Expedition [Urk Climax #1]: The Long Watch

[Greeneye]

It was hot. Oddly hot. Wasn't he still in the icy battlefield? Greeneye opened his eye. He was on some sort of stone boat, and as far as his eye could see was lava, a dark and ominous mountain sprawled out in the distance. A cloaked beast was rowing the boat with a metal paddle that didn't seem to melt despite being dipped in lava.

"OH, WHAT DER HELL?!" Greeneye scrambled to his feet. "AM I IN HELL?!"

"Right ye are, boyo..." The cloaked figure replied with a familiar voice sent chills down Greeneye's spine. It turned around and revealed itself. Ironpaw. The damnable pirate 'king', commander of the Red Fleet, and...

"Farder?!" Greeneye exclaimed. "But, yer not dead! Or are ye so desperate that'll ye'll literally chase me ter Hell an' back?"

Ironpaw let out a wheezing laugh, the smile unnatural on his face, a menacing glint in his eye. "Course I ain't dead, boy. But ye are. Well, dyin'... I'm just pissed I didn't get ter gut ye myself, ye ungrateful little whelp." He snarled. "I would 'ave given ye the whole fleet! An army on a silver platter! Somethin' any other respectable vermin could only DREAM of! An' ye threw it all away fer that damned PANSY lover of yers!"

"Shut up, shut up, yer just in me head!" Greeneye snapped back. "If I am dyin', can I at least die in peace, ye miserable rat bastard?!"
----
Greeneye was leaning against a crate, holding his chest and wheezing. His eyes fluttering open and closed. The medicine was wearing off, and he was in such unbearable pain that he was slipping in and out of consciousness, his body becoming numb from the coldness all around him.

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii fell to his back as soon as he was pushed by his snout. It didn't hurt because his mind went into overdrive. He was neither mad nor disappointed. More than anything he was confused.

Why Darragh insisted on this? He wasn't helping anyone, Tutlow and others needed medication much more than Kaii (at least in his eyes). And a simple request was treated as an order? True he wasn't particularly capable of making it sound nice but still...

Those questions had to wait. Simply because Kaii was now being assaulted. The only true matter that remained in his mind was how to defend himself despite his weakened, wounded state. He couldn't find ways to diffuse the situation, was getting suffocated, was weaker than his attacker and had no tools or equipment on him. Not the most favorable scenario.

He thus considered one thing, was giving up better? The fox on him could then move to take care of others... except he seemed to be hellbent on caring for Kaii specifically. That he could approve of. He himself would do the same. At the same time? Kaii's life was expendable, others were not.

Going limp for a moment to conserve the air in his lungs and to muster strength needed despite the pain and blood loss, Kaii knew he shouldn't hurt this beast. There was no need for causing more wounds and work for medics than there already was. Claws and teeth were off the question then. What could he use if that was the case? The answer came to him quickly as his mind brought to him memories of the last time he was drugged with medicaments. They assured him he was doing a right thing while also reminded him of his observation... Beast's body wasn't that different from machines.

And he knew how to break machines.

With trismus caused by holding off pain and effort alike, Kaii rolled to the side sharply. Even if the fox over him held with immense strength, his joints had to adjust to the movement, counteract it even a bit. And that coincided with his paws moving up and pressing into the elbow joint, applying pressure with his fingers to make them contract.

With last of the strength he could muster, Kaii used his last functioning asset, his legs, pulling them sharply kicking into his kneecaps. It was the most he could do, try to make Darragh collapse onto the floor or him.

And for this entire time he stared unblinkingly into his eyes. There was nothing behind his, not an expression on his snout. Wasn't it for movements you could consider Kaii dead from his face. Because for all real purposes, he was.