Beauty & The Beast

[Brian]

"No thank you," N'dovu replies.  "And self-defense is no crime.  I apologize for my misguided sensibilities, but where I come from, the man who shoots you when you are carrying only a stick is the aggressor.  I'd also like to point out before you get any ideas that your friend already shot me.  When I disarmed him, I dropped my own weapon, so that he had every opportunity to surrender without duress.  He then cut me," N'dovu explains, showing his bleeding wrist.  "Your judge, I think, will be most interested in learning that you are protesting the fact that a man with a stick was able to defend himself against a man with a gun, knives, and a need to call for friends.  Now, I'm tired.  It's been a long day.  I've been shot once already, and had to kill myself in self defense.  I see no badges on you, so unless you're going to require me to kill you too, I suggest you get out of my way."

[Carthrat]

The men stutter a little, and a couple of them actually drop their guns. The 'leader' (i.e. the one who just spoke) doesn't, however.

"He's obviously full of shit," he says, but he's ignored by his friends, who just shake their heads. "Man, if those native dorks saw what he says is true, we got nothing," one of them says, and he backs away.

The other guys follow suit, until all that's left is the lone gunman and the doctor, who, when confronted alone with what looks to be a three-metre tall hunk of pissed-off looking flesh... lose their resolve and start backing away, too.

[Brian]

N'dovu relaxes when most of the men go away.  The day's been frustrating, and N'dovu needs to find a healer who can look at the wound he's been ignoring for a little too long now.

After checking to make sure the woman is close, N'dovu glances around for Rick.  He should be showing up any minute now....

[Carthrat]

The woman lies comatose nearby, untouched.

It's almost eerie; dust and dirt don't touch her at all. She's totally clean, unaffected by all that's happened since N'Dovu rescued her.

"N'Dovu?"

Rick creeps out from around a corner, looking anxious. "I didn't drive nearby because I saw some armed men. Are you allright?"

[Brian]

"Yeah," N'dovu grunts, kneeling to collect the woman.  "Let's go.  We'll want to find another doctor for her before it's too late."

[Carthrat]

Rick nods. His car's a short walk; far away enough to not be spotted, at least. The area is silent; perhaps the workers and such retreated to campsites in the opposite direction.

"You've brought your own wounds back before, N'Dovu, but rarely those of others," comments Rick, helping N'Dovu place the woman in the back seat. "I should be able to treat her well enough, once we reach home."

[Brian]

"Good," N'dovu says, finally taking some time to look at where he was shot, and sinking into the passenger seat.  "I found a temple, Rick," he begins, one hand going to test his side gingerly before giving Rick as much information as he can remember about his experience.

[Carthrat]

The wound still hurts, but with a little treatment, it will be ok.

"Strange place to find out here," comments Rick. "I'll see if I can dig up anything on it.

A short trip later, you have arrived back at the Caihuilla reservation. It's still very quiet... but a familiar face is standing outside Rick's house.

"It's within you now," says Jessie, cryptically. "You'll need it later."

Rick looks sideways at N'Dovu as a result.

[Brian]

N'dovu looks relieved.  "I was afraid I had done nothing at the temple," he tells Rick.  "But now, I think we should see to the woman.  And if I cannot use these great huge paws to heal, then I should rest."  He pauses, then, and tells the girl, "Thank you.  I fear my vision is weak enough I would not have known, had you not told me.  But yours is strong enough for us both, if you know that."  Back to Rick, N'dovu whispers, "She sees things.  We should make sure none of the men at that camp find out about her."

Straightening up, he says more loudly, "I will help carry the woman inside.  The desert sun is probably not going to be kind to her."

[Carthrat]

As N'Dovu carries the woman inside and away from the desert sun, his hands feel strangely warm. Quite apart from the sweat and heat created by his recent activity, this is more of a pleasant feeling. He takes her into Rick's house and sets her down on a bed.

"I still have a bed large enough for you, too" chuckles Rick, wryly. "I think the woman will be fine. It's strange, though, I could've sworn her injuries looked worse... ah, well, the sun can do odd things.

She should be concious within a few days, if that."

[Brian]

"Good," N'dovu says, nodding.  "I feel I could use some rest myself, friend Rick.  I am most grateful for your hospitality."

[Carthrat]

Later that night...

N'Dovu is asleep, dreaming incosequential dreams. Rick's bed was comfortably large, and with the exertion of the day, it took very little time for him to become that way.

However, it isn't to last.

A piercing scream screeches through his void, tearing him from the drifts of slumber. It came from the womans room...

[Brian]

N'dovu's hand is fumbling for his stick before he even finishes sitting up.  Once he's up, regardless of if he's found his weapon, he rushes towards the source of the noise to investigate.

[Carthrat]

N'Dovu finds himself standing outside the doorway to the room where he placed the mysterious woman, who is thrashing about in the bed, terror over her face.

With a thump, she falls out, tangled up in sheets and blankets- and tries to pull herself up again. She looks frenzied and anxious to.. escape would be a good word.

[Brian]

N'dovu drops his stick and turns around.  The woman's having a nightmare, and waking up to him wouldn't really improve it.  In the dark, his spirit marks can make his face look more like a skull.  "Rick?" he calls out.