Beastly Bonds

Chapter XI

Warning: the following chapter does contain obvious male/male affection, so if you are in any way bothered by this, press the 'back' button now. You've been warned.

Thanks to these faithful reviewers:

Iridescent Twilight: yay! Bodyguard! Movie business always does that. It's a real bummer that it never works out like you want it to. Just so you know, the meeting between Jack and Riddick isn't in this chapter but the reason I'm turning out another one so soon is that the masses seem to want that scene. So I'm working into it.

audran – Damn, thought I had made it clear that it was sort of a strange I-see-you-but-maybe-not thing going on between Neunzhen and Riddick. Well, now you know. Well the thing about the other high commander was just Jack as a young girl linking to her dad and thus worrying about it even more because she doesn't want anything to happen to him. And no! It isn't a secret! Actually comes up in this chapter!

ren3017 – Oh dear, hope I don't have to start sending tissues with the chapters. More updates! Yay! Compliments! Enjoy.

The story!

Each party had slept into the late afternoon, seeing as how their nights hadn't been too well developed in the rest department.

Jack blearily opened her eyes, stretching on the bed, feeling joints pop and muscles extend, she made a rich humming sound that she knew sounded like a deep purr. Sitting up she ran a hand through her tangled hair, wondering what she should do in the few hours of daylight she had left. As she stood from her bed, the sheets fell around her, showing that she had undressed to the point of the binding that acted as a bra, a few elastic straps that sheathed her blades and short spandex-like shorts. Licking her dry lips she went into the bathroom and investigated the shower.

It had a curtain on one side and the other was a tight netting that let her look out into the forest and the steam drift out. She thought it was rather…scandalous in case someone was sneaking about but let it go, considering she needed to wash up. Discarding her shorts, she slowly removed each binding, hissing as she did. It was more painful then most people thought, but then again, most people wore bras, not binding. She had to take a few deep breaths before her lungs and chest went back to normal, but some pain still lanced through and around her upper body. She was reluctant to remove her blades but found a hook in the shower where she could hang them, not let them get wet and still have easy access.

She rubbed her sternum a few times, her thoughts completely somewhere else as she turned the dial for hot water. She didn't realize she hadn't closed the shower curtain yet and was surprised when she heard a deep snarl. Looking up she was relieved to find it was only Neunzhen, but he was snarling at her. Following his line of vision is went behind her and in an instant her hands held two shivs. At the same time she turned and just saw a movement in the trees below. This left her unnerved and slightly upset, so she quickly showered, always keeping her eyes on the forest.

She realized she didn't have any other clothes besides the captain's outfit and her prison clothes from Crematoria. Cursing, she stalked over to the closet and opened it to find a few pairs of pants and some shirts. She assumed that they were left there for her use and she pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a tank top. She was even more surprised to find that they had even left some underwear and bras. Jack assumed that this happened a lot, so she dressed and slipping on her boots, she checked to make sure she was armed.

Neunzhen hadn't left her side for almost the entire time since the shower and his scales hadn't turned back from the various violent shades of sunset. She ran her fingers through her wet hair, taking out any possible tangles. In a few minutes she had braided her thick hair that reached just below her shoulder blades.

Marching out to the deck, she realized that there was a way to get the ladder down, but not up. Mentally noting to ask about this later, she released two shivs into her hand and taking a running leap from the deck, shoved them deep into the trunk of a nearby tree. She considered slowly climbing down, but she wanted to get to the rest of the crew so she resheathed her blades and taking hold of one branch, began to swing her way down the tall tree. Finally reaching the last branch, she saw there was a good thirty foot drop. Looking up she saw that Neunzhen had jumped to the tree and was descending it the same way he did the rocks in Crematoria. As he passed she jumped onto his back as he slid the last twenty then rocketed them off the tree and onto the soft ground, where Jack leapt off and landed only a few feet away.

"Sorry about that, Neunzhen."

He didn't look upset or ruffled, so he nuzzled her hand slightly and walked ahead of her. Hoping he was leading her to the other bungalows, she followed him, once in a while making small mental marks to cement the path in her mind. If she hadn't been unnerved by the strange visit in the shower, she would've looked around more. Instead she kept her eyes on the bright swaying body of the hellhound in front of her, stopping to sniff or investigate something.

The soft ground absorbed her footsteps and she felt comfortable walking through this rain forest, especially with Neunzhen as a companion. They silently walked through the thick trunks and ducked beneath thorny vines and avoided dark pits that most likely held large pythons. The forest began to thin and she found man-made roads that eventually led to the bungalows.

Leo and Tony had fallen asleep earlier then Jack had and when they woke, both felt strangely awkward around each other. Tony avoided touching the younger man and Leo tried to get near him and knew he wasn't wanted by the other man's body language. It was hard on both of them and finally they ended up cornering each other.

They had just finished eating and Leo was rinsing the dishes when he felt the familiar body heat of the older ex-convict and then saw the hands firmly gripping the edges of the sink. He couldn't ignore it any longer when he felt the warm breath down his neck and turned to face two defensive yet hurt blue eyes, not knowing they mirrored his own.

"Talk." He demanded, his low voice vibrating through his body, making Leo feel it through the sink and counter.

"What did I do? Why are you repulsed by me?" He immediately asked, pulling himself up and onto the counter. As he positioned himself he felt himself slipping back and knew the faucet was going to really bruise up and hurt his back. But Tony's hands found their place on his back and pulled him up and forward, unintentionally making Leo stumble right up against the older man.

"Do I seem repulsed by you?" He asked, dropping his hands to Leo's waist, where they rested lightly. The shorter man had left his hands on Tony's chest and looked up into his face.

"No, you don't. But I'm confused." He knew this was no time to be vague or secretive. Leo forcefully denied the fire burning in his veins as he was touched, a flaming sensation that made him clench his jaw. But a gentle caress of Tony's knuckles against his jaw bone immediately relaxed him and with one hand he gripped that wrist and the other he slid down to his waist, hooking one or two fingers into his belt.

"So am I." He replied in a heated whisper, twisting his wrist from Leo's grasp and in turn holding his wrist. Leo knew that Tony could easily snap his bone in two but the tenderness in his hold made him think otherwise. He watched, entranced as the older man slowly lifted his hand to his lips. In a gesture that Leo hoped would be positive, he uncurled his fingers from the loose fisted claw they were in before. He closed his eyes as his fingertips grazed Tony's lips and had to fall against him, suddenly exhausted by the small actions.

With ease Tony picked him up as he did many times before and walked to the bedroom, where he stopped in between the two beds, in a slight dilemma. This was solved by the almost inaudible voice of the man in his arms.

"Yours."

Pulling back the made sheets, he carefully deposited Leo into his bed, glad that he had no boots and socks to be pulled off. As he left the room he turned to see the resting man look longingly at him, as if sad with the departure of his presence. Walking back to the bedside, he traced the outline of Leo's face with his fingers.

"I'll return. Rest for now, Jack will understand." He spoke softly, watching him close his eyes and fall asleep. Relieved he walked back into the main room and into the kitchen, where all he could smell was Leo. Rinsing and washing the dishes, he was drying them when Jack, Litman and Tipner appeared, followed by Neunzhen.

"Good morning Captain, Neil, Mr. Buckner," he greeted them accordingly, giving a slight nod to each.

"Antonio, good to see you're up and about. Your brother, is he…" She trailed off, stepped closer to Tony. Jack's senses were very well attuned to smell and sound and Leo's scent was just all over him. Neunzhen noticed it too, sniffing Tony's pant leg. She pulled him back by his collar with a small tug.

"Must've made sausages for breakfast." Mr. Buckner mused, looking about the room.

"Leo is sleeping, had a rough night. New place and all." He replied to Jack's original question. Nodding in response she motioned him to come closer.

"Neil and Mr. Buckner are going to stay here in case Leo wakes up. I think you and I should take a walk." She said quietly, watching from the corner of her eye the two men in question sitting down on the couches.

"Captain…if he does wake up I think he would rather-" he tried in vain to argue otherwise.

"It wasn't a suggestion." She said, her voice becoming cold and even. From behind her Tony saw Litman mouthing 'go' repeatedly and waving his hands towards the door.

"Well, Captain, it is a nice afternoon for a walk, isn't it?" He slipped back into the persona of the older brother and began to follow her outside, leaving ample room for Neunzhen to go in front of him.

As they walked, he felt increasingly at ease nearer to the ocean and next to someone who knew what he was going through. She was silent at the moment, but her keen eyes were carefully going over everything in her lines of vision.

"Captain…" he started, still unsure if she was going to be harsh.

"Feel free to call me Jacqueline, Antonio." She replied, signifying that indeed she was going to be agreeable to him and she wasn't angry with him.

"And you may call me Tony."

She merely nodded in response.

"Jacqueline," he started, not sure where to go with this. "is everything alright?"

She glanced sharply at him and stopped in mid step, looking down at the large paw prints Neunzhen left in the sandy dirt. He too had stopped a little farther ahead and looked behind, wondering why she wasn't with him. Turning back, he trotted a little ways before he reached her and sat down next to her, his blue silvery gaze carefully cataloging the movements of this human man. He briefly considered it could've been the one around Jack's bungalows but that wouldn't explain the silver eyes he had seen near Jack's bedroom. He turned his ears towards the conversation, where he caught the male in mid sentence.

"-but really, you think someone is watching you?"

"I know it!" She hissed, green eyes sparking.

"So you know it, but this person hasn't seen or visited us? Why would that be?"

"I'm sure he has, you just haven't realized it." She replied tersely, her hand curling around Neunzhen's collar.

"So this someone is a 'he'?" He clarified, continuing to walk when Jack turned and restarted their original route towards the ocean.

"Please, you know who I think it is." She said, her voice dipping lower.

"I do."

"Good. Now, before we head back is there a reason I smell Leo all over you?" She asked, a slight grin decorating her face. Something of an indignant snort was all she heard from the other man and then something mumbled.

"What was that?" she questioned, walking closer to him.

"Yes, we've become closer."

She beamed at this.

"Good, about time. Now, it's time for us to return, I believe I need to see the elders about our stay. Let's go. You know-" she was cut off by a yell from the bungalows.

Before he could even register the entire sound in his brain she was running, easily leaping over fallen logs and weaving in between trees. He followed her, just a few feet behind Neunzhen, who had no trouble at all. Suddenly speed was in his step when he thought that the yell sounded like Leo's.

They skidded into the house and Litman and Tipner must've already went into the bedroom of the bungalow. They ran in and they found Tipner trying to console the very frightened young man and Litman standing in the window, looking out.

As soon as Leo saw Tony he scrambled to sit up and run to him but he caught him in mid step and held him against his chest, sitting back into the bed. The younger man immediately curled up next to him, shaking slightly as familiar strong arms wrapped around him. Tipner noted this with a sort of satisfaction and looked up to see Jack on the window ledge with Litman.

"What did you see?" She asked him, closing her eyes briefly and smelling the air. Before he could even reply she had jumped from the window and taken off into the surrounding forest, the hellhound behind her, scales a full fiery red, almost exactly like in Crematoria. He stood on the window and looked down at the ground, hoping to see some sort of evidence. Finding none, he sat down on the ledge and looked at the bed.

Leo had tried to fit into every curve of the other man's body, burying his face in his chest. Tony had one arm firmly wrapped around his waist, the other resting on his back and his hand gently carded through Leo's hair. Tipner sat on the bed opposite to the one occupied and looked at Litman who raised an eyebrow.

They stayed like that until Jack returned, a wild chased look in her eyes. She growled, showing that she hadn't caught the something or someone. Her hellhound leaped in through the window after her, barely looking winded.

"Meth," she started, immediately gaining his attention. "What did you see?"

She waited for him to partially uncurl himself from Tony, but the other man's arms still held him protectively. The young man was facing her and began to describe the person he had seen. It was no mystery as to who it was and Jack was ready to beat the living daylights out of the man being described.

"Captain…what's going to happen?" The elder Buckner asked, tearing his gaze away from the two men intimately sitting with each other on the bed.

"We're staying. He isn't a threat. I need to go to the elders to talk about the length of our vacation or whatever here. The four of you stay together, do not stray at all." She ordered, checking her weapons.

"And you will be with Neunzhen?" Litman asked.

"Indeed I will. I might be gone for a bit." Was all she said before she left the room, hellhound in step behind her. With a tilt towards the door, Neil saw that his 'father' wanted him to leave the room with him. Glancing at the pair on the bed he understood and quietly got up and left.

"Krent…" Leo whispered, still pressed against him. "You won't leave me will you?"

"Never." He instantly replied, placing a light kiss on the younger man's forehead. They grew more comfortable with each other and soon Leo fell asleep, happy not to be alone.

Jack had found a small speed boat near the hangar and after a few trial and error runs on how to use it, she was steadily cruising along. She had read the few notes left behind by Tom on which island to go to and had no trouble finding it. They bounced over the waves, salt water spraying up into their faces. Jack wasn't sure if Neunzhen was enjoying water travel, but she loved it. Slowing down, the front of the boat tipped back into the water as they steadily motored their way towards the docks.

Tom and Lindo were waiting as she docked, easily bringing the boats side along parallel to the wooden dock. Neunzhen leapt from the boat to the ramp, scrambling to pull himself up as Jack easily mounted and climbed the ladder. With a sharp tug on his collar, he made it up, shaking whatever water was left on him off.

"I trust you slept well, Captain?" Tom asked, walking off the docks. Following him, she replied that indeed she and her passengers had slept quite well. No need for them to know that they had brought trouble right into Caribi.

"Good. The elders will see you." He informed her.

They walked off the docking area and the sandy beach led into a tropical pathway that served as a trail circling the small mountain. Large leaves from the tress above provided shade as they ascended the mountain, small flowers bursting with colour along the way. She asked many questions about planets and wildlife, all readily answered by either of them.

Finally they reached the summit, where there were various buildings built into the broken top of the mountain. People were milling about, some herding goats or chasing cats out of their fish storages. She smiled as she saw children chasing each other, yelling in a tongue she wasn't familiar with. As they walked towards the center building, a young boy cautiously walked up to her, his dark brown eyes holding something akin to curiosity.

Tom ordered the child to leave her be but she waved him to be quiet and knelt down to be on eye level. Falling into a seated position, she saw that the child was constantly looking at Neunzhen.

Of course, they would have never seen something like him. Different system and climate structure all together.

"'alo." The boy greeted, if not a little terse in tone. Tom reprimanded him in the same language she had heard before.

"Hi. What's up?" She asked, clicking her tongue, beckoning Neunzhen to her. He idly walked to where she was sitting, eyeing the chickens and goats at the same time.

The young boy pointed at the hellhound. Nodding in return, she motioned Neunzhen to come closer to the boy. He approached the human, wondering if this was a sort of test. He smelled fear on the boy, just rolling off. But there was a hidden respect behind it, and he smelled that too. It was almost exactly like a hellhound cub that he might've had the responsibility of watching over. Playing in the volcanic dust of Crematoria and suddenly wandering too far away from his view. He would immediately find them, give them a warning growl and swat on the head and they look at him with the same mixed spark of emotion he saw in the human boy.

Jack watched carefully as he approached the boy and standing just on his legs he easily reached the boys head with his own. The boy stood stock still as Neunzhen sniffed his face, making his hair flutter.

A scared woman's cry echoed across the way and Neunzhen immediately stepped back, standing behind Jack as she stood up, seeing what was happening. The owner of the voice hurried forward and Jack realized it was the boy's mother. She swept him up in his arms, chastising him profusely. She then turned at Jack and glared at her and began to yell in the same tongue she had heard before.

Tom stepped forward and silenced the woman with a harshly spoken word. Jack kept one hand curled around Neunzhen's collar and watched the boy's eyes look at the hellhound. She waited as she half-listened to the conversation. Lindo stepped forward and touched her arm, pointing to the building they were heading to before. She nodded and walked forward, letting go of her companion. He walked alongside her, glancing once or twice behind him to see if the human boy was still there.

The doors opened as she stepped on the stairs that led up into the building. Walking forward she saw that shoes were removed as a custom. Frowning she knelt down take off her shoes but an old voice stopped her.

"High Commander Laurent's daughter would be cautious about taking her shoes off. I assume you hold knives there, do you not?"

She immediately stood and looked farther into the dark room, it was only lit by the natural light. An old native sat in a chair centered to the back wall and smiled at her.

"I do, indeed. How do you know who I am?" She stood at the threshold of the door until he waved her in. Walking forward she saw there were a few other older men there, watching her and Neunzhen walk confidently into the hall.

"Well, your ID. But I served with your father in the military. Is he still at home with your mother?" He asked, motioning for her to sit down in front of him. Folding her legs beneath her she sat on the provided cushion and Neunzhen lay down next to her.

"Unfortunately not." She whispered, feeling a pinprick of tears.

"So he moved then?" He questioned, seeing the misty look in the young woman's eyes. She was indeed the perfect mix of her parents, beautiful like her mother but wild and unpredictable like her father.

"No, he was killed. My mother was kidnapped and I had to run away. I…I don't know where she is or if she's alive." She admitted, wincing at the saddened sigh from the elder.

"How did he die, child?" He asked softly, reminding Jack of Imam.

She related the memory to him and watched as his face darkened at the circumstances he was killed in. When she told him that her mother had been pregnant with her younger brother he looked very sad.

"I'm very sorry to hear that you're alone, Jacqueline." His old voice held power and it was clear that he and her father had been friends.

"I've grown accustomed to it." She replied, dislodging a small pebble from beneath one of Neunzhen's scales. He appreciatively licked her hand and she rubbed his ear in return.

"Indeed. So, you are staying in Caribi. For how long?" They changed the subject and Jack felt better, knowing that she had a sort of confidant on the island besides her crew.

"A few months give or take. I need to find some people but I'll probably return afterwards. Unless something comes up." She replied, seeing him nod.

"Well you know the justice of Caribi, so I don't need to inform you of that. Now, is there anything else you wish to know?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"A few things. If I want to go to a different island, just to visit, is there someone I need to contact?"

"You can send a message to either here or Tom, whom you have already met."

She asked a few more questions and felt at ease in the presence of this man and completely forgot about the earlier encounter today. As she stood to leave, he stood as well and walked forward into better light. He kissed her on each cheek and grasped her forearm in farewell. She waited until he returned to his seat before she left the building, blinking against the sun as she descended the steps.

The boy was no where in sight and Tom was just coming out of a small market stall. He approached her and held out a small pastry. She took it, thanking him for the snack as they began to descend the mountain. He explained as they walked that Lindo was called home to help with something, so Tom remained to see her to her boat.

"You know, from what I listened to, you get along very well with the elder." He referred to the center man. "What was the connection?"

"He served with my father in the military." She replied, finishing off the meat pastry. It was a little spicy but not too bad and Tom handed her another one. She was going to eat later so she gave it Neunzhen, who ate it up quickly, little flakes of pastry caught in his scales.

"Ah, indeed. He is a good man, the elder. Very good judge of character. Recently he has turned many people away from long stays on this part of Caribi, so you're quite lucky."

She was slightly surprised at this news but didn't show it. Before long they were on the docks again, the completely clear water lapping against the wooden poles. Jack jumped into the boat and Neunzhen followed suit, rocking the speed boat a bit.

"Have a safe trip back." Tom said as his farewell as she waved back and put the boat in reverse. As it motored out into the small bay, she easily turned it and kicked up the speed. Once they were out of range of hurting anyone, Jack slowly pushed it into a high speed. As the bounced along the waves, she decided that she should go swimming later.

She passed a few other islands and she saw various bungalows on the beach or built into the small mountain rainforest. To Neunzhen's relief she slowed and pulled into the docks of their island. Tying the boat off as she stood on the docks, she helped the hellhound climb up.

The sun was beginning to set as she walked from the docks along the beach, where she would cut through to the bungalow she left the crew in. Lost in thoughts and memories, she didn't realize that Neunzhen was quite a ways behind her, challenging another beast he saw in the edge of the forest. She continued to walk, breathing in the salty air. Yet she heard a slight shuffle and short roar and instantly turned around, shivs in hand. Neunzhen bounded out of the forest, walking towards Jack, completely unharmed.

She didn't sense that whatever was there was still around, so she sheathed her blades and continued walking, keeping on eye on the forest. Jack thought she caught the scent of human blood but waved it off as she couldn't actually see any of the red substance.

Yet as she turned in to walk to the bungalows, she didn't see Neunzhen stopping at the water's edge, dipping his paw into the water. Blood washed off his claws, instantly diluted by the mass of ocean water. Wasting no time, he ran to catch up with Jack. If this beast was going to be near Jack, then at least one of them could pick up the scent of an open wound nearby.