Sorry guys for taking FOREVER to finish this chapter. I've been a bit distracted.
Chapter 13
Khan runs as fast as he can. He reaches the edge of the trees just as the phaser goes off a second time, throwing Hawk into the starving river with Little Wolf. His tiny head vanishes beneath the surface just as Khan reaches and kills the man-a Starfleet Security Officer. Fawn moans and rolls to her feet, clutching her chest and wincing in pain.
"Where are the others?" Khan demands.
"The water," She croaks out.
"Hawk!" Khan hears Little Wolf scream out from a distance. "Grab my hand! Hurry!"
A loud roaring washes over Khan as he races along the bank, his sharp blue eyes frantically searching for any sign of life.
"Help!" Hawk screams.
"Grab my hand! Hurry!" Little Wolf yelps back.
Khan runs faster. He ignores the thorns slicing through his jeans and tearing at his flesh. He ignores the pain shooting up his legs and the blood dripping onto the greed forest floor. His heart pounds faster. And faster. The roaring grows louder until it is an almost deafening shriek: a waterfall.
And then he sees them.
Little Wolf has climbed onto a low hanging branch overlooking the waterfall and is reaching out a soaked hand towards the river. A sputtering Hawk is being thrown cruelly against the rocks, his head disappearing from view every so often.
"Grab my hand!" Little Wolf screams frantically as Hawk reappears. "Hawk! Come on!"
Khan could easily see that if the boy didn't grab her hand soon, he was dead for sure, but if he did grab Little Wolf, they were both doomed. There was no way she would be able to pull him up onto the branch with her and not fall in herself. Khan jumps agilely into the tree and grabs Little Wolf just as her hand closes around Hawk's wrist.
And then she falls.
The river reaches out for her with greedy arms off water that slap her across her face. Her hand clenches Hawk's wrist tighter as her chest sinks beneath the icy river's surface, but Khan has a good hold on her ankle. Quickly, he pulls her up high enough to grab both her and the boy. After a few moments the trio is back on the bank. Little Wolf pants and sinks to her knees in the mud.
"So," She pants looking at Khan. "How was your day?"
He pushes her over in agitation before rising fluidly to see feet; she laughs.
…
"I can't believe this happened. That's it! You kids are staying closer to us for now on." Silver Moon rants.
"Mom!" Little Wolf whines.
"Don't 'mom' me, young lady! You could have been killed!" Silver Moon snaps.
"But I'm fine!" Little Wolf insists.
"And how much longer would you have been if he hadn't have shown up?" Silver Moon gestures to Khan and he scowls at her.
Why is she involving him in this? All they were doing was wasting time. His time. The girl was uninjured as was the friend. Who cared what happened and how so long as the result was desirable? Both children were safe and unharmed—that was good enough for him.
"That's not fair. If those idiots hadn't have shown up none of this would have happened. Why are getting punished because of someone else's choices?" Little Wolf crosses her arms over her chest and glares back at her mother defiantly. "I'm alive aren't I?"
"You. Could. Get. Hurt!" Silver Moon's eyes narrow.
"But I'm not hurt. I'm fine—and our people aren't as weak as the other ones. We heal faster. What does it matter if we get hurt every now and then? As long as we're breathing, we're okay."
"You're staying closer to the group: where it's safer."
"But I am safe. I've been just fine all this time without you and will do just as well now. I'm not a baby! I can take of myself, you know. I don't the 'protection of the group'. I do just fine on my own."
"And how did that work out in the river?" Silver Moon counters.
"I got out, did I?"
"You're staying closer to the group and that is final!"
"No I'm not." Little Wolf.
With that, she runs on ahead. Silver Moon calls after her but Little Wolf won't hear of it. She merely speeds up, keeping at least twenty yards between her and the others.
"I'm going to strangle her." Silver Moon seethes that night as the fire cackles mocking at her. "I swear this all your fault."
"My fault?" Khan says calmly as he raises an eyebrow at her. "How on Earth did you arrive to that conclusion?" A mild flame of irritation burns in his chest.
"She's just like you—bullheaded, intelligent, thinks she's invincible." Khan smirks at that. So far, Silver Moon was spot on. "She gets it from you."
"It means that she's a survivor. She likes to figure things out and think for herself, and she is right, you know. During your absence, she had to figure out how to survive and keep both her and her brother from harm. She isn't as frail as you think." His eyes flicker to look at the crouching figure in the shadows, staying just out of reach from the firelight. She was listening to him.
"I know." Her words are softer than a whisper and full of heart wrenching regret. Khan lays a gentle hand on her shoulder. "None of this should have ever happened."
"There's no point regretting the past. What's done is done. Let the children explore and stretch out their metaphorical wings. Keeping them locked up will do them no good; should a problem arise, they wouldn't be able to surpass it without experience. Let them learn. When it gets too difficult, they'll call out for help like they did the last time."
"And if they die?" Silver Moon looks at him wearily. Khan cups her cheek gently with his hand and leans in so close that their noses are a hair's breath away from each other.
"Natural Selection." He jokes and Silver Moon punches him in the stomach.
All the air leaves his lungs and he doubles over, gasping. Growling, he reclaims his breath just long enough to tackle the woman to the ground. He smirks down arrogantly at her and she sticks out her tongue in defiance.
"Come now," He purrs. "There's no need to get childish."
"This is childish!" A string of spit flies up and catches him in the face. Surprised, he jerks backwards and falls onto his back. Growling, he wipes the saliva from his eyes and just barely catches sight of a laughing Silver Moon running through the trees.
And there is where Little Wolf got her flare for mischief, Khan thinks ruefully as he stalks after the woman.
"You will pay for that!"
"No, I won't!" She runs forward but it's no problem, really. Khan will catch her, sooner or later.
…
'They're weird,' Little Wolf comments calmly as she walks easily back into camp.
'They're in love,' Fox grins and his eyes twinkle knowingly. 'That's what they're supposed to do.'
'Gross. I'm never going to be love. It makes you act funny,' Fawn declares and next to her Hawk nods in agreements. Sharp Quill rolls her eyes.
'But they're happy—that's good, right?' Fox asks with a yawn.
'Yeah. I guess so.' Little Wolf shrugs. 'But they are still weird.'
"Go to sleep," Sharp Quill orders. "All of you."
"I'm not tired." Little Wolf complains.
"Little Wolf , if you say that you're not tired one more time and I'll beat you within an inch of your life. Go on, I dare you," The old woman threatens and Little Wolf shuts up instantly.