Challenge: Cave Slayers
Title: Welcome To The Jungle (3/5)
Author: Shamrock
Rating: A slightly more sickening European 18 now
5 Thing Minimum: Isn't someone keeping track of that for me? No? Crap. Disclaimer: Joss owns all (and some studios, but mostly Joss)
A/N: I was worried I may have strayed beyond the realms of good taste with this one. I have since been assured that I have, in fact. Absolutely. But general consensus is that I leave it in. So fair warning – ye of weak stomachs beware.
Thanks: to the fastest cowhand in the west… I mean beta… And I might mean east. Also, many many thanks to everyone on who's left feedback for this one. It really is heartening to know that people take the time out to let me know what they think – makes it all worthwhile.
"Good Lord," Giles exclaimed as they entered the clearing. Kennedy and the Slayers were standing just inside the ring of trees, having been brought up short by the scene in front of them.
There wasn't a blade of grass that wasn't covered in blood or bits of demon. Giles tried to guess how many lay dead before him, but considering how they had literally been torn to pieces it was hard to form a reasonable estimate. At least ten of the beasts still remained though, and currently they were circling the two Slayers who stood back to back in the centre of the clearing.
Buffy looked more feral than even the snarling demons. Her hair was tangled, slicked back on her head by the sweat that beaded her face. What scared Willow though, even more than the sight of her best friend with smears of blood tracked down her face and arms - some her own and some the thicker orange of the wounded demons - was the look on Buffy's face as she leapt for the throat of another beast. There wasn't a trace of fear in her eyes, nothing resembling her usual controlled style of fighting. Willow had seen Faith cut loose while Slaying, she'd seen the slightly terrifying look of pleasure on the other girl's face while reveling in her own bloodlust, but Buffy was making that look tame in comparison.
Her jeans, by accident or design, were now torn off above the knee, and at some point she had discarded her shirt leaving her now in just a blood- and sweat-stained tank top. If she hadn't been surrounded by snarling, salivating demons, it might have been amusing just how much she resembled a Survivor contestant. As it was though, her joyous grin as she impaled a demon on a hastily snapped off tree branch left Willow feeling cold, and for the first time, truly afraid of the power that her friend wielded.
"Do we take the shot?" Kennedy asked, tranq gun wavering between the two Slayers and the demons who were stalking them.
"No!" Xander cut across her quickly. "Everybody, hold your fire." It was too risky - take the Slayers down now and they'd be defenceless against the demons.
Kennedy dragged her eyes away from the... she could only think of it as a slaughter, to look to Xander and Willow. "Do we help?"
All of the other Slayers were tensed, finding it hard to stay still and not rush into the midst of the battle. They had been well trained though - by the woman currently fighting with the zeal of a berserker - and they awaited their orders, no-one breaking ranks.
"I don't think you're going to get the chance," Willow replied as yet another demon fell, this time under Faith's hands as she viciously smashed its head into the ground. The dark Slayer had come late to the fight but seemed intent on making up for it. She whirled amongst the claws and fangs without hesitation, using the bulk and weight of the lumbering demons against them. As the creature she had just despatched twitched in its death throes, the other animals fell back, making way for the largest, darkest of the beasts to step forward, advancing on Buffy with its fangs bared.
The Slayer turned to meet it, her hands curling into fists as she waited for the demon to make a move. The pack leader rocked back on its haunches, muscles tensed in readiness to spring. Buffy still waited, unmoving, even when it launched itself forward, jaws snapping for her throat.
Faith met it in mid-air, tackling it from behind. The two tumbled over, Faith manoeuvering so that they landed with the demon underneath her and her elbow in its stomach. The beast howled, a noise cut short by Buffy's hands closing on its throat. The other demons slunk backwards, watching to see their leader's fate. Buffy kept it pinned down as Faith grabbed a flailing arm, snapping its wrist just above one wickedly curved claw. Grabbing that claw in both hands Faith drove it downwards into the soft flesh just below the demons chest. The demon gave an unearthly shriek as the claw pierced its own heart, sending the other demons scurrying for the trees when they saw their leader fall.
Within seconds the two Slayers were on their feet to pursue the remaining three beasts. Seeing that this could be their only opportunity, Xander gave the order.
"Take aim!"
Five of the Slayers dropped to their knees, guns pointing at Faith, the other five stood behind them, sights trained on Buffy.
"Fire!"
Ten darts were fired simultaneously, and if Giles hadn't been there to see it for himself he would have had a hard time believing what happened next.
Faith leapt straight upwards, grabbing an overhanging branch and pulling herself into the leafy canopy overhead. Using her momentum to jump to the next tree, she was soon out of sight as she ran across the linked branches of the forest, ignoring both the flimsy support they gave her and the long drop to the ground beneath her.
Buffy was too far from the trees to use them for cover. Instead she jumped and twisted as soon as the shots were fired. Sweeping both hands impossibly fast across her body, she came away holding four darts. It took the stunned Slayers a moment to notice the fifth one - clamped safely between her teeth. She dropped the tranquilisers, bared her teeth at her attackers, then took off in the direction Faith had gone, hot on the trail of the demons.
"Only got one eye here so I'm happy to be corrected, but did they just go super-Matrix on us?" Xander asked. "No way they should be able to move that fast, right?"
"Yes," Giles said. "It appears you would be correct, Willow, when you say that the source of the Slayers' strength has been made even more powerful. That display was most impressive."
"Uh, guys?" Kennedy raised her hand. "We're still down a couple of original-flavour Slayers here."
"We've got Faith's signature." Willow passed the handheld tracking device to Xander. "I doubt we'll be able to catch up with them but we should be able to follow them easily enough."
"Then let's go." Xander and the Slayers moved out ahead, leaving Willow and Giles following just behind. They fell into step, hanging back from the main group slightly.
"I meant what I said earlier," Willow glanced quickly at him before turning her eyes back to the path ahead. "It really is good to have you back, even if it is for a short, mid-crisis visit."
"I will always help in any way I can, Willow, you can rest assured on that. No matter the circumstances between Buffy and myself, you can always call on me."
"I know," she smiled a little. "But that's a two way street mister - you have my number too."
He returned her grin and nodded. "I'll admit I've been lax in keeping in contact. I'll work on that."
"Good, 'cause, well, whatever's between you and Buffy is down to you guys to work out." Willow's expression tightened a little. "But when you left... well, you didn't just leave her y'know."
Giles stopped, placing a hand on Willow's shoulder to turn her to face him.
"I do know," he stressed his point with a light squeeze of his hand. "And I miss you - all of you, terribly. Given the current situation between Buffy and myself though, I don't think my presence in Scotland would do much to benefit any of us."
She nodded. "I know, and you're probably right. It's just that, even if Buffy doesn't think she needs her Watcher, I still need my Giles."
Giles' stiff upper lip quirked slightly. Sometimes he was still amazed by how easily, and how very deeply, a group of people he once thought of as 'irritating children' could move him to his very core. He resumed walking, wrapping his arm around Willow's shoulder.
"And you'll always have me, I promise you that."
Side by side they quickened their pace to catch up with the rest of the group.
Buffy and Faith caught up with their prey twenty minutes later. The three demons had made it back to their lair - a vast warren of caves running from the edge of the forest back into the depths of the mountain range. Although the beasts were more familiar with the territory they had been racing through, the Slayers had followed their scent easily. Now they were deep in the cave system, just around the corner from the demons. Ragged breathing echoed throughout the high-ceilinged den, the demons' bodies having been pushed to the limits by the fight with the Slayers and their subsequent race through the trees.
Faith went to step forward but Buffy extended her arm to stop the other girl. Silently, she gestured to the far side of the opening into the chamber, and Faith nodded. Blending in with the shadows, almost becoming a shadow herself, Faith glided across the cavern floor until she and Buffy framed the entrance. The depths of the cave were pitch black, but Faith could see well enough to catch the glint in Buffy's eyes as she nodded her signal.
The Slayers moved - they dragged down a demon each while the third tried to scramble to safety. The two weakened beasts were despatched easily, and the remaining one, cornered and terrified, panicked. It leapt at Buffy, clawed hands swinging. She easily evaded its grasp and swung herself around onto its back, arm locked tight around its throat. Faith dove for its legs, tackling it to the ground.
They hit the stone floor hard, further winding the already struggling demon. Buffy's grip on its neck tightened while Faith straddled its chest, pinning its clawed arms to the ground. It took two minutes for the last of the demon's breath to leave its body. All the while, Buffy grinned down into its struggling face, eyes gleaming with the power she held.
When they were sure it was dead, Buffy rolled out from under the corpse, stretching out her cramped muscles. Faith still knelt by its head, and reached out a hand to touch the dried blood on its scaly face.
With a growl, Buffy sprang forward, pushing her away from her prize. Faith fell back on her ass, hands spread to stop her fall. A surge of anger shot through her when the blonde's hands made contact but she made no move to retaliate. Buffy was The Slayer - the kill was hers.
Buffy crouched over the dead demon and ran her hands almost lovingly down its body. Faith watched carefully as she pulled back a fist and plunged it into the demon's chest. With a loud snapping sound she drew her hand out, clutching the still warm heart tightly in her fist. Raising it reverently to her lips she inhaled deeply, taking in the coppery scent, then sunk her teeth into the muscle. She squeezed her fist, sending blood flowing down her throat. Buffy licked her lips once then turned to Faith, offering her the prize they had both earned.
Gratefully, Faith extended her hand and took the heart, mirroring Buffy's actions. As she threw her head back, Buffy moved closer to the other girl, gently scenting the air around her.
This dark woman was one of hers, Buffy knew her scent and - more than that - the aura of power around her spoke of a Slayer. Intrigued she began to circle the other girl slowly, keeping her face close to the heat of Faith's skin.
Faith tensed as Buffy moved out of sight behind her. She could feel the back of her neck prickling in response, feel the sweat breaking out on the palms of her hands as she teetered between fight and flight. What overpowered all of this though was the pounding sense of connectedness and familiarity, and in the end that was what won out for her. Faith relaxed her muscles, consciously trying to convey the fact that she was no threat. She bowed her head, exposing the vulnerable arch of vertebrae to Buffy's gaze.
The blonde Slayer combed her fingers lightly through Faith's hair, bringing her hand to rest on her shoulder. Buffy felt the shiver that ran through Faith's body, sensed the pulse of heat and want that her touch caused. She dropped to her knees beside the other Slayer, bringing their faces level. Faith watched her with darkened eyes, not quite meeting Buffy's gaze but keeping her focus on the relatively safe area around the blonde's lips.
Swinging her hips around, Buffy straddled the other girl, grabbing a handful of hair and pulling Faith's head back. She lowered her mouth to the exposed skin of Faith's throat and bit in lightly, just enough to start a small amount of blood beading. Faith whimpered but made no move to pull away. Encouraged, Buffy drew her head back, forcing Faith to look her in the eye. Grinding hard against her, Buffy pulled Faith in, crushing her lips in a kiss that left teeth and tongue hurting. Faith finally responded and ran her hands up under Buffy's shirt, scraping her nails down the muscles of her back, and causing the blonde to arch more firmly into her, groaning her appreciation.
The skirmishes with the demons had brought about two distinct and not entirely unrelated desires for the Slayers. With hungry taken care of, there was only one more need to be fulfilled. With a low growl, Buffy pushed Faith down, flat on her back, and the dark haired girl submitted. After all Buffy was The Slayer - and Faith was hers.