Invite to the Dance ----------------------------- based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon She hadn't gone as much as Mal and River had pleaded, Cat wasn't ready to belong again, not yet. Mal had told her they would be docked for a few days if she decided different and of course, kissed her again to make the decision even more difficult.

The liquor had lost its taste after the first drink, when you have tasted heaven in the lips of a man, nothing else quite adds up. She instead inclined her very sharp ears to take in what the assorted crowd had to say.

"Ma says we gots to shoot old Blue."

"That Sweet Susie sure knows how to give head."

"Say a firefly was attacked about half mile out. The sheriff was going to check it out later today and..."

"What did you say?" Cat lit of her chair to stay before the three men talking, all with shiny deputy badges on. "A firefly transport ship. north of here. Heard it on the radio. Nobody's gotten close to see if there are any survivors."

"Why the hell not?!"

"Listen, girl. We save our own. Strangers aren't important enough to worry about, besides we don't have the man power."

"And they wonder why Alliance and Law disgusts me." She threw a coin toward the bar, it landing in her half full glass.

"Where you goin', Girl?"

"I'm doing what you deputies can't." She cocked a wick grin, even though her mind was filled with worry. "I'm goin' to save the day."

As she ran to the stables, her mind calculated what weapons she carried. Her hunting knife felt secure on her hip as well as the trademark .44. She could feel the smaller ivory dagger nestled in her boot, and her butterfly knives in their cases around her wrists.

The wind hit her face with each passing stride, drying the tears forming. She had just gotten him back and had just promised River lessons. Her mind flipped to River. If it was the people she thought would attack the ship, they would know the sleep word and River would be powerless. Images slid in front of her, dead bodies hung from rope and the little girl Mal had tried to protect from her....Kaylee, split open like a ripe watermelon. Cat cleared her mind quickly.

She could not see the future, but it did not mean she couldn't imagine it. If anything had happened to Mal, the sky would learn what death was and her creators would realize just exactly what they had created.

Her body hit the stable doors as the young man jumped. "I need your fastest horse. Just him. No saddle, no tack...no questions."

"Coyote is the fastest around." The boy said after recovering some of his voice and pointed to a buckskin in the corner.

"The Trickster." Cat smiled, but only for a second. How appropriate. She tossed the man a wad of bills and watched as he calmly got the horse from its stall. "I'll take him."

"You sure you don't want me to at least throw a saddle on him. Pretty girl like you shouldn't be riding bareback."

"I don't have time." She let the stallion, yes, it was definitely that, get a whiff of her hand before she pulled herself on to the horse's back. Coyote shifted from hoof to hoof, adjusting to her weight, as she felt strong muscles ready to answer the call. "Thanks," she smiled before squeezing her long legs around the stallion's mid and urging him to a fast walk.

As much as she needed to make sure Mal was alright, tearing through town and almost killing people was not on the agenda, but when they broke city limits, she didn't have to urge the strong horse much, its stride already lengthening into a full gallop. Cat needed his speed more than anything at the moment, her thoughts racing as she hugged his neck with her face. After all, she had a party to crash and they had forgotten to give her an invite.

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Author's note- For those not familiar with horses, a buckskin is a horse that is a tan color with black socks,tale, mane, and sometimes nose. Its name comes from the color of coat. As for a stallion, well, Kids, that's a male horse still packin'. :))