Kayla

Kayla was unsure of how much time passed since she had been pulled from the water. Nor could she seem to place where she was exactly now that she was free of the creatures of the pond. The only thing somewhat recognizable to her was the faint smell of fuel and metal, the lights overhead, and a frantic voice pleading for her to stay awake. But she didn't want to, the tired woman only wanted to rest.

Arms snatched her up from where she had been laying, causing a sharp pain to shoot up her back. It was the agony that shocked her back into awareness of her surroundings. She clung to the being holding her hoping to stop from bouncing in their grasp as they ran. They're destination? The medical bay was her only guess.

Kayla couldn't help but cry out, her nails digging deep into the arm of whoever was carrying her. She looked up meeting the gaze of the yautja holding her, H'chakde. From there her eyes traveled over his shoulder to Skylar running behind him, barely able to keep up with the frantic hunter. Skylar was fine, Skylar was okay. Though thanks to the pain Kayla felt, she was sure she herself wasn't.

She yelped again, her body jolted  as H'chakde forced himself to stop. The woman couldn't help it as her nails dug deeper into his skin. Her mind was too preoccupied with working through the agony she was feeling.

Lar'ja-Thwei was already opening the door for them, his eyes trained on Kayla's. "Put her on the table. Face down." He ordered.

H'chakde didn't respond verbally in return. Though Kayla knew she knew with the way his body shifted as he walked that he was obeying. Before Kayla knew it, her bare chest was on the cold metal table. Hands were still holding her arms as her own still held H'chakde's in an iron tight grip.

"Both of you hold her down." Kayla nearly jumped as another set of hands grabbed her side and pushed her down onto the table. Her arm was flipped over before something was shoved into her skin.

The wounded woman jerked, crying out at the burning stinging sensation that was added to her already existing pain. The hands on her tightened their grip to prevent anymore thrashing about. They held tighter still when something slimy was thrown on her back.

More searing agony erupted from the gashes running up her spine. Kayla kicked her feet in retaliation, hoping to shake the slimy substance from her back. The distressed woman only had the recognition of a faint purring sound before everything around her went black.

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Cold water always felt nice to Kayla. It was grounding to her in one way or another. Whether she sought it to hide from the heat of the sun or humid air. Or she splashed it in her face to shake her awake. It was always a pleasant thing to feel, and the water she currently floated in, was no exception.

Her almond shaped hazel eyes remained glued to the world above her. Trained on a small opening in the trees that surrounded and towered over her and the pond. Through the break in branches, the afternoon sun managed to peek through. It's warming rays shimmering on the surface of the pond she floated in. Making the clear water shimmer and glow like diamonds. It kept her warm. While the cool liquid around her kept her from overheating. The perfect combination for the summer day.

Kayla breathed deep, her eyes fluttering closed. She basked in the warmth, and allowed herself to soak in the serene atmosphere. It wasn't until the water beside her shifted, and a presence could be felt that her eyelids shot open.

Looming above her, was a creature with green scaly skin with little bits of grass and moss that peeked out of its otherwise smooth head. Somehow its beak on its face twisted into a sinister grin as it screeched. Oh that god awful screech that made Kayla's ears ache. It dove for her before she could react. Its claws sank into her shoulders as it pushed her under the water's surface.

Kayla twisted back and forth, her arms flailing about in a fruitless attempt to knock the creature off. But nothing seemed enough. No matter how much force she put behind her fists that barreled towards the thing, they landed softly. Instead of a bullet, they were but the flutter of a butterfly's wing.

A panicked cry ripped from her chest as the creature's beaked mouth opened. It's head tilted back before it shot forward, aiming straight for her temple.

Before it could deal it's ending blow, the woman woke with a start, gasping sharply for air. It didn't take long for her to slow her heavy breathing as she took in her surroundings. The medical bay, she was in the medical bay. Her racing heart began to steady as she let out a sigh of relief.

Her solace however was short lived. A voice brought her attention from her surroundings to above her once again. Kayla's eyes met Lar'ja-Thwei's and her heart began to pound once more.

The medic stood beside her, though strangely he seemed much taller than she remembered (almost comically so). A massive needle, that honestly looked more like a sword, was held tightly in his hand. In it was a glowing blue liquid Kayla had never seen before, though she certainly didn't wish to figure out what it was.

Lar'ja-Thwei's hand zipped toward her arm. Kayla reacted instantly screaming as she rolled from the examination table. Her feet missed the floor and she was sent plummeting toward the ground.

When her eyes shot open once more, it was the searing pain that first hit Kayla like a freight train. Her hands balled into fists as she bit her lip, struggling to keep back the sobs that rose in her throat. However the tears that flowed from her eyes were unavoidable.

Her heart began to race once more as her stomach churned. Once her throat began to tighten, she knew what was coming next. Her body convulsed as she gagged, a sickly tangy taste filled her mouth, and bile soon followed.

Kayla pushed herself up, struggling to keep from emptying the contents of her stomach on the floor. A hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her body toward who it belonged to. H'chakde sat beside her, in his hands he offered her a metal bucket she accepted it without a moment's hesitation.

His hand remained on her shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze while Kayla puked her guts out. She took a moment to sob and breathe when her stomach allowed it, right before going back to emptying her stomach.

A familiar purring sound filled the otherwise quiet room. Offering a sense of comfort to Kayla despite her current predicament. Though it could do little to help the constant churning in her stomach as she passed the half full bucket back to the yautja at her side. H'chakde continued to hold it close to her, though with the smell that rose from the pail, she wished he would just move it away.

Kayla moved to lay back down, her arms wrapping tightly around the hand that had been resting upon her shoulder. The touch didn't heal the sick feeling that lingered, but it helped to soothe her racing heart and warm her shivering body.

She felt a finger move under her chin and pull her head back up. Kayla's hazel eyes met H'chakdes yellow ones then came to land on the other item in his hand. A metal cup, full of water. He brought it to her mouth, preparing to tilt the container for her.

"Drink." He urged, and Kayla did. She took a mouthful of the water in the cup, swished it in her mouth and then promptly spit it in the bucket. The liquid was room temperature at best. But as it helped wash the bitter taste from her mouth, and soothed the dryness, she offered no complaints. The sick girl was just glad it was regular water.

When half the cup was gone, she passed it back to H'chakde. As he took it her head fell back onto the examination table, though her grip on his arm hadn't loosened just yet. Kayla didn't want to let go, he was warm and she couldn't stop shaking.

In a moment of pure desperation, Kayla looked back up to H'chakde. A pleading look coming to replace the once terrified one she had in her eyes. "Please, can you lay beside me?"

Given the circumstances of their relationship (if you could even call it that), she wasn't entirely sure the question should have even left her lips. But she craved the warmth of another being. Even if she was already beginning to burn up from whatever Lar'ja-Thwei had given her.

She felt H'chakde's arm twitch in her grasp as he mulled over the question. His eyes shifted from her, then to another table holding a number of medical instruments, then back again a few times. "I suppose it couldn't hurt." He said as he stood.

Kayla let go of his arm and adjusted herself on the examination table, giving H'chakde room to climb on with her. He laid down beside her, and when Kayla was sure he was comfortable, she came to rest beside him. As her body leaned against his, she looked up to see if he would object. He didn't, so she closed her eyes.

H'chakde didn't make any attempt to tug her closer, or even place his arm around her. Given her current physical state, Kayla couldn't say she blamed him. She felt icky covered in sweat and whatever Lar'ja-Thwei had put on her wounds. It wouldn't be surprising if she didn't smell any better either.

When the yautja beside her moved, Kayla's eyes fluttered open to look at him. She watched as he reached over her and grabbed the bucket she had puked in. Her eyes followed his movement as he put down the bucket somewhere more accessible. Just in case Kayla's stomach decided to act up again.

When he stilled once more, Kayla began to settle. Her eyes slipped closed as her mind turned to focusing on drifting back to sleep, if only the pain in her back could stop. If only the pain in her back could stop, she could rest more.

Just when she was about to give up her attempts to sleep once more, H'chakde began to purr again. Kayla's attention turned from the discomfort she felt to the soothing sound from him. She let out a slow breath as she felt her conscious begin to be pulled to the realm of sleep once more. Before she could return however, another more familiar sound reached her ears.

Her eyebrows scrunched together as she focused on it. The realization of what it was hit her soon after. It was her voice, her old voice before the translator messed up her vocal cords. She began humming along weakly to the tune of her favorite cadence. Once upon a time, she had it memorized like the back of her hand, now the memory of it seemed so far away.

The gentle reminder of her old life, before all this brought her a sense of comfort, but also a pang of longing. She wouldn't ever be able to go back to that version of herself. That normal was long gone.

Another feeling rose up in her chest, throwing her emotions into a confusing concoction she was too weary to deal with. Kayla made up her mind that she could handle it once she felt better, for now she could let it go.

"Where. . .where did you get that from?" Kayla murmured her tone sleepy. It had been forever since she had last sung it, and she couldn't remember the last time she sang it in front of him.

"The first hunt I had to take you on." He explained. The recording stopped before H'chakde continued to talk. "I thought it may be useful one day, I suppose I wasn't wrong." There was a surprising amount of playfulness to his tone that suggested he wasn't surprised by this.

"For once, I guess not." Kayla shrugged her words, conveying only a hint of humor in them as H'chakde continued to purr. Though there was no real argument to why it wouldn't be beneficial.

Once again she began to drift off, before another thought halted her attempts. "What about our kills? From the hunt?" She inquired, reaching for the cup of water.

Call her stubborn, for she certainly was, but she almost drowned thanks to that creature. And Kayla would be lying if she said having nothing to show for it wouldn't be irritating.

"In our quarters, Kweide's oo- Skylar stayed to look after you while I took care of them." H'chakde grabbed the cup and helped her drink from it once again. "Yours are still intact for you to skin when you are well enough." His tone left no room for an if in his words. Like he was for sure she would heal from this and not die from her wounds.

As H'chakde pulled the cup away Kayla did something in a moment of drowsiness that she would have rather not. Or rather said something she would have rather left unspoken. "You're such a Himbo H'chakde." She was being playful, but that didn't stop her from worrying he'd take it the wrong way.

"What is a Himbo?" H'chakde asked, looking at her with a tilt of his head.

"Uh," Kayla struggled to find what to say. "It's an Ooman word for a good companion." She said, surprised she came up with that quickly.

She watched as H'chakde's chest filled with pride. A pleased chitter sounding sounded from him, and for some odd reason, it made Kayla happy as well. Not because she tricked him, but because she had made him happy.

The feeling confused her once again, maybe it was the pain she felt and her tiredness that was jumbling around her thoughts and feelings. She really couldn't seem to tell.

"Then I am honored to be a Himbo." He said, and Kayla had to bite back her laugh.

The two fell silent once more as Kayla settled back onto the table. Her attention focused on H'chakde's purrs only noticing here and there when another yautja entered the med bay. Though both were things she had only been acutely aware of.

At some point she could have sworn she heard the hunter beside her offer to help skin her kill in the morning, if she were up for it that is. But once again she wasn't sure. Kayla didn't have the energy to double check if she had heard him. Or if he had even talked at all. Part of her was just thankful he was still there beside her, unknowingly providing comfort and helping lull her back to sleep.