CAJUN CINNAMON
Book One of the Annwn Ryu Cycle

Chapter XX / Chapter 20

"Distances"

Somehow, someway, Cayanne knew she was sleeping.
Her senses were fuzzy around the edges, confusing.
All, oddly enough, but her sense of taste.
Metallic.
Flat.
She knew that taste, felt the familiar desire to gag, to clear her mouth out.
Because what she tasted was too familiar, too much a foggy, distorted memory.
It made her mouth ache where her teeth clenched down, closing off her only sense, nightmare-sense.
The taste made her want to howl with rage and pain and horror.
Because the taste in her mouth was blood.
And she knew, in the dull, horrible way that dream-agony brought, that that blood -
Was human.

Logan felt the random movements of the young Cajun resting against his side become sharper, more
violent.
Desperate.
Gently, he pulled her back against him, a bit awkwardly, felt her athletic, thin frame shiver,
murmered, "It's okay, darlin'. Yer safe. It's okay."
He knew words were fragile things, but he hoped, somewhere in the teen-ager's savaged mind, she
would understand, take comfort from, his tone and gentle grasp.
But all he knew at the moment was that he held her, held onto her, hoped that she would rest a
little longer, find some level of peace.

Scott was the first person to discover the absence of both Logan and Cayanne.
Knowing something was very wrong - he had a very very bad feeling - he had immediately headed
toward Xavier's office.
Hank passed him in the corridor and smiled. "The young man Cayanne rescued has recovered enough
that I belive he can be removed from the life-support tank in a few days." he reported, a look of
relief in his eyes. Though he had not wanted to think about it, the brilliant scientist had feared
the boy might not recover. A fear Hank was pleased to find foundless.
"That's wonderful." Scott replied, feeling a tight knot of worried tension release. He found a grin
for his friend despite his other concerns.
"I belive something else is troubling you, Oh Fearless." he said, gentle teasing masking his true and
compassionate concern.
Scott sighed. "I could never hide anything from you, Hank." he observed, shaking his head.
"One of my many charms." The other mutant smiled faintly.
"Logan and Cayanne are missing." Scott finally said. "I know some people think Logan would just take off, and Cayanne's pretty private, but something just doesn't feel right."
"Have you told the Professor?" asked the blue-furred mutant, concerned now.
"I'm headed there now."
"I need to check on the boy, but if you need anything...."
"Thanks, Hank."
Hank nodded, then started down the other corridor to the MedLab.

Xavier was startled when the door banged open and Zane came charging through it, violet eyes ablaze with fury - and something deeper.
Fear.
"You promised ta keep her safe!" he raged, body rising a few inches off the floor as crackling sparks of electricity flickered along his body. "What happened? Where is she?!"
"Zane!" Scott, hearing the commotion, came rushing to the rescue. "Calm down!"
Ororo, who had been coming from the opposite direction, came over to rest a hand on the boy's shoulder. To everyone's shock, the angelic blonde shook her hand off as if burned. "Don't touch me, you damn witch! The next time you touch me, you'll haul back a bloody stump!"
Lightning crashed, and clouds rolled in, thick and black, and rain skittered against the glass.
Xavier opened his mouth to reasure the weather mutant, but her wide eyes and quick shake of her head made him turn his attention to the boy, who stood stiff and furious, just inside the door. He glared back, and snarled, "We'll find her. Just keep your pet whore away from me!" And, with a series of curses that made even Scott look twice, the boy stomped off, yelling for Brendan.
Everyone was shocked, and Ororo had a look of bewilderment on her face that could only be honest.
The hatred that roiled off Zane was touched by fear, and by pain, but the loathing he felt for Ororo
Munroe was beyond anything Xavier had ever sensed.

Cayanne woke with a gulped back gasp, sitting up so fast she almost banged her head into Logan's chin.
Releasing her breath in a forced-calm burst, she glanced up at him a moment, smiled and shrugged, and
would have left it at that - except for the empathy in the man's eyes.
Not sympathy.
Empathy.
They regarded each other a moment longer, as a knock sounded on the door to the cabin.

Zane leaned against the door, breathing in and out in slow bursts. He was counting, like Cayanne had
taught him, all those years ago. Centuries, it felt like.
One. Breathe in, hold it just a second. Thunder crashed and he closed his eyes tighter.
Two. Breathe out, slowly now....Should've killed that damn woman, should've could've....
BANG. The lightning shook the mansion into an almost-tremble, and Zane gulped in air.
Three. Breathe in...
"Z-Zane?" Liam's voice, soft and gentle, shy as always. Always as if he expected a blow to fall, a curse to be snarled, always slightly nervous, always slightly afraid.
"Li, sorry, just can't quite...." He took a shuddering breath. "You were right. She ain't here."
The gauze-wrapped hand came up slowly, rested against his chest as Zane fought the rage down.
It was one thing to see the woman he hated more than anyone else in the world in a classroom, yammering something about the price of coal in Bolivia or something, but to be in a room and her have the gall to touch him, that was something else!
Reaching out, he gathered the smaller boy to his chest, feeling the tremors there.
Damn, he swore at himself. Li must've felt that, all of that. Damn damn damn...
"A-are y-you...o-okay?" Liam's arms wrapped around Zane's athletic frame, a shield of reassurance,
comfort.
"Yeah." Not true completely, but at least he wasn't reduced to counting like a three-year-old.
Liam tipped his head back, regarding Zane with concerned eyes.
"Don't worry, we gotta figure out what to do next." Zane said, pushing gently off the wall and wrapping his left arm around Liam's almost-thin frame.
"W-we sh-should t-tell the o-others." Somehow, every statement Liam made came out partly a question.
"Yeah." Zane agreed, falling in step with his companion. "But not that we've been backstabbed. Again."
"Th-they d-d-did not kn-know." Liam's voice shook, Zane subtley held him closer.
"Yeah, but they made a promise when we first got here, and damn well I don't trust them in a mile of the Prodigals. Until we know what happened and why, they're safer with the LeBeaus."
Liam nodded solumnly, though the aura of sadness around him deepened. "Th-they w-will b-be s-safe." he whispered.
"Don't worry, Li." Zane said, voice gentled by his feelings for the smaller boy. "We Hidden stick
together. Now an' ferever." His eyes gleamed with danger, lightning-flickers appearing in his incredibly blue, vivid eyes. "If the X-Men try anything, they're meat."
And even gentle Liam leaned a bit closer in subtle agreement.
Damn you, storm-witch! Damn you, damn you!