We all set out at a semi-decent pace, though I would have preferred that we had moved quicker. Riddick was going to be ten paces ahead of us, and I was trying to stay between him and the others. It wasn't that they were slow. None of them had the skills or training that we had been forced through. When you grow up in a slam you learn to move fast, avoid the bad things at all cost. They couldn't keep up at all if we were to actually go all out. Fear rolled off of them and a part of me wondered if the creatures could sense it like I could.

Did they go off of blood and fear? Did they even care? Our pace was semi-decent, not that it mattered. We were probably going to lose someone on the way back and I really hoped it was Johns. The merc was not going to be invited onto the skiff if we got back there, not if he thought he could still take Riddick back to a slam.

We'd been walking for what felt like forever, but was more like half an hour when the others stopped. I could sense the animals around us waiting, hoping we would step out of the light long enough for them to attack. Us stopping like this wasn't a good sign. It would mean that someone was going to get hurt and the chances of it being me were greater. With a sigh, I tapped Riddick on the shoulder, a sign for him to stop as well. I turned to look at the others, my silver eyes trying to figure out which one was going to cause the problem. Apparently it was going to be Fry our lovely captain.

"Why aren't we following the tracks anymore?"

"Saw somethin' I didn't like."

"Like what?"

"I don't know captain, looked like a couple of them boys chewin' each others gonads off. Thought we'd swing wide. Okay by you?"

There was a part of me that wanted to slap Riddick upside the head for his comment, but it was the truth. I'd seen what he saw and I didn't really feel like walking underneath it. Still, both he and I knew that, for all her talk, Carolyn wasn't the captain. She was just a pilot and nothing more. I doubted if she'd ever make it past pilot. There was a difference between the ranks. I knew that but, then again, I read a lot in the slam when I got the chance.

Glaring at the others, we turned to go back to the course. These kind of interruptions were ones we didn't need. At least not now, or not ever. The more interruptions we had, the longer it was going to take us to get to the settlement, and the more likely it was that someone else would get killed. I didn't want anyone's death on my conscience. Not unless it was someone I killed. Thankfully though, Paris was back at the skiff. If anything, he was probably the one that would run away and get attacked.

I heard the others pick up the pace behind us, trying to catch back up so they didn't get left behind. Their footsteps carried over the sounds of the creatures attacking each other. This was how things went. Both as a show of dominance over who was going to kill the 'invaders' or find the next meal. That was the way things worked in the animal kingdom. Still we pressed on as we tried to move closer to the settlement.

I could hear the other's getting restless and I was sure that Riddick could as well. He really was trying to stay close enough that he didn't just leave us all in the dust. With me out here, and no light to protect me, I doubted he would just leave. Not after he marked me and went through all the trouble to demand I stay close. No. We would get there and he wouldn't try to leave me behind. The others I couldn't speak to, but I knew he wouldn't leave me behind.

"We crossed our own tracks?"

"Listen."

"Riddick what are you…"

"LISTEN!"

I watched for a moment as everyone stopped to listen. I could hear the noises, hundreds and thousands of clicking noises. It was giving me a headache. A part of me knew that I would need to ask Riddick how he managed to avoid headaches when there was so much sound. I wasn't used to anything but the sounds from the Bay. Rubbing my temples, I leaned a moment against Riddick's back. My forehead pressed against the sweat-damp cloth of his black tank top. It was barely above a sound, but the whimper that escaped me was one I was sure he heard.

"Canyon up ahead. I circled once to buy some time to think."

"Let's just go."

"I don't know about that Johns. That's death row up there, what with the girl bleedin'."

"What are you talking about they aren't cut."

"Not her. Her. "

With his finger pointing towards the others, I thought I was going to pass out. For a moment I peeked out to see who he was talking about and then I realized that he wasn't actually talking about Jack. For a moment I was relieved. To show my appreciation for what he said, I leaned up on my toes and kisses his cheek. I could see the others staring at us as if we were freaks. Two convicts close to each other and, for some reason, that was strange to them. I felt his arms come around me, as if he was trying to convey that he wasn't going to betray Jack. He could see how much she meant to me, how much of a sister I thought the girl was.

I watched as the others tried to figure out exactly what Riddick meant. While we were standing there, my arms wrapped around his waist I felt another set of arms encircle mine. Looking down I saw Jack and my heart lurched. I knew that they were scenting her too, but we couldn't really do anything about it. I smiled down at the girl and noticed that Riddick awkwardly hugged her too. It was quick enough that the others didn't notice.

"Jack, we know that they can smell you but there's not much we can do about it right now. Just stick close to Riddick or myself and you will get out of this alive ok? Go back to the others now."

I watched as she nodded and then scurried off. The rag-tag group that we had were frowning as they finally realized what was going on. It was too late to do anything about it, and we couldn't just stand here. I could hear them bickering, trying to find a way to deal with everything that was going on.

"I was wrong. I admit it, My bad, okay? Now let's just go back to the ship."

"I dunno. Nice breeze, wide open spaces - you know, I'm startin' to enjoy myself out here."

"Are you fucking high again? Just listen to.."

"No, no, you're right, Fry. What's to be afraid of? My life is a steamin' pile of meaningless toadshit anyhow. So I say mush on! Canyon's only a couple hundred meters, after that we're in Skiff City! So why don' t you just butch up, stuff a cork in it, and get going."

Watching the banter between Johns and Fry was annoying me to no end. Neither of them deserved to be the leader or the captain. Both were trying to fight each other for dominance if only for the fact they didn't want to admit that either convict was the best choice to lead them through this mess. So instead they start insulting each other, and dragging out the secrets for each other through the mud. I was quite sure that by now everyone understood that Johns' was nothing more than a drug addict but they didn't know that Fry had her own secrets. I could sense Riddick's amusement by the entire ordeal and I knew that what the others were about to say was going to hold us all back.

"She's the captain, we should listen to -"

"Listen to her? Her? When she was willing to sacrifice us all?"

"What's he talking about?"

"This does not help us, Johns."

"..she tried to blow the whole fucking passenger cabin, tried to kill us-"

"Just shut up, okay?"

"-tried to kill us in our sleep. Paris had it right earlier - we are disposable. We're just walking ghosts to her."

My ire rose as I heard the rest of the stupid conversation. I knew that Johns would turn something I said to him back on one of the others. Why? Simply because it was easier that way. He couldn't say it to me because of the simple fact that Riddick had yet to let go of me. I wanted to get going, to move forward, and stop standing there. I could feel the pain of a headache digging even deeper into my brain.

"Everyone shut up for fuck's sake. You're giving me a headache. We are halfway there. Now if we can just keep going, make it through the damned canyon, we will be closer to the settlement. All standing around is doing is making us targets and wasting time."

My voice was stronger than I felt as it carried over the noises. I watched as each of them turned to stare at me, gasping as they realized that for the first time, I had eyes just like Riddick's. I was staring at each of them as they nodded and realized that I was right. We couldn't just stand here forever. We needed to go now. Watching as Johns moved from the group, shoved me away from Riddick and then started to talking to the convict, I growled. He gave me that look though, the one that clearly said stay close enough to hear but not so far away I couldn't help.

Moving back over to the group, I grabbed Jack's hand and we started to walk again. It wasn't going to be hard. I wanted to keep her safe and this was a way to do it. Looking at the others, I nodded and they started to follow behind me, as much of their lights burning as possible. For the first time in a good while I was glad that the fiber optics were holding out as much as they were.

From where I stood I could see and hear the merc and my mate. My Mate? I wondered if that was an apt thought for what we were. He had marked me, my animal at least understood that much. I knew that he wouldn't just let me go and that there was no way that I couldn't call him anything but mine. Riddick never really struck me as the type of person to claim anyone. He was a lone wolf, but he had seen something in me. Even now as I was standing away from him, I could feel his animal purr in approval of my actions. It was a heady thought.

I could hear every word passing between the two of them and knew that I was waiting for Johns to make a mistake. He already had two strikes against him, that much was clear. All it would take was one more slip of the tongue for the merc to be out of our hair. For the first time, I was actually looking forward to that fight. I knew the others wouldn't understand, so much was going on that they didn't want too. There was so much about Riddick's past that they couldn't, wouldn't understand. I knew that myself and maybe Jack would.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it."

"Just realized that, huh?"

I watch for a moment as Johns' shoots his gun out into the sounds, hoping to drive the creatures away. It's a stupid move, especially out here in the dark. Wasting ammo like that would only do one thing: cause more problems later. I reached behind me and made sure my shiv was still in place, but that wasn't the only weapon I had. Reaching into my boot, I pulled out the small knife I had found and handed it to Jack. I knew she would feel better with a weapon of some kind, not that I expected her to use it. Keeping the pace with the others, leading them as the two men talked, I didn't want us to stop. But I didn't want us running through that canyon yet either.

"Ten of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?"

"Not if I'm the one."

"What if you're one of the nine?"

"I'm listenin'."

I watched for a moment as I felt the sudden chill in the night air. I have a feeling what Johns' might suggest, and no one really wants that. From behind me, I could feel Fry nudging her way closer and I want to tell her to back off. With her talking it would be hard to hear the others. Turning, I glare at the woman as I wait for her to speak.

"What're they doing up there?"

Talking about the canyon, I suppose. How to get us through."

"No Johns is about to say something incredibly stupid but I can't hear what it is if you keep yapping. Stay quiet so I can hear or I'll feed you to the creatures myself."

I was honestly at my witts end with them. All of them but Jack. I knew that she was just scared and she had a right to be. No one but myself, Shazza, or Riddick even seemed to care about her wellbeing and that was dangerous. Untangling the girl from my arms, I smiled down at her before moving back to trying to focus on the conversation. I realized that I had missed most of what they were saying but the last part I did catch was not the right thing to say. Johns apparently thought that feeding Jack to the creatures would be a good idea. One less kid to feed, one less 'problem'. Oh that was sure to be strike three.

I was right though, as I watched Riddick stop and turn on the merc. The first thing that happened was Riddick knocking the flare out of Johns' hand and the fight ensuing. I can sense the others behind me getting ready to move. I spin on my heels and glare at them.

"Don't fucking move. We are going to stay here, until Riddick returns. Do you understand me? This is the final straw. If you want off this planet then do what I say or die here."

It hadn't taken much to get them to stop in their tracks and they turned to stare at me. Jack was standing just a little bit taller as she hadn't really ran. Fry looked like she wanted to argue and for a moment I wanted her too. I was ready to backhand the bitch into submission. Either she would step in line or she would be the next to go. I heard the sound of a gunshot, and then the two clicks as if he was trying to fire again. Pretty sure the merc loaded his morphine shells into the gun. Stupid move to carry those around like that. I watched for a moment. As the air grew still, the clicks grew louder. They could sense a feast upon them and they were preparing.

I watched as Riddick moved through the shadows the silent but deadly predator that he is. I could almost feel the shock and relief coursing through the others as they realize that Johns' wouldn't be returning.

"Back to the ship, huh? So everybody huddles together till the lights burn out? Until you cant' see what's eating you? That you're big plan Fry?"

"Where's Mr. Johns?"

"The merc will not be rejoining us. Apparently he thought that sacrificing a child, especially Jack, was the right way to get Riddick to get us through the canyon. He will not be rejoining us, ever."

I could see Fry trying to make her way back to the ship. If she wanted to head back there she could. I was done trying to stop her from doing something stupid. Turning I let my gaze stare at the others. This wasn't the time to break down, to start questioning things. No we needed to stay together if we were going to get out of this. Still it didn't help that she was trying to undermine all of that. My eyes glanced over at Jack and I sighed as I held out my arms. I knew she wanted a hug, or at least some sort of comfort in all of this. She was freaking out, and that wasn't something I wanted to see.

"He died fast. And if we got any choice, that's the way we should all go out. Don't you cry for Jonhs. Don't you dare."

"I'm not. I just can't believe that he didn't even know me and yet he wanted to use me as bait. He told me.. that I'd regret looking up to the convicts. That they would turn on me but you haven't you've protected me and it's just…"

I didn't know what to say to her, or too Rididick. I could feel the tears trek down my face as I held onto the child. She wasn't any older than twelve and it was almost too much. No one should have to deal with everything we've been through, not even a child. Knowing that Johns had threatened her, that was almost more than enough to raise the ire in my own mind. I could feel my animal about ready to snap. If I could, I would bring the merc back to life only to kill him slowly myself.

Feeling a hand on my face, I was snapped out of my reverie. Looking up into the silver-shined eyes of Riddick, I felt him wipe away my tears. His eyes told me more than his words ever would. He would get me and Jack out of here. We were family, pack, and he would die to protect us. The look was also telling me not to cry, that everything happened for a reason. I could feel the animal inside of me calming, accepting the comfort the touch was giving me. After we got out of this mess, Riddick and I needed to have a long talk.

We started to move again, heading towards the mouth of the gauntlet that is the canyon. There we would rest for a moment, but I didn't say that. It was for the others to come up with the plan. Riddick would be on pulling duty, or myself, if they chose to split them up. I had no idea what the others were thinking, but if we are going to rest now is the time to do so. We needed to be running on all eight, full-out, if we had any chance of making it out of this.

"Can we stop for a moment and rest?"

"We need to get through that canyon. Longer we wait, longer it's gonna take us to make it to the end. Rest. But don't take too long."

I watched ass the others nodded at Riddick before moving off to do their own things while we waited. Jack and Shazza started working on turning the bottles of alcohol that we had into torches, hoping that it was enough to get us through. We needed all the light we could get since the generator stopped working about two minutes before. Right then all we could do was sit, wait, rest and do nothing until Riddick told us it was time to go. I watched him move over to the cells. He pulled the cells off the sled and used the extra bit of cabling to tie them together.

I moved over and sat down right beside him. I needed to rest, I had honestly been running non stop since I left the Bay and I'd never been all out like this before. Leaning my head against his shoulder, I felt his body relax a moment and shift me closer. He went back to his tasking, working around me while holding me close. That might have been the last time we got to do this. There was a real big chance that one of us might not make it through that canyon, but I hoped that wasn't the case. Sensing someone approach, I looked up and saw the Imam standing there.

"Would you like me to pray with you? It's painless."

"It's pointless."

"I see. Well, even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean He won't be-"

"You don't see. 'Cuz you don't spend half your life in lock-down with a horse-bit in your mouth and not believe. And you surely don't start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and not believe. Oh, absolutely I believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker."

"He is with us. Nonetheless."

For a moment I wondered why Riddick felt the need to divulge that bit of information. It was a part of his history that he would never forget, and probably never forgive. A part of me knew that it was for my benefit, for me to know that he grew up with a rough situation as well. We were both orphans, spending most of our lives in the slams. I could see the tension in Imam and the sadness. He didn't want to believe that someone that was saving them, had been through such badness. For the Chrislams and the others that were religious, it was easier to hide the pain behind hollow words. To them, God only punished the wicked and, while Rididck was a killer, there was no mistaking that he wasn't the bad guy.

"And you child? Would you like me to pray with you?"

"Why?"

"Do you not believe in God child?"

"I don't think that God has anything to do with this. How can I believe in someone that forced me into a life that no one should have? How can a girl, born in a slam and left to die believe? How can she be almost raped when she was ten, killing the guards that were trying to hurt her, and then get forced into getting a shine that would kill her believe? How can a girl that grew up her entire life in one prison, not knowing what love and compassion are, only fleeting moments of kindness believe? Maybe you're right, holyman. Maybe I don't believe."

The tone of my words spoke more than my words themselves. There was a sense of sadness that permeated the air. I knew that the man had no idea what I'd been through, just like he had no idea what Riddick had gone through. I could see it in Imam's eyes. How he wished we hadn't had to deal with the bad lot we had. How he wished that we could be like everyone else, not be killers. Not be convicts. The nasty truth was simply that the only ones that stood any chance of getting him, his boys, and the others off this rock were killers.

As I spoke, I could feel emotions well up in me, and I felt Riddick shift. He pulled me even closer, sending a glare at the holyman. It was as if he was mentally asking if the man felt better for making me feel horrible. I didn't want to share this, but it wasn't even my whole story. I was sure, that once we got off this rock, got somewhere else we all would have a long talk. He needed to know my secrets, and I his if we were going to survive. Feeling a pair of lips ghosting across my neck I allowed myself to relax.

"You'll know compassion, love, and so much more if you stick with me. Can't say I want the others to see it, but I'm not the big bad evil they try to say I am. You and the kid. We are a unit, a family, and we will make it off this rock. Then you and I, baby, need to have a nice long chat."

"I know Riddick. Get us out of this mess and you can ask me anything you want."

I felt him move, shift and get up. We needed to go. It was time to move. We had left Zeke and Paris waiting long enough and now we needed to return to them. I watched as he moved over to the others and we got ready. With Riddick pulling the cells that would leave me to lead and I didn't mind. If we kept Jack between us we might have a shot. She was bleeding but we weren't about to let the others know. They didn't need more ammunition for hating us.

We take off, Jack's hand clutched in one of mine as I moved at a quick pace. The others were keeping up and Riddick was making a steady path with the cells. We could do this we just had to not slow down for any reason. My other hand gripped my shiv as I waited, hoping that nothing would cause me to need to use it. This wasn't the time to be attacking things at random.

We ran. There was no other way to explain it other than that. We ran and we made it towards the first part of the gauntlet when I could feel things start to drop on us. Screeches and clicks filled the night sky and I wanted to gag. I could sense someone slowing down, trying to look and I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow.

"Don't look."

It wasn't enough. Someone, and I assume it was Fry, tried to look up because Riddick's voice sounded out just after mine.

"Do not look up!"

We moved as quickly as we could through the dead bodies and muck that started to get in our way. We needed to get out of the damned gauntlet if we wanted to make it off the planet alive. As we moved, I could see the others struggling through it. Jack was trying as hard as she could to stay up on both her legs. My eyes settled on a choke point and I cringed. We had to get through, we would get through it.

"What? What is it?"

"It's a fuckin' staircase Jack. Just go."

All of us were a bit on edge, and Riddick's comment didn't help. Still I could understand the girls reluctance to touch the creatures at all. We didn't have much of a choice. We had to push through. I watched as she climbed, relieved that she made it to the other side, quickly following myself. Everyone crossed up the staircase and Riddick followed up the rear with the cells. We could do this, we just needed to stay focused. I would have said stay calm but most of them were way past that point at this moment. Then everything crashed around me. I saw one of the creatures snap at Jack and I lost it.

"JACK!"

Jumping into the air, I landed near the girl and the creature, my shiv digging into his brain watching with grim satisfaction as it died. She crashes to the ground and rolls underneath a set of bones. It wasn't the best place for her but she didn't have much room to move. Already there was another creature there, snapping at her and trying to pierce her flesh. I didn't have a chance to move, to defend her because Riddick was already there. Somehow he had managed to pull one of his shivs and gutted the creature before any of us could blink. He moved quicker than probably the other humans' eyes could see. I watched in complete awe as he gutted the creature and then, for good measure, snapped it neck.

"Did not know who he was fuckin' with."

I watched as Jack scooted out of the bones and smiles at the convict before we all returned to our task. He picked up the drag lines once again and started us off. This time, we were following behind him. Our pace needed to be grueling, but after that I didn't know how many more of us planned on making it out alive. Already we've had more than enough close calls for my liking and I refused to let any more come up. Pushing through the rest of the bone yard, we cleared the choke point and the canyon widened. It wasn't so bad, meaning we were almost through. Then the unthinkable started.

I felt it and I almost gasped in shock. Rain. We didn't need this, couldn't have this. It was the only thing that would prevent our lights from working. We pushed through, but the rain didn't let up. It started pounding us, a bone chilling cold that any normal person would try to avoid. I could hear a laugh and I knew it was Riddick. He was just as crazy about the entire situation as I was. I couldn't help it either, the laugh bubbled out of me as if it was some illness. Our voices, carried over the sound of the rain and the creatures, forming a perfect harmony.

"So where the hell's your God now?"

"Riddick? How close? Tell me the settlement is right there."

"We can't make it."

They shouldn't have been so surprised. We might've until the rain started to come through. Right then, we needed to get the cells to the skiff no matter what and there were only two of us capable of that. I scanned the horizon and spotted a cave. Darting over to it, I moved the rock covering away.

"Over here. Inside now. All of you. Now!"

Each of them scrambled over to the cave, falling a few times in the mud but they make it. I watched with my eyes as I saw one person stop. Riddick was behind me and I felt the heat of him as he moved closer. One of us would have to stay and watch the others. I turned, smiling up at him before placing a brief kiss on his lips. He shoo3d me into the cave and I watched in the darkness as the rock face was shifted back in place. We were safer in there at least for the moment.

"Why's he still out there?"

"He's the best chance of getting the cells to the ship. He'll come back for us."

"Yeah right. All he will do is knock out or kill the others and take off."

That was it. I'd had it with Fry's attitude and mouth. Quicker than the others could think, I slapped the blond across the face. Watching with a sick satisfaction her head cracked against the rock. There was a sick crack and the others cringed. Fry would not be joining us again. We sat there, huddled as best we could, hearing the rain pound against the rocks and watching the one alcohol torch we had start to die. Wrapping my arms around Jack, I pulled her close to me. She would be safe.

"He's going to return for us Jack. We are pack, family. We don't leave each other behind. You saw the mark, do you think he'd willingly leave his mate behind?"

My words weren't above a whisper but I knew the others heard it nonetheless. It was meant to reassure the girl but I knew in my heart that Riddick would return. As we waited our light failed and the others started to panic. Looking up, I poked Jack in the side and saw her look up too. There above us were several glowing worms that we might use. Grabbing one of the bottles, I pulled the lid of and stood. Filling it with as many of the bugs as I could get I saw Jack and Shazza start to do the same with the others. When we had one completely full, I ripped the label off so that the light wasn't being blocked. The other bottle was only half full when the other label was ripped off. We had light, it wasn't much but it was enough to see.

I tried not to set too gruelin' of a pace. We needed to move but to lose the others along the way wasn't somethin' I wanted. I could feel Autumn hoverin' around just like I asked her too. She wasn't in the light but she would be there should the others need her help. I just wanted to know she was safe, to know that she was within my grasp if somethin' were to happen.

I knew these creatures went off blood. I could sense it about them. They were hungry and they were lookin' for their next meal. I didn't want it to be one of the kids, or the women. Could be Johns' that much I wouldn't care about. We'd only been walking for a little over half an hour when the wannabe captains annoyin' voice broke through. I had steered us away from a bunch of the creatures fightin' hopin' to avoid gettin' their blood on us. Of course she just had to question me didn't she?

"Why aren't we following the tracks anymore?"

"Saw somethin' I didn't like."

"Like what?"

"I don't know captain, looked like a couple of them boys chewin' each others gonads off. Thought we'd swing wide. Okay by you?"

I could sense the laugh that my mate was hidin'. She wanted to smack me upside the head, but it was true. The woman wasn't leadin' I was, and they had better learn to respect that. She was nothin' more than a pilot and a shitty one at that. The ship coulda been landed much better and in better shape by someone that actually had an ounce of skill. Instead we got stuck with a green pilot who didn't know when to shut her mouth.

As we were walkin' I knew that someone would realize I'd crossed our own tracks. I was tryin' to figure out how to get us through the canyon. They smelled blood and Jack had just started her period, probably didn't even know what was up. Then there was Fry, I could smell her a mile away, and she didn't really seem to care that much. She was goin' to be the biggest problem. If I could, I'd keep the girls secret but not the captains.

"We crossed our own tracks?"

"Listen."

:"Riddick what are you…"

"LISTEN!"

I couldn't fight back the scream. If they would just shut up for one moment I could explain. I watched as they all heard what I knew that Autumn and myself had been hearing for a while. The sounds of all the creatures that lay ahead of is. I felt a movement at my back, heard the whimper and the forehead press against my back. The noises were botherin' my mate's ears and that annoyed me to no end. No I wasn't mad at her, I was mad at the damned creatures. How dare they make so much noise that it gave her a headache. My voice was steady when I spoke to them, watchin' as they cowered away.

"Canyon up ahead. I circled once to buy some time to think."

"Let's just go."

"I don't know about that Johns. That's death row up there, what with the girl bleedin'"

"What are you talking about they aren't cut."

"Not her. Her. "

My finger purposely pointed out Fry. I wanted the others to hate the woman. She was the cause for all of this nonsense. Her and the merc. When I felt a kiss planted on my cheek I couldn't fight back my grin. Wrapping my arms around my woman I pulled her close. The others were starin' at us, all but Jack. Jacky girl looked relieved and I couldn't help but wink at her. She knew I knew her secret and that I hadn't said anythin'. Why would I? I wasn't about to betray the only two people that had actually managed to become my family.

I saw the girl approach us, awkwardly hug Autumn and I couldn't help it. I wrapped my arms around her as well. The three of us, we were a family and we would make it out of here alive. I would die to keep them both safe. Just like I knew that Autumn would die to protect Jack, and myself if she thought she could. Soon enough the huggin' was over and the girl was back with the others. They were tryin' to figure out what I said and how it affected us. I couldn't help but be amused at how quickly they turned on each other.

Hearin' Autumn's voice carry was enough to make me growl. I rubbed her temples as much as I could to help fight away the pain but it wouldn't be enough, not right now. The others needed to shut up if we were goin' to have any chance of gettin' out of here. She moved away though, went to the others as Johns approached. I honestly didn't want anythin' to do with the merc but if I didn't hear him out there would be hell to pay.

Apparently he thought he had a plan. Well I was all for hearin' it, didn't mean I'd actually follow it. Mr. William J. Johns was probably one of the dumbest bounty hunters I'd ever had the displeasure of meetin'. He talked a big game but in the end all he did was kill innocents to get his pay day. The dumbass probably didn't even realize he had two strikes against him. I was just waitin' for the third. Didn't have to wait long.

"Ain't all of us gonna make it."

"Just realized that, huh?"

"Ten of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that'd be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?"

"Not if I'm the one."

"What if you're one of the nine?"

"I'm listenin'"

We were walkin' just a bit ahead of the others. I knew the only one that could hear our conversation was Autumn but the others in the group would probably distract her. I couldn't expect her to hear every bit but I did hope she at least heard the last bit so that she'd know for sure, why Johns' would end up dead. I was hopin' the merc wouldn't realize what my plan was until it was way too late for him to do anythin.'

"Look, it's hellified stuff- but no different than those battlefield doctors when they have to decide who lives and who dies. It's called 'triage,' okay?"

"Kept callin' it 'murder' when I did it."

"Either way, figure it's something you can grab onto."

"Sacrifice play. Hack up one body, leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum."

"Trawl with it. There's a cable on the sled. Drag it behind us, maybe fifty feet."

"Nice embellishment."

"Don't wanna feed these land-sharks- Just keep 'em off our scent."

"So which one caught your eye?"

"Don't look, Dont' look, Christ what's wrong with you!"

Smirkin' some at the way Johns freaked out I couldn't help but chuckle. I already had a sneakin' suspicion what his plan was. The only person out here that deserved to die was him but he couldn't see that. No he was probably gonna ask me to kill off someone, either Autumn or the girl. Either one of those options would earn him a one way ticket to my shiv. As I stood there, I couldn't help but wonder just what kind of sick things were runnin' through his head. Just to piss the merc off I looked towards the others as we talked.

"Let's not name the Thanksgiving turkey, okay? I assume you still got a shiv."

"What, you 'spect me to do it?"

"What's one more to you? Like this is the one that send syou to hell?"

"Oh, you're a piece of art , Johns. They oughta hang you in a museum somewhere. Or forget the museum - maybe they should just hang you."

"Awright. You do the girl, I'll keep the others off you back. That is unless you think the kid isn't a girl after all."

"Just wonderin' if we don't need a bigger piece of bait."

It was enough. He wanted me to kill Jack and he knew that Jack wasn't a boy. Not that I minded that the merc knew. I just wasn't about to let him know that killin' Jack wasn't at the top of my list. Movin' I make for the shotgun, hearin' as it blasts skyward. Johns drops flare and I almost grin right there. Things were going my way. We tussle for a moment and I knock the shotgun out of his hands, the darkness surrounds us as I pull my shiv.

"Just one rule, Johns. Stay in the light."

I watch him circle, and I couldn't help it. I start to fuck with him just to see what he'd do. Pokin' and jabbin' at him I watch as he backs up into the darkness. He stumbles over somethin' but I don't care, I've found another weapon in that time. A bone that would make a pretty handy club if I swung it just right. He comes at me and I bounce back goin' back at him. We beat and bash but I'm the only landin' any blows. I break his fingers, forcin' him to drop the bone and he's scramblin' to get away. Making a desperate play for the light. Stupid move on his part, turnin' his back on me.

Lettin' my shiv out to play I slice at his back. I watch as he starts crawlin' for the light again, thinkin' he can get away. I move, followin' him in the shadows, tauntin' him.

"Shoulda never taken the chains off, Johns. You were one brave fuck, before. Now look at you. Oh, yeah, you were Billy Bad-ass with your gage. with the chains.. with the bit.."

He was stupid honestly, if he thought he could see me in the darkness. There was only one person that could see me and right now she was wrangin' Fry and the others. I wanted to yell at them to stay put but I didn't want to give away my position, yet. Johns' killed himself in the end really. The blood from his back, called the creatures to him and he shot. The first one made contact, the next was nothin' but air. Stupid merc keepin' his morphine in shotgun shells. In this darkness, no one could really see color to know if they'd even loaded the right ones in.

With the death of the merc, I turned and headed back to the others. I watched as Autumn looked relieved to see me. I wasn't gonna let those creatures or the blue-eyed devil get the best of me out here. No I was stronger than that. I watched the others as they seemed to disregard anythin' that my mate had told them.

"Back to the ship, huh? So everybody huddles together till the lights burn out? Until you cant' see what's eating you? That you're big plan Fry?"

"Where's Mr. Johns?"

"The merc will not be rejoining us. Apparently he thought that sacrificing a child, especially Jack, was the right way to get Riddick to get us through the canyon. He will not be rejoining us, ever."

Smillin' at the woman I was growin' to care a great deal about, I couldn't help but smile. She had heard the last part of the fight, that much was clear. I saw the looks on the others faces but they demanded explanation. Why should I even bother? Didn't they know what kinda man he was? What kind of person they were puttin' their trust in?

"He died fast. And if we got any choice, that's the way we should all go out. Don't you cry for Jonhs. Don't you dare."

"I'm not. I just can't believe that he didn't even know me and yet he wanted to use me as bait. He told me.. that I'd regret looking up to the convicts. That they would turn on me but you haven't you've protected me and it's just…"

It shocked me a moment the way the kid was talkin' to me. She'd grown up in the last few hours and that was enough. I could see in her the same fightin' spirit I had when I was her age. Watchin' tears fall down my mates face was not somethin' I wanted to ever see, again. Movin', I cupped her face as I wiped away the tears. I tried to convey with my eyes, the feelin's I had. Maybe she'd understand them better than I did. We were goin' to have a long talk when we got off this planet, the two of us needin' to understand how we felt.

Moving, we continued to walk as we tried to make it through the rest of the canyon. This was goin' to be the hard part. We were just at the mouth, about ready to venture forwards. If we could push on we might actually make it before anythin' else happened. It was wishful thinkin' on my part, I knew that but it didn't stop me from feelin' that way.

"Can we stop for a moment and rest?"

"We need to get through that canyon. Longer we wait, longer it's gonna take us to make it to the end. Rest. But don't take too long."

I saw them nod at me and that was enough for me to walk off. I had things to do. We needed to get the cells together. If I was goin' to drag them I didn't want them on the sled. The sled was too much of a liability right now for all of us. Findin' a spot I sit down and start tyin' up the cable and loopin' them through the cells. I was makin' a drag line as I felt Autumn rest her head on my shoulder. She needed sleep. My animal could sense it. She was pushin' past her last bit of reserves, not even sure much more she could take. Since the start she'd been injured twice savin' people, runnin' all out since we started. I wish I could grant her the time to rest but we just didn't have it. We needed to get goin' soon. A shadow cast over me and I looked up, and glared.

"Would you like me to pray with you? It's painless."

"It's pointless."

"I see. Well, even if you don't believe in God, it doesn't mean He won't be-"

"You don't see. 'Cuz you don't spend half your life in lock-down with a horse-bit in your mouth and not believe. And you surely don't start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and not believe. Oh, absolutely I believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker."

"He is with us. Nonetheless."

I wanted to strangle the holyman. Just because he didn't understand my past didn't give him the right to judge me. His God was supposed to do that. I gave my story, or as much of it as I was comfortable with so that Autumn would understand that on some level we weren't all that different. Both of us spent most of our lives in the slam, I never knew my parents, just like she never knew hers. I could feel her tense beside me, and growled at hearin' her called a child. Yes she was younger than Imam was but that didn't make her a child. She was twenty five years old, if what she said was accurate, that was far from bein' a child.

"And you child? Would you like me to pray with you?"

"Why?"

"Do you not believe in God child?"

"I don't think that God has anything to do with this. How can I believe in someone that forced me into a life that no one should have. How can a girl, born in a slam and left to die believe? How can she be almost raped when she was ten, killing the guards that were trying to hurt her and then get forced into getting a shine that would kill her believe? How can a girl that grew up her entire life in one prison, not knowing what love and compassion are, only fleeting moments of kindness believe? Maybe you're right holyman. Maybe I don't believe."

I'd already heard part of the story but I could feel her anguish all the same. I could see the emotions flit across Imam's face. He felt bad for us, when he shouldn't. We survived the ordeal that we were born into. He shouldn't feel sympathy for us. Pullin' my woman closer I couldn't help but try to calm her down. I didn't need her upset, I didn't like her upset. Movin' my face so that I was kissin' her across her neck I inhaled some. I loved her scent. It was a drug to me and I would never do without it.

"You'll know compassion, love and so much more if you stick with me. Can't say I want the others to see it but I'm not the big bad evil they try to say I am. You and the kid. We are a unit, a family, and we will make it off this rock. Then you and I, baby, need to have a nice long chat."

"I know Riddick. Get us out of this mess and you can ask me anything you want."

Movin', I stood up. What was I supposed to say? I was goin' to get us through this mess. It wasn't even a question. We would get out of here, and we would make it on the skiff with the others. I secured the drag lines to me as I moved. We needed to take off and I saw the others join us. Autumn would take point here, I needed to be in the back. I wanted rear guard for a reason.

As we ran I could feel things droppin' down on us. The creatures were fighin' each other. They were goin' at it like there wasn't a whole lot of food below them just waitin' to be picked off. After yellin' at them to stop looking up, and resistin' the urge to hit Fry, we moved again. We were gettin' close to a choke point when Jack freaked out. I could see what the problem was but there was no way around it.

"What? What is it?"

"It's a fuckin' staircase Jack. Just go."

I watched her gangly figure as she climbed up the staircase with hands and knees. It couldn't be helped. She was growin' and with that came the lack of coordination that the adults would have. One of the creatures she stepped on though, snapped at her and I watched as she rolled out of the way. She landed under some rocks but I was too far away to get to her, at least at the moment. Watchin', I saw Autumn launch herself a clear ten yards with her shiv drawn. There was a sickenin' crunch as the blade dug itself into the brain of the creature. She wouldn't let anything happen to Jack while she could help it. Of course, watchin' her fly like I could momentarily dazed me.

She was too far away to stop the other attack. One of the other creatures though they would try to use Jack as food agai. This one was close enough that I could act. With lightin' fast reflexes I dropped the drag lines and pulled my shiv. Slicin' the underside of the beast at least three times, I felt it oozin' out its guts. I knew it was dead but my animal was still pissed that it went after Jack. For good measure, I snapped the creatures neck before stepping back, sheathin' my shiv, and grabbin' the drag lines again.

"Did not know who he was fuckin' with."

We push on as best we could and get out of the choke point. It's wide open spaces and it gets us closer to the skiff. We only had about another hundred yards before we were within the confines of the settlement. I wasn't even sure if we could make it though, 'cause just as we start to lift our spirits the sky opens up. Rain. I could feel it cleanin' me of the animal blood but it was a bone chillin' type of rain. The kids, they were probably already tired and now they'd have to slog through rain and mud to get out of here.

"So where the hell's your God now?"

"Riddick? How close? Tell me the settlement is right there."

"We can't make it."

The last bit was directed at Fry. We wouldn't make it. Not without more light. Their torches were useless now, the rain washin' away the flame. I had to think of somethin' and fast. I couldn't get them through there without any light. Autumn beat me too it with her idea. I spotted the cave that she was pointin' at and I herded the others there. I watched for a moment as my mate stayed outside, I pressed closer to her, offerin' her comfort if only for a moment. The kiss was brief but it was powerful. I would come back for her. When she crawled in the cave, I slid a giant rock in front of it. It would have to do as a door, until I got back.

I picked up the cells again and took off. I could make it, grab some light and come back for the others. They couldn't be left there, not with Fry around. Pushin' my legs harder and faster than I've ever moved before I made to the skiff in quite a good amount of time. I saw Zeke and Paris standin' there starin'. I knew they had questions, but I didn't have a whole lot of time to explain what was goin' on.

"They are safe for now. Gotta go back for them. Get the cells in, get them patched through. Give me whatever light you can find. now!"

I watched as the two men moved quickly. I helped shove the cells in place as Paris searched for the lights and Zeke started patchin' them in. The prospector was decent sort. He was smart enough to try to figure out what needed to be done without much fuss. Within ten minutes I had a headlight, and two rows of interior lights from ship, strung together, to create a light source. It would be enough. I took off before they could say anythin' else. It was time I got back to my pack. Autumn and Jack needed me and we were so close to gettin' off this damned planet.