A Forest, a Monster, and Cat...What could go wrong?

[Harrip]

Harrip followed [member="Katar"] into the night. While he couldn't see the Teretatek right at the onset he could smell that it was close. He bent his legs slightly in preparation for a leap, as he watched for the beast. When it was within close enough to see, Harrip leaped forward making a slash at the creatures outer left arm.

While he probably wouldn't do much damage his claws could pierce the hide of the beast and hopefully allow him to hang there as he would work his way onto the back of the creature. It was a plan, but from what Harrip had experienced often plans did not turn out well. So he was ready to move off the arm that his claws had dug into if necessary.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Katar let out an inhuman kind of scream, and lunged at the beast. She went straight for its chest, using the Force to give her unnatural speed. She used her claws to cling to its armor-like chest plates as she climbed upward. She ducked and maneuvered herself as it swung at her with its free arm. She was careful to avoid its claws and its tusks, as they were venomous. If she could reach its shoulders, she could throw herself onto the back of the beast's head, and go for the eyes.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip was able to maintain his hold on the beast's arm, as he moved to pull himself up further he noticed [member="Katar"] working her way up the animal's chest. He pulled out one of his clawed hands and swiped at the creatures face, in an attempt to catch it's attention. He had guessed as to the woman's plan and was hoping to help by getting the Terentatek's focus on him.

After swiping at the beast, Harrip released his grip on the arm and dropped to the ground. He rolled away from the animal's swiping claws as it tried to catch him. He would strike the hands as they went back, leaving grooves in the paws of the Terentatek where Harrip's two-inch long claws had dug through the tough skin of the beast. "Remember, avoid the strikes and attack on the drawbacks." He thought to himself as the Terentatek tried to swipe at him again. He hoped that this gave the woman the chance she needed to make her way up the to the top of the animal.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Katar made it to the creature's mouth. It roared in her face, but she kept going. With a good push-off, she swung herself over and behind its head. It continued to try and catch her by waving its arms and swiping at her with venomous claws. She dug her own claws into its two main eyes. She could feel the warmth of its blood as it leaked onto her hands. The terentatek began screeching wildly, madly singing at her now. She ducked again and again, keeping a firm grip in its eye sockets.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Now that the beast was blind, Harrip decided to begin his attack. He charged at the Terentatek's chest, bringing his claws close for quick stabs at the armor. His claws broke the armor after two strikes. From there he began to jab at the weak spots he created. This brought blood and the anger of the Terentatek onto Harrip. He jumped back too late and was knocked aside by the large strikes of the animal.

Harrip pulled himself to his feet, his body hadn't been damaged seriously, but he had a lot of bruising from where the beast had struck. He charged again, only able to make a single jab at the Terentatek's exposed wound. He felt that something had been punctured inside the animal, but he couldn't tell. He was knocked back again and pulled himself to his feet a little slower. He hoped that [member="Katar"] was finding it easier than he was.

 

[Slot 21]

Katar continued to cling to the animal. It was getting slower. Harrip must have hit a weak spot. Without warning, the beast made a quick violent motion. It reached up behind its head, and scratched Katar across the back. She screamed as searing pain poured into her flesh. She lost her grip and was thrown to the ground. The Terentatek stumbled back into the night, most likely not going to make it by morning. Katar dragged herself back to her feet. Her vision was getting blurry.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip quickly moved over to [member="Katar"] once the beast had begun running. He was surprised it had not fought harder. "There we go. Not too shabby. You okay?" While he had moved closer he remembered that the claws of those beasts were poisonous, not as dangerous as a Rakghoul's, but still not good. He ran to her side and tried to help her up, meanwhile smelling and searching for any open wounds.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Katar made a noise that sounded like a moan mixed with a whimper as she forced her self to start back toward the cave. She healed quickly because of her augmentations, and her immune system was altered to combat certain poisons. But these gashes were deep, and this poison might take a great deal out of her. She dragged herself into the cave. Collapsing onto her leaf-nest, she began to shiver. A fever had already set in.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip found the wounds soon after the woman had fallen shivering. He felt her forehead, his mutated hands feeling lightly for the temperature. It did not speak well for her. He moved and threw his robe over the body, trying to keep it warm in case of shock. He walked back and forth, thinking for a moment for the next step.

He then grabbed a vine and ripped it off the tree, he pulled gently at the robe before tearing a piece off and using it as a cover for one of the larger wounds. He used the vine and wrapped it around [member="Katar"] to hold the cloth in place. It would slow the bleeding, that was important. He made a look as to what kind of plants were there. He tried to figure what kind would work as a remedy to at least weaken the poison. He decided to just grab one of the shots that were in his kit and snap it in half above the wounds. Maybe the leaves had more strength than he had thought.

 

[Slot 21]

Katar cringed as the first of the shots was poured over her back. It was cold as it went into her, so cold it was slightly irritating. She felt useless, lying there, sick, with someone else having to care for her. She hadn't been sick since she was, what, eight? This was humiliating...
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip smelled the wounds, through the fabric of the robe. They didn't have the same horrible odor, but it was still there. He would have to get some boiled water to start actual treatment going. He would have to start the fire. Which would entail him going to have to find a way to start it. He could use some leaves, but to kindle it would require probably him to find a flint or rock of some kind. He grabbed a stone of the forest floor and dropped it near the original fire place. Then he picked up much of the leaves on the floor, excluding the nest, and dropped them into the fire place. That would work as a started until he could get wood or something longer burning. He looked around for some metal, when he remembered his injection kit. The kit's container was metal, it might work. "Hold on for a bit. I am going to start a fire. And do not dare die on me okay?" The way he spoke made it obvious it wasn't a question, it was a command.

He ground the edge of his kit against the rock, which had picked up, swiftly over and over again. At first there wasn't any spark, but as the kit's edge grew more jagged sparks began to fly. He moved over to the pile of leaves and struck the kit and rock a few times. When a few of the sparks caught onto the leaves they burned. He set what was left of the water in its pot over the fire, which soon began to burn brightly. He moved to one of the plants that he had smelled earlier, the ones he had used in his injections. "Sorry, but I have to ruin your garden." Harrip said with a little guilt. He pulled one of the plants up from the dirt and stood over the pot of water as he ripped the plant up. Then once it was thoroughly damaged he dropped the ruined plant into water.

That would take some time to steep fully. And the fire wouldn't last long if he didn't get something proper in there. Harrip thought of wood that was outside the cave, but it would take time and he didn't wish to leave [member="Katar"] alone. Not in this condition. But he knew that if he didn't then sitting here would do little to help her. He took one look at the woman saying, "We need to get some real fire going. I will be back soon." With that he walked out into the night to search for suitable wood.

 

[Slot 21]

Katar clenched her sharpened teeth to keep them from chattering. She curled up into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes began to droop. Maybe the best way for her body to combat the toxins was to sleep them off. Many animals did so in situations similar to hers. It might just work. With this in mind, Katar allowed herself to drift off to sleep.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip soon returned, ladened with many tree roots, bark, branches, and wood. He dumped them outside the cave and grabbed a few of the roots and branches. When he entered he found the lady asleep. He thought it might be a good thing, but he wasn't to sure. He tossed the roots and branches into the fire, making sure that they wouldn't kill the fire in the process. He checked her temperature, lightly feeling her fore-head. She still felt cold. It wasn't good. "Do not die on me. I still need to hear your story." Harrip said, trying to sound encouraging.

Harrip stoked the fire a little, before checking the water. It was only beginning to boil slightly. It would have a little more time before ready. He felt that once he had gotten this little one to a more stable condition he might be able to take her to the Wookiees. They would be better outfitted to care for this than he was. But he didn't want to move her in such a condition. While he thought through what he should do, Harrip lightly brushed [member="Katar"] 's arm, petting her the way one would do a cat. He only used the smooth top of his claws to touch her, as he didn't want to frighten or hurt her. He had heard that in some cases a caress like that could help a person get better. So he continued just caressing her arm while he waited for the pot to boil.

 

[Slot 21]

Katar's sleep was dreamless, and restful. Though she didn't know it consciously, Harrip had begun to pet her. Subconsciously, She began to purr loudly. A natural reaction to being petted. She enjoyed it immensely.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip felt a purr rumble through the little one's body. He smiled, that did seem to fit with the growls and the eyes. Part cat, interesting. "That and the Force are what I smell in you. But why do you have it?" He wondered.

Harrip's thought process was soon broken by the sound of boiling water. He slowly stopped petting and moved to the pot. Using his nails he slipped the pot off of the holding stand and then laid it lightly on the ground. He let one of his claws dip into the boiling water. Then lifting it to his mouth he tasted the water. It had a strong taste of the plant. He slipped away and took the binding he had used for the woman's wounds. There wasn't a lot of blood and so he dipped the cloth into the water, allowing it to soak up some of the liquid. Then he pulled it out and squeezed out much of the liquid. That way it wouldn't be to hot, but it would still have some residue left on it to hopefully heal while he waited for the water to cool a bit.

Harrip then wrapped the wet cloth around the wound and pulled the vine back over the material. Now that that was done, he could take a small break until the water was cooled down enough to be safe to touch. Hopefully after the water had been used as planned, Harrip would be able to move the little one to the Wookiees to get proper medical attention. While he thought this, Harrip picked up one of the injectors that was left on the ground. He would have to see if the stronger form of liquid would be as effective on him as the usual dosage.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Already, Katar's body was beginning to heal her wounds. The warmth of the cloth comforted her. The plant extract on it aided her body's mending process a bit. She'd be better in a few hours. She began to dream. She was back in her cage on Corellia. A new master had recently purchased her. He stared down at her with eyes filled with cold pleasure. "Finally," He hissed loke a snake, "You are mine." A hot iron reached through the bars, branding her master's crest into her skin. Katar's hand shot to her arm. Subconsciously, she dug her claws into her flesh just above the branding that was covered by her long-sleeved shirt, as if she could feel the burn. She barred her sharp teeth to fight the urge to scream, even though the pain of it had long since faded away.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip, upon seeing the little one grab her own arm and dig into it with her claws, gently put a hand out and with gentle firmness moved the hand away. He began petting her again, trying to soothe her. She was not sleeping well, or she was having a nightmare, either way Harrip wished he could do more. In one hand he held the hand she had been digging into herself with, the other he was using to pet her lightly. He couldn't see the branding, as it was covered in her shirt. He tried to speak soothingly again, "Come on little one. You can make it, everything will be alright. You will be fine."

As he pet her, only staying attentive to if she moved suddenly or something moved outside the cave, Harrip thought of the fight with the Terentatek. How similar the two were, himself and the beast they had just fought. Supposedly the animal they had beaten was one of a species that had been created through the use of Alchemy on Rancors or some other species. He was the product of similar Alchemy. But instead of being directly manipulated into the Dark Side to change him, he had been used to become a Rakghoul and then placed into Alchemy tests. But the two were kindred spirits. Maybe this little one before him was the same. Maybe she too was a corrupted being that after being used by the Sith had been thrown away. He didn't know, but he hoped to find out once this one was better.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Katar began purring again. Her body relaxed, and the dream faded into nothingness...

It was near dawn when her fever finally broke. Her wounds were nothing more than scars. She lied close to Harrip, curled up in a ball against him for warmth.
[member="Harrip"]

 

[Harrip]

Harrip had tried to stay awake the whole night to keep watch. But his body was also healing from the battle, and eventually he fell into a quiet slumber. During his sleep he unconsciously laid a hand over [member="Katar"] . His protective instincts even in his sleep were hard at work. He had his own dreams, they were of his past, the present, and of the potential future.

His dream of the past was burning in his mind, it was when he had first begun the transformation into a Rakghoul. His sight had started to go blurry, he felt everything around him hyper-sensitively, he felt something else in his body. It was taking him, taking over him. The pain of the plague searing through his veins, corrupting the cells and mutating them into something horrific. Then his mind, he couldn't think straight, the plague burned in his brain, doing the same thing it did to everything else. He was burning from the inside out, a fire stoked beyond measure was raging within him, fighting for freedom. It burned, it burned. He couldn't get it out, no matter what he did, the pain was undefinable. His fists would clench in the real world as he felt the ghost of pain wrack his body.

Then right as he lost conscious the dream would change. He was in the present, looking out of a view panel aboard a vessel. Beneath him was a planet that he knew not. He could look out and see only the blue of the planet's surface, the blinding white of the star and the gleaming hull of the starship that drew alongside. Then suddenly the ship shuddered, and then a voice spoke of the intercom. But Harrip couldn't understand him, the voice had no words, just sounds. And as it made its sounds he felt a blaster fire from the other ship penetrate the hull and he fell, a burning corpse.

The future he could not understand.

[member="Katar"]

 

[Slot 21]

Katar felt the hand clenching on her body. Her eyes opened. She slowly sat up, a dazed look on her face. She yawned, her sharpened teeth very visible, and stretched.
[member="Harrip"]