[M] The Cat and the Assassin

There wasn't even time to process the fact that Zaeren had turned into a dragon.

His presence in her mind was foreign, but not unwelcome. He was trusted, and safe, though she felt the mental shields of Danae pick up in response to his unwanted intrusion.

There was no time to process; his command was heard and she reacted. With another arrow notched, she let it fly straight and true. It soared with a whistle, and sank into the king's eye. He gave a roar and thrashed as the arrow pierced his eye, soared straight through and struck his second eye.

For a split second, Brianna smirked. She swelled with joy as the king shrieked in agony. It was music. Sweet, morbid music. It was a dark thing to enjoy, but Brianna let herself enjoy the sound. It was his penance to her people. The blood debt he owed.

"Let the guards get antsy," she hissed, glaring coldly at the other dragons around her. "If they interfere, I'll shoot them next." He words became a low, feral growl as she cast her bow aside to unsheath the daggers from her side.

I'll shred his wings next, she told Zaeren, using the connection he'd opened up between their minds.

As she moved to run and scale the dragon's back, Brianna had failed to notice the king's tail lashing out in her direction. It happened so fast. She felt the burning sting of his tail striking her entire body. It knocked the breath straight out of her lungs. The daggers slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor as the feline soared through the air. She struck the ground with enough force to knock the wind from her again, and she skidded across the room in a crumpled heap.

She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Everything ached.

The breath returned to her in a sharp gasp. It felt like something had broken in her ribs, and, well, everywhere else. "I'm fine!" she called, snapping back up to her feet, ignoring the pain. She woudn't let the dragons see her weakness. Not when it meant death. "Keep him busy so I can get in!"

Zaeren watched in horror as he watched her fly. HeHe didn't have any other real way to describe what he saw happen to her. A roar sprang to his lips as he jumped on the king. His fangs and claws ripping and tearing in a blind rage. He felt a sting along his side  and warmth in his lips as he heard cries of pain and the sound of ripping. One fell and then the other and blood rushed to the ground as the King began to thrash under him more aggressively. He could feel the King clawing at him, the male's tail lashing out at anything around them. And then Zaeren pulled his head back from the male and from his jaw...

From his jaw hung the connective muscle of the King's wing. He had dewinged him. He could feel the King trying to hit him with magic but Zaeren was blocking magic. This would be a battle of strength and he knew this King was a coward. His eyes were cold, dark and ablaze with a unanswered rage.

His mind was silent. He wasn't letting Bri hear his thoughts at the moment because even he didn't want to hear them. His jaw opened and he dropped the second wing as he got off the King smirking... Playing with his food while blood dripped down his sides and legs.

Zaeren dared the male to hit Bri again.

Zaeren's thoughts were silent to her as he fell into a blind rage. Watching was all she could do as he threw himself at the king in a flurry of claws, fangs, and blood. This was to her advantage; with the king distracted Brianna had an opportunity to make it to her daggers, which lay halfway across the room.

Moving her body was a challenge. Everything hurt, from her broken ribs to her bruised limbs. The king's tail had done a number on her, but as the thrill of the hunt set in Brianna felt her body slip into the familiar, comfortable numbness brought on by adrenaline. She moved on autopilot, just as she'd done on that day. The scar on her shoulder throbbed, a phantom pain from the day the wound had been inflicted on her. Before she knew it the daggers had settled into the palms of her hands, her fingers coiling around the hilts.

Her bare feet struck the stone floor, slowly at first, then rapidly picking up speed. The dragons were larger than her, but she was faster. More agile.

By the time Zaeren had ripped off the king's second wing, Brianna was underfoot, snaking her way between his legs and the discarded wings. Blood sprayed her body; her feet were already coated, but it was too late for her to stop. With a roar, the kelahati launched herself from the ground and onto the king's soft underbelly. He had been laid prone by Zaeren's assault--all the easier for her to go for the throat. She was but a tiny insect compared to the dragons above her. All the harder for him to hit her.

She leapt and clawed her way up his scutes to the soft flesh of his throat, avoiding claws while blasts of magic rolled off her skin. The flames that hit singed her flesh, but she felt nothing. The feline was fueled by the urge to survive and avenge her people.

She dug the claws of her toes between the scutes of his soft neck for support, her toes sinking into the soft flesh. Gripping the daggers tightly, she aimed for the space between the scales of his throat and thrust in with all the strength she could muster.

The king roared as the dagger found purchase between his scales and hie tried to claw it out with his talons which only pushed it deeper. He gurgled as he tried to get away and with his last energy he managed to get one spell through after all. A small dagger flew at Bri, having appeared from nothing.

As he tried to grow, Zae moved in with his fangs pushing the dagger in further with his bite force. He wanted this to end, but he didn't see the dagger being aimed at Bri, he was too busy feeling the life fade in his jaws until all was still.

He could sense others in the room, and a few powerful ones too, but he knew they would not come close.  The man didn't even spare them a glance as he let the King go for the last time.

"Bri... it is done," and then turned his head to look at her.

The dagger found its mark between her shoulders.

At first she didn't even notice the dagger in her back. She was too focused on watching the life drain from the dragon king. It was only when she felt the pain radiating from her spine.

It hurt to breathe. At least she could breathe? That meant nothing was punctured...

"Zae..." she croaked, staggering forward. "My... back... knife..."

It was all she could say as the color drained from her tawny face. The adrenaline was wearing off from her previous injuries. Her hand shook, her knees buckled  and she collapsed to the ground, revealing the dagger that had been plunged between her shoulders.

"T-take it... out... stop th... the bleeding... Bandages in... my bag... back home..."

He watched her fall. His head tiliting to the side, dragon lips parted slightly not quiet seeming to understand. She was fine.... Or so he had thought. He hadn't seen her get hit and had tried so hard to keep her safe but it was hard...

His body moved before his mind fully understood whay was happening. It felt like he was in water and the air heavy, choking even. He shifted and then looked down. He was beside her. He didn't remember walking there and his hands were oddly steady as he reached down and moved her hair to get a better look at the wound. He wasn't a healer and history told him this was bad.

Swearing he removed his bloodstained cloak  Reveling tattoos of accomplishments as he gripped the handle of the blade. "I'm sorry Bri..."

Quickly he pulled the dagger out and used his cloak to press down on the wound to stop the bleeding. He used some of his body weight knowing the more pressure the better.

"Hang in tere. I von't leave you here...."

The removal of the dagger hurt more than the act of being stabbed. She clenched her teeth, grimacing, and bit back the cry of pain that threatened to tear free of her throat. The pressure was a comfort, at the very least, though she had to use her hands to brace herself from falling face-first into the stone floor.

She gave a short laugh at the thought of perishing from such a minor wound. "Darling... if you think something like this will... k-kill me, then you're--" Brianna grunted as she shifted her weight "--you're not giving me much credit." Another clipped laugh. "I've survived worse... I'm a tough little kitty." Her breathing evened out, and she attempted to stand, though her legs wobbled.

"Let's walk out of here as victors and leave these beasts to clean up their mess."

Though she willed her legs to move, her body refused to listen.

He smiled at her, but worry was in his eyes. Yes his body ached too, but he would be fine given a short rest. He wasn't too sure with her. He gently wrapped an arm around her careful not to put pressure on her wound and pulled her against him softly that way she could lean her weight on him."It's okay. You can lean on me. Tey von't judge you or touch you as long as you stay vit me," he whispered into her ear and kissed the top of her head softly. He held her there for a second not moving trying to comfort her as best he could without picking her up. He didn't want to take away her pride or take this from her. She wanted to walk out, and he was willing to let her as long as she managed to stay on her two own feet. 

If she needed, he would carry her princess style, but he wanted her to have her pride. "Dragons," he said after a moment, raising his voice so those standing by on the outskirts could hear him. "As te King lays dead a nev one is to be found. Te line of succession is void and a new King vill not be his heir or I shall return and vipe te lineage clean." A growl came from him echoing in the room. He pulled Bri a little closer and his eyes flicked around watching him.

"Let's leave Bri," he stepped forward just slightly making sure she could actually move. If not he was prepared to pick her up and carry her. He would not leave her here... He didn't trust the dragons especially right now. They were neutral by nature and some seemed to like darkness more than he cared to admit.

A pause. "One more ting," his eyes looked up to the apparition of Gil. He knew the real one wasn't here. "Stay out of tis. You have no place here. Return to your real self and leave tis alone. Ve bot knov tis isn't te battle you are vaiting for."

Their politics meant nothing to her. Brianna had completed what she'd set out to do: kill the one who had wiped out everything dear to her. "I'll happily help you wipe his lineage from the face of the earth," she said, her voice only meant for his ears. "I refuse to let them repeat their atrocities." She fixed her eyes coldly on the doors they had come through. She longed nothing more than to leave this place now. There was nothing here for her now. Hopefully never again.

With her body supported by Zaeren, she began to walk.

Her mind was blank, solely focused on getting herself out across the doors. The daggers were silent as she returned them to her side. Or perhaps she was simply unable to hear them through the haze of her mind. She only paused to bend down and pick up the bow that had been discarded after her first few shots; her precious

Leaving a trail of blood in her wake, she crossed the threshold of the throne rooms and entered the halls. The guards watched them pass silently. It was all too quiet, with only the sound of her own breathing filling her ears. Her feet dragged as she walked, and she found herself leaning against Zaeren even more. Her fingers closed around his arm in a white knuckled grip. Her breathing grew more labored as they worked through the labyrinthine corridors.

She didn't even remember leaving the castle, but the fresh air and the sound of the massive castle doors closing was enough to rouse her from her zombie-esque state. She found her iron grip on Zae's arm tighten even further, and finally she croaked out, "Carry me through the portal home because my legs are going to give out on me..."

And that was the last thing she remembered.