The Night We Met | Steve / Bucky

forty-two - circles

Carrier ships carried everyone to the battlefield - Katherine riding along with several members of the Dora Milaje. The warriors of other tribes began a formation - the Royal Guard, the Jabari Tribe and the Border Tribe, each dressed in their unique tribal uniforms. 

Sam and Rhodey flew overhead to the battlefield - Bruce using the Hulkbuster armor. He ran alongside the carrier ships, enjoying his time in the suit.

Katherine disembarked from the carrier ship, marching to the frontlines. There she was met with Steve, Natasha and Bucky. Katherine nodded to each of them, standing between Natasha and Bucky. "I've got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line." Rhodey spoke as he and Sam progressed further to investigate.

On the ground, on the outside of the dome, two figures emerged - Proxima Midnight, who was a rather tall being, pale with the top half of her face painted black. Horns sat on each temple, complimenting her long blue hair. Cull Obsidian stood by her side, who Katherine would describe as looking like an oversized turtle. He sported rough features with large thick armor, imitating a shell. By the reactions of both Steve and Natasha, they knew the beings that stood to challenge them. 

Steve, Natasha and T'Challa all shared a look, agreeing to be a voice of reason. The trio travelled down toward the border - the tribes looking on eerily. Katherine glanced to Bucky who was armed with a machine gun, his weapon of choice. 

Bucky noticed Katherine's glance and smiled to her, "We haven't fought side by side in a long time." 

Katherine nodded, "A very long time." 

Steve's voice rang in the back of Katherine's head as he spoke with Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian. She tried to drown it out by looking to Bucky, "It is really good to see you, Kat." Bucky spoke. 

"We can catch up, once the war is won."

Bucky liked her answer, nodding and adjusting his stance and his grip on his weapon. Katherine looked on as Proxima Midnight raised her sword into the air, a signal for the dropships to open their doors. 

A large rumbling followed as the five large dropships lifted, almost expanding. Steve, Natasha and T'Challa rejoined the frontline. "They surrender?" Bucky asked. 

"Not exactly." Steve spoke, standing stiff beside Katherine.

They looked on as alien creature noises began echoing from the trees. Katherine rubbed her fingers together remembering everything she had worked on with Tony and Rhodey. T'Challa began a Wakandan chant - all of the tribes chanting along with him. With each chant, they slammed their weapons to the ground - a sight that would give goosebumps. 

Outriders began emerging from the trees, the source of the alien noises. They were mindless alien creatures that served Thanos and the Black Order. They ran on all four claws, sporting leathery black skin, the Outriders approached the dome. There were hundreds, thousands of them. 

"What the hell?" Bucky spoke, taking the words from Katherine's mouth having not seen an alien creature such as these before. 

"Looks like we pissed her off." Natasha spoke. 

The Outriders continued to charge toward the dome. The ones leading the pack colliding with the dome first, either injuring themselves from the impact with the dome, or clawing at it trying to break through. Any body part that managed to break through was simply cut from their body due to the energy of the dome. 

"They're killing themselves." Okoye spoke in horror as everyone continued to watch as the Outriders clawed their way through the dome - not making it any further than severed limbs.