Pitch Black Cyn

“We need four more fuel cells to take off.” Cyn stated, sitting lazily on the skiff’s ramp.

“The one we brought is only enough for a system’s check.”

Nodding, Al stepped up to her mate’s side.

“…We’ll have to go back.”

“Is there time?”

“…”

Her ‘no’ was loud in the silence, and Cyn’s ears laid down flat in response.

“…Well, F***…”

“Not even going to try, huh?”

Thoroughly startled by the sudden intrusion, Cyn jolted and fell off the ramp sideways.

Glaring at Riddick’s amusement, she propped herself up and frowned.

“Okay, new rule. Unless we’re both naked, you’re not allowed to do that!”

Raising a brow at the image that conjured, the convict sat back as the cat-girl climbed up again.

Al rolled her eyes at her mate’s immaturity, turning more towards Riddick.

“What do you suggest we do?”

Cyn’s ears perked immediately, an appraising look crossing her face as she eyed Al.

The bat-girl never asked for other people’s opinions, playing everything close to the chest and always planning twenty steps ahead.

‘She must REALLY like him.’

“When it happens, it’ll happen fast.” Riddick warned, voice a low cautionary growl.

“No matter what happens, you keep up.”

Cyn half-expected Al to be at his throat demanding answers, and she was fully prepared to jump clear of the entire situation.

Instead, Al only blinked and nodded, looking completely at ease.

Now Cyn’s mind was officially boggled.

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Staring at the sky, Cyn’s pupils blew wide in anticipation of the coming darkness as a massive planetary ring passed the horizon and threatened to block out the suns.

“GUYS, GET YOUR ASSES MOVING!” She shouted from the rooftop, tail-blades flashing with excited nerves.

“I DON’T THINK YOU WANNA BE HERE WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT!”

Leaning against the building nonchalantly, Al listened as the other survivors came outside, noticing whatever had caught Cyn’s attention.

“The eclipse is starting.” Riddick rumbled at her back, too low for anyone else to hear.

“You’re not scared of the dark, are you?”

Smiling, Al tilted her head towards his voice.

“Cyn and me are do our best work in the dark.”

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Standing next to the Sand-Cat, Cyn’s ears twitched sporadically as they tried to follow everyone running around.

It was chaos, pure and simple, and Cyn loved chaos.

Lugging supplies onto the solar-powered vehicle, the group clambered onboard in a hurry.

Waiting until Al came up, Cyn helped the smaller girl up onto the Sand-Cat before jumping up herself.

She was about to ask where Riddick was as Jack settled at her back-

The vehicle practically bucked under the convict’s sudden weight.

‘Well, that answers THAT question…’

Purring lowly when the man settled beside her, she saw Johns disappear into one of the buildings.

She hoped he would get left behind, that they’d leave him to get eaten alive, but her hopes were once again dashed when he made it to the Sand-Cat in time.

“Never get a break…” Cyn muttered irritably, purr returning when Riddick scratched behind her ear.

“Relax, kitten. It’ll happen. Eventually.”

Nodding distractedly, she leaned into the petting, whining softly when Riddick chuckled and withdrew his hand.

“TEASE…” Cyn huffed, pouting, as the Sand-Cat raced across the desert.

Al smacked her mate upside the head, facing forward and calculating the distance left for them to travel.

‘Too far.’

Wincing, Cyn mock-glared at the bat-girl while rubbing the back of her head.

“MEANIE…”

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Cyn was like a coiled spring, watching the planet rising to block out the suns as she leapt out of the Sand-Cat.

Johns didn’t have the chance to rebuke her before the cat-girl disappeared into the vessel in search of the fuel cells.

Kicking a piece of rubble away, she lifted up a cell one-handed, holding it out to a stunned Johns.

“Does it LOOK like we have time for bullshit?” She hissed, shoving it into his arms.

“MOVE.”

Her tail gave a flick of irritation, but Cyn turned back to pick up another.

Riddick reached around her to pick up one himself, and Cyn quirked an eyebrow as she lifted two with ease.

Though Johns clearly had a bruised ego, seeing her carry two while he struggled with one, Riddick didn’t seem to mind.

If Riddick’s hand on her ass was any indication, he seemed to like it.

Al’s ears were laid back in warning at them once the pair exited the ship, telling them to hurry up.

The rings had already blocked one of the suns, casting the world into twilight, and Al could feel the coming darkness in her bones.

Now the clicks and screeches were audible to everyone, concentrated in the heavy rock spires in the distance.

Everyone slowed down, and the rings blocked out a second sun, plunging the desert planet into further darkness.

‘The Sand-Cat’s solar.’ Cyn thought sadly.

‘Now we’ll have to carry them…’

Her focus shifted from the rising planet to the spires, pupils blowing wide for better night-vision as hatchlings flew out of the top like demented clouds.

“WHOA…”

Lifting up her visor and propping it on her hair, Al went completely still at the dark cloud filling the sky.

“Jesus, how many can there…?”

Cyn’s ears lay flat against her hair, and she hissed as a wave splintered off the main group that was heading away.

“Just a suggestion, BUT PERHAPS YOU SHOULD FLEE!” Paris shouted from the cargo hold. ‘

Focus broken, Cyn turned and shoved Al into a full-out run.

Riddick was at her back in a moment, grabbing her around the waist and running towards the cargo hold after the others.

Looking over his shoulder at the wave, Cyn nearly bared her teeth, the urge to transform bubbling under her skin again.

They wouldn‘t make it to safety before the hatchlings reached them.

“GET DOWN!”

The next moment, her back hit the sand of a ditch, momentarily winding her.

Shazza hit the sand behind them seconds before the hatchlings swung low for a swipe, flying only inches above them.

Letting out a breath, Cyn fought down her fight or flight instincts as they fought to take over her common sense.

Riddick, lying on his back beside her, held up the tip of a bone shiv, and she shivered as it practically disintegrated.

‘Like a river of sharp teeth…’

Once the last of them flew by, her ears twitched, rotating in every direction to check for them.

Not hearing them, Cyn almost stood up when a strong arm dropped onto her shoulders, pushing the cat-girl back down.

“Not yet.”

“SHAZZA, JUST STAY DOWN!”

Jack’s shout makes Cyn tilt her head up and see Shazza try to stand, ready to make a break for the cargo hold.

Jack had wormed her way into Cyn’s heart somewhere along the line, and knowing the she cared for Shazza had the cat-girl grabbing the woman’s ankle.

Pulling hard enough to make her fall, Cyn kept a tight grip as the hatchlings came back for another try.

Ignoring Riddick’s questioning look, she steadied her breathing and her racing heart, looking up at the open cargo hold to see Al’s uncovered, half-shined eyes.

That was enough to calm her, because if there was any real chance that she’d get hurt, Al wouldn’t allow it.

When the coast was truly clear, Al motioned for them to come, and Riddick did so first.

Following his example, Cyn picked up a shell-shocked Shazza.

Walking towards the cargo hold, ears swiveling cautiously, she dropped Shazza onto her feet inside the cargo hold and pushed her inside.

A relieved Jack was soon attached to her hip, face buried in her stomach.

Tilting her head, Cyn’s expression softened as she pat the runaway’s head gently.

“Relax, kid. Everything’s alright.”

Crouching down to the child’s level, she half-smiled.

“I won’t let anything happen to you. Promise.”

Jack nodded after a moment, relaxing, and Cyn’s smile grew.

“Why don’t you go show Shazza where the others are huddled?”

As the runaway did as she was asked, Cyn stood, turning to face Al’s blank visor.

“…You’ve gotten attached.”

“…She’s like a cub, Al.”

“…”

It had become apparent, after Cyn had reached puberty, that her species was very protective of children.

No matter the situation or danger, Cyn’s instincts told her to protect the younglings and forgo her own safety.

Sometimes, it ate Al’s nerves raw.

“If you do anything stupid for Jack’s safety-.”

“You know how I am, Al.”

“…Yeah…I do.”