A/N: I can't be the only one who wants a redo of the Chimera Ants arc… right? *smiles innocently.
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Gon and Killua's performance had been nothing short of impressive. They were nearing the nest. At the rate their team was going, they may even reach the queen before she could give birth to the king. Yet despite all the facts - and the corpses - lying before him, Kite could not shake off his unease. It was this unease that pushed Kite to make his decision.
"Gon. Killua. I need you to leave NGL."
Both boys looked to him in surprise, as if they had misheard.
Before either could object, Kite adjusted his cap. "Alert the hunter association and have them organize an official extermination team. The outside world needs to know what we have seen."
Killua was the first to bite down his dissent. The hunter before him was a veteran; if Kite's intuition was telling him something theirs were not, they would be wise to listen. He spared a glance at Gon before refocusing on Kite.
"What will you do?" Killua asked.
Kite kept his eyes on the horizon. "I'll scout on ahead. If the enemies are manageable, I'll eliminate the queen myself. Otherwise, it is crucial the reinforcement gets here as soon as possible." He paused. From his pocket, he withdrew a wrinkled note, scratched with hasty scribbles in blood. It had been someone's last-ditch effort to call for help.
"I trust you two will be successful," Kite said. "Lives are on the line."
Once the note was in Gon's hands, whatever hesitation he had quickly turned to steady-fast determination. He gave a firm nod.
"Okay, we'll join you again soon." Gon allowed no room for correction.
They left with an exchange of waving good-byes, far more light-hearted than their blood-splattered surroundings would suggest. Kite walked off in one direction. Gon walked off in the other, Killua tagging closely behind.
Only after they had put several kilometers behind them did Killua lower his shoulders. He shared Gon's disappointment at leaving; things were just starting to get interesting. At the same time, he could not help but feel a sense of relief.
Gon caught his friend's eyes on him and returned a beaming smile. "Race?"
Killua smirked. His hands still pocketed, he propelled off the ground in explosive strength. Together, they were weaving across the dense forest. Killua ricocheted across the trees while Gon laughed from above, high up in the branches.
Had luck been with them, they would have reached the border of NGL within thirty-six hours.
Had luck been with them, they would have easily both come out alive.