A Jungle on Aiur, Saturday

[moonbrain_tam]

Her body pushed past long branches and her feet avoided getting trapped by twisted roots. The jungles of Aiur had plenty of places to hide, but both hunter and prey could remain hidden. River could be still, listening and sensing, and locating the Protoss became like a game of hide and seek. She had always been good at that.

Up until recently this

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[on_her_korhal]

The Protoss did not seem much pleased. He dashed through the foilage, quiet as death, but still shining with some internal pride. The Zerg monstrosity would not go on living. In Adun's name, the cleanising of Aiur would start with its death.

Now if only the Protoss could find it... shifting past River's position, mostly ignorant, he tried to detect the filthy wave patterns of the Zerg.

[moonbrain_tam]

She dived across his path, letting out a laugh, then disappeared again into the foliage. No hurry, not yet.

[on_her_korhal]

The Protoss spun around, one of his psiblades igniting on an instinct, pouring his thoughts into solid blue form. "Show yourself, monster!" he declared.

[moonbrain_tam]

River tilted her head, thinking for a moment. Was she a monster? A philosophical question, just semantics perhaps. It didn't matter.

She remained completely still.

[on_her_korhal]

In an instant, the psiblade's heavy blue hum had died down again. The Protoss took a quick left turn, rushing into the trees where he thought he'd heard the creature.

Tassadar would be pleased, should he take one of the formerly Terran abominations out.

[moonbrain_tam]

She reached up and pulled herself off the ground, quietly crawling up a tree trunk. Not too high; just higher than Protoss eye level. River smiled.

[on_her_korhal]

He cut harshly through one of the trees. It was some abuse of the homeworld, but he was certain Aiur would not mind. "Creature!" he roared again, in loud mind-voice, "What is this cowardice?!"

[moonbrain_tam]

River leapt at him from above, the claws on her wings extended. That screaming was painful in her mind, and he would pay for it.

[on_her_korhal]

It was a shock.

He pulled away from the tree abruptly, both of his psiblades igniting in time that he could strike up at the creature. Up at its shoulders, or whatever that horrid thing had to connect its limbs to its torso.

[moonbrain_tam]

It stung, and she screamed, plunging her claws into his chest and slashing at the blades with her wings.

[on_her_korhal]

He gurgled up some blood as at least one claw pierced his armor, straight into his lungs. "The Khala is my strength!" he shouted, mentally, jabbing his blades up at its heart even as he bled down onto his own feet.

One of the blades then fell to the ground as well, torn off at the base.

[moonbrain_tam]

"Not strong enough," River hissed, slashing at the other blade, leaning back to dodge the stab.

[on_her_korhal]

Those claws tore straight through his arm, leaving not only blade but also wrist and hand to fall between the branches. "Monster," he hissed, desperately struggling now that he had no offense left to him, "Adun will expell you from these lands!"

[moonbrain_tam]

"You're dying," she replied, not referring only to him but to all Protoss on Aiur. Somersaulting on to the ground, she swung around, digging her claws deep into his chest.

[on_her_korhal]

"En Taro Adun," his mental voice gurgled, as he sank to his knees, "In the shadow of the Temples of the Xel'Naga and the great... Tassadar..."

[moonbrain_tam]

River released him and took a step back. She watched, head tilted. He was dying.