Beastly Bonds

Chapter V

Some of the hellhounds had returned to the guards, but a few still lingered, following closely behind the alpha and Kyra. She assumed they were showing a sort of loyalty by doing so, but it still kept her on edge. She kept one hand on the railing and the other on the raised head of the alpha, who seemed to know she was heading towards Tipner's cell. Kyra felt her strength replenishing and let go of the rail as she continued upward. She was a little sad that there wasn't soft fur she could hold onto, but somehow in the undoubtedly spiritually unbalanced prison that was Crematoria, scales seemed a better deal.

The alpha stopped suddenly and Kyra looked up from her thoughts and the ramp to see Tipner and Litman standing in front of Tipner's cell. Moments later, Krent appeared, holding Meth around his waist while he limped outside. She suddenly realized that these four men, now with the alpha hellhound, were her family. Of sorts, of course, but nonetheless her own small pack. The pack she would escape with. She also couldn't help but note the relieved look in all their faces at her surival.

"Quite a fall you took there, Kyra." Tipner spoke suddenly, breaking the observing silence.

"Yeah, but I'm still here. Everyone in the cell, we've got plans to execute." She motioned into the now broken cell. The table had been righted and the mauled prison bars separated and shoved into a disorganized pile next to one of the walls. Tipner went into his usual spot, Litman stayed standing while Krent slowly lowered himself and Meth to the ground, still acting as support. With both of their legs stretched out, Meth leaned on Krent, resting his head on the older man's shoulder. Kyra sadly noted that this sort of affection usually led to pain in this kind of environment, but she walked in with the alpha at her side. She barely needed to turn to know that at least five hellhounds stood outside, resting on the ramp or perched on an outcropping of rock. They all watched on, scales turned back to a dark grayish colour, making the humans feel a little less on edge.

"Everyone alright?" She checked, glancing behind her as the alpha gracefully launched himself on the metal table, sitting behind her, his warm breath a breeze on her neck.

"We're doing alright." Litman replied, his eyes resting on the various hellhounds positioned around Tipner's cell. "But…they…"

"Are our allies now. I'm sure by now they all recognize you by scent at least. They're going to help us and I've made a sort of bond with this one here." She stated, reaching her hand back and letting it rest on the muzzle, showing she wasn't scared of him and he wasn't about to eat her. Meth looked terrified, as did Krent reveal more concern for Meth than he did the prospect of working with the beasts that had been hunting him for all his years in Crematoria. Tipner nodded knowingly and Litman let out a small snort of disbelief. But if it held the chance of getting him out of here, it would be worth it to believe.

"Does it have a name?" Tipner finally asked, seeing how kind it was acting towards Kyra.

"It's a he and not yet…wait…I do have a name." Kyra said, not looking at Tipner but into the controlled eyes of the hellhound. While alive, he too bared a resemblance to Riddick, wild by nature but calculating when necessary.

"And…" Tipner urged, knowing exactly what she saw in the animal.

"Neunzhen."

"Ne-what?" Meth asked, the fear slowly ebbing.

"Neunzhen. Nineteen in an old earth language. On his tag it says nineteen. The others…well, I suppose they'll follow." She concluded, amused to see how Neunzhen brightened at the new name. "Now, I'm getting us out of here. We've got the hellhounds, this can be done. Everyone, gather." She instructed, flattening out the sand on the floor with her boot. Meth flinched when suddenly a blade appeared in her hand, but realized he would have to get used to it.

She began to draw various figures and numbers that made no sense to anyone, not even Tipner. Kyra was calculating time, in getting to the crew, killing the crew, adding time in case there were injuries, gathering supplies and getting to the hanger. Usually only mercs had possession of ships, but luckily the skittish, always-ready-to-flee crew of guards kept their own ship, directly beneath the hanger for merc ships. It was a secret, but Kyra had heard them talking about while drunk. She had been on her back on her cliff, looking at the electrical lighting in the main room. She had been wondering when she would have her own main room in a ship, or even a house or apartment.

"Three, six, ten…fifteen, thirty…maybe forty minutes at most for the entire process." She concluded, scuffing out the plans with her boot. A few sketches still littered the floor and to her they resembled the pathway of each leg of the escape journey. From Tipner's cell to the hidden door to the main room, then on the sled, from the main room to the hangar.

"So when are we doing this?" Krent spoke, making Kyra glance sharply at him, her blade still in hand. "I mean…" he began to lose thought when she gave him her steady questioning stare. "Meth…he needs whatever…med shit they have on the ship or in the…main room…"

"What, my surgical skills aren't to your liking?" Tipner asked, meant in jest.

"No no! I just mean it would be best if-"

"No offense taken, Krent. You're good to think of it. Did you calculate that in, Kyra?" He asked, turning from Krent to her, who had one hand resting on the head of Neunzhen and the other dangling, holding the shiv in a light grasp.

"Yes."

"But back to Krent's original question, when is this going to occur?" Tipner pressed, trying to shake the images of dictators standing over their soon-to-be regions filled with miserable slaves. Yet there she stood, ferocious in a cold fury, every bit as controlled as she had trained to be. Riddick's teachings were clear in this light.

"Now." She said, her stare focused suddenly on Tipners. "They'll be coming in soon with a whole load of fucking shit to get the hellhounds back. They'll eventually realize there is a reason they didn't return, we've got to do it before they reinforce themselves. It would be enough danger with the usual weapons they have."

"Well, then, may I pack?" He questioned, sounding very insulted at the bad timing. Kyra replied with a barking laugh.

"Go ahead. Krent, take Meth down to that hidden entrance I described. Don't be obvious. Litman, stay with Tipner, help him pack, give him assistance if he needs it. I want you down with Krent and Meth in five minutes tops, got it?"

"Got it with my undivided attention, General." He mock saluted her, receiving a smack up the head, given by Tipner. His traitorous thoughts of Kyra being too insanely confidant had died, he was going to follow her and believe in her, like Krent.

"Good. Neunzhen, with me." She turned her back on the two remaining men and walked out of the cell, sheating her shiv. Neunzhen was at her heels and the other hellhounds were getting up to follow. She began to climb the steep cliff to her cave, listening to the crunch of rock as each hellhound made their way up behind her. Pulling herself up, she waiting until each hellhound had seated themselves. It was a tight pack, but she looked at each of them, their battle scars, their curious eyes and their impressive bodies, their scales not hindering them one bit. Briefly she wondered what they looked like as cubs, but pulled herself back to reality. She didn't have much time, either.

"You've heard the general plan, but I'm going to need your help to pull through. I know this planet is your home, you were born and raised here. I'm giving you a chance to go back, into the wild. All I ask for is your strength. I'm not like those men who abuse you, whip you, strike you with spiked hammers and metal rods. I will treat you with respect and wariness." She paused, seeing a change in the hellhounds. Their body language no longer held suspicion, perhaps a slight fear, but open curiosity, open eagerness.

"You will follow me through the soft metal door, up into the main room. I'll need you to go first, but I'll be with you. Those other men, Tipner, Litman, Krent and Meth, I don't want to risk their lives. But I'm fine, you and I will be side by side. We will take down every crew member. They'll be having a sort of meeting, I bet, on why you haven't returned and what to do. We attack then. I can let you out through the air shafts, then you'll be free. Do what you do best, wreck havoc, maim them, eat them but whatever you do, kill them." She finished and glanced at Neunzhen, who was looking over the other hellhounds with satisfaction gleaming in his bluish silver orbs.

"So, Neunzhen, think it can be done?" She asked, running her fingers down the smooth skin of his ear, making him flick it out of her touch.

In reply he gave her a look that said 'don't be stupid.'

"Good." She nodded and looked over her cliff, seeing that the four others were already near the entrance. "This is going to be fast, let's go."

With that she leaped off the cliff and began to slide down the almost vertical rock, listening to the hellhounds behind her and Neunzhen was next to her. He gave her support as she began to fall back. Clenching her jaw as she reaching the breaking off point of the rock, she picked up her feet and began to run. Reaching the edge, she leapt off, her feet still running in the air. Pulling her knees up into her chest, she somersaulted and landed in a practiced crouch, the rock cracking and breaking beneath her steel plated boots. She stood up in a jog, the hellhounds not far behind, providing her a sort of protection from curious miners, who were inmates, not the code-abiding convicts. In seconds she reached the entrance and was relieved to see Meth already latched onto Krent's back and Litman and Tipner ready to go. Running past them she was glad to hear that they had let the hellhounds follow her and they would be going last.

The pathway was dark, but she continued to run, comforted by the rhythmic thud of the paws near her. Seeing the glint of the metal door she pulled her body flush against the sharp rock, not feeling the rough rock claw against her skin, leaving bloody patches. The hellhounds didn't need any telling as they easily took down the door, the first tear going straight through. With only one body slam the door gave and Kyra leapt through, easily spotting the stairs that led to the main room. Without hesitation, shivs found their way into her hands as she tore up the stairs, not alone. With a sudden roar, a hellhound sped past her and jumping to a higher rock on the wall, leapt off, flying high over Kyra's head. With another bound on a rail, launched itself into the main room. The crew looked suddenly shocked at the appearance of a hellhound and barely took out their weapons before two throats were ripped out.

Anatoli, the overweight man who had had eyes for Kyra since she first landed here, was now backing away from her in complete fear. She didn't see it, but her green eyes now blazed like the 700 C˚ sunrise that waged war on Crematoria every morning. With a blade drawn back over her shoulder on second, the next Anatoli falling like lead to the floor, gurgling blood pouring through the hanging entrance of the prison.

Looking behind her, another guard ran at her yelling, but she dipped and tripping him, stood up and straddled his back, pulling up his upper body and grabbing his face in her hands, gave it a sharp twist. The broken neck instantly killed him as she stood again, seeing how the hellhounds had done most of the work. Flesh, bones and blood littered the main room, the blue light emitting from the security camera screens glowing brightly as ever. Yet now it cast a eerie light over the dead bodies, still pumping out rivers of the scarlet liquid that was lapped up by the hellhounds.

This had been easier then planned, but she glanced up at the screens to see prisoners running up, trying to escape as well. Cursing she yelled at the stony-faced Krent to lock the doors. In tense moments she watched a convict run towards the first gate and just in time did he pull the lever, slamming the iron gate in his face. This was the only way out for them, unless they wanted to climb the rope up. She felt no compassion for the other prisoners and pulling up the rope, created a quick noose. Kyra barely saw the blood, dirt and sweat leaving stripes down her arms as she quickly worked.

"Neunzhen!" She called sharply, watching the bloodied muzzle jerk up. He had been pulling flesh from the slam boss' calf and swiped at his head when he moaned in pain. "Bring the bastard here."

Feeling no positive emotion towards the boss with a Russian accent, Neunzhen clamped his jaws around his shoulder and easily dragged him over to Kyra.

"You fucking bastard, you only get what you deserve." She snarled, slamming her boot into his face, the steel shattering the nose on impact. With a quick motion, she looped the noose around his neck and while tightening it, let him drop through the hole, a satisfying snap of spine echoing back up to them. A few startled shouts from the prisoners below followed that and Kyra saw that Tipner and Litman had done a very thorough job of cleaning out the stores. Med supplies, ammunition, guns, knives, food, water and even some alcohol had all been found, not to mention a few books that Tipner greedily and gleefully shoved into his bag.

"Ready?" She asked, glancing down at the now dead boss. She heard shouts of possible attempts to grab onto the dead body and climb up. Not if she had a choice. Sheathing one of her shivs, she sliced the rope like warm butter, the once taut length now limp and falling.

Turning back, she was faced with eager hellhounds, full from being fed. Two perched on the control panels, licking blood off of their paws. A few others were sitting while another paced the small length of the room. Neunzhen didn't budge from her side, watching his pack.

"You did as promised. Now so will I." She spoke to no one in particular, moving forward to open the air shafts. Slowly pushing her foot down on the lever, she heard the familiar hiss of stale air being drawn out. Guiding them through, she watched from inside the pack running free over their territory to be marked. They had looked like zoo animals in the prison, but now they seemed to blend right into their natural environment. Turning to Neunzhen, she offered again his freedom, but he steadfastly stuck to her side.

"Can we go now?" Litman cautiously asked, not wanting to invoke her wrath. He had seen her fighting before, not unlike the hellhounds she battled alongside with. As she turned to answer him, her body twisted in the same feline grace he had seen when that now dead hellhound had twisted through the air with. Gulping, he shook his head of the image of Kyra, once majestic with fierce intelligence and power, broken, dead and dishonored, her grave the shattered rock of Crematoria.

With a quick nod, she armed herself with a gun and walked through them, seeing again how Krent was never more then two feet away from Meth, who was shakily trying to walk on his own. As she locked and scrambled the door mechanics to the sled once everyone was with her, she briefly looked back in memory to what Meth had done moments ago.

She had been occupied with killing the second guard when one gun shot rang out higher and more painfully than the rest. For a single instant she looked behind her, where Meth was holding a gun, still raised in firing position. A dead guard lay at his feet, who had presumably been aiming at Krent.

She figured this out by seeing how Meth had suddenly stood in front of him and when she had dimly heard him shout Krent's name as he pulled the trigger of his gun. Meth's first kill. It had not been in wasted blood, nor had he done it for his own protection. He had killed a man to protect another, which, in Kyra's book, was probably the best way to go through ones first kill. At the time she was busy with thinking what to do about the prisoners who wanted to escape as well, but she had made a mental note to take Meth aside once they were home free in the shipping lanes. He may be able to not show it, but first kills always leave a scar.

She stopped to observe the scene. Her pack had just half-completed an escape from Crematoria and here they were arguing viciously over who would sit where on the sled. Clearing her throat, she saw Litman pale slightly, who had been in fierce debate with Tipner. With a few hurried words, it was decided. Kyra and Tipner would sit in the front, while Litman would sit behind them. While it wasn't made for hellhounds, Neunzhen took place next to Litman. Krent and Meth took the back, where Meth could keep his leg stretched and Krent could keep an eye on him. While he positioned the goggles over his eyes, Tipner saw how the older man made Meth side closer to the seats, while he would sit in the more dangerous spot, towards the edge and back of the sled. His still-seeing eye blinked as he thought to talk to Kyra about this later.

No one talked during the ride as the pace increased, along with every grip of each passenger. Neunzhen looked relieved to say the least when the sled came to a crashing halt, throwing everyone slightly. He stumbled from the side, hoping he wouldn't need to find a place to deposit his just-eaten meal. Throwing the goggles back to her seat, Kyra helped Tipner out of the sled and watched him walk towards and up the stairs to the empty hangar. Seeing that Litman had also left the sled, she smirked as she looked on from behind Krent sweeping Meth off his feet and walking up the stairs.

She almost laughed as she heard the indignant claims from Meth that he wasn't a princess in need of a knight in shining armor, but it died in her throat when she perceived the fleeting look of hurt in Krent's eyes. Throwing Tipner's bag over her shoulder, she promised to herself she would look into this later and walked up the stairs to meet with the others, Neunzhen in tow.

"We're missing the ship, Kyra." Litman stated, seeing how she had stopped and was staring at the floor, as if willing it to split open and a ship appear.

"Don't be stupid, it's here." Tipner snapped back, still slightly peeved over the argument before the sled-ride.

"Where!" Litman yelled, gesturing his hands. "We don't have much time until that fucking sunrise ruins this! KYRA!"

"Shut it, Litman, I'm working on it." She replied, her voice still calm. But the warning growl from the hellhound silenced him. She had begun to walk around the hangar, as if looking for something. Finally she found the hidden switches and levers behind a locked panel and she had no problem prying it open with one of her shivs. Pulling the levers and pressing the switches had no effect and she wanted to scream. They were feet away from their escape, it was right beneath them and this wasn't doing it.

"TIPNER!" She yelled, ready to sink both of her shivs into the panel box. He hurried over, carefully avoiding Neunzhen by going to the other side of Kyra.

"You called?" He asked sarcastically.

"You can bet your ass I did. Why isn't this working?" She gestured impatiently to the switches and levers.

"Let me work with it…bah, children, never patient for anything. Make yourself useful, Kyra." He suddenly sounded like the admonishing adult and she swallowed, feeling exactly like a small child – completely and totally embarrassed. "Well, I said go do something useful…go help Krent with Meth's leg."

She turned on her heel and sheathing her shiv, knelt to where Meth was sitting, leaning against a wall with his legs stretched out before him. Krent was inspecting the wound as well as looking over the various med supplies they had.

"Doing alright, Meth?" She asked, keeping her eyes on Krent's hands. He was smart and surprisingly calm in medical situations, but anyone could mess up a wound like this.

"Yeah, thanks Kyra." He replied, taking in a hissing breath of air and making Kyra snap up her head and stare at him, green eyes flashing.

"Krent. Stop. When Tipner gets this ship up I know there will be a med bay. Do you have any painkillers in there?" She asked, moving down towards the wound.

With a grunt, one of his scarred large hands moved with unexpected grace through the small box. He removed a small package and from the contents, seemed to contain heavy painkillers. She nodded and pulling a flask of water from her belt, handed it to Meth and made sure he swallowed the pills. In a few minutes his pained face relaxed and shortly after that, he nodded off to sleep.

"Christ, Krent, what the fuck were those?" She asked, watching his gaze rest protectively on Meth's body. "Krent." She pressed again and he was startled out of his watch. Stuttering, he flipped the ripped package over a few times and gave her some label that she didn't recognize. Standing, she put a hand on his forearm and gave it a slight squeeze. "It's ok, Krent. Watch Meth and we'll give you the ok when you bring him on board."

Just as she finished her sentence a triumphant cry came from Tipner and suddenly the floor shuddered beneath their feet and began to separate. Krent immediately scooped up a sleeping Meth in his arms and walked to where the floor stopped moving out. Litman had been standing guard and on watch for the sunrise after he had opened the doors to the runway. He jumped in the air and crowed in delight.

"The devil is kind! He sent us a ship! Woohoo! Take that!" He yelled, pointing his stun gun up in the air, presumably towards heaven. Kyra laughed out loud and swooped down and hugged Neunzhen, who stiffened in surprise.

"WE'RE FREE!" Litman shouted, watching the ship come up from below. His eyes lit up like a child's during Christmas and is jaw even dropped when he saw the ship. "Holy shit…Kyra that's…"

"I know, Litman…trust me I know." She was almost as speechless as he was upon seeing the ship. She had no question it was top of the line everything, from security to sewage disposal. A black ship, it was sleek and smooth on the outside, made to escape.

Moving towards it, she ran her hand across the surface, closing her eyes. A barely audible moan escaped her lips as she felt the almost silky metal pass beneath her hand. Pressing the side of her face to the ship, she heard and felt the hum of the ship on conserving energy. The cold exterior was warmed by her flesh and she turned her head and moved down the ship, her hands tracing idle designs on the black ship. Turning her head again, she placed a light kiss on the metal.

Suddenly she felt light-headed and weak, yet invincible and omnipotent at the same time. Kyra slid to the floor, much to the alarm of Neunzhen, who immediately acted as support as her body shook with tremors. She barely heard the frenzied shouts of Litman, who ran over and she heard Tipner's footsteps behind her. Soon Krent was there as well, but he made no noise.

"Hey…hey girl, you alright? Talk to me, Kyra. Don't let up on us now." Litman spoke quickly, kneeling and holding her shoulder. He felt the erratic pulse beneath his hand and was relieved when it began to slow to a normal speed. "Tipner…"

"No worries, Litman, Kyra is fine." He assured him, resting a hand on her head. Kyra pulled her head away from his touch and leaned it against Neunzhen's chest, where she heard the steady beat of his heart. Lifting her head, she swallowed slightly and as she spoke, her voice was weak, but it held pure gratitude.

"So this is what freedom feels like."

Sorry this chapter took so long! Hope the length made up for the wait.

Thanks to these reviewers:

Iridescent Twilight – I apologize again about the wait, but the moment I read your review I got straight to it. I'm really…honored to say the least. That's one of the nicest things any reviewer has ever said. Hope this keeps up to par. Thanks for reviewing.

NightmareWeaver – Whee! Thanks, glad you liked it. I always get nervous when I think the most recent chapter just isn't as good as the last one, hope it was. showers you with gifts and caffeinated beverages sequel to Darkness soon? Please?

ren3017 – More nice things! Glad you like my stories, and I think you know there is a sequel to Keeping Faith coming up after this. If you're interested, that is.

Note: I hate having to say this, but with all these amazing reviews I get, I really do wonder how good it is. So please, review. If you're a writer as well, you know how good it feels to get reviews, so grace me with the same feelings.