I don't think it was very nice of someone to light my arm on fire.

I would also like it if Bones had a little more empathy, considering I kept him from getting walloped across the chest. Next time I'll let him deal with broken or bruised ribs.

Lord, I hurt, and I can't think straight.

I force myself to stay focused, stay alert. It's not easy, but it's doable, and faced with the prospect of getting the hell away from here I find it even more doable. But my stomach is rolling, and every single movement seems to jar my arm, even if it couldn't possibly. In no world I have ever seen (and I have seen many) is the arm connected directly to the lungs. Yet every breath sends a lance of pain through it. Nor has my arm ever been bumped, brushed up against, jarred or moved so often in my life.

"She'll take us to them?" Bones echoes, lowering his voice when we both notice all members of the cave with heightened senses are staring balefully at us. Even the blind ones. "Will her kits be okay without her?"

I look down at the blind creatures that have gone back to play, one tripping over my foot. It growls as it stands back up and attacks my ankle until I bend and turn it in the direction of one of its brothers. Happily, it bounces off.

"She has a 'connection' of sorts with them." Spock assures, pulling away from the mother to gently unlatch one of the kits from his pants leg. He will never admit it, but he's fond of small furry creatures. Tribbles, cats, and now these things; he's getting to be a real softie if he doesn't watch it. "She will be able to tell if they are in danger."

And get back to them in time? I wonder. But frankly, if it came down to the kits being in danger or my crew- there isn't much choice. It wouldn't make me feel like the hero of the year if something happened to her because of us; but then, she was offering, and mother knows best, right? And I've passed the point where I can stop being selfish. My friends and crew are injured, exhausted, we're lost, we're trapped. If there's a chance I can end this situation, here, now, four days (four days?) later then it should have been ended, then I'm taking it. I shouldn't have let things go on this long.

I shouldn't have gotten us in this situation to start with. Bones will tell me it's not my fault. Spock will inform me that logically there was no way I could have predicted this situation or stopped the events that transpired afterwards. (When I can mimic him that well, I get concerned.)

But I've told them before and I'll end up saying it a hundred more times before this is over; I'm the captain. It is my fault, whatever it is, because I should know, prepare, be ready for any possible situation and able to see at least a short distance into the future paths things could take.

At least, this time, I don't have anyone's death on my hands. Not yet. Unless something happens to the search party- if it's the search party, whispers a little voice in the back of my mind, and not some new thing to have to worry about, to have to protect them from with one lame arm and no weapon- in which case, we'll deal with it when we have to.

"Well, if she wants to lead the way, then she knows what she's doing." I say, decisively, stepping forward. "When she's ready, Spock."

"You misunderstand, Captain- she does not want to lead us." I pause. He can't be suggesting what I think he is. She's big, yes; six foot tall at least and built massively. But she just gave birth, and anyway, she can't-

"She can't carry us."

"I assure you, she's more then capable of managing our combined weight. It will be faster then stumbling after her in the rain."

"And safer." McCoy pipes up, arms folded across his chest. "Especially with that arm, Jim."

"My arm is fine." I snap, without thought, and even Spock gives me a mildly disbelieving look at that. I flinch slightly, knowing what's about to come and knowing I completely deserve it.

"Yes, Jim, because it's supposed to hurt that badly." McCoy growls. "And be completely useless to you. You're fine. Maybe I should just take off this useless sling, hm? Get it out of your way-" He's reaching forward and I dance back a step even though I know he won't really snatch it off. Or at least, I hope he won't. Big heartedness aside, he can be vicious sometimes.

"Alright, alright, I get the point!" I lift my good hand to ward him off the way you might try to hold off an attacking dog. He stops, but the scolding is still in his hot blue eyes, the anger that is born from fear and concern, just like my own anger usually is. It's no wonder we've been friends so long; we're disgustingly alike in a lot of ways. That includes Spock, too. "I wasn't-let's just get out of here."

She gives a low, grumbling rumble and begins to drag herself to the mouth of the cave. We all back away from her bulk, and it's only because we know where she is and it's starting to get light again even through the clouds that we can see her. She stretches, gaining her full height, and stands, waiting. I look at Bones who looks at Spock who looks at me, and there's a group mental shrug before we turn and walk for the cave entrance ourselves.

Squeak. Nip at my heel.

I stop, turning to glance down at two of the kits who have taken to following me. I bend, briefly scratching them under the chin.

"Be safe." I whisper. Guilt niggles at the back of my mind, but not enough to stop me. I will get us back. This is the best way. I don't have a choice. One nips my finger. The other's paw lands on my wrist and rests there.

Damn it.

"Jim?" Bones, at the mouth of the cave, soaked and shivering. "Are you okay in there?"

Not really. But even you don't get to know I'm feeling bad over leaving these little guys alone for a while.

"Yeah, Bones, I'm coming." I pick up on kit and drop him on top of the one that had put a paw on my wrist. They begin to tussle instantly, and I take the advantage to slip out.

The rain and wind snatch my breath from me almost instantly. I'm drenched within minutes, my arm singing with pain at the rain's harsh pounding. I double over it protectively. Bones's hand is on my back, his mouth near my ear to hear each other over the rain. I force myself up after a moment, taking stock. Where are my men?

McCoy, at my shoulder, of course. Spock just a few feet away, watching us, one arm wrapped around his midsection. He looks as miserable as I've ever seen him look, but okay. For now, he's okay.

"Spock and I are going to get you up there first." Bones says. I laugh, now, at the idea of us trying to make our way anywhere in this; maybe it was a good thing I'd broken my arm. Kept me from making a stupid boneheaded mistake because I was impatient. No matter what the others say, that's exactly what it would have been.

How had she heard humans coming?

"Jim! Alright?"

"Yeah, Bones-go ahead." I say, snapping out of my reverie. He nods at Spock and then two sets of hands are on me. One is slender and warmer then human hands; this close, the other is calloused and firm. Both lift me gently and I snag a handful of fur, dragging myself up with Spock and Bones pushing from below. My arm hits anyway and I bite back on a yell; rolling the rest of the way onto her back and laying there a moment, chest heaving, eyes closed.

There's a second warm touch, and Bones's voice, soft and concerned, in my ear; "Hang in there, Jim."

"I'm okay." I rasp, forcing myself to sit up as Bones reaches down to half-pull Spock up as well. When Spock is settled on the back, Bones wraps his arms around me- when did I start swaying? - To hold me steady and with a rumble from the beast under us, we begin to move.

And move.

Faster. And faster.

Bones has gone stiff, curled half forward in his attempt to hold me and himself on- his hands are buried deep in her fur just inside of my vision. We slip precariously on her wet, oily fur, me gripping her nape with my good hand, Bones clinging to her and me, Spock holding Bones and a handful of fur. The world wizzes by as we half-run down the hill, tree and branches whipping at us- I hear someone, probably Bones, give a soft cry, and the smell of blood tinges my nostrils. He swears loudly so I know he's alright, and ducks even closer.

"Spock, stay low!" He warns, pushing my own head forward firmly, almost man-handling me. Just like Bones to find that out the hard way. Rocks and rubble give under her feet as we finally come to level ground, and the sprint gains even more speed, snatching air from me and whipping wind against my face. Her breath rasps with each step, vibrating through our bodies, and if I wasn't in so much pain this would be one hell of a ride. I find myself laughing at the sheer speed, the intensity of the movement, graceful and powerful. I haven't felt this since I was last on horseback. And this beast puts any equine to shame.

"Have you lost your mind?" Bones roars from behind me, and it makes me laugh harder.

"A long time ago, Bones!" I call back, and if he replies I don't hear it.

I'm sure he replied, though, and I'm sure it wasn't anything kind-hearted.

And then, abruptly, we stop.

So abruptly, in fact, that I'm pitched forward, McCoy slams into my back, and Spock only just stops himself knocking us all off overboard. My laughter is gone as fast as it came as my arm impacts with my chest and the jarring stop shocks me up my shoulder through my entire body.

"Shit!" I gasp out, and feel my hand loose its grip on her fur. McCoy grabs me around the waist again, tugs me back against his chest. My world fogs uneasily, misting up at the edges, and I know without a doubt I am about to pass out. Reality is becoming soft and dull, and my heartbeat is loud in my ears.

"Whoa, Jim, easy, hang in there." Bones murmurs in my ear. I can hear a voice, now, in the distance, a familiar one. My head jerks up, as Spock hits the ground lightly and responds, his deep bass voice raised just enough to carry.

"Mr. Sulu, we are here." I swear, Spock is the only man I know who can yell without yelling. "Please do not panic or fire on the creature you will see."

Yes, please don't, that would hurt.

"Mr. Spock? Here!" He calls back to someone, and behind me Bones is shifting. "Can you get down, Jim?"

"Yeah." I say, though I might be lying, "So long as I don't have to jump."

"Wait up there, then, for now."

"Panic or fire on the-oh!" Uhura's voice, which surprises me somewhat. She comes into view a minute later, her eyes wide and hand over her mouth.

"On this, lieutenant." I drawl, giving her a lopsided smile. She stares, delight and fear mixing in her eyes. Sulu appears by her side, instantly pushes her back. "It's alright, Sulu, she's peaceful. And very helpful." I say. "But I'd like to get down, now?..."

Before the suggestion can be made to get a human chain to get me down, I'm suddenly aware of her shifting, dropping to first her knees, then all the way flat. My stomach jumps somewhere in the vicinity of my tongue and I hold on for the ride as she rolls lazily onto her side.

"You could have done that before." Bones grouses, as he, Sulu, and Spock form a ring around me. She rumbles her disapproval and pins her big ears at him. I swing my leg off and let him steady me, looking at the rest of the search party. No one else is daring to get this close. "She's peaceful," I say again, "and intelligent. She's called a Tejjion; we were her unexpected guests, for a time."

"She's beautiful." Uhura whispers, and if the words are not understood, the concept is conveyed all the same. Our momma lifts her ears again and takes a step forward, extending her muzzle to Uhura. Uhura lets out another breathy 'oh!' as she is sniffed, but she's laughing.

"You're hurt, Jim." McCoy reminds softly, from my left.

I nod; he's right. She needs to get back and I want- need- to get us back to the ship. "Spock, can you thank-"

"I believe she more then understands your gratitude, Captain." Spock interrupts me almost gently. Then I realize it's not gentleness I'm hearing; it's exhaustion. And if it's audible even in Spock's voice, then we are far past our time to leave.

"Can we go now?" Sulu asks. "I'm soaked!"

"We're all soaked! How did you get down here?" Bones replies, as I pat the creature farewell and allow him to gather me inside the circle of rescue party.

"Very carefully!" Sulu replies laughingly, and begins to explain. Over the sound of his voice, I hear a low rumble like thunder, and when I glance over my shoulder, she is gone.

Good-bye to you, too, momma. Be safe.

Silly little small ones. So fragile.

The mother Tejjion listened bemusedly as the small, delicate creatures left, getting into the loud roaring thing that had brought them. She nuzzled her kits, who were contendly romping at her feet.

The small ones had names. She remembered them; Spock, Jim-Captain-Kirk (she wasn't sure about that small one, it seemed to have many names), and Bones-McCoy-Doctor (another small one with many names.) Considering, she cocked her head at her kits.

It was decided, she thought with a nod. She would name her kits after the very unique outsiders she had discovered. She made a low, cooing noise, and her Sp'k, Coi, and Gem came to her, curled against her side and began to purr. That left only one. The pretty lady that had called her 'beautiful'. (The small ones had not thought she could understand them, to a point, and the tallest small one had not told them.) Her name had been….lieutenant? Odd name, but no matter. She cooed again, and little Lit'ant came as well, and they are asleep in moments.

With a contended sigh, so was she.

It had been a very long day.