Max's POV

The way Fang's voice wavered let me know he was serious… and scared. Apparently, these weren't just average people that would get their butts kicked easily, but I reassured Fang that we could handle anything.

"Don't worry. I've been through way worse. We got this."

We both got into fighting stance and readied ourselves. The rest felt like a movie: like I was watching myself from far away.

Once the people were close enough for me to see their face, I knew what Fang meant. They weren't human. They were taller, and furry, and they had huge features like teeth and paws that would rip you to shreds.

Didn't matter. No weakness would be shown.

Pretty soon they had surrounded us, and there was no where to run: not that we would. Around estimate, I'd say there were maybe 6 or 7. Nothing we couldn't take care of.

"Let them hit first." Fang said in a cold voice that made me shiver. Even though that shiver was a tiny movement, the things caught that little shiver and the one right in front at me. Fang was about to get in front of me, but I jumped too and kicked the thing in the face barely knocking it back, and then smacked my stick/branch/log thing against his sword knocking it out of his hands, but this also snapped my wimpy stick in two, so I threw it away and tried to attack again. Another attacked Fang when he tried to protect me, so he went to fighting mode as well. How he was doing I couldn't tell.

"Maximum Ride." The thing fighting me said clawing me across the face and laughing.

"What? No. How do you know me?" I said side-kicking him. He dodged it.

"Tonight you die… by me." His voice was venomous. He tried to punch my stomach, but I jumped and did a front flip to land behind him and elbowed him as hard as I could then punched his back trying to break his spine. He was close to falling, but before he did he spun around and dug his claws into my shoulder. The pain was excruciating, but another two of them came at me. I made sure to knock their weapons out, but I still got burned on the leg and side with the fire stick. Somehow one of them got a stray bow and arrow thing and tried to shoot it at me, but they were too slow. I dodged and clamped my hands around their ears to deaf him, then dragged him against a tree and kneed him in the chest. The last guy managed to kick me in the side, and I heard bones crack. The noise was sickening, but I finished him off by grabbing a fire stick and smacking him with it.

As I turned to check on Fang, I saw one of them close to stabbing him with an arrow, so I occupied myself by surprising him with a knee in the back that quickly knocked him out.

Fang also finished his fight and turned to make sure I was ok. He looked exhausted.

"You ok?" I asked him.

"Me? Max you're dripping blood!"

"Hmm?" I had forgotten about my shoulder. "Oh yeah. It's nothing. Let's just go."

"Wait, let me try to stop the bleeding." Fang leaned me against a tree, and took off his shirt and started pressing it against my shoulder. I had taken off my cloak to reveal my tank top underneath. Really, I couldn't feel it anymore. The pain subsided and it was only numb and tingly, but the pain returned at the pressure and I winced.

"Oh sorry." Fang said and then gentled up. "Better?"

I barely managed a nod breathing in his scent. So bitter yet sweet.

Now, I couldn't help but stare at Fang's eyes, hair, lips… body. Whoa! What did I say? Well his dark features matched so perfectly… and his eight pack… His hair dark and laid out perfectly hanging over his eyes which were so dark, so mysterious. His skin's a nice olive color, like a perfect tan. I could still feel his tender touch.

Without realizing, I had reached up with my good arm and stroked his cheek, and slowly I ran my hand down his neck to his shoulder and pulled him in. Fang smiled and pulled me in as well, except he moved closer then expected and leaned in to kiss me… on the lips.