The Darkness Calls

Title: Cave


Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the craziness that spews out of my head. Own nothing else! Cross my heart! ^_^ All characters belong to their respective owners, and all that. That means I own nothing and have zero money, Z E R O. . . Don’t sue me, it would cramp my creativity. Own nothing!
Author notes & Warnings: M/M fanfic. No Beta. Be afraid. My mood affects my writing.
WARNING!!!!!! Talk of MPREG AND WILL HAVE MPREG! Nursing of babies will happen!! Blood and death and what not. If you don't like don't read this chapter.

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Fully dressed Xander almost skipped as he left the bone yard. His body was singing with energy and life, and all the right places were sore. He knew his skin was flush because he felt heated from the inside out. His trip to his home planet was starting to go right! It was up hill from here! He had two choices. He could follow Riddick’s hot scent back to the crash site and his charges, or follow Fry’s group through the canon. Hmm. Choices! Choices!

Xander wanted to test his new ground with Riddick but some instinct was telling him to give the large male a little space. Their mating had caused a lot of thought to rush through Riddick’s complex head. Xander should give him a little time to organize it. Just a little at least. With a pout Xander started following John’s and Fry’s scents. He had agreed, though unhappily and unwillingly, to help them find water and Riddick. Hey, Xander already did half of what he said he would do! Xander let a dazed smile cross his face, he DID find Riddick.

Going down the rocky dust filled pass Xander tisked, foot steps could be clearly seen. There was even a bullet shell casing and a bit of cloth. A half blind no brained child could follow them! There was a cloth with the same pattern print the Arabs wore on the ground, Xander picked up the scarf and pocketed it, but as he did that a new scent crossed his path. Plastic. Hot melting plastic.

Following the scent that always lead to humans and things of artificial make, Xander found something interesting. A bolder. Grey, big, and covered in dust, but most definitely not real. It was near the canon entrance and against the rock face. This fake rock was nestled between real rocks. The fake one was about twelve feet wide and about eight feet high, it was round and its color was slightly off. Now that he found this oddity Xander wondered how he missed it. Tapping it Xander found it hollow and easy to move, so he moved it.

A cave.

Xander smiled. Now he had three options! Hmm. Follow Fry, who was acting like she was the Queen of ‘we’re all fucked island’, like she knew everything that was best. Kind of like Buffy. But Fry doesn’t even know half of what Buffy knows . . .er knew. Or he could go back. Go back to the site of the crash, it was tempting to go see Riddick, he also needed to take care of Oren and Greg. They needed his care. He was responsible for them despite what anyone said.

Xander’s eyes drifted over the dark inside of the cave. He was really curious about where it would go . . . He wouldn’t be long. Besides if this cave was not of some importance why hide it? Maybe he could find something useful. Xander swished his long black tail back and forth, he was very curious . . .and curiosity killed the cat.

Sliding the fake boulder out of the way Xander stepped silently into the cavern, some baser instinct telling him to be soft footed. With each step he took into the black Xander found his eye sight adjusting, like a switch just going off. Everything was now shaded in dim colors of blue, he could now see the pebbles at his feet and the pointed rocks above his head. Xander walked with the natural grace that was born to him in this body, his tail swaying keeping his balance perfect.

As he entered a little deeper Xander found wiring. Red wires were bundled together like a rope above him. He followed that to a wider part of the cave, his area more like a room. There were digging tools here, hard hats, bags, and boxes. There was a small generator at the far end of the cave near the next dark opening. Lights, at least four electric lights hung from the ceiling. There were tables full of uneaten molded food and scattered papers. And all of the things were covered in years worth of dust.

Stepping quietly on the hard packed earth Xander stopped when something crunched loudly underfoot. He picked it up. Bone. Dry, bleached, tooth marked, bone. Not just any bone. A lower human arm bone with an inch or two of upper bone still attached. Xander looked at it closely and fingered the slicing cuts all along it. It looked like a thousand little knives had a dance party on it.


*Clack! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!*

Xander dropped the bones and crouched defensively. He looked around and saw one of the lamps swinging. Xander could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Something was here with him, watching him.

“EEERRRRUUUUUHHHH!!!” A high-pitched sound echoed all around him, something scurried above him. Jumping out of the way as a dark shape came at him, Xander hissed. Something cut his arm luckily it was only a shallow scratch but beads of blood welled up. Growling Xander lunged at the crouching thing trying to stalk him. And lashed out at it with tail and claw. The small dog sized lizard started in surprise when Xander’s tail spike cut it across the face. As it backed off some Xander pulled his sword, the sword sung as it left the sheath.

The creature chirped then circled Xander. It seamed to think Xander couldn’t see it because when it reared up for another attack it ran right up to Xander. With a simple side step and a swift slice Xander took its head right off. Crouching down Xander studied the dead thing.

Was it a native animal to the planet? Or a demon? It had no eyes on its hammer shaped face, its skin was leathery and not scales like Xander had thought, and it was cold to the touch. Looking at its off blue blood Xander started wiping it from his blade. But as he was doing that Xander spotted another. A much bigger one! And this one was running toward him at full speed!

Rolling out of the way Xander stumbled to his feet quickly. He was about to face the new monster when he found another. And another! And another! And another!! With wide eyes Xander stepped back and tried to make his way toward the exit. There were eight creatures in all, six were starting to circle him while the other two started eating their dead brethren. “I’m sorry, is this your home? I’ll just be going.”

Xander took another step toward the way he had come. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. The bulky shadow of a monster stood tall by his escape rout claws and teeth bared. Xander was trapped. And so very screwed.

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Circling around the bone yard Riddick made his way back to the crash area since John’s was no were near it. It could be entertaining to watch the survivors scurrying around like rats. He easily traveled the terrain and stayed hidden. As he got to the site he looked around and made sure to note where the survivors are. Zeke was piking away like a dog to dig up a hole for the many bodies, Paris the useless putts was sitting around on top of the ship smoking, that guy that got skewered was sleeping, and the girl’s Shezza and the brat were cooing over the baby. None of them were paying any attention to their surroundings. Fools!

Sitting on the roof behind Shezza and Jack he had to admit that the baby was kinda cute. What Riddick found odd about it was the fact that it wasn’t crying. All kids, old and young that Riddick had ever met cried like banshees when they were hungry. The tiny baby with rust colored brown hair was gurgling and suckling on Shezza’s finger. The boy also smelled like fresh milk and Xander! He smelled good, like pack. It was disconcerting!

Shrugging any complicated thought off Riddick skirted the ship till he was behind Paris. The coward was jumpy and any little noise could scare him off. With the man off searching for whatever Riddick sat down in the folded chair and took a swig of the wine bottle laying on the table.

Riddick raised a brow as a new man stumble toward them from the distance. Another survivor. Riddick shook his head when a couple of shots rang out. Zeke the empty headed fool was shooting around like he was born deaf and blind. Luckily the kid Jack was quick. She pushed the new guy out of the way, but the new man still had two bullets in his shoulder and arm. His arm might even need to be cut off. The kid looked to be bleeding too. And to his own surprise Riddick was kinda worried for the kid. Not really but kinda. The baby that was bundled up safe in Sheeza’s arms was wailing like a siren, loud little punk.

Rolling his shoulders Riddick took another pull of the spirits then got up and stalked away. Of course none of the people milling about saw him. Using the know-how he got from living the tough life he had Riddick hid within the little cover the planet had and followed Zeke. Zeke had the gun. He was the bigger threat . . . he needed to be killed now.

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Jumping out of the way with less grace the normal Xander managed to dodge some big monsters snapping jaws. They were coming at him and coming at him, like reptilian bulldozers. Snapping jaws, big shark like teeth, knife blades, talons, it was insane! Cutting down a smaller demon with his sword Xander swiped at another with his tail. A tail that was now dripping an acid, every time his tail spike struck skin he could smell flesh burn.

Through he was fighting back and giving a good fight Xander knew he was being herded farther back into the cave. These demons were smart and fierce, and they seamed to go insane with hunger at the slightest scent of blood.

Xander hissed when he realized he was cornered. His back was against the old generator, he had nowhere to go. Trapped up good. Raising his sword Xander tried to dodge to the side only to have one of the creatures slice into his arm. The blade in its hand cut into the meat of his arm and sliced through like butter grating against the bone. Stumbling back Xander bumped into a switch.

Click.

Brightness. Blinding painful brightness and the sound of the demons screeching in pain. The smell of smoking flesh reached his sensitive nose and the sound of creatures running over stone echoed in the cave. Crouching down Xander covered his eyes, they were watering and tears were poring out of his eyes. Slowly the shock of having to switch so suddenly from one vison to the other wore off and he could see again.

The creatures were gone and some of the corpses of the ones he killed were smoking almost like they were on fire. He watched them turn grey then become ash like a vampire would in the sun. “So they’re very sensitive to the light. Good.”

Putting his blade back in its saber after cleaning the fowl blue blood off it, Xander took a better look at the cave. It seamed his night vison missed a few things. This cave was dotted with slot like holes big enough for the creatures to go in and out of. Walking over to one of the holes Xander looked in and was kinda impressed. The holes were connected and he could see a bigger darker space inside. Xander could hear and feel the hungry creatures just a wall away from him, they wanted food, wanted to rend the flesh from Xander’s bones. Looking into another hole Xander noticed a big hammerhead standing close to the hole but still in the shadows. It was clicking and shifting its muscled body, reaching out for its mind Xander tried to read it.

~ FOOD . . .HUNGRY . . .EAT!~ He gasped. Though Xander wasn’t a strong telepath, he was a powerful empath and he read emotions like a pro. The creatures were hungry, just ravenous. All they thought about was food. Their purpose was eating, sex, eating, egg laying, and more eating. There was no true intelligence in them. Inside the creatures heads was just a dark void of bloody hungry and savage selfish lust. It was a true beast.

He could sense the creature’s desperation for food. Backing away from the walls, Xander walked deeper into the cave. A row of dim blue lights could be seen down into the cave, pulling his sword back out Xander went in deeper. He could hear angry hissing but it seamed the demon lizards wouldn’t risk the light to get to him. Turning down a curved path Xander sighed when the exit came into sight. Bright light.

Leaving the gloom of the cave Xander found a upward path, a path that looked like it went to the top of a incline. Feeling up to a hike Xander started making his way up. There were area’s were the path had crumbled, it was old and unsafe but with his cat like grace Xander was able to reach the top. Hiding away from the site of the crash and from the survivors was a couple of buildings and what looked like a docking port. Making his way toward the biggest building Xander forced the rusted door open. Opening the door fully Xander let light come in, creature could be in the room.

The room wasn’t much. Just tables, junk that people had once owned, mundane things. Finding a couple hand lamps Xander turned it on and walked deeper into the dust covered room. Opening another door Xander found a large open hanger. A hanger that was not empty. No inside was a ship. Grey and ugly but big enough for everyone, it wasn’t a speeder or a pleasure ship, but to Xander it was the greatest ship he had ever seen.

Finding the entrance Xander forced it open. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the cockpit turned on and a soft male voice spoke out. ~ Identification please.~

Bitting his lip Xander spoke. “I’m Xander.”

~Whole name please.~

“Alea`xand`r Sanotio Lith`Halo milithre prince of planet Emfrine.”

Machine sounded and computers started beeping. ~ Do you wish to lay claim on this vessel prince? The claim of the last owner is no longer valid.~

Xander nodded then realized the ship might not see that. “Yes. Yes I would.”

The inside the ship brightened even more giving Xander a view of what looked like a living space. The male commuter voice spoke again. ~ Welcome Captain Alea`xand`r. Would you like to know the status of your ship and its cargo?~

“Alright.” After he said his ok the ship started rattling off all the detail it thought Xander should know. All Xander really cared about was if it was space worthy or not.

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TBC

I think when I get inspired I’ll write more for this chapter. I thought everyone would like to read what I have so far. The next chapter will have a bit of Fry/Riddick in it and some green eyed monster time for Xander. Some interaction between the survivors will happen next . . . Hopefully the darkness will come in the next chapter too! ^_^