AN: Hello again! Not much to say here, except thanks as ever for your reviews!
This chap's quote:
Love is fire. But whether it's gonna warm your heart or burn your house down you can never tell.
So, last chap we found out that some of the alien horse things want to sacrifice Kaitlyn by morning. This annoyed the other horse things, her 'foster parents' who'd been trying to use her to get back to Earth. Whilst Kaitlyn is unaware of the Nightmairs and Stellions' true appearances- Adonis (big cloud horse) seems good. Still, obvs the Doc and Amy are going to stop her being sacrificed, hopefully- and that's where we start!
ALSO: Just in case you get confused, 'Atiya' is the name the horses have given to Kaitlyn.
Enjoy!
Amy and the Doctor crouched behind a bush in Kaitlyn's back garden. Trying not to think about all the ways this could be taken out of context- Amy shifted a little, stretching a cramped leg. The Doctor remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the house- or more precisely, Kaity's bedroom window.
The Time Lord had decided that since this was the night before her sacrifice- there was likely to be some sort of showdown between the Nightmair's who wanted to keep the girl and the Stellions who wanted to kill her. At the least- they may be able to catch a glimpse of the Nightmair's and maybe talk to them- find out how to stop the sacrifice- and find out what the Stellions were so afraid of.
So, unable to say no- Amy had ended up sneaking into the girl's back garden and setting up behind an azalea bush- feeling remarkably like a severely misunderstood peeping tom- but a peeping tom nonetheless. Still, there was one good thing about this course of action- the stars.
This far out into the desert, the sky was almost completely clear- barely any light pollution, and the entire universe- millions of galaxies, red dwarfs and supernova's gleamed down with a brilliance Amy had only ever experienced off world. It was good to know that there were still some places on Earth where people could really see the stars- and she felt better getting lost in the sky's jeweled, glittering depths than staring into Kaity's room. Just because she'd never willingly leave the Time Lord didn't mean she had to act like him.
Abruptly, the Doctor's touch brought her out of her musings, and Amy felt a dull ache in her heart at how fleeting it was- of how much she missed him holding her, wanting to touch her. She mentally tried to shrug it off, and looked where he was pointing through a gap in the hedge.
In Kaity's room, next to her bed, a pale opalescent mare with burning eyes was standing next to Kaity's bed, her tail swishing from side to side- but otherwise utterly calm. After a few seconds the horse nuzzled the girl's cheek, and blinking she woke. When she saw the 'mare she smiled wildly, kissing the horse's muzzle.
The Doctor and Amy heard a muffled whinny, and then the Nightmair turned, nudging Kaity- motioning for her to look into the garden. As the Doctor and Amy watched, some two dozen nightmair's materialized on the lawn in front of them- all faintly shimmering, not quite there. At the head of the crowd- next to Kaitlyn's window, was Adonis.
Kaity's eyes went wide, and she pushed her window open- climbing out and nearly stumbling into the soil- catching herself on Adonis' neck. The mare which was in her room seemed to fade a little more, and then walked through the glass- like a ghost, before standing next to Kaity and Adonis.
The Doctor gasped a little and then turned to Amy, putting his fingers on either side of her forehead, muttering in a whisper. "They're communicating telepathically- here, I'll let you in."
He closed his eyes, and Amy felt something being unlocked in her mind. She turned to watch the herd as she heard a deep, aristocratic sounding male voice which must be Adonis.
"-need to take her away. Now!"
The mare next to Kaity stamped her foot, her voice was soft and gentle- much like her appearance, but there were fierce undercurrents too. "No Adonis! We cannot take her from her family."
Adonis brayed loudly, pawing the turf. "And if we don't take her away from her family then the others will take her life."
The mare dipped her head. "You know we will not let that happen."
Adonis whinnied at her, his ears flicking back in agitation. "Not whilst you're alive! You don't understand Belakane- they're mad with fear!"
A few of the other nightmair's shuffled nervously at his words, but none of them left.
Belakane was still- her voice was steady and calm as she replied. "I will lay down my life for our daughter. I will fight till my dying breath to protect her- regardless of what the stellions do or do not claim about the Time Ghosts."
Amy sensed the Doctor straighten a little next to her at this, but ignored him. Kaity looked like she was about to start crying as she patted Belakane's neck.
"N-No, Belakane. I don't want you to die! I don't want any of you to die!" her mental voice was younger, more girlish, and Amy felt a swell of pity rise in her for the hopeless child.
Belakane nuzzled her cheek, and several of the other nightmair's stepped forwards-whinnying comfortingly. "Shhh little Atiya. It is our choice."
Kaitlyn cried harder, throwing her arms around Belakane's neck. "Why do you have to choose? Why are the Stellions doing this?" She looked to Adonis beseechingly.
The Stellion bowed his head. "I am sorry little one. They are afraid- it has made them mad."
Kaitlyn blinked, sniffing and rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand as she stepped closer to Adonis, he lowered his head so she could rest her hand on his nose. " You're not..mad? Are you- Adonis? You don't want me and Belakane and the others to die?"
Adonis sounded heartbroken but determined when he replied. "No my girl, I'm not mad. I don't want you to die."
Kaitlyn cried a little more, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his coat.
Adonis looked at Belakane, his voice was quiet- and Amy had a feeling they were hiding this conversation from Kaitlyn. "We have to take her- hide her somewhere."
Belakane dipped her head, pawing the turf and snorting a little. "We couldn't. I can't. It would break her heart."
Something in Adonis' posture seemed to break, and he bowed his head, nuzzling Kaitlyn's hair. "Then we are doomed."
It was now that the Doctor decided to make his presence known. Rolling her eyes, and ever so slightly afraid, Amy clambered out of the bushes after him.
The Time Lord grinned at the herd, which turned towards him simultaneously. In a flash Adonis was in front of him, stamping on the ground angrily.
"What are you doing here? How can you hear us? You are a mere man."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow and looked ridiculously disappointed. "Now Adonis- I'd heard such great things about the Stellions. You really think I'm human?"
Adonis snorted at the Doctor's patronizing tone, and Amy, standing just behind the man, really hoped he knew what he was doing, because Adonis was about five foot taller than she was and those great black hooves meant business.
The Doctor smiled complacently as Adonis calmed. Silently the Stellion stepped closer, his nostrils flaring as he scented the Doctor's jacket. The Doctor watched him- completely unperturbed, even as Adonis skipped back with a whinny- his tail whipping from side to side. The 'mares shied too as he half- said, half-cried.
"Time Lord!"
The Doctor gave a little bow. "Pleasure to meet you."
He held up his hands, trying to calm the herd, who all eyed him suspiciously. It didn't miss his or Amy's notice when Belakane and a group of the mares stood in a protective circle around Kaitlyn.
Adonis snorted. "What do you want?"
The Doctor shrugged. "Nothing. I just…want to help."
Adonis stamped his hooves again, leaving deep brown grooves in the lawn- and Amy wondered how Kaitlyn's parents couldn't have noticed.
"We do not need the help of a Time Lord."
Adonis almost spat the last words, disdainful and defensive. Amy wondered why- most other alien species she'd met that knew of Time Lord's had been respectful at least- and she could tell the Doctor was bewildered too.
The Doctor sighed. "Look- you want to save Kaitlyn, so do I."
Adonis fixed the Doctor with a burning glare. "What do you know of Atiya?"
The Doctor shoved a hand in his pockets, peering past the close packed bodies of the nightmair's and giving Kaitlyn a little wave. She returned it as Adonis and the others watched closely.
"I know she's a good kid, and your Stellions want to sacrifice her."
Adonis was motionless for a moment, considering, and then he dipped his head.
"What did you have in mind?"
The Doctor smiled.
X
Whenever Amy had briefly considered asking the Doctor to take her to Uluru, she'd never thought she'd be riding on the back of an interstellar horse otherwise known as a nightmair, feeling remarkably like bait. Then again, she was used to things not going exactly as she thought they would with the Doctor.
As they got closer, Amy shivered a little- half in trepidation, and half in genuine cold- the desert at night was practically freezing compared to the day, and her skimpy outfit wasn't helping. The Doctor riding bareback next to her, wordlessly handed over his jacket. Amy gave him a smile of thanks, but he'd already turned back to Uluru.
For the first time, the Scot gave the infamous natural phenomenon her full attention. It was astounding- inexplicable somehow- a rich plum in the evening light, with hints of midnight and crimson where light and shadow accentuated it's bulk. Dry, desolate and somehow mysterious- rising as a mountain amidst the dunes and skeletal trees- the ancient heart of Australia.
Amy couldn't help feeling awed by it, sitting silent beneath the stars, and at the same time she felt a rush of fear, clutching the Doctor's jacket closer and breathing in his scent for reassurance. There was a rumble of thunder- and then the black, boiling cloud that had appeared to deliver Adonis began to creep into the clear sky, blocking out the stars.
This one was huge, stretching from one end of the horizon to the other- or so it seemed, and boiled and rumbled restlessly, spitting fragments of nebulous black ash before swallowing it back. As Amy watched, eyes wide, the cloud spiraled into a tornado like column, spewing shapes into the surface of Uluru. She gulped.
The Doctor looked at her and winked. "So it begins."
Ooooooh, so what now? What's the Docs plan? What will the other Stellions be like? What's with the weird attitude towards time lords? (hint:lightning)
Please comment, question and critique, I love to hear your opinions!
Thanks for reading, hope you like it!
Kat