Author's Note-I felt like updating twice in one day. So I did. Hope you
enjoy it. =;)
******
"Altaram and Tarnay. I never thought I'd see you two again," Ardeth told them, anger slightly evident in his voice.
"Yes, it is us. I didn't think you'd recognize us after all these years. After we were banished from the Medjai tribe after that small and meaningless incident all those years ago," Altaram replied, removing the cloth from around his face.
His face had the same tattoos as Ardeth.
"That was no 'meaningless' incident nor was it 'small'. Both of you caused turmoil in the entire tribe and nearly cost several their lives," Ardeth argued, breathing heavily.
"That's gone and done Ardeth. Now since you have been delivered right into my lap, we will have much fun with you. Especially since we can see you have been caught at a bad time," Altaram said with an evil smile.
He advanced torward the Medjai leader and lifted him to his feet. Tarnay walked over to them and punched Ardeth in the stomach.
Now his stomach felt worse than ever before. He thought for sure he would've vomited right on Altaram but Ardeth dropped right onto the sand. He held himself up as he spit out the vomit that was now in his mouth.
"That is only the beginning, old friend. There will be more soon enough. Put him in the tent with the other prisoners," Altaram replied with a smirk.
Ardeth glanced up at him once he heard that. He knew it had to be Marok and Catlanda. He prayed that they were both safe.
***
Catlanda laid in the corner of the tent, half asleep. Marok sat near the front of their cage, watching and waiting for somebody.
"I wish there was something we do to stop these guys," he muttered to himself.
He stood up and walked back to Catlanda, who was still in dreamland despite his movements.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps outside the tent. Marok snapped his head towards the opening as he heard the obvious signs of a struggle. Someone was about to join them.
Two guards brought in the new prisoner in. Marok gasped when he saw it was Ardeth being thrown inside with them.
"Ardeth," he said, his eyes wide open.
The Medjai leader looked at him before a smile crept upon his face.
"Marok, you're alright. Where's Catlanda?" he asked as he crawled over to him.
Marok sighed as he looked over at the corner. Ardeth followed his gaze to see her there, not moving.
"What's wrong with her?" Ardeth reluctantly asked.
Marok waited a moment before answering.
"She's been shot by Altaram, Ardeth. In her shoulder. I managed to stop the bleeding but she needs better help before it gets worse," Marok replied with a shake of his head.
Ardeth's heart fell even further than his stomach once he had a better look at her.
***
Rick fell backwards onto the ground, a weight keeping him pinned down. He felt something licking his face. His hands managed to find the creature on him and push it off.
What he found was that his 'attacker' was Isis.
"Isis, how're you? What are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn't you be with Ardeth?" Rick asked her, knowing that she couldn't answer him.
Isis whimpered as she walked away from him to behind the rock. Rick narrowed his eyes as he followed her movements.
"What's wrong? What's back there?" he wondered.
He got up and walked towards it as she pulled out the Spire from its hiding spot. His shoulders now were slumped as he saw it. He picked it up and put a hand on his face.
"This must've been what I saw just now. There's no way he would've left without it. He was taken prisoner, no doubt by the same men who took Catty and Marok," he growled. "They will so pay for this."
He climbed back onto the horse.
"Isis, which direction did they go in?" he asked the cat.
The lynx started to sprint off into the desert and Rick promptly followed her.
***
Sharak's horse raced across the desert.
"Please, let me find them. I need to find them," he pleaded.
He stopped atop a sand dune and looked around before he returned to his search.
***
Ardeth sat beside Catlanda. Marok watched him carefully.
"Ardeth, what's wrong?" he asked.
Ardeth snapped back to reality and gazed at the younger Medjai.
"No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" he replied.
"Besides of the fact you're more agitated than what you usually are? No, there couldn't possibly be any reason at all," Marok sarcastically replied.
"Cut the sarcasm Marok. There's something on my mind yes, but it's something that doesn't involve you or Catlanda," Ardeth replied.
"I don't think so. I mean, both her and I were brought here for a reason. Now you show up and your mind is off somewhere else. Now what is it?" Marok demanded of him.
"Daddy?" came a quiet voice.
Ardeth looked to see Catlanda was now awake.
"Catlanda, are you alright?" Ardeth asked her, worry in his voice.
"Why aren't you back with the others? You're hurt and you need to get better," she whispered to him.
"I came for you sweetheart. I have to keep it no matter what. No matter what," he replied, the tears in his eyes as he gave her a hug.
The conversation was cut short when Altaram and Tarnay walked into the tent.
"Good afternoon everybody. I suppose you all have become aquainted now," Tarnay said with a smile.
Altaram glared at Ardeth, who never noticed it.
"Guards! Take him out. I'm going to have some fun with him now," ordered Altaram, pointing at Ardeth.
Two guards went in and grabbed Ardeth by his arms. The pain in his shoulders increased with the movement. He cried out in pain. He could barely stand on his own two feet as the two held him up.
"Ardeth, no!" cried Marok.
"So, it appears you are injured as well as sick. Interesting," Altaram mused. "Bring him!"
They walked out of the tent, leaving Marok and Catlanda vey distraught as they looked at each other.
***
Ardeth was dragged to Altaram's tent, where the man produced a whip.
"You can kill me but you'll never get away with this. Catlanda would hunt you down to the ends of the Earth if you did and she managed to escape," Ardeth told him.
"Oh really? Why do you say that now? How is she related to you?" Altaram wondered with curiousity in his voice.
Ardeth didn't answer him but looked away instead.
"You won't tell me. I'll find out soon enough but first..." he said, turning to face the guards. "Expose his back."
The clothing was ripped from his back and he was positioned so that it faced Altaram. His eyes widened at the already nasty cut on Ardeth's shoulders. Tarany smiled from beside him.
"So this must be the injury you must have suffered just recently. Very interesting indeed," he smirked, lifting up the whip. "Besides, consider this as payback for everything."
He snapped it down on Ardeth's back and continued on, causing him to cry out each time.
***
Catlanda heard the cries as did Marok. Tears were streaming down her face as she covered her ears to block the cries of pain.
"No, this can't be happening. This can't be happening," she said quietly said to herself.
Marok wrapped his arms around her. He brought her closer to him.
"There's nothing we can do for him now except wait and pray," he whispered into her ear.
TBC...
******
"Altaram and Tarnay. I never thought I'd see you two again," Ardeth told them, anger slightly evident in his voice.
"Yes, it is us. I didn't think you'd recognize us after all these years. After we were banished from the Medjai tribe after that small and meaningless incident all those years ago," Altaram replied, removing the cloth from around his face.
His face had the same tattoos as Ardeth.
"That was no 'meaningless' incident nor was it 'small'. Both of you caused turmoil in the entire tribe and nearly cost several their lives," Ardeth argued, breathing heavily.
"That's gone and done Ardeth. Now since you have been delivered right into my lap, we will have much fun with you. Especially since we can see you have been caught at a bad time," Altaram said with an evil smile.
He advanced torward the Medjai leader and lifted him to his feet. Tarnay walked over to them and punched Ardeth in the stomach.
Now his stomach felt worse than ever before. He thought for sure he would've vomited right on Altaram but Ardeth dropped right onto the sand. He held himself up as he spit out the vomit that was now in his mouth.
"That is only the beginning, old friend. There will be more soon enough. Put him in the tent with the other prisoners," Altaram replied with a smirk.
Ardeth glanced up at him once he heard that. He knew it had to be Marok and Catlanda. He prayed that they were both safe.
***
Catlanda laid in the corner of the tent, half asleep. Marok sat near the front of their cage, watching and waiting for somebody.
"I wish there was something we do to stop these guys," he muttered to himself.
He stood up and walked back to Catlanda, who was still in dreamland despite his movements.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps outside the tent. Marok snapped his head towards the opening as he heard the obvious signs of a struggle. Someone was about to join them.
Two guards brought in the new prisoner in. Marok gasped when he saw it was Ardeth being thrown inside with them.
"Ardeth," he said, his eyes wide open.
The Medjai leader looked at him before a smile crept upon his face.
"Marok, you're alright. Where's Catlanda?" he asked as he crawled over to him.
Marok sighed as he looked over at the corner. Ardeth followed his gaze to see her there, not moving.
"What's wrong with her?" Ardeth reluctantly asked.
Marok waited a moment before answering.
"She's been shot by Altaram, Ardeth. In her shoulder. I managed to stop the bleeding but she needs better help before it gets worse," Marok replied with a shake of his head.
Ardeth's heart fell even further than his stomach once he had a better look at her.
***
Rick fell backwards onto the ground, a weight keeping him pinned down. He felt something licking his face. His hands managed to find the creature on him and push it off.
What he found was that his 'attacker' was Isis.
"Isis, how're you? What are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn't you be with Ardeth?" Rick asked her, knowing that she couldn't answer him.
Isis whimpered as she walked away from him to behind the rock. Rick narrowed his eyes as he followed her movements.
"What's wrong? What's back there?" he wondered.
He got up and walked towards it as she pulled out the Spire from its hiding spot. His shoulders now were slumped as he saw it. He picked it up and put a hand on his face.
"This must've been what I saw just now. There's no way he would've left without it. He was taken prisoner, no doubt by the same men who took Catty and Marok," he growled. "They will so pay for this."
He climbed back onto the horse.
"Isis, which direction did they go in?" he asked the cat.
The lynx started to sprint off into the desert and Rick promptly followed her.
***
Sharak's horse raced across the desert.
"Please, let me find them. I need to find them," he pleaded.
He stopped atop a sand dune and looked around before he returned to his search.
***
Ardeth sat beside Catlanda. Marok watched him carefully.
"Ardeth, what's wrong?" he asked.
Ardeth snapped back to reality and gazed at the younger Medjai.
"No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" he replied.
"Besides of the fact you're more agitated than what you usually are? No, there couldn't possibly be any reason at all," Marok sarcastically replied.
"Cut the sarcasm Marok. There's something on my mind yes, but it's something that doesn't involve you or Catlanda," Ardeth replied.
"I don't think so. I mean, both her and I were brought here for a reason. Now you show up and your mind is off somewhere else. Now what is it?" Marok demanded of him.
"Daddy?" came a quiet voice.
Ardeth looked to see Catlanda was now awake.
"Catlanda, are you alright?" Ardeth asked her, worry in his voice.
"Why aren't you back with the others? You're hurt and you need to get better," she whispered to him.
"I came for you sweetheart. I have to keep it no matter what. No matter what," he replied, the tears in his eyes as he gave her a hug.
The conversation was cut short when Altaram and Tarnay walked into the tent.
"Good afternoon everybody. I suppose you all have become aquainted now," Tarnay said with a smile.
Altaram glared at Ardeth, who never noticed it.
"Guards! Take him out. I'm going to have some fun with him now," ordered Altaram, pointing at Ardeth.
Two guards went in and grabbed Ardeth by his arms. The pain in his shoulders increased with the movement. He cried out in pain. He could barely stand on his own two feet as the two held him up.
"Ardeth, no!" cried Marok.
"So, it appears you are injured as well as sick. Interesting," Altaram mused. "Bring him!"
They walked out of the tent, leaving Marok and Catlanda vey distraught as they looked at each other.
***
Ardeth was dragged to Altaram's tent, where the man produced a whip.
"You can kill me but you'll never get away with this. Catlanda would hunt you down to the ends of the Earth if you did and she managed to escape," Ardeth told him.
"Oh really? Why do you say that now? How is she related to you?" Altaram wondered with curiousity in his voice.
Ardeth didn't answer him but looked away instead.
"You won't tell me. I'll find out soon enough but first..." he said, turning to face the guards. "Expose his back."
The clothing was ripped from his back and he was positioned so that it faced Altaram. His eyes widened at the already nasty cut on Ardeth's shoulders. Tarany smiled from beside him.
"So this must be the injury you must have suffered just recently. Very interesting indeed," he smirked, lifting up the whip. "Besides, consider this as payback for everything."
He snapped it down on Ardeth's back and continued on, causing him to cry out each time.
***
Catlanda heard the cries as did Marok. Tears were streaming down her face as she covered her ears to block the cries of pain.
"No, this can't be happening. This can't be happening," she said quietly said to herself.
Marok wrapped his arms around her. He brought her closer to him.
"There's nothing we can do for him now except wait and pray," he whispered into her ear.
TBC...