The Cathach

Chapter 10

For those who are fans of my fics (referring in particular to Pure evilness and The smiley Bandit) who simply MUST have the next part of this fic out as soon as possible, I hope you're happy! I should be studying for my exams, Dammit! Just kidding, I love you guys. Warnings same as previous Chapters, I don't own anything, they're all Mother Earth's creatures.



Duo guided Quatre through the ruined stables, trying not to retch at the sight of charred and bloody animal corpses. The building had remained relatively untouched by the fire that had ravaged the castle, but was still in tatters. Large gashes that looked suspiciously like claw marks were torn through the walls. A faint rustling could be heard in the large storeroom behind the destroyed stall.

/ What was that?/

" Probably just rats. Plenty of food for them here. Keep walking."

Another, louder rustle sounded from the storeroom.

/ It's not rats. It's bigger. Can we get out of here now?/

" Man, what's with the paranoia? You're probably just hearing things, and besides, we have to...."

Duo's words were cut off when both he and Quatre were rammed from the side by something large and fanged. Quatre crashed into the side of one of the ruined stalls and Duo was thrown through the window of the structure to land in a collection of bridles and chains suspended from the ceiling. He tried to grasp his dagger but saw it lying just beyond his reach, Two feet from where he was tangled in the metal and leather straps.

Quatre, meanwhile, was lying on his back and kicking at the creature holding him down. He finally managed to throw it off by hitching his stronger back legs under the demon's throat and catapulting it away from him. While he struggled to his feet, the demon turned its attention to a luckless Duo, trying to free himself from the horse trappings.

The demon sliced at the restraints with its long, rusted metal claws and grabbed Duo. The interlaced symbol on the faerie's head suddenly blasted the room with a bright silver glow, momentarily stunning the beast but temporarily weakening Duo. The demon quickly regained composure and flew out of the stable, dragging the braided Fenian along with it.

Trowa had been examining the remains of somebody's living quarters when something much larger than a bird flew over his head. When he looked up, Duo was struggling in the grasp of a fifteen-foot demon, barely managing to keep the creature's jagged yellow fangs away from his throat. A flash of silver and gold caught Trowa's attention, and before the alicorn could attempt to aid Duo, Trowa had Quatre held in place by the reins.

/ What are you doing? I have to help Duo! /

" There's no way you can fight that thing without hurting Duo. If you kill it, he'll fall to his death. Wait until we've figured out a plan."

Heero and Wufei rode their horses at break neck speed over to the auburn haired Fenian. Trowa could have sworn that he actually saw worry in Heero's eyes. Wufei turned his gaze towards the creature.

" I could kill it. No problem."

The Asian drew a long sword, emblazoned by the sign of the dragon, out of an elaborately decorated scabbard secured to Shenlong's side. Although it was certain that Wufei was the only one who could kill the demon without getting hurt himself, in his impulsiveness he had overlooked something that Heero duly pointed out.

" How are you going to get at it?"

Quatre impatiently shuffled his feet and cast worried glances at the sky, to where Duo's struggles were gradually losing strength. Trowa had a brainstorm.

" Wufei, get up on Quatre."

" Trowa, if I'm going to use a horse, I'll use Shenlong, not Duo's deer."

Quatre looked uneasily at Trowa, who shot a reassuring smile back at the immortal. Sighing, he unmasked the cloaking magic surrounding his horn and unfolded his wings. One jaw dropped, and their unemotional leader's eyes nearly filled his face. Trowa frowned.

" We don't have time to waste. Get on, I'll explain later."

Wufei, still pretty damn shocked, mounted the winged animal. Quatre snorted uncomfortably.

/ He's heavier than Duo. /

" Stop complaining and get going."

Wufei, looking decidedly bewildered, clung to Quatre's neck as the two powerful wings lashed the air and drove them up towards the fanged apparition and its braided captive.

Duo tried not to lose consciousness, more of a consequence of the demon's stinking breath than the fact that he was being throttled to within an inch of his life. Something jolted the creature suddenly, and it nearly dropped Duo in its surprise. The Fenian's indigo eyes widened when he saw Wufei approaching on the back of the alicorn, balancing precariously along the animal's spine because he had nowhere to put his legs.

Wufei soon forgot his initial surprise when actually confronted with the beast, so instead of continuing to dangle half on and half off of Quatre's back, he stood up between the alicorn's shoulderblades and swung himself onto the demon's back. Quatre hovered just beneath the squirming trio, ready to catch the person that fell first. Duo soon found himself surrounded by rustling white and silver feathers when Wufei cut off one of the demon's skeletal arms.

Meanwhile, Wufei was having a great time. The demon's claws raked across his arms in an effort to pry them from their stranglehold on it's matted, bloody ruff of fur, but not a scratch or even a bruise appeared on the flawless, deceptively soft caramel skin. The Asian actually laughed out loud at the creature's futile struggle, but the sound died in his throat when he lost his grip on his sword. Now the demon gave a guttural sound that resembled a chuckle and prepared to hurl Wufei to his death. Powerful as he was, Wufei wouldn't be able to kill it with his bare hands.

Duo watched the sword plummet, his hopes and his stomach following it. Suddenly, it halted in mid air and started flying back towards them. Duo briefly looked up to see Quatre's prism-like horn glowing a bright gold. The braided soldier reached out and grabbed the hilt of the sword as it passed him, and drew his energy reserves through his body until they collected at his forehead and the symbol of the Tuatha De Danann lit up the sky with a bright silver and purple flash of light. Shouting an incantation, he hurled the sword towards the demon and the shaft of metal drove itself into the creature's chest.

Wufei grabbed his sword and yanked it from the demon's corpse before he started falling. He closed his eyes at the swift rush of wind that stung his cheeks, but they were startled open when he found himself floating towards Duo and the alicorn. His previous amazement gripped him again, so that on the descent he could do nothing but grasp at Quatre's neck and wait for solid ground to reach his feet again.

Quatre set both tired soldiers down beside Heero, Trowa and the group's horses. Duo wiped the sweat from his forehead and closed his eyes. When they opened he met the stares of Heero and Wufei. The captain reached forward and yanked painfully at his braid.

" Talk. It's what you're good at."

Slowly, Duo recounted his tale and explained his situation to the Fenians. The only clearly displayed emotion from either was an occasionally raised eyebrow. Taking his focus away from their penetrating stares for a moment, he noticed that Trowa was standing beside Quatre, his hand playing with Quatre's mane hidden behind the alicorn's wing. Remembering how he had caught them earlier, Duo had to finish his story through ill timed laughter.

".... (gasp) and we passed all the (chuckle) tests, with thanks to my (snort) buddy here, and that's about it really. I think you know about everything that happened after that (snigger.)"

Heero glanced at the alicorn, then back at Duo. He heaved a sigh and silenced Duo's laughter.

" If this little incident had been discovered by J or one of the other seniors, you'd have been suspended immediately, maybe even executed for treason."

Duo turned a shade of white that nearly outstripped Quatre.

" However, we'll need all the help we can get. We may have use for you, if we still plan to rebel as the original Fianna wanted."

Duo cheered and slapped Heero across the back, wisely backing up when he saw that his captain wasn't amused.

" So where to now? Have we got a plan?"

" We go to Tara. An old fashioned assassination could be our best bet."

Duo cheered again and swung himself up on Quatre's back. Wufei eyed them both skeptically.

" Immortal or not, I don't think your deer would be adequate for our plans. You need a real horse."

The braided Fenian barely restrained Quatre from flipping the arrogant Asian off of his horse into a nearby pile of manure.

" Well, he has a human form."

" Would he be a weakness in our team, though?"

" Hell no! I wouldn't have made it this far without him. He's pretty darn capable."

Duo spoke this last statement with a wicked grin aimed at Trowa.

" Fine. We'll double up on the horses until we find another two."

" Okay, Q, shape-shift."

/ Get me some clothes and tell them to close their eyes first./

Duo grinned. It seemed that Quatre picked up a thing or two about modesty from being around people for so long. Heero and Wufei rolled their eyes at the request, but complied. When they opened them, a remarkably small human stood before them. Heero looked him up and down with a raised eyebrow.

" Better, I guess. Duo gets on Wing with me, and you get on Heavyarms with Trowa. It's not an ideal situation to have one Fenian riding another."

To Heero's surprise, Duo let out a howl of raucous laughter and Quatre's pale cheeks turned bright red.




"How did they enjoy their little expedition, Lady Une?"

Treize directed this question to his trusted advisor, who was counting a collection of recently invoked demons with a slight scowl across her face.

" Sir, we're missing one."

Formal though it sounded, Lady Une was the only person permitted to address Treize as "sir." For everyone else, bar his Senior chieftain Zechs Marquise, referred to him as "your highness." Zechs called him Treize.

" It's probably enjoying a meal right now, Lady. Mhac Fheirme provides wonderful banquets, I've heard. End the spell later, and don't worry about it."

Although Treize was a Catholic, his trusted advisor was skilled in a form of Satanism acquired in the land she had grown up in, now plundered and forgotten. Many of Treize's victories stood as victories of the Christian faith, never disproved because the demons that Une resurrected rarely left survivors.

" Sir, I sense an approaching danger."

" Danger, hm? Good. It's been rather boring around here, hasn't it?"

" But sir..."

The sound of a sword being removed from its scabbard cut off Lady Une's words. Treize regarded his reflection in the glossy metal.

" We'll be ready, Lady. No matter who it is."



Quick Gaelic lessons for those confused, if any:

Tuatha De Danann: TOY-HA DAY DAN-ANN.

Mhac Fheirme: VAWC FER-MA.

Cuculainn: COO-CU-LAN.

Inis Gloire: INN-ISH GLOY-RA.

That's it, right?