Asajj sat in the co-pilot seat, bored. Savage had made it pretty clear she was to not leave her seat. She glanced over at him.
"When in the galaxies are we going to reach the planet in which the Separatist army attacked? What planet was it anyway?" she asked him, frustrated.
"According to the files it was Nar Shaddaa. This damn mission is taking me through flashbacks. Once we get to Nar Shaddaa be prepared to have evasive actions taken. I have no idea if the flagships are still there or not. Otherwise we are going to land on the planet and look for any sign of Dooku ourselves. Got it?" Savage commanded. Asajj nodded.
Savage leaned back in his chair and hit the boosters to the engines. He wanted this mission over with as quick as possible. He thought back to Dathomir, he wondered how his beloved was doing. He missed having her around with him. It felt like not having Feral around again. He took a deep breath and tried to shut the pain off. Savage stood up,
"You're in control. Monitor the ship. If we make it to Nar Shaddaa tell me. Don't even think for a second about hijacking it. Because I will slit your throat in a heartbeat."
"How dare you even consider that I'd do that! Where are you even going? It's not like you can just leave." Asajj retorted.
"I'm retreating to my quarters. I need time to think. Just knock on the door if we make it or something comes up. Otherwise entertain yourself." Savage responded and left.
'Damn witch is going to be the death of me.'
Talon was wondering around the forest of Dathomir. She had not felt like teaching classes today. She wasn't even sure what she was suppose to do. There was not really any women for her to socialize with and she couldn't even practice any combat without possibly injuring the baby.
"What in the galaxies am I suppose to do?" she wondered to herself.
She sat by a very small creek and listened to the water. She missed the warmth of the sun somewhat. It seemed to always be damp and cold.
"Perhaps I can kill something furry and teach myself to make warmer clothes. Savage accidentally took my warm silk shirt with him."
All he had left her with were her normal Sith trappings, her good black slacks, her boots, and a few light satin shirts.
"Yes definitely time to make a fur coat and some fuzzy nice pants." Talon mumbled to herself. She quieted herself and using her mind's eye looked around for something with fur within proximity. She sensed another of the fluffy bird type things she had killed a few weeks ago. She reached into it's mind and goaded it to come to the creek convincing it it needed some water. Once it was in view Talon Force choked it. Satisfied she grabbed it under the head and dragged it back to the village with her.
Within a few miles she was back into the village. She looked around for a nearby Zabrak. 'Someone must make their clothes for them' she thought. She pulled aside a Nightbrother.
"Excuse me, I'm in need of warmer clothes. Who here is in charge of that?" she asked him. The NightBrother bowed,
"The elders are the ones who make clothes. It is an activity that keeps them busy and is not too hard for them to do. All they require is that you bring them supplies and that you are present for measurements."
He pointed her in the direction of the elders home. Talon thanked him and headed off in that direction with the carcass still lying by the entrance. Once she reached the building she stepped inside.
"Hello…" Talon began.
"It is true! There is a red woman in the village!"
"Excuse me?" Talon asked.
"We had heard rumors of one of our best tribal heads coming back to us and bringing a red woman with him!" an elder croaked out excitedly.
Talon looked around at them, they all seemed hyped up even for their old age.
"Well… yes Savage is back and I am the red woman. My name is Darth Talon. Now if you'll please…" Talon tried to explain herself to them.
"We have a legend of a new individual who will right a tribe that has been wronged. Perhaps it is you?!" they all said excitedly.
Talon sighed. She wasn't going to get anywhere with these people.
"Yes perhaps it is me, but how am I suppose to know if I am cold all the time? A legend needs to be kept warm!" she said to them.
"Why, yes what can we do for you?"
'Finally!' she thought,
"I need some warmer clothes made. It is too cold and damp for me. My lekku have begun to twitch with irritation." She explained.
"Why yes we can make you clothes. Do not bother with bringing supplies! We have plenty of wool and fur to make you something."
Talon smiled,
"Why thank you!"
"Now Darth Talon if you wouldn't mind just standing still while we take measurements…"
The ship's navigator beeped. Asajj opened her eyes from her nap. She looked around, she was still alone. She pressed the button.
"1 hour until destination is reached." The computer told her. Asajj opened the automatic doors and using the Force hurled a piece of metal of Savage's quarters,
"1 hour until Nar Shaddaa."
"Damn witch. She'll tear up my entire ship if she decides to hurl shit everywhere," Savage groaned, "I'll be out soon." He had passed out on his bed from his exhaustion of the past 2 days. He had rescued Talon from Talzin, spent the entire night finding her somewhere to stay, and then spent his first day away finding the witch.
"When will things get better?" he asked himself,
"Until I get back to Dathomir. To Talon."
He pulled himself out of his bed, stretched and went into the cockpit.
"Okay you were Dooku's apprentice for a few years. What's his plan?" Savage asked Asajj.
"How am I suppose to know? He tried to kill me almost 2 years ago." Asajj told him.
"You better know something or I will leave you stranded on Nar Shaddaa." Savage threatened. Asajj thought for a few minutes.
"Hmm… I'd say he went to Nar Shaddaa looking maybe for crime lords to recruit in the wars, and possibly you since you were last spotted there. But probably he's headed back to Tattooine because there's no way you'd be missed on that planet. But I'd start off with checking Shaddaa for any trace of the Separatists." Asajj answered him.
"Good enough." Savage said quickly and turned his attention to the controls.
"This is a suicide mission. You'll either get caught by Grievous or Dooku himself." Asajj tried to reason with him. He was her only link back to her home and she couldn't afford for his ship to be captured.
"Who the hell is Grievous?" Savage asked.
"How do you not know who he is? Even ordinary citizens know him. He's Dooku's other right hand man. He's leader of the Separatists droid army." Asajj explained.
"Thought that was your job."
"No. My job was to be the assassin. Grievous was too big and clanking to be anything other than the intimidating face of the Separatists." Asajj retorted.
"So this Grievous is a droid?" Savage asked, even though he had spent time in Dooku's service he had been much like Asajj, an assassin.
"Not necessarily. He's part living, part droid. Much like that asshole brother of yours. Just bigger and much stronger in strength." Asajj explained. Savage stayed silent.
"You're doomed. Just turn this ship around and let's head to Dathomir." Asajj tried to coax him.
"You know what witch? There is nothing more than that that I could wish for! I have a life there now and I don't want to lose it, but if I don't fulfill this mission I'll be left alone again. Maybe then I'd actually go on the suicide mission of trying to take Dooku on. No my plan is to find Dooku, give him Talzin's message and be done. So unless you've grown weak and soft I suggest you shut your mouth and take my orders." Savage replied quickly and hotly. Asajj sat back and ignored him.
Once they reached the orbit of the planet Savage looked for a place to land the ship. He looked at the scanner.
"Perfect."
He steered the ship to the top of an abandoned building and lowered the ship.
"Come on. Make yourself ready for any trouble that we come across." Savage instructed.
Asajj cocked a smile and donned her helmet. They walked down the ramp and checked around for any Separatists droids.
"Now let's just walk around and see if any droids are remaining. If they are still here we need to find a mass of them and follow them to their base. They need to recharge somehow." Savage said quietly. Asajj stayed silent.
They walked around aimlessly, looking for droids.
"Savage this is pointless! There are obviously no droids here. They must've been here weeks ago." Asajj said frustrated.
"You know as damn well as I do if not better that Dooku ALWAYS leaves a trail where ever he goes." Savage retorted.
"Then where are the battle droids? Unless…" Asajj looked around, "Savage quick!"
She pushed him into an alley.
"What are you doing witch?" Savage tried to say. Asajj hushed him,
"Your right Dooku does leave a trail. But on a planet of thugs he wouldn't leave his dimwitted battle droids. No he left his advanced droids. And probably a few Magna Guards are here too, which means Grievous must be here to keep the crime lords in check. We need to be careful."
Savage rubbed his chin,
"In a way that makes sense. Okay, you lead."
Asajj nodded. They crept out of the alley and walked nonchalantly down the street. A few thugs looked their way and backed off once they saw Savage's height. Asajj stopped at a droid street business. Savage stopped too,
"What are you doing?"
"Can you read through a droids memory?" Asajj asked him.
"No."
"Exactly. We need a droid to show us the memory banks if we want to find Dooku." Asajj explained. She turned to the merchant. Asajj lifted her hood and flashed her eyes at him,
"Got an astromech droids?"
"I got 3." The merchant replied.
"Maybe I want to one." Asajj pressed.
"Kay." The merchant said and tapped a service droid on the head. The droid disappeared and came back a moment later with 3 astromech droids in tow.
"Take your pick." The merchant gestured.
Asajj examined each droids internals,
"I'll take the 2nd one."
"3000 unmarked credits." The merchant asked.
"Are you crazy?" Asajj said.
"Aye these droids are hard to come by." The merchant explained.
Asajj waved a hand across the merchant's face,
"The droid is free."
"The droid is free."
And with that Asajj left with Savage and the little droid following.
Savage sighed. He wanted to find some droids and be done with Dooku already.
"There!" Asajj pointed to an advanced droid hassling a citizen.
"Alright let's detain him and separate the head from the body. Do not damage the head!" Savage commanded.
They flew after the droid. The droid sensed them coming and ran into an alley way and ran up a wall. Asajj used the Force to pull it down and when it was within reach she sliced its head off with her lightsaber. She picked up the head,
"Mission accomplished. Droid come here."
The droid rolled forward beeping out all sorts of replies.
"I don't care. Just search through this droid's memory banks and tell me if it has any useful info." Asajj snapped.
The droid beeped one final time and then the astromech intercepted the advanced droid's memory. Asajj paced back and forth impatiently. Savage was leaning against the wall, smirking. Asajj looked at him,
"What are you laughing at?"
"It's somewhat amusing to watch you be impatient when you don't give a wamp rat's ass." Savage laughed.
Asajj narrowed her eyes and turned back to the astromech,
"Hurry it up already. I'm ready to be done with this brute." She gestured to Savage. The droid beeped. Asajj rolled her eyes,
"Like I said. I don't care."
Savage listened,
"D7… hmm… Do you think maybe you could process the droid's memory any quicker?"
Almost immediately the astromech projected a recording the advance droid had stored.
"Go out and look for smuggled weapons. I want them back here for examination." A tall skeletal figure was commanding the droids.
"Shit…" Asajj said quietly. Savage studied the figure,
"What? Who is that?"
"That's General Grievous." Asajj replied.
"He doesn't look so threatening." Savage mused.
"Wait until he's got his blades in your face and your working to escape just with your life." Asajj told him.
"That's the difference between you and be. You just want to escape whereas I want to win." Savage insulted her as he kept studying Grievous,
"D7, the droid must have a map of its previous locations in there somewhere. Do you think you can locate it?"
The droid beeped an affirmative and searched. A few seconds later it projected a map and turned and started to roll away. Asajj and Savage followed it through the city.
"This is going to be a long day." Asajj mumbled.
Savage smiled. It was almost worth it to bring the witch along. He had enjoyed hearing her growl and groan.
Darth Talon twirled around. She was enjoying her lean fur coat. She felt so much warmer! She could feel her baby's happiness at the newfound warmth. 'Perhaps I can get them to sew me together some warm pants!' she thought to herself. She thanked the elders and then left to do a bit of exploring through the forest. As she was walking she listened to the sounds of what nature Dathomir had to offer. She heard the creek, the sounds of the wildlife shifting about, and something dragging. She looked around and was surprised to find Verun dragging an abundance of fish.
"I was unaware that Dathomir even had fish to offer." Talon called.
Verun looked up,
"What? Ah Talon! How good to see you again!"
He set his basket down and walked over to her.
"Shouldn't you be escorted by a Nightbrother out in the forest? It's dangerous out here in the darkness." Verun said.
"Oh Verun. I use to live in the dark. I trained in the dark. And I also have a few special abilities of my own." Talon said and she wiggled her fingers and sparks of lightning flew out of them. Verun seemed amazed,
"Now I see the full power of the dark woman! How interesting. That must be very helpful in your journeys."
"It has been in some cases, but I prefer to go down the hard way rather than ending it all in such a quick manner." Talon replied.
Verun considered this,
"That is the true desire of a warrior."
"Isn't it full of honor too? To see what each warrior is made of and who has the stronger discipline?" Talon wondered.
"Yes it is. But a Nightbrother's main goal as a warrior is to best his opponent." Verun said. Talon straightened herself up,
"Ah really? Where is the honor in that?"
"Here on Dathomir… There is no honor." And Verun leaned in and wrapped his hand behind her head and pulled her lips against his. Talon struggled against him. He held her tight. Despite her advance training, her lack of it lately had taken a toll on her strength. Talon lifted her free hand and gave him a good zap. He yelped and she moved as quickly as she could away from him.
"Where is the honor in that?" Verun called, "What happened to going down the hard way?"
"That is only reserved for opponents who are worth my talents! You are no warrior! You are a cheat." Talon screamed. She fled the forest as fast as she could, but in her fury she had actually fled deeper into the forest rather than out of it. Talon collapsed on the hard dirt and tried to gather her emotions. She sobbed. How she wished Savage was here to comfort her…
"One day I will get my revenge on him…"
It had been a few hours since Savage and Asajj had been following D7's map. So far the little droid had just taken through the entire city.
"Must've been one busy droid." Asajj commented. Savage only growled. He was tired of this mission. He missed his home.
"D7, let's call it quits for the day. It's beginning to get dark. Let's head back to the ship and we'll relocate it back to here to save us time in the morning. Mark this location on the map and when we get back we'll move." Savage commanded.
The droid beeped and the map disappeared. Asajj groaned a sigh of relief and they scrambled up the sides of a building to find the ship. Savage saw the far away glint of the ship in the last sunrays. Quickly they flew across rooftops and in about 45 minutes they were back at the ship.
"How is it that in 45 minutes we can be back at the ship, but it took us several hours to navigate halfway through the city?" Asajj complained.
"Because we had to deal with patrol officers and city traffic." Savage said. He opened his mouth to say something else, but he curled over himself and held his head. Asajj stood where she was,
"Savage? Are you okay?"
Savage could not answer. He stayed silent, only making a few gasping noises. Finally he opened his eyes and looked around. Asajj looked at him,
"What the hell just happened to you?"
Savage looked her in the eyes, she flinched a little. His intense stare reminded her of when he had first opened his eyes after his transformation and had tried to choke the life out of her.
"It's a private matter…" Savage answered. Asajj rolled her eyes,
"We've spent nearly 2 days together and I still for the life of me cannot figure out what is going on with you! As a full fledge Nightsister I can get inside people's heads and find flashbacks of their lives, but with you I get a blank slate! What is going on Savage? What is with the womens clothing? And the baby nursery! And this ship! And why the hell are you on this mission?!"
Savage growled,
"It is none of your concern witch!"
Asajj snorted,
"Whatever you say, beast."
Savage walked up the ramp of the ship and left Asajj standing in the sunset. She shook her head, she couldn't figure out what he was up to. She followed him up the ramp and took her helmet off. Once inside she looked out of the control room, Savage wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Guess I could just move the ship for him. Not like I don't know how to pilot." Asajj mumbled to herself. She fired the ship's engines and called the astromech droid over,
"Show me the map where we were last at."
The droid beeped and popped the map up and Asajj saw a flashing point where they had stopped the search for the day. She heard footsteps behind her. She turned around saw Savage standing in the doorway. He had taken his armor off and all he had on was his undershirt. Asajj noticed how tight-fitting it was and how his muscles showed underneath. She drew her attention back to his face.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked.
Asajj twitched,
"Is everything I do around here a broken law?!"
Savage seemed taken back,
"I don't know witch. It seems every where you go you leave a path of depression."
Asajj stood up,
"You don't know what I've been through. I hope death takes you soon Savage Opress."
She walked out of the control room and slammed the refresher door shut.
"I don't care if this damn girly ship is his. I'm going to do whatever I want. The sooner we find Dooku the better. Maybe he or Grievous will actually rid the universe of his existence!" she grumbled to herself.
In the cockpit Savage heard the shower head turn on. 'Damn woman. Does she have no respect?' He growled and thought about his plan. He was getting the feeling that he wasn't going to find Dooku on this planet. He thought back to what Asajj had said, 'Perhaps she is right and this Grievous is here. If I can best him maybe he'll tell me where the tyrant is.' He relaxed against the seat and convinced himself that he was going to find Dooku soon. He closed his eyes, relaxed. A few minutes later he heard the refresher door open.
"Where are my quarters?" Asajj asked roughly. Savage rolled his shoulders,
"Hell if I know where. I don't know. There's a table in the training area, perhaps you can make the seats a bed. I'm going to shower."
He got up and locked the refreshers doors. He was so tired of her bitchy façade.
Asajj looked around,
"Ya what a gentleman. Even the cantina has better seats than this! Screw this. I'm sleeping in the bed. He can sleep on the seats!"
She walked towards to bedroom and helped herself to the comforts of the bed. She curled up in the sheets and quickly fell asleep.
30 minutes later Savage strolled out of the refresher, his tattoos glistening with water. As he reached the bedroom he felt waves of calm.
"She didn't…" he said. He peeked into the bedroom and saw her curled up in his sheets. His sheets! He debated whether to wake her and tell her to move her ass or he could find another place to sleep. He looked closer and saw that she was right on the edge of the bed. He moved a couple of pillows onto the floor and used the Force to move her onto the pillows. Next he threw a blanket over her. 'Good enough. She's sleeping comfortable and I still get my bed,' he thought to himself. He made himself comfortable and stretched out. 'I wonder how Talon's doing.. what was that today?' In his heart though he knew exactly what had happened, but he was concerned as to why Kye hadn't contacted him. He had felt her emotions overwhelm him and yet no contact had been made…
A month had passed since Savage had left and he had mostly stopped worrying about the emotions he had felt from Talon, he was just missing his home and wondered what Talon was up to and if she was being cared for.
Verun trudged back into the village. The headmaster of the orphanage hurried up to him,
"Verun you haven't seen Talon have you? She's been missing all day and it's getting close to nightfall. And under Opress's orders I am to keep her comfortable until he comes back."
Verun shook his head,
"You know… I actually saw her leaving the village. She looked as though she was trying to quietly sneak away. She headed off in the direction of the former Nightsister coven."
Kye stared at him,
"What?"
"Perhaps she was just a surviving Nightsister that Talzin transformed into a dark warrior to carry on the Nightsister bloodline and manipulate one of our greatest warriors." Verun suggested.
"Wouldn't she have had showed signs of being a creation? And Savage brought her with him when he came back." Kye said.
"I don't know what to tell you Kye except that I saw her leaving." Verun said, "Feel free to go looking for her, but I don't know what you'll find. Not to mention I have seen her abilities, she'll be able to handle herself in the night."
Verun kept walking into the village with his fish basket and Kye stood where he was thinking over what he had heard. He didn't exactly believe what Verun was saying because it didn't add up,
"I'll get a youngling to go find her."
Kye hurried back to the orphanage and grabbed the nearest Zabrak boy he could find.
"Jorax I need you to take some supplies and go into the forest to find Talon. She has not come back and I am getting worried for her." Kye explained. Jorax rested a hand on his shoulder,
"Brother Kye, do not worry. She has told me of the harsh conditions she has endured. She will be fine. Master Talon will come back soon. She's not stupid enough to spend the night out in the forest. She'll come back. I know it's important for you to follow Opress's orders, but trust Master Talon the way Opress has."
Kye stooped a little,
"I will trust your judgement. But if she has not returned by morning we are going to look for her. Even if she is at the Nightsister coven."
Talon felt something nuzzling her hand. She slowly lifted her head. A creature with a long face and a long neck had stretched it's nuzzle out to sniff her. She slowly wiggled her fingers to get the animal use to her. She did not want it to be startled. Talon sat up,
"Well hello deary. What a sweet creature you are."
She studied the creature. It had a long neck with four slender legs and a luscious mane and tail. She thought back to her studies. She remembered the animal was called a horse. She also remembered that sometimes Nightsister witches rode them into battle rather than using their rancors. She also remembered that they originated here on Dathomir and a forestry moon called Endor.
"Well whether you are a witch's possession or not you are rather affectionate." She told the horse. It nuzzled her and snorted. Talon stood up and wrapped her coat around her.
"It's nightfall. I must've passed out. Why am I out here?"
Then she remembered the events of the day,
"Damn Verun… he better be fleeing off this planet before I have his head. Now to get back to the village… Which is in… shit."
Talon had explored the planet with Savage, but she didn't know the planet like she did Korriban.
"Maybe you can show me the way back?" she asked the horse. She patted it's neck, she felt the smooth fur and the matted mane,
"Or maybe you're just a wild animal with an agenda of your own."
Talon wrapped her coat tighter and turned to walk into the forest hopefully in the direction of the village. The horse nickered after her. She ignored it, but smiled. It was nice to have a companion even though it was an animal. Talon walked, thinking about the village's warmth of the fire and the young small Nightbrothers running around. But as she walked she couldn't find any sign of the village. She stopped by a creek and stared at her reflection,
"Perhaps it is time to settle in for the night."
Talon nestled herself in a patch of ferns at the base of a tree. She watched the horse graze along the riverbank and admired the beauty of it's black mane falling over it's eyes.
Suddenly it lifted it's head up and snorted. The animal pawed the ground and nickered urgently.
"Yes I know the forest can be scary at night, but with me it's fine." Talon said to it, trying to calm it down. She focused calming energy projecting onto the horse. But no matter the amount of energy she projected it kept becoming agitatedly. 'It seems to be a flighty animal anyhow' Talon thought. The creek's waters began to tremble and swirl. A small bluish-black dragon rose out of the water. The horse reared and shrilled a cry of surprise. Talon remained unfazed,
"It's a little small creature. It poses no threat."
But as she watched it, she noticed how it had a slithering action to it and how it was exposing some heavy fangs. Before Talon could move quick enough the dragon sunk it's teeth through her boot material and into her leg.
"Ow! You little bastard!" Talon shouted. She raised a hand and zapped it until it moved no more. She stood up and attempted to walk away from the creek. Her leg collapsed under her.
"What the…?" she gasped, "It must've poisoned my nerves… I've got to find the village…" Talon attempted to walk again and collapsed next to a tree. The horse came next to her and stood. She wrapped her hand in its mane and attempted to stumble next to it as it walked. It bent its head around and pushed her. She got what it was trying to tell her,
"Thank you friend."
Talon clambered onto it's back and tried to stay awake while it was walking away from the creek. She stayed conscious long enough for the animal to find a den of dead branches and leaves and allow her to slide off it's back. The horse then laid down next to her and kept watch over her all night long.
Kye woke up. He had not slept lightly. He tried to relax and convince himself that Talon had indeed come in through the night. He flew out of his bed and scampered up the steps to her separated bedroom. He stopped himself at the door and prepared himself. He knocked. No answer. He squeaked the door open and saw her bed empty. He was convinced she had not come back now. He wasn't sure when she woke up but it surely wouldn't be at the crack of dawn.
"Galaxies! Opress is going to crush my windpipe if she isn't back and in good health when he comes back." Kye paced back and forth in the room.
He popped the door to the boys' rooms open,
"Young Nightbrothers! Opress's warrior has not yet returned. I took one your's advice and gave her the night to return. But since she has not we are now going to go out in the forest and search for her. Gather your weapons and take some supplies with you. You can never be sure of what she has gotten herself into. There has been a rumor that she could be retreating to the witch's coven. I want you to search the perimeter of that, but do not enter it. Understood?"
"Understood!" the boys replied. They then flew into action and in 10 minutes the boys were outside the building making their way down the village and into the forest. They spread out into the forest and looked for any clues of her disappearance.
Jorax held his sword at a low tip. He searched for hours before finding a clue. He came to log and saw dragging marks. His stomach churned. Then he saw a pattern in the drag marks, 'Look like fish basket markings' he though. He then saw a boot print and followed them. He followed them to a dirt clearing. Jorax looked around for any sign of the woman. Nothing. He couched down and saw the prints of a horse that had been through here. But as he looked closer he saw that the animal seemed to follow Talon's boot print. 'It must've followed her. That's strange. The horses usually stay in herds…' he thought. The boot prints walked to the creek.
Once he got to the creek he saw a small rock dragon.
"Wow! This little thing must've really irritated Talon for her to fry it."
Jorax looked around again and saw that the boot prints staggered a bit, all the while with hoof prints next to them. Then the boot prints disappeared and replaced by the hoofprints.
"Damn it! She couldn't have just disappeared!" Jorax said, frustrated, "Maybe the animal took her somewhere."
He followed the hoofprints to a den that was tucked between a few trees. He couldn't see what was inside because it was so dark.
"Master Talon? Are you in there?" he called. A pair of glowing green eyes snapped open. Suddenly he was slammed against a tree with a red hand around his throat.
"Master… what are you doing?" Jorax tried to say.
"Your tracking me! What do you want? I'll never tell you where Krayt is! I'll die before I serve you!" Talon screamed. Jorax kicked and squirmed but he could feel the blackout coming on, 'I've got to do something quick before she kills me!'
He used one of his hands to distract her by grabbing her arm and trying to wretch her off him and used his other hand to try and hit a pressure point to force her to pass out. But she saw this coming and Forced his hand down to his side. He remembered he had his short knife on his belt. Jorax pretended to be limp, she loosened his grip on his throat. Lightning fast Jorax pulled the short knife from his belt and stabbed her in the hip. In her confusion of the wound he quickly tapped her neck and she passed out. Jorax laid her out on the ground and checked her over for wounds other than the one he had inflicted. He noticed her boot was torn. He looked closer.
"Oh no…"
Jorax lifted her up and swiftly headed back in the direction he had come. Upon coming to where the Nightbrothers had separated he shouted,
"I have found her! Rock dragon bite!"
He hurried into the village and ran inside the orphanage. He laid her on her bed and peeled her boot off. He turned around in time for another Nightbrother to appear with a bowl of water with herbs mixed in and a clean rag.
"Thank you brother. Where is Kye?" Jorax asked.
"He is on his way. It might be a while though, he was one of them who traveled to the Nightsister cave. Is there anything I can do to help?" the Nightbrother asked him,
"Yes, check to see if the bit is infected. I'm going to check for more herbs." Jorax replied.
As he left the other Nightbrother youngling gently slid her boot off, he was amazed by the impressive tattoos she adorned on her skin. He pressed his hands on the wound and pried it open with his fingers. He could see a slight infection, 'Yikes. I hope Jorax finds some healing herbs'. He dabbed the clothe in the herb mixed water and wiped it across the wound.
Jorax came back with a few herbs,
"It is unfortunate that we don't have a better way of treating her wound."
"What we have will have to do."
They worked on the bite and packed it with the herbs. By the time Kye finally got back all that needed to be done was stitching.
"You boys have done an excellent job. It is good you found her when you did Jorax. If this bite had gotten any worse it would've made her crazier than she was and it would've spoiled the offspring." Kye praised them. He checked over the wound and when he found it to be good enough he began stitching it up. Jorax looked at her sleeping face 'No wonder Opress brought her back'. Despite her fearsome tattoos her face had a softness to it. Kye finished,
"Let's leave her now, she should be waking soon. Jorax if your not too tired I'd like you to stand guard outside her door in case her memory is still… unstable."
Jorax nodded. Then Kye left to collect anything he had dropped in the forest.
Talon awoke a few hours later. She saw she was back in the orphanage. 'How'd I get here?' she thought, 'Where's the horse?'
Jorax walked in,
"Milady?"
"I'm awake… What the hell happened? I was out in the forest and then I passed out with a black horse and now I'm here?" Talon asked. Jorax sighed,
"I found you out in the forest along with other Nightbrothers. I found you curled up in a nest of dead plants. I saw no horse though."
Talon attempted to sit up,
"Ow. What's this slit in my hip? What are those stitches on my calf?"
"You were bitten by a rock dragon, by the looks of it a young one. The venom from the bite made you delirious and aggressive. You are lucky I found you when I did, otherwise it could've permanently damaged your nervous system and either killed your young or screw it up badly." Jorax explained.
"That doesn't explain the slit on my hip." Talon pointed out.
"True… In your delirious state you tried to kill me and I didn't want to but it was the only way to distract you long enough to knock you out.'" Jorax said, apologetically.
Talon sat up tentatively,
"Is Savage back yet?"
"Opress has not returned." Jorax replied.
"What about damn Verun? He and I have unfinished business." Talon asked angrily.
"I am unsure of where leader Verun is. Shall I send out you want to speak with him?" Jorax suggested.
"No no." Talon said, 'I want to kill him' she thought,
"Jorax if you wouldn't mind I'd like a few more hours sleep. Thank you for your services. If you see Kye tell him too I'd like to talk with him."
"Of course."
As he left Talon leaned back on her pillow and passed out.
Almost a day after her events she awoke again.
"Savage?" was the first thing Talon said.
"No but I consider myself just as handsome." A voice by the door said. Talon looked,
"Ah Kye. Just the person I want to talk to." Talon said.
"So I've heard." Kye cocked a smile.
"Has anyone seen Verun?" Talon asked.
"Actually yes. I saw him the night you disappeared. He said he saw you sneaking out of the village and towards the old Nightsisters coven. He tried to convince me you were a creation of Talzin herself." Kye told her.
"Sonofabitch." Talon said angrily.
"Excuse me?" Kye asked confused.
"He's telling you lies! He's a lair! His heart is black and he is full of dishonor." Talon explained, "He locked his lips with mine out of his pure attraction to me. I never want to feel any part of that traitor's skin against mine ever again. And trust me, if he ever tries anything again against me I don't care what the rules, he will be ended… and not in a pretty way."
Kye looked shock. He had never expected this woman's rage to be so intense. He had also never expected the tribal head of a clan to try to seduce the former leader's mate.
"Stay inside for a few days. It must be getting tiring for you to be out and active all the time. You need a few days rest to recover, let your wounds heal, and let your body have a few days of a proper pregnancy. I will bring you food and I will set up an area behind the building for a sanction. And every day I will have a Nightbrother escort you to a hot spring and you can re cooperate in the warm waters. I will also begin to lock the doors at night to keep Verun out if he tries to sneak in." Kye told her. He grabbed her hand,
"Spend a few days just in peace of mind. You need not be busy all the time. Especially right now. With how far along you are I am almost sure you need to take life easy."
With that he left and Talon leaned back and meditated.