Calaveras Peak

The day before their hike up Calaveras Peak, Foxglove could be spotted on double rotations, and armed at all times. I'm anticipation of the other teams desperation they had spent the last four days moving closer to the base of Calaveras, spotters high in trees any time they were stationed for rest. Whilst all could sense the end of the event Violet's reminder that the hike up to the peak itself would be brutal had rained on the parade.

She was right, it was a sixteen mile trek up to the top, it would be the first time all four groups would be within touching distance of each other, and the team carrying the transponder was sure to resort to any measure to pass it along before sundown. In anticipation for high risk injuries Kieren had denied all Foxglove members the right to request aid from Violet for the past two days. The incessant whining from blisters and chaffing was threatening to blow Violet off the nearest cliff. Everybody was in a pissy mood.

To make matters worse, Violet and Alex had found it necessary to intervene when Mika and Aiko realized that Jeck had been sleeping with the both of them.

"You bastard whore, I gave you everything! You chickenshit motherfucker! I'll kill you and leave you for the crows you worthless leech!"

Aiko's tear strained declaration was nothing in comparison to Mika who charged both of them head on a steal dagger in hand. She had proceeded to rip a tear in Jeck's stomach and stab Aiko four times in the chest and arms before Alex knocked her out. That's how Kieren, Zen, Tom, and Ted found them, Violet slapping Jeck into awareness while pools of blood formed under he and Aiko, who were severely underdressed. In the end, and only because there was safety in numbers Kieren had told Violet to heal them, but not fully, "Leave them in enough pain to hate their lives on the trek, and put Mika on watch duty with no rest until we leave tomorrow."

Violet had to admire Kuznet's bestial planning; fourteen days with not enough food, sleep, peace, or safety was really wearing down on most. Even she, who considered herself malleable was annoyed, although that had more to with her disdain for incompetent people.

The dawn of day fourteen met all four groups with a sense of bleakness. Rain had commenced sometime in the night and by six in the morning it had turned into a fine downpour of sleet. As Foxglove headed out, it become pure snow. Violet pointed out the barrier of clouds as they ascended, "this is going to be a blizzard within the hour, we should pull in the scouts and stick together. The other teams cannot spot us in this."

Kieren headed the advise, called for all to stick together, and began pushing on ahead. In the beginning, the fire bearers attempted to help, using their abilities to create a warm climate around them, they were quickly stopped. "If you use up your magic now you'll be ill fit in a confrontation, we have fourteen very steep miles to go." Zen continued, "Can you keep up your heat that long while you walk in this blizzard?"

By mile six the wind had picked up, most were sporting whip like cuts on their faces and the onset of hypothermia began to slow Bret and Mera down. Kieren found a small cave up ahead and ushered everybody in, "Twenty minute break, cover the entrance, start a fire, eat. We move quickly."

A sudden scream alerted them to a huge snake hidden in a corner, several moved to kill it, but found their path blocked by Violet. With soft movements she picked it up, one hand on its tail, wrapping its body around her arm, the other clamping its mouth shut. To Foxgloves astonishment she exited the cave snake in tow adamant on finding it a suitable hiding place. "Do not got far!" Kieren called after her.

Violet located a small cave, struggling to fit inside she deposited the snake carefully before turning around. She hesitated, had she heard something? A sudden loud crunch, a rock to her head, she temporarily lost consciousness, she was being dragged somewhere.

She fully came too three minutes later, utterly confused, she could always spot magical approachers, their life force screamed out their presence, especially when approaching with ill intentions. "She's awake." A low gravely voice alerted her to her attackers, she felt something sticky on the side of her face.

Two men, ill shaven, dirty, in the mid forties leered down at her. She was tied, arms and legs bound tightly.

"Oh," Violet began, "you're regular humans." One of them slapped her hard and she tasted blood.

"Did we give you permission to speak? You'll open your mouth only to take our dicks down your throat."

Violet started at them unimpressed, her lack of expression was clearly offsetting the men. "Don't bother to pretend you're not scared, we know you're alone out there, we are going to take our sweet time with you." Violet looked around, they were underground, that made sense, these two swine probably live here, it smelled vile, trash cluttered every corner. A kick to the stomach returned her attention to her attackers. "I want to hear your sweet voice, cry for me." The leader of the two, 'Inbred one', Violet noted was fat with broken teeth. 'Inbred two', was slow, mentally strained, and clearly following Inbred one out of fear.

He looked like an ill weasel. "Pathetic, you hit like a kid." Rage consumed their eyes to Violet's reply and a small dirty knife was shoved into Violet's thigh. She made no noise, eyes dead, it only enraged them more. They began pummeling her, Violet sighed, she was only dimly aware that they were hitting her, this is stupid. Inbred one looked at the verge of tears, rage consuming his features. He kicked her hard, "scream bitch, scream!!"

"What's the matter?" Violet muttered, "can't get hard if I don't cry?" He screamed, grabbed a chopping knife and approached Violet, "Strip her naked, well see if she doesn't scream as we strip flesh."

Violet rolled her eyes, that was clearly enough. She made to sit up, as Inbred two moved to grab her head, two twin daggers, one black, the other white pierced clean through inbred one. Viole stared, those were not normal weapons, even for someone with abilities, they were runestone weapons. The daggers moved in opposite directions slicing the man in half horizontally.

Violet suddenly remembered, there was one other person she was unable to sense. Kieren.

She had seen Kieren mad before, his normally blue eyes burned with fire loud and expressive, this was different. Blue eyes seemed to turn black, the air changed, oozing bloodlust, dark and relentless.

Inbred two was screaming, Violet could only stare at Kieren. He turned to inbred two and dispatched him, a short flash of electricity coating the daggers as they tore up flesh. He sheathed the daggers and they disappeared from sight. Violet stretched tearing the rope from her arms and legs, in a swift motion she stood up, pulling the dirty knife out with contempt. Kieren threw the knife into a piece of inbred one, cupped her face softly, anger still present in his eyes. "Are you alright?" For the first time in a long time Violet felt speechless. "Kieren, I could have disposed of them myself."

His eyes softened considerably, his body pulling her in closer, "Anybody who hurts you will answer to me." Violet felt touched, despising herself, she leaned forward and buried her head in his chest taking in his enthralling scent.

He wrapped both arms around her protectively. He noted that almost immediately her wounds disappeared, nodding satisfied he mumbled more to himself than her, "We need to get back to the group." He released her hesitantly, without looking back they climbed up and out through a hatch, back into the blizzard. Kieren led the way back to the cave in silence, and as they approached Alex ran out to meet them throwing both arms around Violet.