Cat & Mouse

Shaman

A/N:

A song for your beautiful ears

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Claire continued to hold Blade's limp body in her arms as she rocked back and forth. Roxy and Nadia were quiet. Nadia knew all too well what it was like to lose your Yautja boyfriend. She was lucky enough to get hers back though. She knew it was only because he got immediate medical attention, and didn't die right away. Blade had been this way for hours. He made no movements and no sounds like Blaze did. She had been watching his chest the whole time, and he hadn't taken a single breath either. He was really gone. Meanwhile Roxy just held on to Archer a little tighter. They had disagreements twice now, and each time she had almost lost him afterwards. She didn't want her last conversation with him to be arguing. She squeezed his netting tighter. Archer looked down at her. "I don't want to fight with you anymore." She said softly. Archer's only response was that he hugged her. Blaze perked up. "Shaman." He said bluntly. Archer looked at him. "Shaman..." He repeated and quickly let Roxy go as he went to Claire. "We can still do something, but we have to leave with him now." He said and Claire looked at him. "We can still save him for you, Claire. But we have to go now." He repeated. Light returned to Claire's eyes as she saw hope. She nodded quickly. Blaze let go of Nadia. Effortlessly he lifted up Blade's body, putting him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Claire gasped. "Be gentle with him." She said softly. "If you want him alive, gentle has to wait because he can't." Blaze said and he ran as he carried Blade's body. The rest of the group ran after him. Archer, for having very large, very deep gashes on his tendons was running pretty well. But still far from his normal. Archer was typing into his gauntlet as they ran. There was an odd vibration and whir. Roxy could see in the distance where a ship uncloaked as its engines started. It lifted from the ground and began making its way towards the group. It cut their time significantly. What could've been minutes or even hours was seconds. The group quickly boarded the ship. Blaze began to lay Blade on a table but Claire stopped him. "I want to hold him." She said. Blaze gestured for her to sit and she did. He then laid Blade down and Claire immediately cradled his head and part of his torso again. Archer began piloting the space craft then. They arrived on the mother ship sooner rather than later. Archer had sent a message before hand. So the second the craft landed an older Yautja boarded. He was wearing leather armor, less decorated in trophies, and while he had a staff that resembled a combi-stick, it was different. He was shorter than Blaze, Blade and Archer by a few inches. Blaze and Archer bowed to him. The Yautja dipped his head and Archer motioned to Blade. The Yautja approached. Crouching low he put a hand to Blade's forehead and closed his eyes. After a few seconds he opened his eyes and stood up. Claire looked at him and then at Blaze and Archer. There were various clicking sounds between them. Then the Yautja spoke English. "There is one way. But only one. If it doesn't work, nothing will." He said. "What is it?" Claire questioned softly. "I require a sacrifice. His body is beyond repair. He needs another. Paya may choose to save all that he is into the body of another. His spirit would need to defeat the other. But he is very weak." The Yautja stated. şoc stepped forward. "I will do it." He said. "No. He has a twin brother that we can use." Archer said. "But it's a bad blood." şoc argued. "We don't need him we need his body. If this works he will still be Seară. We need you to be you, not a bad blood to be a bad blood." Archer clapped back and şoc nodded. "Then find this one and bring him to Yautja Prime to the shrine of Paya. I will do my best to maintain Seară's spirit until then. You do not have much time so be swift." The Yautja said. Archer and Blaze bowed. şoc along with other males went to Claire. They lifted Blade's body and carried him out after the Yautja. Claire watched them go. "Who was he?" She asked quietly. "The Shaman." Archer answered. "Now you must all leave. Zgură and I must find Beznă." He added. The girls quickly exited. As soon as they were off, the space ship launched again.