Voltron: Shattered

Ten

Pidge stumbled along the muddy forest of the jungle. She was so lost. Enyta sent her to this forestry planet to test her skills in unknown areas. And so far Pidge was failing in every way. The moment her foot touched the soil, she was attacked.

A sharp force bite into her shoulder, dragging her into the jungle. Pidge screamed as she felt her skin tear and the warm blood trickle down her arm. Squeezing her eyes shut as tears threatened to pour, Pidge jammed her uninjured arm backwards, hearing a whine and her body fell onto the muddy ground.

Pidge shot up to her feet, her hand gripping her wounded shoulder, attempting to stop the blood as it slithered between her fingers. Her eyes widened as they landed on the creature. A wolf-like creature stood there growling. It was huge, taller than her for sure. Its piercing green eyes tour daggers into her body. It's dark body had green moss and vines growing from it. Wrapping around the body like armor. Pidge stepped back as the wolf creature growled, showing its fangs.

Without second thought, Pidge spun around and ran. Diving head first into the forest. She stumbled over roots and rocks. The mud pulled at her feet. Yet she didn't stop. She could hear the creature tearing after her.

Getting closer

And

Closer.

Until

"What are you doing?"

Pidge jumped pushing herself off of the tree she was leaning on. Her frantic eyes searched the forest around her. Stopping on a branch where a young girl sat. She couldn't have been more than twelve.

"Who?" Pidge wheezed, coughing. The girl winced as she noticed the wound.

"That's a nasty bite you got there. The Fenrir can be nasty creatures." The girl hopped off the branch without a care. Pidge moved forward to catch her, but stopped as the tree's huge leaves moved to catch the girl, lowering her safely to the ground.

"Their spit is Venomous, so it's best to tend to that wound before the venom sets it." The girl grabbed Pidge's hand guiding the shocked girl towards a small tree house. "Stay here." The girl ordered reaching her hand up as a vine wrapped around it, yanking the girl upwards.

Pidge stared in shock before yelping as a vine wrapped around her waist, gently carrying her upward. Her eyes widened as she was sent gently on the bark canopy ledge. The girl was fiddling around inside. Grabbing bandages and what looked like ointment. She popped her head out.

"Oh! I'm Kae."

Pidge stared at the girl. Kae was busy humming to herself as she mixed berries together. A branch gently poked at Pidge's back, guiding her towards a leaf to sit on.

Pidge lowered herself down and Kae was at her side, placing a warm cloth on the wound. Pidge hissed. "Yeah yeah." Kae said with a smile. "It hurts, I know. But better than being cursed to become a tree."

"What?"

"Yeah, their venom slowly turns the person or plant into some sort of vegetation. Something about keeping the forest alive or whatnot. Kind of nasty tho, cause they eat their prey and then watch them all bloody and dead, bones and guts sticking out, turn into a tree."

Pidge stared in shock as the sticky ointment was applied. Before being tightly bandaged with the green tinted bandages. "Why are they?"

"Green?" Kae laughed. "Because they are made from leaves."

Pidge blinked a couple times. "Give it a few minutes." Kae said, waving a hand at Pidge as she walked back inside. "The shock will wear off eventually and you'll be perfectly fine. Tea?"

Pidge watched as the branches brought the girl her ingredients. What was happening. A short while later Kae came back out holding a warm cup of tea and handing it to Pidge.

Cautiously Pidge took it, examining the tea for any signs of tampering. Kae patiently waited, once Pidge deemed it was safe she took a sip.

"Soooooooooo." Kae drawled leaning forward, face brightening. "Where are you from?"

Pidge raised an eyebrow. "Don't know, I've been traveling for as long as I can remember."

"That's cool! I've only been here. It's pretty and all, but it gets kind of old. It'd be so fun to travel!" Kae bounced up and down trying her best to contain her excitement. "I look up at the stars and wonder what it's like to be up there! It's kind of lonely down here with me, myself, and I."

"You're alone?" Pidge asked, shocked.

"Kae!" Pidge jumped at the voice. Kae looked just as confused glancing down, before her face brightened.

"Hi!" Kae waved, grabbing a vine and jumping down. Pidge fumbled forward, eyes widening as the girl fell. Before she froze.

Pidge turned and ran. Biting back a scream as she jumped from the tree house, shocked to feel leaf catch her. She landed eyes widened, before hearing shouting behind her. She took off, sprinting into the woods

"Did she hurt you?" A voice asked, as footsteps thundered after her. Pidge glanced behind her cursing as she saw the blue paladin racing towards her.

Pidge cursed and tapped her wrist, her helmet over taking her face, she spotted the tracking dot of her ship. It wasn't too far, she could make it.

Pidge grunted as a body slammed into arms wrapping tightly around her and they slammed into the floor. "Get off of me!" Pidge growled unable to move, as the blue paladin had her tightly held.

"Not a chance." Lance grunted as Pidge elbow dug into his side. "Hunk! I got her!"

Lance's voice cut off as a growl filled the air. "SHi-" Pidge was cut off as a creature lunged out of the forest knocking Lance off of Pidge.

"Fenrir no!" Kae yelled in the background, only to be held back by Hunk.

Pidge got up staring in horror as the beast had Lance in its mouth, ready to bite down. Without thinking Pidge aimed her bayard watching as electricity coursed through it knocking the monster out.

Lance pushed against the creature wiggling his way out of its jaw. By the time he did so, Pidge was gone.

Enyta paced back and forth in front of Pidge. "You gained us a lot more information on that planet." She said, looking Pidge over. "And used the environment to your advantage. I think you're ready."

"For what?" Pidge asked hissing as the needle poked into her bitten shoulder. The stitches were annoying but necessary. Kae wasn't able to stitch her back together.

"The recovery mission."

"And who am I saving?"

"No one."

"What?"

"You're recovering something that was stolen." Enyta said sitting down in front of Pidge, her eyes trained on her.

"And what's that?"

"A gem."

Pidge was confused all over again. "What's so important about a gem?"

"That's not important."

"What of course it i-"

"The paladins have it."

Pidge went silent, eyes widening. "That means..."

"Yes.

You're breaking into the Castle of Lions."