Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2)(101)

"No it can't be severed. I would've bled out by now." Dagaa silently assessed the grim situation.

He was trapped.

Dagaa glance back and noticed the wreckage of a starship at the base of the plateau. His breath stopped in his throat till he saw their ship still up on the rocky plain, the Cadi insignia clearly visible. Dagaa sighed in relief then smiled despite the mind numbing pain. Madhava had done it. Providence was safe, for now.

He looked again at the dark sky. The storm was coming fast.

Dagaa coughed and spat the sand out of his mouth.

"Stone my left leg is trapped. There is no time to free it." Dagaa groaned. "You need to get to the ship. Stop fooling with me." He choked out.

Dagaa nearly laughed at Stone's reply.

"Not happening huh?" Dagaa shook his head at his stubborn furry friend.

Stone made several gestures and four large Toufik males appeared. Quickly they began scooping away dirt and metal debris baring his trapped limb. Dagaa gritted his teeth as they gripped the mangled console and began tugging it upward. The pain was immense. Dagaa's vision faded as he repressed the agonized howl that threatened to break free.



Dagaa was jostled and his eyes flew open. He looked around to see he was lying at the edge of the hole his rota had created. One of the Toufik was tying a scarf around Dagaa's leg, while another finished with his arm. He was free but Stone was staring down at the vehicle. Dagaa followed his gaze to see a foot of his tail was still trapped, crushed between the seat and the hull.

Dagaa grabbed one of the knives from the bandolier beneath his tattered cloak and handed it to Stone.

"You know what needs to be done." Dagaa murmured.

There was no more time to waste on his sorry tail, literally.

Stone gripped the knife, and then quickly tied a scrap of fabric around Dagaa's tail. Dagaa closed his eyes against the cruel whipping wind. He barely felt the pain as Stone started sawing into the numb appendage.

Next thing he knew he was being lifted by Stone and three of his hairy comrades. One male at each shoulder and knee. The pain was unbelievable as they started running best they could across the rugged terrain, towards the plateau less than a mile away. The wind had increased to such a degree in threatened to knock them off their feet. Each foot-fall that struck the earth sent another spike of agony through his body.

Dagaa debated demanding they leave him, but the determined look on Stone's face halted the words. Instead Dagaa squint his eyes and trained them on the ship perched atop the plateau while the cadre of nearly fifty Toufik males ran towards their only salvation.



Madhava

Madhava gripped the rope as he braced his legs at the cliff's edge, his muscles quaked as he fought against the building wind. He looked behind him at the ground, nearly two-hundred feet down, and nearly bellowed into his mask. A score of dark figures moved towards the plateau.

At the end of the pack they were carrying someone.

"Dagaa!" He whispered.

Madhava tugged on the rope pulling himself back up. Once on firm ground he gestured to Providence, who was crouched on the ground so she didn't blow away, indicating the Toufik were coming.

Madhava lit a handful of flares. He dropped half down the rocky face to the ground below then left the other at top to illuminate the ropes. Providence dropped the rest of the ropes down.

"Come on, come on." He prayed.

Madhava held his breath as the slack went out of the ropes indicating someone was climbing at the other end. It couldn't come too soon.

Madhava then noticed Providence's intent stare northward. He turned his head, and his eyes widened. Off in the distance he saw the swirling twisters whipping rapidly across the plain, heading straight for them. The hurricane emptied the muddy lake as it skimmed the surface. An instant later Madhava felt the moisture the storm churned up, on the exposed skin of his hands and face.

Madhava looked from the grim sight, to the ropes, then at Providence. Her cloak whipped about, lashing her, as it threatened to tear from her body. Her hair was wild as it tangled in the mounting gale. Madhava had to hold Providence so tight by the waist just to keep her upright, he was afraid he would break her.

Madhava looked grimly to the ship, it was no match for the handful of tornado's bearing down on them.

As much as Madhava didn't want to admit it. Time had run out.

Providence shook her head in denial as the tears spilled into her goggles.

A bright light appeared overhead, piercing the growing darkness. Madhava stared up, his mouth gaping open as the beacon grew. It was coming from a massive ship. Madhava felt a strange pull on his body. It was different from the wild jarring motion of the violent wind. If he hadn't been tethered to the starship, Madhava had no doubt the force would've tugged him off the surface of the plateau.