A Vengers Ambush

Ka-Rol, warrior of the Vengers tribe, was in a foul mood. The day had started well, as she and her fellow warriors N'ta-Sha and Greer the Tigress had found the spoor of a lone bronto within the tribes hunting grounds. It was rare that a bronto would be separated from it's herd, and thus . Such a kill would surely feed the tribe for weeks.

Ka-Rol and her fellow warriors had tracked the beast and in a feat worthy of an epic, managed to slay it without injury. Ka-Rol had flown back to camp to fetch help in carrying the immense carcass. As she was returning to the site of the kill with the bond-slaves Jen of the Hulk tribe and Brun-Hilt of the Asgard tribe, they had encountered one of the tribe's shamans, Wan-Da, and her personal bond- Jezka-Dru. Ka-Rol had excitedly told the scarlet shamaness of her feat, and Wanda had declared an intent to bless the kill, further adding to Ka-Rol's triumph.

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But when they had arrived, they found that a pair of Trexes had come and driven N'ta-Sha and Greer from the kill. Ka-Rol had wished to try and fight them off, to reclaim the kill, but then a strange omen had appeared in the sky, an omen Wan-Da said meant that the winds of destiny had changed, and that the kill was not to be theirs. And now the whole party was headed back to camp in single-file, Greer in the front, Ka-Rol floating overhead, stewing in humiliation.

She knew that the other members of the tribe wouldn't blame her, but if anything their sympathy would make it worse. For when she'd first become a warrior, all had said she showed great promise, even called her a marvel. But she had suffered many humiliating setbacks since; made a raid-, seduced and impregnated by an outsider, fallen prey to drink. She had overcome these setbacks and was now a Captain of the tribe, but there was a part of her that was filled with doubt, fear that she would not earn the trust which had been given to her despite her failures.

Suddenly, Greer halted and sniffed the air. "Two mutants nearby," she growled.

Ka-Rol stiffened. It was the mutants of the X tribe that had made her a raid- all those years ago. If she could return the favor, perhaps she could reclaim some of her honor. She looked over to Wan-Da, to ask for her blessing, and in the shamaness' face and body saw it was unnecessary. Ka-Rol remembered that Wan-Da was herself a mutant, declared outlaw for the crimes of her father. She ached for vengeance as surely as Ka-Rol herself did. Ka-Rol smiled savagely and whispered orders...

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Rogue and Psylocke walked through the jungle, hand-in-hand. Though disturbed by the strange omen they had seen, the joy they had found in each other was too strong for them to feel fear. A mistake.

The ground before them exploded, throwing them backwards. Though startled, the pair regained their footing, only to trip and fall once again as Wan-Da stepped out of the trees and flung hexes at them. Jen and Brun-Hilt grabbed Psylocke, holding her down while Greer bound her. Rogue was struck by N'ta-Sha's stings and Jezka-Dru's venom blasts, stunning her so that she could likewise be bound. Ka-Rol hovered overhead, grinning triumphantly, especially when she realized the identity of her captives.

"Truly the winds of destiny blow in my favor!" She declared. "To have the very warrior who defeated me and took me as a raid- at my mercy, could anything be sweeter?"

(originally posted on the Superstories Addvenutre)