becoming completely stone serious as he faced the two frozen ferals.

END CHAPTER

VOCABULARY:

VISAGE: (viz'ij) n. the face, especially as showing ones feelings