[Athena - Mess Hall]
Cat hugged Ash warmly, a genuine smile brightening her features. Her cheery optimism was infectious, and made the half-Betazoid realize all that she still had to be thankful for. To some it may have been just a simple jar of dirt, but it really was a lovely shade and lately Cat had been filling her office shelves with bits and mementos from planet's they'd visited. It was a very thoughtful gift indeed, just another of the acts of kindness the young woman performed so effortlessly.
"Both the sand and the book are lovely, but I think the best gift is having you for a friend, Ash." Her hazel eyes glinted as she picked up 'Treasure Island' and looked it over. "That was certainly an exciting mission, but I think reading about pirates may be a safer pastime than trying to fight them. I'm certainly glad things are calm now."
Cat shook her head, throwing off any lingering feelings of malaise she had been experiencing. Dwelling on the past never cleared the path to the future. Leo would come back eventually, and between then there were always messages and maybe a sneaky trip to Risa. That last thought reminded her of something.
"Looks like you got a bit of sun. Glad I opted to stay onboard this time 'round. I'd have ended up looking like a lobster with freckles. I have this fancy moisturizer I got from Risa last leave we had there. It's some herbal blend that's near on miraculous for a burn. I'll bring it by for our movie night." She was looking forward to their weekly get-together. Growing up in the artisan colony, there hadn't really been many kids her age. Now it seemed she was making up for lost time and enjoying it.
[Athena - Ashlynn's Quarters]
Cat woke up in the dark, slightly disoriented. She activated her wrist PADD and glanced around in the dim light. Oh right, sleepover in Ash's quarters. She rubbed her bleary eyes and sat up, adjusting the zipper on her fuzzy skeleton onesie pajamas so it wasn't biting into her neck. She wasn't sure what woke her up, but she had a weird sense something was off. As she sat there, she debated whether to wake Ash up or chalk it up to too much junk food before bed. The feeling refused to go away, and if she was gonna be up, Ash could too. With a gentle hand, she nudged her shoulder to get her attention.
"Hey Ash, I think something weird is going on." Cat shook her shoulder a little more urgently.
[Ash's Quarters]
Ash pushed herself faster through the undergrowth by the rockface, legs pumping as she sailed through the woods. Her breathing was ragged and her pulse pounding in her head, but all she could think was, Faster... Faster...
Her wobbling legs couldn't take much more of this though. Branches whipped at her face and exposed arms as she darted through the trees, searching for... something... What am I looking for?
Her confusion was quickly forgotten as she attempted to leap over a log and landed unsteadily, stumbling to the ground as gravity took over. Ash lied panting as her eyes darted over her surroundings. Hide, hide - something's coming. I need to hide NOW.
Over to her left her eyes caught on a shallow opening near the base of the rocky wall that rose to her left. Without so much as a second thought, she dragged herself over to the bear den and curled into the shadows. As she watched the entrance with shaking breath, she felt something nudge her shoulder. "Not now," she hissed to the bear behind her, seemingly unconcerned about its presence. "We don't want him to find us..." When the bear nudged her again, this time more forcefully, she finally turned around-"Cat?" Ash blinked her eyes sleepily and shook off the remnant of the dream. Already it was fading from memory.
I was running and... looking for... something. And there was something about a bear? She rubbed her eyes and looked at her friend, illuminated by the glow of her PADD. "Of course something weird is going on. We're awake. In the middle of the night. When we should be sleeping." Her voice was slightly slurred as she spoke, but she pulled herself up into a sitting position anyway and looked around.
The room seemed pretty quiet, but Cat was right; something felt off. "What do you think-" She cut herself off as a faint roar sounded from down the hall. Suddenly she was wide awake and putting her shoes on, throwing a robe on over her sort-of-revealing-but-super-comfy nightgown (who cares if the robe looked like it belonged to part of a wizard costume?). She motioned Cat to follow her suit and whispered, "Do you know what made that noise?"
[Outside Ash's Quarters]
Disturbing the relative silence was a blood-curdling, bestial, bellow of pure anger. Heavy footsteps thudded along the hallway for a few seconds before stopping before Ash's door. Silence sat heavy in the air for a few seconds before another bestial rage-scream split the air, followed quickly by an axe head suddenly ripping though the door. It pulled out and two hands gripped the hole ripped it wide open like it was tinfoil. Standing before the destroyed door was Professor Danger. His shirt was in tatters, his muscles swollen, his face contorted in pure anger, his eyes bloodshot, every vein popping out from his skin, and he was panting like an injured beast. In his hand was a great double-headed axe. He screamed again in a berserk rage.
"I!!!!"
"AM!!!!!"
"KREMMMMMMMM AHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Ash shrieked as they were affronted by the source of the disturbance, head on (literally). She backed up against Cat, getting as far from the door as possible and searched for something - anything - to use for defense.
I need a - a shield. Something. Ummm.... Her mind flew to her frying pan, but that was in the mess hall. If they could get there... Her eyes caught on Cat's moisturizer sitting on the table next to her. She learned the hard way last night that that stuff burned when it got in your eyes.
She slowly reached out with her right hand and wrapped her fingers around the still open container, while her left hand grabbed Catrin's and squeezed. She didn't risk taking her eyes off the deranged lunatic who was quickly ripping open the door to explain her plan. She just hoped Cat understood enough to run.
When the axe-weilding maniac completely broke through, Ash didn't hesitate. She threw the oil at his face, the delicate glass bottle shattering against his cheek, serving as a distraction if nothing else. Ash didn't wait around to see as she pulled Catrin into a dead sprint for the door. Ash's wizard robes flew behind her as she ducked through the wrecked doorway and started the wild run down the hallway.
Faster... Faster... If they could make it to the mess hall a few doors down, they'd be safe - At least, that's what she told herself.