Decisions

Posted on Wed Oct 26th, 2022 @ 10:15pm by First Lieutenant Bethany Harrison & Private Mattias Tonelly & General Dyami Bentley (Tribal : Bent Leaf)
Edited on on Wed Oct 26th, 2022 @ 10:15pm

Mission: HYDRA: Another Head Rises
Location: Unknown
Timeline: Present Day (Immediately following the destruction of the Hydra processing plant)

The sound of the recent explosion several thousand yards away was still reverberating off the nearby hills when a man-sized quicksilver portal, ringed with small floating green leaves, materialized out of the cold desert air. Through this shimmering two dimensional field step a traditionally dressed Indian man with long hair and blue eyes. The moon reflected off the man's long braided hair, black as raven feathers, stretching down his back and past his deer hide belt.

Soft hide moccasins touched the ground silent as the steps of a mouse, with catlike grace the man followed that step with another. An almost imperceptible wave of his strong hand dismissed the shimmering disc behind him and obediently it faded to nothingness.

Being left in the moonlight did not diminish the man's ability to see. The shaman made his way quickly to the fallen pair, his passing made no disturbance in the sand or foliage. Stooping down he took quick measure of the young man who was laying on his back, clothed only in a small stretch of ripped fabric over his groin. Seeing that the boy was for the most part unharmed he shifted his gaze to Fractal.

The young woman had obviously taken the brunt of the damage in the incident tonight. Fortunately, due to having trained her in advanced hand to hand combat, he was well aware that this would be the case.

He had already prepared a place for them to recover in advance. Using one arm for each of the fallen combatants he scooped them up as easily as one might pick up a small child, slinging them one over each shoulder, after muttering a few words in Tsalagi, his native tongue, another portal opened, and after stepping through it the silvery, shimmering portal sealed up behind him.

The inside of the sandstone cave was already dimly lit when the portal from the battlefield opened and the Indian shaman stepped out. He glanced around verifying that the only other living being in the room was the now an excited saber-toothed bobcat.

An overgrown kitten, it stood nearly the size of a large dog, It bounded over and upon smelling blood grew anxious. It understood Tsalagi and English but could not speak in order to express its fear for her adoptive mother, Beth. Instead, it lowered its stance and cast furtive looks around the cave seeking the enemy it could not see, but could still smell in the air.

“Easy little one, Beth is hurt, but not beyond recovery.” Dyami said in Tsalagi, his native tongue, his voice echoing off the wide domed ceiling of the campfire lit cave.

Setting Beth and the young man down on prepared cushioned mats he turned from the less injured male and instead focused his attention on the still badly injured Bethany. She had saved someone from the clutches of Hydra once again, and had again paid the price in blood.

Dyami turned to the Bobcat and said in Tsalagi, “Watch over him, alert me when he wakes. Do not harm him unless he tries to hurt us.”

A few moments later, Mattias began to stir. A soft moan of pain left his lips as he rolled onto his right side and curled up into a ball. He stayed that way for several beats, until finally, when his body seemed to calm down, he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that he was in a cave, but having no recollection as to how he got there, the young man started to feel scared. "Where…?" He asked aloud.

Dyami was leaning over Bethany when the young man's vision cleared enough to see in the wavering firelight. A faint blue glow emanated from the long-haired Indian man's hands. Without breaking his concentration he answered the youth with an even voice. “You are safe, we are hidden for the moment. I am healing the woman who saved you from that horrible place you were being held.” Dyami paused and looked back at the prostrate figure near him. “My name Is Dyami Bentleaf, I am Bethany’s commanding officer. I will see to your injuries shortly. How are you feeling?”

Turning his attention back to Beth he shifted his hands and focused the waves of healing energy to another part of her body. Flesh mending and healing naturally if only at a greatly accelerated pace.

Mattias's eyes grew larger when he realized who he was talking to. "Y-y-you're…you're Talon!!" A huge grin filled his face as he spoke. "Next to Fractal…I mean…Bethany…you're my all-time favorite hero! My Dad even…." He suddenly saw his parent's final moments play over again in his mind.

He collapsed back down as his grief overtook him. He was soon sobbing and curled back up into a ball, clutching his sides as wave upon wave of emotional anguish flooded through him.

The oddly large cat laid down on her stomach and began slowly, cautiously sliding towards the sobbing boy. She glanced back at Dyami once in a while, as though making sure he was still there, while sneaking up behind the suffering boy. The animal leaned towards Mattias, snuffling at his hair, then sneezed, before gently nudging the back of his head with her nose.

Seeing the boy in obvious grief, Dyami nodded. “Yes, I am Talon, and it is good you are a fan because you will be spending some time with us to recover. Besides, it seems you have made a friend,” Dyami added, motioning to the overgrown kitten with his head. “I am almost done here. I will see to your wounds shortly.”

Mattias, tears still falling free from his eyes, turned his head and, seeing the large cat, quieted some, though his breathing was still ragged. "H-hi, pretty kitty." He reached out a gently scratched behind the cat's right ear. Slowly, he started to calm a bit more.

Without making any sudden moves, he moved closer and put his arms around the large feline, hugging it for comfort and feeling safe in its presence.

Finishing with Bethany The Shaman of the Nations stood and left the young brawler to rest. Turning and observing the actions of the young man and the distinctly large bobcat kitten brought a smile to Dyami’s face.

He approached quietly, so as to not disturb the moment the two were sharing. This boy wracked with so much grief and pain that it, to his trained eye, stood out like black tendrils grasping his soul. “I must tread lightly with him, he stands at a crossroad.” The blue-eyed Indian man thought to himself.

Quietly he spoke “Mosi, please see to Bethany and thank you for your help.”

The bobcat, for its part, seemed to enjoy giving comfort to the young man, but in response to both the command and the mention of the name of her adoptive mother, she extricated herself from the young man gently and padded over, curling up next to the sleeping young woman.

Both Dyani and the young man watched her go, a slight smile on both their faces. Truly a magnificent animal.

Turning his attention back to the injured youth Dyami bowed slightly as was his custom upon meeting new people, and spoke, “I do not have the pleasure of knowing your name young man.”

Looking up at the larger man, Mattias tried to shift himself into a sitting up position. However his lower extremities were lifeless once more.

Finally giving up, he looked up at Talon and replied quietly. "Mattias…Mattias Tonelly, Sir."'

“A good name, it fits you.” the older man said. “Mattias, may I call you Matt?”

The teenager nodded slowly. "Yes, Sir."

The native man nodded and moved closer, beginning a short examination of the young man before him. “Your injuries seem to be superficial aside from some serious bruises,“ Dyami stopped suddenly when he reached the young man's legs, looked up into his eyes and continued, “Tell me what happened to your legs. Do not spare in details, the more I know the more I can help you.”

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TBC
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