Chapter 5

"I'd prefer to die armed space cadet," Ridley growled.

The standoff held for seconds that seemed like eons. The pain from the scar on Samus's belly was so intense she almost lost her hold on her weapon. But she couldn't kill him. Not yet at least. First she had to know: "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance? Why did you suture my wounds and wait for me to heal?"

"A death in sleep is for politicians and bureaucrats, space cadet. You deserved to see your killer as much as I wanted to watch you die."

Samus slowly lowered her cannon. "You don't deserve to die like this either," she muttered, her voice barely audible over a sudden whiz of rockets. Missiles collided with steel of Samus's ship, causing a small explosion. The hunter ran forward, away from the rising inferno, as another rocket collided with her ship. This time, the explosion propelled her forward, and into the awaiting claws of the dragon. At that moment, he could've killed her in a million ways. He'd never lost his rifle, and even if he had, he was always armed with sharp teeth, claws and his infamous tail. But instead, he lifted the dazed hunter over his shoulder and clutched his rifle tightly. Above him, a Federation gunship was quickly approaching. A missile was launched, an explosion rocking the ground that Ridley stood. He was thrown into the air, the world spinning beneath him. The ground came far too fast. He landed on his wing with a loud snap. When his eyes opened again, he was almost into shock, which took a moment to suppress. Soldiers leapt from the gunship and began to surround the dragon. With all his might, he began to run into the sanctuary of the forest.

Hours later

Why did he save me? Samus asked herself, carried through the woods on her nemesis's back. Her slim body fit rather nicely between the dragon's folded, burnt and broken wings. Her arms were draped over his shoulders and around his neck. Her power suit scraped at the scales on Ridley's back. She didn't know how long she'd been carried, but her ear was against his back and his heart beats filled her head. How strange she had never thought he had a heart, it was a such a human organ, just like her's.

I wonder if I'm heavy? she thought. She guessed her power suit added fifty or sixty pounds. Naturally she was six feet tall and weighed around 150 pounds. She imagined she was quiet heavy.

And why is he letting me keep my power suit? While he had removed her cannon and helmet, he had left the majority of her protective armor on this time. At first her plan was simple. Trick Ridley into taking her to her ship, kill him, and then worry about her lack of fuel and the Federation soldiers that had tracked her down. But he had spared her, he had trusted her, maybe that's why she didn't kill him.

Realizing she was awake, Ridley allowed Samus to slide off his back. "Are you alright?" he growled.

"Yeah. You?"

Ridley looked embarrassed. "I, I need you to do something," he whimpered.

"What?" she asked nervous.

"I need you to mend my wing," he growled, stretching his mangled appendages out. Samus gasped. The bone of his left wing was protruding out of skin. It looked broken. No, she corrected herself. His wing looked shattered.

"H-how can I do that?"

"You were raised by a race of bird people. You telling me you've never fixed up a wing?" Ridley growled. Just push what's left of the bone back in and wrap it with cloth."

"Why can't you?" Samus asked fearful.

"My wings are too long. I can't put them straight or wrap them."

"Fuck," Samus muttered. Ridley flattened his wing onto the ground and bite down hard on a stick as the hunter careful straightened out the mangled appendage. He growled loudly in pain as armored skin touched the sensitive, exposed nerves and pushed bone back into skin. Samus took a bit of cloth handed to her by the dragon and tried to cover the wound gently, though she was sure the pain was sill intense. Just when Ridley thought he couldn't take the pain no more, Samus moved away, her bloody work complete.

Forcing the pain to subside, Ridley rose to his claws. He'd been moving for several hours and he was tired. He doubted the Federation would come searching for him, not yet at least. After their ambush failed, they'd regroup at their base then come for him and Samus. He had time to sleep. He was tired, and something told him the hunter wouldn't kill him.