Not much happens in this chapter, beside the fact that Yondu meets his crew, but it also contains some info that will be improtant in the future chapters.

Also - yay for confusing metaphors XD.

The Wolf and Seven Young Goats

"Sir," The nurse said after she finally woke up from shock. "you should come back to bed."

She came to him carefully, her hands extended towards him to rest on his shoulders, but Yondu backed away.

"No!" He exclaimed, although, his scream was weaker than he intended. "Take me… to my… crew. I know… they are here… somewhere."

He felt his grip on the door frame weakening. His legs also were getting more and more shaky the longer he was standing. Yondu almost fell, but the nurse embraced him. He heard a numb echo of someone's voice:

Fool. The wolf is already in grandma's covers and waits for Little Red Riding Hood to come in…

Then the nurse hanged Yondu's one arm around her shoulder, put the lights on in his room and led him back to his bed.

You couldn't save your own tribe, Yondu Udonta. How are you going to save your little crew?

He let her, because he suddenly felt horribly exhausted. For a moment he was wondering if all of this was really happening, or was he still in coma. Everything seemed to be both distant and painfully real…

Yes, the wolf is after the Ravagers. After each and every one of them…

However, he didn't lie down in the bed, he just sat there and looked at the nurse, who suddenly got nervous under his gaze. For a moment there was a silence between them.

No, Yondu Udonta. In this story, you're not the hunter. Haven't you realized it, yet?

Yondu shook his head to focus. He had to focus – on staying awake, on his crew, on the big, bad wolf. He had to find the big, bad wolf, before the Ravagers let it in; before it will gain their trust and eat them… And if it already did, then he was going to be the hunter.

It seemed that the nurse realized something. She used a portable comm. and called someone.

"Doctor Sonner, the Ravagers' captain has woke up."

"Check his functions. I will come soon." Someone on the other side of the line said and disconnected.

The nurse began a really irritating examination. First, she checked Yondu's pulse, then she opened his eyelid and looked into his eye, using a little flashlight, she was carrying in her pocket. Before she did anything else, Yondu pushed her hand away and said:

"I need to see my crew."

She flinched, but after few seconds calmed down. That was the moment, when doctor Sonner – a skinny green alien with big eyes – came in. He approached Yondu and stood beside the nurse, and suddenly his foot touched something. He looked down, his eyebrows raised, and then the doctor kneeled to pick up the syringe of the floor.

"There was someone in my room, when I woke up." Yondu explained suddenly. Both his interlocutors looked at him. "I didn't see their face, but they were trying to inject this thing" He pointed the syringe. "into my neck."

"Indeed," The nurse turned to Sonner. "I saw someone running in the corridor. I thought it was some doctor, because he was wearing a medical uniform."

Doctor Sonner gave her the syringe.

"Take it to the laboratory. They have to check what it is."

"Yes, doctor."

She quickly exited the room, leaving both men alone with each other. Sonner didn't say anything, he didn't even look at Yondu. He just used his comm. and waited for the other person to answer.

"Yes, what is happening?" Asked someone on the other line.

Doctor Sonner took a deep breath. Only then Yondu realized that the man was nervous too, but tried to remain calm.

"Sir…" The green alien started.

"Yondu Udonta has awoken."

The commander of the space station received this message in the hallway, leading to the cantina. It so happened that Drax and Gamora were there too (they were going to the cantina to ask barman some questions). When they've heard the news, they stopped abruptly and started to listen. The commander remained calm.

"How is he doing?" He asked.

"He's weak after the awakening, but he's coming back to his senses." The doctor explained. "He also says that someone was in his room and we've found a strange syringe on the floor. I told nurse to get it to laboratory."

"Good call, doctor Sonner."

"Hey!" Yondu's voice raspier than usual cut in. "Tell him that I want to see my crew."

"Oh, yes." The physician said. "He insist on meeting with the Ravagers."

"I can't take care of the Centaurian right now." Replied the commander. "Just explain him the whole situation." He neared his mouth to the comm.'s speaker and whispered: "But don't mention Olmah. Yondu Udonta might be… sensitive about his species."

Drax and Gamora looked at each other. They knew what they were going to do. They came to the commander and Gamora said:

"We will meet with Yondu Udonta."

He gave her surprised look, but then smiled. He told his interlocutor on the other side of the line:

"Tell him that he will get to see his crew, when he'll be in better shape. By now, the Guardians of the Galaxy will explain what happened."

"Yes, sir." Was all doctor Sonner said, before they disconnected.

The commander gazed once again on Gamora.

"I hope you will be careful. I know that what happened to Zatoans was horrible, but colonel Olmah is a good man and I wish no more fuss on my space station." He turned his back on them and added: "Good luck."

And he went his way.

Gamora and Drax quickly turned to the path that led to the hospital and, on their way, they've told Groot and Rocket what happened. The tree and raccoon also decided to see the Ravagers' captain and tell him about the situation. They could later do what Peter told them to do. Right now they were going to meet with Yondu and who knows – they maybe even would be able to get some useful information in return.

When the four Guardians of the Galaxy reached Yondu's hospital room and entered it, doctor Sonner was already gone. The patient, on the other hand, was sitting on the bed, his hand on the knees, his back hunched. He gave Drax, Gamora, Rocket and Groot a stern look that seemed to be both intimidating and impatient.

They sat down and started to explain. They told him about Kraglin's call, about what paramedics had discovered, about Peter's reassurance that the Ravagers won't make any trouble and what Olmah told Rocket about collective responsibility. They told him about how his crew and Star-Lord were waiting impatiently, when Yondu's blood was cleaned; and how later the Ravagers spent half an hour at their captian's side, until they've been ordered to choose their rooms and roommates. In the end the Guardians of the Galaxy told him about the cantina incident, the Ravagers' version of events and what happened to them and Quill. For the most part Yondu was listening everything with serious expression, but when the Guardians finally revealed the reason why two Ravagers attacked colonel Olmah…

"There's a Badoon here?" Yondu's voice was quiet, yet it contained enough surprise mixed with contempt to show how much he didn't like this.

"Unfortunately, yes." Gamora said, remaining calm. "But attacking him isn't the best idea in current situation."

For a moment Yondu was silent. He looked down and started to think. The Badoon… Badoon on the space station…

Fool. The wolf is already in grandma's covers…

Yondu shook his head and turned to the Guardians once again.

"I need to see my crew."

"We understand." Said Drax. "But maybe you should rest, before..."

"You don't understand!" Yondu cut in harshly. "I need… I have to see my crew. I will go there anyway, whenever you like it or not, because they're my crew and they need me."

Another moment of silence.

"Well," Rocket sighed. "I guess we have no choice, but to take you to the arrest. Maybe we could find you a wheelchair or something."

"What? I'm not going to use a wheelchair!" Said Yondu and stood up. "I can stand on my own two legs!"

But he had to lean on the bed, because the sudden motion made him dizzy. First person at his side was Drax the Destroyer. He caught him and hung the Centaurian's arm on his massive shoulders, whilst observing Yondu with concern.

"I will take you to your crew." He spoke after a moment.

Peter tried to talk with the Ravagers. They already knew about gerranine and that Yondu was probably poisoned on Sakaar, but some of them didn't feel like talking with Star-Lord. And that was because they didn't trust him. The ones that did trust him and were happy to tell him about this fateful night, were focusing mostly on their little fights and seemed not to notice anything important. Nobody had seen anyone pouring something to Yondu's drink, nor even coming closer to it. However, Peter did find out that the whole brawl started, because some Sakaarians came to Yondu, wanted to throw him out of the bar and, after saying few really nasty words about the Centaurian, one of them tried to punch Yondu in the face.

Peter asked the Ravagers if they knew about Yondu's bounty. All of them did. They found out about it couple of weeks ago and they were kind of proud that their captain was estimated to be worthy so much money, and Yondu himself was amused by it. However, they didn't know who was paying such cash, the bounty was put anonymously (to get the reward the bounty hunter were supposed to meet in certain bar on Xandar). Nevertheless, Yondu was too busy with this assignment that brought him on Sakaar in the first place, so he decided to take care of the bounty later.

The Xandarian ships attacked them, when the Ravagers were already on their way to another assignment (given to them by a barman in Sakaarian bar, where the fateful brawl happened). Xandarians didn't say anything, didn't even bothered to tell them why they were attacking. They just flew to Yondu's main ship and started to shoot her. The Ravagers had no other way, but defend themselves. Kraglin, alongside with other pilots, was fighting with the smaller ships, while Yondu stayed in the main one and was trying to keep it in one piece.

Some of the witnesses were telling Star-Lord that they realized something was wrong, when Yondu fainted, but others noticed the symptoms earlier. Their captain had hard time keeping in straight position, from time to time he was leaning his palm on the forehead and after few minutes he was barely recognizing that someone was talking to him. And, when the main ship was falling down towards the unknown planet, he finally lost consciousness in the middle of the battle… or rather the end of it, because the enemy ships quickly retreated. The Ravagers didn't know why – after all it would be good and more effective way to finish them off – but Xandarians left them there.

The Ravagers' doctor estimated that Yondu must be poisoned, he tried to slow down the poison, Kraglin called the space station for help and here they were.

"This is all pretty weird." Peter leaned his back on the wall. "What do you think, guys?" He looked at cellmates. "Who were these Xandarians?"

"They weren't Nova Corps, that's for sure." Said the Ravager with one eye. "They would at least tell us, what we are accused for. And their ships were all bumped-up. They had to be some law lives."

"They probably were the bounty hunters." Gothar said. "Or just some thugs, who decided to earn some extra money by taking boss down." He chuckled. "Like they would match with Yondu…"

"So why they didn't come and took him, when they finally shoot your main ship down?" Peter asked. "They had a perfect opportunity."

"They knew, we will be fighting for him." Leto replied and smirked. "They realized that three million units weren't worth dying of our hands."

"No." Kraglin cut in. "They started to retreat, when the main ship was falling. Hell, they started to retreat, when Yondu fainted. You said it yourself." He turned to those Ravagers that were on the main ship during the attack.

"Is this making any lick of sense?" Peter said, more to himself than others.

For a moment he was occupied by his own thoughts. He was almost certain that the Xandarians didn't come for bounty, so what was their motive? And for that matter – what was the motive behind Yondu's poisoning? For sure there were guys, who really wanted to kill the Centaurian, and for various reasons – from money to revenge. But which one of these guys would use gerrianine and just leave Yondu on unknown planet, not even making sure, whenever the Ravagers' captain will die, or not?

But Peter's train of thoughts had been cut, when the main door to the arrest was opened and an unexpected guests entered the room. All the prisoners turned to them and all of sudden various emotions crossed the faces of the Ravagers. First there was surprise, shock even; then it changed into happiness, and relief, and hope. Star-Lord himself smiled softly, before his smile turned into smirk. The old man still got it.

"Yondu!" Cried Kraglin, coming to the bars. "You're awake!"

Leaning on Drax the Destroyer and accompanied by the rest of the Guardians, Yondu was standing in front of his crew and observing them with serious face. This view was so heartbreaking… all the Ravagers behind bars like some kind of animals or common thieves. They were inside, miserable and strangely helpless; and he was outside and he had to do something to get them out.

My seven young goats… he thought. Except they're more than seven… His eyes glanced at Peter, who was still leaning on the wall. And even the youngest one couldn't escape from wolf's mouth. Yondu knew that he had to get them out. But there was one problem – this time he had no scissors…

"Yes, I am awake." He finally spoke. "Do you really think that some poison can take me down?"

The Ravagers were shaking their heads and saying: "No, of course not!" Yondu turned to Drax and told the Destroyer to let go of him. Drax took Yondu's arm off his shoulder and the Centaurian started to slowly and with much effort move towards the cell, where Kraglin and Peter were in. When he finally was few inches from the bars, he leaned on the wall next to them, breathing heavily. All Ravagers looked at him with concern.

"Yondu, you have to rest." Peter was first to articulate their thoughts.

The Centaurian looked at him grimly.

"Would you… be resting… if your crew… was…in jail? If you… knew… that something was after them… Quill?" His voice was weak, but his gaze couldn't be more intense.

"What do you mean, Yondu?" Peter asked, looking at his former captain with concern.

"The big, bad wolf, Quill." Exhaled Yondu and chuckled. Then his expression became serious again. "I don't know, who exactly it impersonates, but I have to find the bastard."

Peter raised his eyebrows with surprise. Was Yondu mad? What was he talking about? When Star-Lord looked at Kraglin, the second in command seemed to also be confused.

Seeing their faces, Yondu neared to them closer and whispered:

"Do you remember your Terran fairy tales, Quill?"

"Erm… yes?" Peter replied awkwardly.

"The big, bad wolf… I can't get it out of my head." Yondu explained. "When I was lying in coma, my mind was constantly bringing it up. Quill," He said even quieter. "there is a big, bad wolf somewhere on this station. And it's after the Ravagers."

For a moment Peter was wondering what the hell was going on, but then something clicked in his mind. Guess, the company of Drax and Gamora kind of numbed his ability to see past metaphors.

"I understand." He smiled to the Centaurian. "There is a douchbag impersonating our grandma."

"Let's find him and rip his stomach open." Yondu grinned too.

"Wait," Kraglin entered into conversation. "so what you say is…?"

Yondu nodded.

"You know," His second in command began. "now, when you talk about it, it makes sense."

That was the moment when the door opened and doctor Sonner with few paramedics came into the arrest.

"You have to come with us, sir." The doctor said.

"Oh, yeah?" The Centaurian turned with much effort to him. "Why is that?"

"You need rest to fully recover." Explained doctor Sonner with hints of nervousness in his voice.

"Oh, really?" Yondu's eyebrows raised.

"Come on, dude, don't be stubborn." Peter turned the Ravagers' captain's attention on himself.

Yondu shot him a cold glare, but then looked at the concerned faces of his crew and gave a soft sigh. He really felt tired and he wasn't in the mood for fighting. Well, at least he could visit his men.

While going out with the assistance of Drax and paramedics, Yondu took one last look at the imprisoned Ravagers. His young goats were still in wolf's stomach, but before he could proceed with taking them out, first he had to find the wolf and… the right scissors.