Lost

Scars

Meanwhile, at the camp...

When Blue went to make sure Ilk was okay he didn't protest. He might be mad at Tallest Red, but his smeet had nothing to do with the issue. He had a bad feeling when they didn't return soon, especially when Fury lifted his head and stared at the forest. "What's up, boy?" Then they heard a shriek of pain coming straight from the trees, followed by a distress call from Ilk.

The irkens were instantly on their feet, though Tallest Red was still clutching his abdomen. "What was that?!"

Fury ran straight into the woods in the blink of an eye. "Looks like we've got company!" Captain snarled, picking up Nekusarai from its resting spot. "I'll handle this, you two stay here!"

"I'm not going to sit by while my daughter is under attack!"

"You'd only get in the way, Irken, you can barely stand on your feet!"

"Red, he's right, you're still hurt..."

"I don't care, I'm going to save my smeet whether the lizard likes it or not!"

"Irken, get back here! IRKEN!" Captain snorted when his calls went unattended; Red had picked up the sword and ran straight into the woods. That idiot was going to get himself killed. Well, at least the doctor was more rational.... Nevermind, she darted into the forest with the twin sai. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

Meanwhile, Blue had barely managed to get back on his feet and carry Ilk to a safety line behind the trees just as a numerous team of Hothians ran out from between the trees, shooting at anything that moved, particularly him. It helped that Zim had sprung out of the trees on his PAK-legs, forgetting about GIR for the time being, and deflected the plasma shots with his blade with surprising skill.

"Take Ilk-smeet to safety, Blue-beast!" Zim yelled and sliced through one of the soldiers like a bar of chilled buttermilk humans eat with their toast.

Blue did as told, almost running into Fury when he stopped behind a thick treeline. The indokuro let out gentle purrs as he rubbed his head against Blue. "I'm okay, boy! Go help Zim!" Fury snorted and went in the direction of the plasma shots and the yells, the latter coming undoubtedly from Zim.

Soon after Red and Lena caught up to them, the former panting heavily with cold sweat running down his face. Blue wondered how it was even possible for him to be moving at all in his condition. Guess parental love really did have its perks, even for a race that had long given up in organic reproduction.

"Ilk, are you okay?!" Red asked, checking on his daughter for any possible injuries.

"I'm fine, dad! It's Blue who got hurt!"

"It's just a plasma burn, nothing serious," Blue assured her.

Red contained the urge to snap that he didn't care about what happened to him. The kryvtor was probably wary about him, considering what had transpired a while ago. "Take her back to the campsite while I deal with those bastards!"

"But dad-!" Ilk was about to protest only to be cut off.

"No buts, Ilk!"

"Red, wait!" Lena tried to stop him but was too slow to grab his arm; he was already gone. Men!

Ilk was too worried about Blue's injury to get mad at dad for treating her like a smeet yet again. "Lena, could you check up on Blue?"

"I'm not sure he will let me, Ilk."

Blue sighed. "As I said, it's nothing serious, it'll heal on its own."

Right. She had forgotten the self-regeneration thing. At that moment Captain burst out from between the trees, but he did not stop to chat and instead ran past them towards the battlefield. Guess he really was itching for an actual fight. "Are you going to join them too, Lena?"