This is my disclaimer to all the Dragon Ball Z characters and the saiyan race. Trunks, Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, Goten, ChiChi, Bra, Bulma, and Videl are all Dragon Ball Z Characters from the cartoons.

Mkyi

Elizabeth Knight

The Raid #1

Mkyi

A mist rose off the hotspring and the face in the water looked clouded and distorted. Brazen red hair framed a small face with wide golden eyes that staired unseeingly into the misty blue water. A night breeze blew her hair this way and that. The weather on Mkyi was unusually dry this time of year. Since the earthlings and saiyans moved to Mkyi with their destructive machines the climate had slowly started changing. Cities popped up where lush green vallies had once been. There were bare fields of nothing but strange imported plants where there used to grow fields of flowers. Zantha closed her eyes and spread her arms concentrating on the form she wanted and within moments the dark bat like wings unfurled and her tail whipped around her ancles. When her long lashes fluttered upward the cat like eyes that peered out were molten gold with dark amber flecks in them. They went to fight the enemy this night, to take back their homeland. There would be many destroyed, but there weren't many of her kind left anyway. This was the last stand of the desperate. Zantha climbed the nearest tree with ease. Unsheathing her claws she dug them deeper into a smaller limb near the top. She climbed out as far as she could on the limb and then jumped forward. She fell only a few inches before her wings filled with suficient air to carry her forward. She flew with great speed and rejoined her kind quickly. The first city wasn't far.

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Trunks looked out over the landscape from the tower. He'd just taken to his post when the first signs of trouble began to creep in around them. The first signs of an attack was an unlikely mist that began to blow in. It was the natives defense. How could you fight something you couldn't see? The saiyans were by far stronger, but the creature looked exactly alike and most had different powers, so you never knew. Some could hypnotize, some were telepathic, some were changlings, and so forth. The list went on and on. Some had wings and tails and others big paws and animalistic faces of what could be assorted cats, dogs, or bears of any kind. The changlings were by far the most dangerous, because they could look just like humans or saiyans. As the warning sirens to take cover started going off , Trunks wondered what all they'd be facing this evening. As Trunks turned around, he saw his father flying toward him already powered up for the on coming flight.

"That will make you an easy target. How many are there?" Trunks ask once his father landed.

"We're not sure. Goten said their were flyers in the group this time so we're all needed for an airial attack as well as the ground forces." Vegeta frowned.

All they had done sice leaving earth was fight aliens, but Trunks knew his father relished in it. As for himself, it was all becoming old. Before Trunks had a chance to power up a figure flew through the tower taking Vegeta out the other side. It was so quick and out of no where Trunks was momentarily stunned.

"_____!"he heard Vegeta yell, and when Trunks looked he could see the alien sink her fangs into his neck to hold him in place and grab both his hands. As Vegeta's power transferred to the beast on his back, Trunks flew into action. They hadn't sensed her coming. Trunks shot the cross bow on his arm, but she was quicker, dodging to the side. The arrow caught her in the shoulder and she dropped a drained Vegeta. Trunks altered his course to catch his father before he fell on the spiked fence below. Trunks took the sack of sensu beans from his belt and opened it to give one to his father. Vegeta ate it quickly and then powered up again. Trunks handed him the cross bow that had fallen off his arm. Their power blasts and ki's didn't always work on the enamy because they absorbed the power of the blasts and could send them back. In cases like this their powers were useless and they had to resort to premative weapons that would pierce the enamy's soft flesh.

"After her!" Vegeta yelled at him as he took off in the same direction as the beast. A moments confusion over came Trunks as a lazer blast from the ground streaked in front of him. He looked around him but Vegeta was gone somewhere in the direction of the bell tower. Trunks took off in that direction too. He crawled into the window and heard the scuffle on the other side of the roof. Heading that way he passed under a large bell and bearly had time to look up before a flash of red hair blinded him.

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Taking him to the ground, Zantha tried to use him as a shield against the hard wood floor that was racing up to meet them. She hadn't ment to fall on him. She'd hidden in the bell, but couldn't keep her grip on the slick metal. Kyle had taken care of the one that had followed her, but this one had followed too. She growled as she rolled off of him and lept out the nearest window. She almost fell, not realy having the strength to fly. She'd lost too much blood already. She had to find a hiding spot away from the fighting. There was a building up ahead and a glass window. She turned and whipped the end of her tail twords it and fell through the opening the glass shattered from it's window pain. She landed on her shoulder and rolled. She vagely heard a woman shriek and a child cry. She lifted herself upon one elbow and looked at them. The two women would almost be identical twins if it wasn't for the obvious fact of their different ages. They had pale blue hair and blue eyes. The woman held a small bundle in her arms with a black tail snaked around her wrist.

"Zantha!"

As she looked over her shoulder seh saw Kyle in the window. He crawled in and gathered her up in his arms. Kyle through a surprized look over her head at one of the women in the room but then turned and crawled back out the window to the ground. He dashed for the trees at the far end of the city. Zantha closed her eyes and shifted into a less burdensom form. Kyle set her on her feet and shifted as they ran.

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If the two cats made it into the jungle they'd lose them for sure. Vegeta kept his eyes on the tiger next to the panther. Although wounded she was progressing rapidly. The trees would hinder his flight so he made his way to a clearing just beyond the first string of trees. Trunks followed on his heals and when they landed they stayed absolutely silent. Chanses were they wouldn't find the two unless they could find her blood trail. Trunks walked toward the edge of the trees to one side figuring that they would have stayed in the trees rather than dash across the clearing where they might be seen. He didn't have to venture far in to find the trail of bright blue blood he was looking for. It was the same as that which was smeared all over his chest plate. When she'd crashed into him he'd noticed the arrow pertruding from the shoulder that had connected with his chest. She was the same one he'd shot. Vegeta was just a head of him, having found the trail himself. His father hadn't lost a battle to any alien since they'd arrived and Trunks knew he didn't intend to lose this one either. It was a pride thing.

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It was almost dawn when they reached the rocky out cropping that was burried deep in the jungle. Vegeta was heading up the side of it looking for any sign of the alien's passing. Half an hour ago they'd lost the trail. The two must have stopped to bandage the wound quickly or else they would have found her lifeless body by now. The aliens tended to be free bleeders on occasion and considering how minor the shoulder wound and how much blood there had been he was surprised she wasn't dead yet. Vegeta was only a few feet away when Trunks heard something rushing off in the opposite direction.

"Dad over there." Trunks pointed up over the ridge where the sound was coming from. Vegeta flew up over the ledge and took off in that direction. Trunks was about to follow when he caught sight of a strange imprint in the ground and upon further study noticed a blood stain and a feather from his arrow. When he looked around he found tracks leading upward. Silently he followed them to a small opening he hadn't noticed before. Trunks ducked down and inside the small cave. He saw her instantly because of the red hair. He quickened his step over to her. Bending down he grabbed her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. Molten gold colored eyes fluttered open, glazed over as if with fever. Her head lolled back over his arm and her mouth fell open to reveal sharp fangs. Her hair was slicked back from sweat and her skin was burning. Trunks glanced at the festering wound with the arrow still pertruding out of it. He'd hit her further into her chest than he'd originally thought. She moaned softly and he heard a voice calling a name.

*Kyle? Kyle help me.*

It was soft and light. Seductive and fading quickly. Trunks looked up at her face and then around the cave, but they were alone and she hadn't moved her mouth.

*Kyle hurry.*the voice whispered.

Trunks layed her down and reached for the arrow. He broke off the feather end and pushed the point the rest of the way through her shoulder. Since it had entered at an angle it exited just right above her shoulder blade. In an instant he felt something sharp piercing his upper arm. He swung his arm around throwing her back. Her cat eyes flashed with pain and anger. Trunks grasp the gaping wound on his arm and glaired at her. She was hideous looking, cowering there in the corner, and hissing to keep him at bay. A snarl slashed across her face, but she didn't make to attack her.

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Zantha awoke from her nightmare with a fierce pain ripping through her chest. She tried to clear her view and when hse did she saw the lavender haired saiyan she'd faught. The pain ripped at her insides and she was sure he was killing her. She had to get away. Using all her strength, she raised up and latched onto the arm nearest her face. He imediately turned, and she went flying back to pull her body closer to her. He sat there just stairing at her for a few moments and grasping his arm. Zantha staired back still growling. He had eyes like she'd never seen before. They were ice blue, but seemed to blaze as if they were on fire. He had full lips and nicely defined cheek bones. His long lavender hair fell forward over his brow and shoulders as he looked back at his wound. She cocked her head to one side and surveyed it as well. It wasn't as bad as it looked. It had ripped his skin since he'd pulled back, but it would heal quickly. It might leave a scar. When she raised her eyes to his face he was stairing at her shoulder. For the first time she glanced at it and noticed the arrow had been practically removed. Most of it was sticking out her back, but the other end lay at her feet. Her arm just hung hung limp at her side. In a split second she was lying face down with his knee pressed between her wings and shoulder blades. She struggled but couldn't dislodge him.

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Trunks glanced at the wound on his arm and figured it wasn't more that a mere scratch. Her wound had however begun to bleed again. If it didn't get stopped soon it would be too late to do anything. He glanced at her face to decern if he would be able to catch her off guard, but her head hung to one side studying his wound. Without such an ugly scowl on her face she had rather exotic features. When she looked up he thought NOW! Leaping forward he pulled her down in front of him and grabbed the arrow. It only took a second to finish pulling it through. He glanced down but she had passed out from the pain. He stuffed moss into the wound to staunch the bleeding and layed her back on the floor. If she lived it would be a miricle.

"Trunks!" Vegeta called his name. It sounded from somewhere above him. Giving the alien a last glance over his shoulder he headed for the entrance.

"Wait!" came a week reply from behind him. He stopped and listened. There was silence for a few moments. He shook his head as if to shake off the thought and started away before she spoke again. "Thank you." she whispered. He looked back and saw the out stretched hand she'd managed to move. There was a strangely shaped object in her hand on a leather string. Reaching down he picked it up and as he heard the footsteps right outside the entrance he rushed forward. Vegeta was just about to poke his head in when Trunks emerged right in from of him.

"Did you find anything?" Trunks hastily asked blocking the enterance way.

"No. I lost the trail....and you I might add. What have you been doing?"

"I saw an opening up here and decided to investigate it."

"What was in it?"

Trunks fingered the strange object in his pocket. He thought he heard a sigh and then....

*Please.* He imediately began talking to cover up the sound. "Nothing. I found nothing there."

"Well, we'll find them again sometime, and when I do...." he let the sentence trail away.

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Zantha opened her eyes slowly as seh felt the gentle fingers prodding her wound. She was still in the cave but now Kyle was back, and he'd brought the council and Abigail, the healer, with him.

"You can imagine our surprize, Zantha, that your still alive." White Fang congratulated. "It must have taken a great deal of strength to pull that arrow out of your shoulder."

Zantha's mind whirled as she tried to grasp the implications in his voice, but her head was throbbing in pain. Something he'd said didn't quite sound right. Zantha shook her head and looked at all of them. Some looked curious and others suspicious. "I didn't pull the arrow out." she stated plainly.

White Fang came to crouch in front of her. "Then who did?" he ask quietly. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. This was a test. She knew it, but a test of what? Her loyalty? Her honesty perhaps? "A saiyan pulled it out."

"She's telling the truth. Only one followed me and I watched the other leave." Kyle informed them quietly from the back of the cavern.

"Why do you think he would do such a thing?" White Fang ask her.

Zantha shrugged as they staired at one another. He was an unusual looking ware wolf with one teal colored eye. He usually wore an eye patch but not today. They staired at one another for a second longer before he spoke.

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