Never Leash a Cat

---------------------------------------------- based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

“And now you understand why we never leave 'Ski alone.” Cat whispered to Mal as 'Ski huffed.

“Well, if you all would just get a bloody room...” He chuckled as the guards moved around them. Cat's lower chains dropped sliding from where they were attached to her waist feeding through the joints that held them. They spread out by her feet twisting once around the ankle and then to the ground near her stallion's feet. It was then they both began to rattle.

“You are trespassing on Academy property. We are asking you to leave peaceably or we will be forced to escort you there ourselves.” The lead guard was a good looking young man, probably in his late twenties. If Cat had had time, she might even teach him the error of his ways with a gentle hand and open mouth.

“Did he just say peaceable?” 'Ski joked. “Mal, know what that means?”

“Never heard that word in my life.” The captain joked back flashing his gun and throwing the hammer back. He looked over to see the chains attach to her collar doing exactly the same as the ones on her legs, sliding to wrap around her wrists and then spreading to the ground. He looked at her then. “Ready?”

“Are you?” she growled, her eyes glowing as the upper chains leaped to wrapped around each of the other horses' bridle. The lowers snaked around the stirrups of the saddles. “Hold on, boys!!”

Digging her heels into Sleipnir as the great black beast reared and jumped into a gallop, all three horses slid into unity as they barreled down on the unsuspecting guards. They had no time as Cat and the rest of her band descended upon them, the chains tearing through the company, sending them to the hard ground as 'Ski followed with knife and gun blazing. Mal dropped too leaving Cat with the two horses as her chains released them and she turned the stallion around.

One remained on his horse, the commander of this fleet and as he watched them being torn apart by the battle ready and experienced Mal and 'Ski, his face only deepened in anger. His dark steed shifted under him as his eyes rose to meet hers. The beautiful chains wrapped themselves around their owner and her mount making her almost resemble a knight ready to joust, but Cat knew that was not his aim. "I have heard of you." He called out, a bullet from one of the guns whizzing by his head.

"I'd call off my men before you don't have any left." She answered him, the defiance in her voice. She watched as 'Ski let his knife find purchase in a guard's skull splitting it like a ripe fruit. Mal let his gun and fist speak volumes as he drove another three to the ground with his rage.

"Cease fire." He screamed and his men obeyed. Sadly, hers didn't, using this moment to get a few extra licks in just for the sheer thrill. 'Ski and Mal smiled at each other before stopping to watch Cat and the commander, all the while still keeping an eye on the guards remaining.

“Good boy.” Cat replied as she continued to stare into his steel blue eyes while his black hair was blown by the breeze. If he had smiled just once, her heart might have melted, but then again she had enough on her plate with the two already trying to own her heart.

“There are stories about a Siren that use to haunt the halls of the Academy complex both here and the school grounds. She was said to be able to seduce any man with just the sound of her voice.”

“That ain't Babe. She can't sing to save her life.” 'Ski whispered loudly as Mal tried hard not to laugh. Cat gave both a look that could kill and then knew exactly why two men in her life was enough.

“It wasn't my voice they were after.” She growled, her bottom lip unable to hide her fangs any longer. “I don't want to kill you...”

'Ski threw up his hands and huffed at the statement, interrupting her as she went on.

“...so I will give you a choice. Ride hard the way we came and make a new life for yourself or...” The other half of the choice never made it from her lips as a bullet blew off half of his skull, his hand resting on the radio at his side with finger not but a breath away from the call button. Mal's gun still smoked as 'Ski nodded approvingly.

“Nice one, Mr. Reynolds.”

“Thanks.” He looked up at Cat, who stared at the man as he fell from his horse, the animal spooked by the noise and tearing down the mountain. The other guards fled like the horse. Without a leader, it was stupid to die here. Most she knew wouldn't make it down from the mountain. Too many wild animals without many options. She could hear their howls now at the scent of blood.

Her green eyes would not pull away from the commander though, his face almost completely gone. Sadly, the slug made him not so pretty, even though strangely, she felt the color of blood looked good on him. Wonder what he would have looked like in brown?

A hand on her leg made the chains jump, but she let her eyes fall to the source of the touch, her lover, Mal. She didn't blame him for his actions. It would have blown their cover. She smiled at him and he nodded as 'Ski walked over to grab the dead man's radio. It squawked at them as a voice came across it.

“Commander Graves, is everything good in the northern quadrant?”

'Ski looked at it and then handed it to Mal. “You're more of an authority figure than I am. Make it sounds official.”

Mal shook his head before speaking into it. “Clear here. Taking patrol toward the west. Will call in when status is reached.” Mal smiled as Cat remembered how that voice made her quiver.

“Affirmative. Radons out.” Mal waited until the radio was completely silent before sliding it into his pocket. It might come in handy later as 'Ski went for the horses. Cat looked again to the commander's dead body before turning the stallion back toward the compound.

****************************************************************************

Two hours later and they had reached the fence, her body sliding from the stallion and to the ground. Mal and 'Ski went to do the same, but she raised her hand to stop them. Like a pair of large constrictors, the four chains wrapped themselves around the saddle horns of each horse and then laid gently into the hands of 'Ski and Mal.

Cat turned and let her long fangs emerge from her mouth, each scratching her lower lip dripping blood over her face and clothes. With deft movements, she pulled hard on the chains as they tore into her from the needles causing more blood to flow. Taking some mud from the ground in her hand, she rubbed it through her hair and on her face. Finally, Cat walked over to 'Ski and shot him a message through their link. 'Kick me across the face with your boot.'

'Huh?' he questioned back.

“Kick me, damn it!” she yelled as the welcome feel of leather and rubber slammed against her cheek. It was hard enough to drive any other person to the ground and Mal's gun was pointed at 'Ski's head before they both could recover.

“What the hell?” the captain asked, but Cat placed a hand on his leg, her face already bruising and her body suppressing the healing gene.

“She told me to.” 'Ski defended himself, but his other hand hovered over his gun just in case.

“Yes, I did. We have to make it look real and real means bruises and blood.” The gun fell to his side. He leaned to touch her face and nodded.

“Thanks for doing that, 'Ski. I couldn't.” “That was the point.” Her partner spoke, but truthfully, it had hurt him to do it. She might have looked like her other half, but 'Ski knew she wasn't and that thought made what he had done unsettling.

Cat walked forward, her face cast downward as she motioned the guys to walk with her. Red hair filled now with mud and dirt fell before her eyes as she let her beast have some control. It growled as it smelled the place even it feared to tread and tried to pull at its restraints. She silenced it with a quick thought.

Guards could be heard talking as they stopped at the entrance, Cat never looking up when the large iron gate jerked open. She could hear her stallion neigh, as he shifted behind 'Ski's buckskin, but there was little she could do now until they were completely inside the compound. Her sense worked over time as she caught the scent of booze on the guards and the smell of sex. They were always taking advantage of the captives. It was the reason she couldn't believe River was still a virgin.

“What have you brought us?” The lead guard spoke, his breath hot and filled with a repugnant odor. “Heard she was worth a lot of money.” Mal commented, his hand resting casually on her chains.

“That it is.” The guard went to touch her and she gave her beast the reigns, it lashing out with a vengeance growling deeply.

“Touch me and I will lap your blood off my hands this very night.” She smiled, fangs showing as the flat of his hand slammed into her face. If she was any other person, the blow would have broken her nose, but she only laughed at him. “Bet you taste good.”

“Shut up, beast.” The guard commanded and Cat felt the grip on her chains tighten, her partner doing well to keep his temper in check. “You will have to go over to the offices in the west quadrant to get the reward, but I can take it from you now.” He motioned to Cat.

“Not without my money, you're not.” 'Ski snarled, his voice almost sounding like Jayne. The man regarded him a moment and then shook his head.

“The longer you got it in your custody, the better I feel.” The guard stated and Cat caught her partners feeling the same for a different reason. She let her eyes raise just slightly to stare at the prison she was going into willingly to defeat the creature sworn to own her and to find out what exactly they had done to River, plus maybe find a way to control her beast once and for all. Her lips parted in a smile, her feet carrying her into the belly of hell and with any luck, she would come out its mouth with all her party in tact.

Her eyes lowered and she thought of the plan, going over it in her mind as another set of eyes watched her being hauled toward the offices, a dangerous being unwilling to believe she had gotten caught. It growled deep and echoed two words across the yard and dirt that entered Cat's mind making her turn. “Slaughter them.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*Loving the feedback, dontcha know?! You all are the bestest readers and writers ever...

but my kind words don't let you get away with no comments here....so start typing.....please. *gives innocent grin