Ocean Blue

Chapter 38

Shiro pushed Allura behind him as the door to their holding cell opened. She'd been sedated while they were both in the net, but Shiro would be damned before he'd let them do anything to her.

"What do you want?!"

His question was ignored and rough hands pulled him away from Allura even as he struggled and kicked to overcome them.

"You leave her alone!"

The guards turned a blank stare on him. "It's not the girl that we've come for."

Xxx

Matt groaned and opened his eyes. "Ow. What happened?"

Pidge flew into him. "You're here," she sang, "You're here and you're alive!"

"Yeah- you've got a good arm, Pidgeon."

"Oh! Sorry about that! But you weren't listening to me, and you were attacking Hunk."

"Hunk?"

"He's an islander from back home. He was helping me try to find you but then he heard Governor Sandas planning to kill Keith- you remember Keith, right? Anyway, Hunk ran off to warn Keith and I came with him and we all had to make a run for it! Also we helped a slave escape- well, that was mostly Keith- and she travels with us now, along with a mermaid and an air spirit! And Shiro and- oh- no! I forgot about Allura and Keith and Shiro! We've got to find them!"

She grabbed Matt's arm and tugged him through the jungle, trying to find Hunk, who had continued the search while she waited for Matt to wake up. He crashed behind her in confusion, rubbing his head.

"Whoa! Slow down!"

Pidge halted abruptly. "Wait! What about Dad?!"

Matt bit his lip, bowing his head. "Dad... didn't make it. Katie, the pirates that captured us- I know it's hard to believe, but—"

"They're shape-shifting monsters who eat people and take their form," Pidge finished, "I know. We've encountered them."

Matt blinked. "Oh. Well, then. What exactly is going on?"

"Shiro, Allura- that's the escaped slave- and Keith disappeared in here a bit ago. We're trying to find them."

Matt looked at the ground and then at the trees, frowning. "There aren't any tracks, but there are little claw marks in the trees- like a cat's claws."

"That'd be Keith."

"What?!"

"Oh, yeah. Keith can turn into a cat."

Matt blinked, then apparently decided it wasn't any stranger than what he'd already gone through and followed the claw marks through the trees. He waved his hand. "I found Keith."

Pidge rushed towards him, and let out a cry of fear and horror. Keith was lying on the ground, not moving.

"He's alive," Matt assured her, "If barely."

"Sh-Shiro," Keith muttered deliriously, "Allura- No- don't- don't take them- No—"

"Hunk!" Pidge screamed. He came crashing through the trees towards her, eyes questioning. "You need to get him back to the ship! I think Allura and Shiro have been kidnapped!"

"What about you?"

"Matt and I are going to keep looking for them. But Keith needs someone to take care of him and you're better than I am at that."

Hunk nodded and scooped Keith up. Keith let out a harsh cry of pain, and Pidge's heart was torn in two as Hunk quietly apologized to him. She turned away, now able to see a path of destruction through the jungle.

"Matt, come on. We've got to catch them."

Xxx

Hunk set Keith down gently in his bed, wincing as Keith let out another of those harsh, choking cries. Romelle hovered behind him.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Hunk said miserably, "He doesn't look good at all. I don't even know where to start."

"There's a doctor in town. Should I—"

"No. No, if they knew about his brand..."

"I see." Romelle strode out of the room and came back with water and a cloth. "We should at least get the blood off."

Hunk nodded mutely, gently dabbing at the blood around Keith's face. He didn't seem to have any major cuts- it was like he'd been bludgeoned. Hunk also saw fingerprints- massive ones- on Keith's throat.

Romelle shuddered. "His face is a mess- look, he's split his lip."

Hunk barely contained his stomach. "Coran?"

"I'm sorry, Hunk," the air spirit told him, "This is beyond what I can help with. He's hurt and hurt badly. His brain's been damaged- I don't know if we can fix this. I don't even know if he'll wake up."

Xxx

Pidge looked up at the sky as it began to rain. Thunder cracked overhead, and she grinned.

"Allura."