Riddick and Cara ran. The scaffolding sounded like clanging on every step they took. They weaved in and out of people running the opposite direction and shoving at the pair. One skinny man attempted to cut in-between the pair and Cara hip checked him out of the way. She felt a little bad when he went tumbling over the edge. Cara glanced out over the pit and dragged Riddick to a stop at the sight.

Giant animals came over the edge of the cliff face and raced down the sheer drop. At first they looked like wolves but as Cara watched she saw a distinct reptilian like quality. They had the rough scales that acted like a thick armor and as they reached a landing Cara saw the spikes protrude from their legs into the wall slowing their descent. The deep scars they left in the wall could be seen all over the pit walls. Cara swallowed hard. They were like the predators on the Black planet. Pure killers.

"Come on." Riddick tugged her away but not before she got to see one of the Hounds pounce on a victim. Mid-air the scales turned from a coal black to the red of a burning fire. Cara gasped at the beauty of the creatures.

They ran up a spiral staircase and sprinted across a slight incline. Cara could see all the prisoners sprinting for their cells and slamming the doors in some of their fellow prisoners faces. Cara couldn't help but worry about Jack. Where was she? Was she already captured? Or worse, eaten?

As if conjured by her thoughts Cara saw a shadow along the far wall. Cara let Riddick lead the way while she watched Jack skid to a stop as one of the Hounds rounded the corner in front of her. They both stilled eyeing each other. The hound slowly turned to a furious orange color and Cara could have sworn Jack smiled. Jack was half a second faster than the hound in her lunge. She darted forward and planted one foot on the railings and the other on the wall. With a grunt of effort she launched herself into the open air of the pit. The hound twirled in the air trying to swipe at her. She easily snatched a cord from the air and zip lined down to a safer level. Cara felt a breathe leave her body she hadn't known she was holding. Jack had really come into her own.

Cara glanced around only to find all the prisoners had caged themselves in safety. What few stragglers that could be heard screamed as they were eaten. "Riddick?" Cara asked at his moving back.

"Trust me." He glanced back at her.

Cara smiled, "Always." Without another word her stopped and turned to a waterfall just to their right. It was in a dark turn off and the scaffolding looked to be in disrepair. It was a dark dank little corner. Riddick turned and lifted her and carried her through the water. On the other side there was a small shelf that Cara could perch on. Cara wedged herself back as Riddick slowly followed.

"Hopefully this will mask out scent." He murmured back to her.

"If it don't?" She whispered back. He glanced at her and shrugged. They fell into a comfortable silence. Both tensed as one hound began to pass their hiding place. Cara could hear a seconds claws clicking against the metal. She froze and Riddick's attention was diverted to the beast. Using one hand he ripped off his goggles in anticipation. He tossed them back to Cara and she held them close to her chest. Slowly she placed them over her head and slowly let the tension and fear drain from her body. It had no use here.

Cara was calm when the hounds head turned into the water and slowly came through to their safe side. It bared it teeth at the pair and Cara felt her own face bare its teeth in response. Slowly the creature turned a bright orange. It inched forward glaring at Riddick. Cara tried not to react but the Hound had very similar eyes to Riddick. Slowly Riddick leaned forward and glared in return. Silver gaze met silver gaze. No fear, no hesitation, just a sure steadiness that no violence would happen. Cara watched the two as the exchange of dominance transpired. The Hound didn't attack, didn't growl, and didn't move. Slowly the scales of the creature turned a deep coal-black. It snapped slightly at Riddick before slowly retreating. Riddick soon followed but Cara remain were she was. Waiting for Riddick.

Through the water she saw him kneel down in front of the Hound and the Hound slowly lowered its head, always remaining lower than the dominant. Riddick reached through the water and Cara placed her hand within his. Slowly he drew her out and held her close as the Hound came forward to smell her. He bared his teeth but Riddick stopped his boot hard into the metal. The creature sulked slightly and the lowered its head to Cara. She held out her hand throwing her caution to the wind. The animal stared at her hand for a moment then slowly came forward and butted her hand with his head. She gently began to pet it. Slowly the Hound came to sit at her feet, brushing its rough scales at her. She smiled down at the silver gaze staring up at her. She might be developing a soft spot.

Riddick chuckled, "He likes you." Cara laughed and softly fingered the yellow tag the Hound had in its ear. It read number '5'.

Riddick sat on a boulder and the Hound was torn between Cara or Riddick. Cara pushed Five slightly toward Riddick and it took the hint to see its master. Five trotted over and was being petted by Riddick when Cara noticed the leader of the prison, she believed he was called Gov, standing in a cage he considered safe. Cara wandered over to Five and Riddick and scratched behind one of his ears. Five's not Riddick's that is. She watched Gov's mouth drop open is astonishment as Five tilted his head into the gentle touch.

A loud buzzer sounded and Five whined. He stood and turned to go back to his cage. Cara frowned; no animal should be caged against their will. Just the thought made her itch. As Five passed Gov he lunged at the scared human, baring his teeth and turning red in anger. Gov flinched back in fear for a moment, thinking the bars would break. Five trotted off.

Cara and Gov turned to Riddick. At Gov's disbelieving face he smiled, "It's an animal thing." He said by way of explanation.

"Canna we keep him?" Cara asked excitedly. Gov's head snapped to the small women, she was truly insane.

He watched her for a moment, but she was just so excited and cute, "We'll come back after we break out and kill the necro fuckers tracking us." Cara smiled brightly and clapped her hand excitedly.

Gov slowly backed away, the pair were crazy and they liked to kill. He had thought that the women, Cara, had followed Riddick to prison, now he saw that she came here all on her own. Probably was wanted and had a price on her head just as much as any other prisoners here.

Riddick stood and stretched, "We should check on Kyra."

Cara frowned at the name, "Who?"

Riddick glared for a moment at nothing, "Great, it's only me." He started walking as he explained, "Jack. She says to call her Kyra." They entered a small cavern that looked to be someone squat. Riddick wondered around and found a metal cup. He filled it with water from a pitcher and offered it to Cara.

She took a long drink and thought about it. "Oi. Have fun with tha'. Cara and Kyra. Tha's gonna be a right' mess."

He grunted in response and drank down the second cup of water. They both stilled as they heard a scuffle from up ahead. They glanced at each other and slowly made their way silently toward the fight. Cara heard a familiar grunt as Jack came flying out of a cell. She landed hard on her stomach and made a move to get up when a large black man came out of the cell and stomped on her back, forcing the air from her lungs. He leaned over her prone body and using his big hammers handle hooked it under her chin, forcing her body up.

Cara felt rage. She made a move to go forward but a movement from Riddick stopped her. "I don't think she likes being touched." Cara stepped back slightly and saw Jack's eyes roll up to look at Riddick. Cara watched the men around her stand and take aggressive stances. There were three guards, Cara recognized two. Anatoli, the one with the nose, and the one who had crunched numbers really quickly for the Boss. The third looked vaguely familiar; he must have been in the room but hadn't merited remembering. All were equally large dirty men whom looked ready for a fight. Cara's eye lighted upon one guard whom looked to be dead in the cell. Cara felt a little grin cross her face. Jack had teeth.

Riddick continued, "I'd take my wounded and go while you still can."

The largest of the three released Jack from the choke hold and she gasped as she fell to the ground. He moved forward and glared as Riddick, "Is there a name for this private little world of yours, huh?" His fellow guards laughed, "What happens there when we don't just run away? You'll kill us... with a soup cup?" Cara watched Jack regain her feet just behind the group of men.

Riddick took a sip, finishing off the water and Cara burst out laughing. "Wha' an idiot'. Donna even know the difference bet'ween a tea cup and a soup cup." The guards glared at her not quite understanding.

"What's that?" Asked the one closest tilting his head toward her.

"I'll kill you with my teacup." He held it up as if to show it off. Slowly he turned it upside down and placed it on a small ledge just nest to his arm. Cara met Jack's eyes through the crowd and they shared a snarky little smile.

The one closets turned to the other to get orders. Cara's ears picked up the conversation. "You know the rule. They aren't dead if they're still on the books."

"Mmm." Was the response. She heard the unsheathing of a knife. Cara tried not to move, Riddick could handle himself. The tall man spun around fast and made to charge. Riddick snatched the tea cup and splintered the rim against a rounded stone. Using his palm he rushed forward imbedding the tea cup two inched into the man's chest, right in the soft spot just below his sternum. The man grunted in surprise as Riddick twisted the cup and crunched and squished into the others body. Cara stepped forward before the man could fall and snatched his knife. She slipped it into one of her empty boot sheaths and the man slowly fell like a stiff board.

The remaining guard flinched away at the suddenness and violence of the attack. Both slipped into a guarded position ready to fight again. Riddick just slowly bent over and picked up a small industrial pin off the floor. He held it up to show the two and then turned and placed it on the same ledge he had placed the teacup. Their eyes widened at the similar act and Cara watched them swallow hard. Without even looking at each other they rushed into action. They picked up the man that was in the cell and quickly dragged him away. All the while keeping a wary eye on Riddick.

Jack bent over the dead man, his eye staring up blindly. Cara was jarred slightly that Jack didn't seem to be disturbed at all, Cara then remembered that she had in fact killed before. Why should she care about a dead body? "Death by teacup." She gripped the cup and ripped it from the body. She held it up to Riddick and Cara noted the hostile look on her face. Jack was angry with Riddick. "Damn. Why didn't I think of that?"

"I didn't come to play 'Who's the Better Killer?'" Riddick turned to go but Cara stepped in front of him. He watched her for a second. Cara reached out slightly and touched his hand. With her eyes she urged him to hash things out with Jack

Jack stood watching his retreating form, "But it's my favorite game. Haven't you heard?"

He stopped and glared slightly at Cara, "I heard you came lookin' for me."

Jack glanced down at the cup examining the unlikely weapon. "Is that all? Then you missed the good part." She walked forward. "Hooked up with some mercs outta Lupus Five. Said they'd take me on, teach me the trade, give me a good cut." At the mention of the mercs Riddick jerked his head away from Cara to give all his attention to Jack. Cara swallowed hard. He wouldn't take this well she could see. Jack placed the cup onto the same ledge he did, almost a veiled threat. "They slaved me out, Riddick. Do you know what that could do to you when you're that age? When you're fourteen years old?"

"I told you to stay in New Mecca." He walked toward her angrily. He gripped one of the power cords leading to a light, he ripped if off the wall, throwing them into darkness. "Did you not listen?" He roared at her. She flinched slightly. Cara swallowed reading the emotions in his voice. Hurt, betrayal, pain, and the idea that maybe he had been wrong. "I had mercs on my neck. I'll always have mercs on my neck. I spent five years on a frozen heap just to keep 'em away from you. And you go and sign up with the same fake badges that wanted to cut you up and use you for bait." Cara shuddered at the thought of Johns from so long ago.

"What are you pitching, Riddick?" She snarled back. Riddick turned from her listening. "That you cuttin' out was a good thing? That you had our ass covered from halfway across the universe? It was just us Riddick. Against the world."

Riddick glanced at Cara but she was watching Jack. He grasped the think that truly angered him the most. "You signed with mercs."

"Yeah, well you weren't around." She snapped. Riddick felt like she slapped him in the face, comparing him to a fucking merc. He stormed away anger in every step. Cara wasn't sure she should fallow. She turned to Jack as the girl slammed the door to her cell closed in anger. The noise was deafening.

Cara stood alone for a moment. She scratched her head and her hair fell all around her as the scratch turned into a full of ruffing of hair. "UGH." She voiced her frustration with the two. Both were stupid and she was going to have to fix this.

A loud clang and bang abounded from high above. Cara quickly jogged out to the main pit to see what it was with Jack just at her back. Her head craned up at the main command center of the facility. It slowly rose to the surface of the planet. Cara felt a smile split her face. Perfect way to escape.

"So they do go topside..." Cara jumped at the sound of Riddick's voice. He was just below the two women. "…to swap out air. Interesting." Cara could hear the wheels turning.

"Who the hell are you?" Guv's voice came as a surprise to Cara. She hadn't heard him. She glanced over the edge and saw the two men each sitting on a ledge with a crevasse between them.

Riddick gave the man a goggled stair, "When it happens, it'll happen fast. Stay on my leg when I cut fence or stay here..." He smiled slightly, "…for the rest of your natural life." Riddick jumped off the ledge and disappeared into the steam.

"Nobody outs this place." Guv called out after him. And then again, more to himself, "Nobody."

Kyra snorted and watched as Cara jumped after Riddick, his ever present shadow. "He ain't 'nobody. '" Guv started at the movement of Cara's and the voice of Kyra. Kyra very rarely talked to anyone, unless she planned to kill you. Guv couldn't help but feel the excitement. And hope. He had a certainty that if anyone could break out of Crematoria it would be these three, and maybe… just maybe he could hitch a ride back to his wife.


Okay, I need responses now. I was wondering if you all prefer me posting a chapter a day(around 3,000 words on average),

or one to two longer chapters a week? I've had more than one request to make chapters longer.

What do you all think?

Also welcome to the family ScornedxRose and Vampireknight1fan :D

Hope this chapter was good for you all ;)