Erik:
I allowed myself to be tugged by her towards…God knows where. As soon as we stepped out of the caves, despite my blindfold, I could feel the light hitting me for the first time in two weeks and was very thankful for the barrier to give my eyes time to adapt.
I greedily absorbed the brightness with a smile on my face, letting out a contented sigh. I didn't know I could miss such a minor thing before this.
For several minutes I was lost in the coolness of the wind whipping on my face not covered by the fold, the crunching of leaves and gravel beneath my boots, the voices of birds suddenly flapping away when we reached too close for their comfort and the occasional huffing of my skinny impounder. Yeah I was much too relieved to be out of that hell hole. How did they even manage to LIVE there for years? I let myself feel sorry for them but only for a moment.
Her huffing brought me out of my reverie and I realized that we were going downhill through heavily gravelled path with sharp cuts and edges. Without sight, I had to concentrate a little more on keeping my balance.
"You know, the kink was really not necessary." I decided to voice my irritation when I slipped on an edge third time in the last 10 seconds.
"And what? Have you kill me and then run off?" She answered equally annoyed.
"And what makes you think I can't kill you now?" I raised my head trying to see through the sliver of uncovered area above my cheeks and only managed to see her Jeans covered thighs. "Besides didn't I promise your old man to be a good boy as long as I'm here?"
I heard her snicker, whether it was on me referring to myself as "a good boy" or on the idea of me keeping a promise, but it made me smile.
"I don't understand what you're trying to do here. Jacob will never accept you in." She tugged harder on the ropes to stress her point.
I lifted my head one more time but only a little more was visible above her thighs. " I'm trying to take a good look at your ass for now." I muttered under my breath low enough.
"What?"
"I said shouldn't you be a little less uptight in your age…actually no, A LOT less uptight?" Swearing loudly, I stumbled on something but instinctively braced myself against a rough surface.
All of a sudden, my blindfold was ripped from my head. Ace was standing facing me, near a huge tree trunk, taking rapid deep breaths and anger twisting her innocent looking face.
"Uptight? I saw my mother face down in her blood, my sister impaled on a wall, I don't know where my father is, and the only family that's left is…" She cut off abruptly and took a deep breath swallowing her anger. "I have to live in a constant fear of meeting a similar fate for the past two years, Freakster. So, don't tell me I'm uptight when you're to blame."
She reminded me of a kitten, hissing and growling at my feet, when she was standing half a foot down, due to the uneven terrain, which seemed to had doubled our height difference. I was tempted to ask how she escaped the terrible fate but didn't want to sound too interested.
I stepped down calmly to remove the height difference. "Thank you. For ridding me of the blindfold. Please, continue leading the way, Miss Katness."
She blinked at me for a moment and then sharply turned around tugging me along, making me wince. "It's Katniss with an "i"". I heard her mumble.
"Do you even know how to use that thing or is it just for the show?" I asked referring to the simply made bow slung on her back.
"Do you want me to demonstrate on you? Cuz I'm itching to do it." She answered without looking back.
I gazed up on the darkening sky through narrowed eyes. It will be raining soon. "How far is it? Hold on, where exactly are we going?"
"Just a few more minutes, and don't worry I too promised Jacob not to lay a hand on you." This time she turned to throw me a satisfied grin.
That startled me, she had a beautiful smile…for a human, the kind that shows the teeth and lights up her eyes. Shaking my head, I quickly recovered from my daze and considerably dropped my voice.
"You do realize that I don't really have a problem with you…laying your hand…on me?"
The expression and flush that coloured her, when recognition hit, was enough to make my day.
Ace
We reached our destination 10 minutes later, during which I squarely kept my eyes ahead and mouth shut, even though Erik did try to grab my attention several times after his crude remark.
Carol with a few other women, was by the side of the lake, washing clothes and laying them on nearby rocks. A little further was a pile of clothes that still needed to be washed and some dirty dishes.
"I'm gonna go help them, you can go behind one those boulders to take a dip." I pointed to my right offhandedly and swiftly left his side without waiting for his answer, afraid he might ask me to undress him or even worse, offer me to join him. I rolled my eyes at the thought.
Carol was filling up a large bucket with water to bring back for kitchen use. Her hand seemed to tremble as she poured pot after pot into the bucket. I hurried over to her and whisked away the filled pot from her, mid way. "Here, let me."
Nodding thankfully, she dragged herself up a rock and relaxed back with her plump legs hanging. I resumed her task of filling up the bottomless bucket.
"I wonder when this will end." She was looking up into the dark rumbling sky, wondering loudly. " I miss being in a comfy chair , I miss trusting a dishwasher to wash the dishes, I miss being alive without having to keep looking over my shoulder, I miss Jack ." Closing his eyes, she sighed deeply and leaned back further, with a small smile, probably imagining all of this. Jack was his husband, also killed in one of the initial raids. Carol and Jack never had kids, those two only had each other. Just like me and Chikki, I couldn't even imagine living without my nephew.
"It's just the beginning Carol. I don't think it's going to "end" anytime soon." I spoke quietly, keeping my eyes on my task.
After I was done filling up water, I moved on to the cloth pile and balancing my bow against a nearby rock , I set to work.
I was so engrossed that I did not notice the approaching footsteps, neither the hushed silence that fell over the ladies, who were a chatterbox moments ago, until Mr. Flirty Flirtson was standing right above me. And of course he was shirtless, still dripping wet, jeans so low on his hips that it was some kind of a miracle he wasn't flashing himself right then. I'd seen shirtless men countless times working in the fields, but none quite like him. He was lean but built like he could kick some serious ass. Not to mention the grace, with which he held himself, even with the wet hair plastered on his head and little drops of water traveling down his pale stomach. I gulped, with one hand still gripping the shirt I was washing and the other raised in air clutching the foamy soap.
"Yeah I'll just stand here until you've looked to your fill. Want me to flex for you?" He said with a hint of drawl.
Jerking back I saw him smirking down at me.
"I was not looking. I was glaring. Isn't it a bit inappropriate of you to be sauntering through the ladies 3 quarters naked?"
"3 quarters?" He folded his arms on his chest, flexing. Show off!
"Well, considering how low your Jeans is hung." I muttered turning back to my washing. To my surprise I heard him laugh, and I found myself smiling in spite of myself, hid behind my veil of hair. The ladies around us were now talking in hushed voices.
A dirty white shirt was dropped beside me. Looking back up, I raised my brow.
"I can't wear it dirty after bathing. So, wash it may be?"
"Oh no! This is not your mutant princely palace, for you to load your work on us. You want your clothes clean? Do it yourself, Your Highness!" I shook my head laughing humorlessly.
"Fair enough, Ma'Lady."
He simply shrugged and crouched down beside me, picking up his shirt. Discreetly, he tried to mimic my actions but failed miserably. After he had flung a good amount of foam and water on both of us, I snatched the shirt out of his hand, glaring and began washing it for him.
We were coming back when the clouds finally decided to ease up their load on us. The fine drizzling was not too bad but it still made me a bit..antsy. I kept looking up, all the while praying that it'd not get any worse.
Carol with others, was leading up front while I was at the back, with Erik a few steps ahead of me. I watched the water slosh in the bucket he was carrying, thinking back at how he took it out of my hands wordlessly, when I tried to carry it back to the camp. Not wanting to carry it the whole way back myself, I let him walk kink-free. He thankfully decided to don his newly washed damp shirt, which didn't get enough time to dry off before it started raining and now it was clinging to his back, showing of every curve and toned muscle. Setting aside the drooling, I wondered why he was acting like a perfect gentleman. I knew the rest of the camp kept their distance from him, which must be fine with him.
We were still a few yards away when I heard a commotion and collective gasps before I saw what was happening ahead, in the middle of the clearing.
There were a few people stood in a semi circle eyes wide, some had their palms covering their opened mouths and all of their attention was focused on two kids rolling in the mud.
The kids shirts were torn and mud coated their backs and pants. One, who looked to be around 10, was much taller than the other and was trying to shield his face from fists, slaming into him. The other…
My whole world seemed to narrow onto him when I realized it was my nephew who's being the center of this violence. A guy from the spectators ran towards the rolling kids and wrestled Chikki off of the poor kid whose nose was now broken and bleeding. The guy kept dragging Chikki to the side but in one swift move, he kicked the guy in shin and escaped his loosened grip to once again pounce on half unconscious kid.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard myself scream and in the next moment I took off towards my nephew.
"Chikki no…sweatheart no…"
I hugged him from behind trying to pull him back, slipping in mud but he didn't budge. I kept whispering in his ear to calm him down, not once wondering about his unusual strength.
I didn't know how it happened but it was whole, a blur for me, when Chikki twisted around in my arms and shrugged me off with so much strength that I felt like flying through the air briefly and then skidded, only to bang my head against a rock. I fought to keep my consciousness but warm wetness seeped down my clothes and blackness dotted my vision.
The last thing I saw through my failing vision, was Erik forsaking the bucket, diving behind Chikki and knocking him unconscious with a single backward hit of his elbow.
Erik
I had not planned on bothering myself with the kids, I was content on staying outside the ring. But then the strangest thing happened, I felt the tiniest tug inside me, as if someone had a string attached to my insides and was trying to turn me inside out. I focused on this virtual string that seemed to be linked to the kid currently shrugging Ace off. I held my breath as I saw her fly throw the air and crack her head on a sharp edge, quickly realizing the unusualness of the situation.
The guy from before, was once again struggling to pull the kid back. Before I knew what I was doing I dashed towards the kid and before he could do any more damage to the boy, sprawled unconscious in the middle, I elbowed him on the head, knocking him over. The guy, having lost momentum splashed down sending mud flying in every direction, the thin tense string inside me was instantly broken, leaving me breathless. It was a Deja vu. It was like I was transported back in time when my powers surfaced and a guard had to knock me out.
While I looked around, a few other guys stepped forward cautiously. Understanding their reluctance, I left them alone to take the beaten up kid back inside the cave and jogged up to where Ace lay, like a wooden puppet, against the sharp edged rock.
I checked her pulse and relief flooded me when I found one. I pulled her forward and gently felt for the back of her head with fingertips. There was a sharp laceration but not to deep.
"How bad is it?" Drawing back the hand, now painted with blood, I saw a middle aged woman, I'd seen earlier with Ace, stooping and trying to guage her condition, with concern etched on her face.
"It's not deep." My flat answer didn't seem to satisfy her, but she kept quiet.
One arm braced behind Ace's back, I slipped the other beneath her thighs and hauled her up in one fluid motion.
"Lead the way, will you?" I asked the lady, trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice.
I kept my steps softly balanced but little moans of pain kept on coming from the girl, all the way back.
I was about to cross the threshold of the cave when Ace stirred in my arms. On realization, she attempted to climb down but I only tightened my hold.
"Stay still." I grumbled, annoyed.
I was being led into the med bay and I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I carried the girl through their candle lit stone halls. I could also bet she was beyond embarrassed, being carried bridal style. I heard a low "Oh God" from her when Jacob came into view, after which she dropped her head to hide behind her own locks, in a way, I've come to know lately, she does when she's blushing.
Smirking wide, I held her out to him but he merely pointed to a stool in a corner, all the while giving me "the look."
Settling her down, I turned to see my bed occupied by the boy, who got his ass handed to him by a kid half his size, all tubed up.
"Looks like I won't be staying here tonight. Hey where do YOU sleep?" I grinned back at her, who were busy rubbing her temples with thumbs. She rolled her eyes and winced at the pain it caused.
Jacob and Doc were being filled in about what happened.
"Where is Chikki?" Ace flew up from the stool behind me. "Did you HIT my nephew?" She accused.
I opened my mouth to answer her but she stood on her toes, coming in my face and jabbed a finger at my chest. "How dare….how dare you touch him?"
"Hey calm yourself woman!" I raised my palms. "I just saved a boy's life and your nephew from getting entangled in a mess." I spat at her barely controlling my anger.
"Where is he? Where is…! Why is he not here?" She clutched Jacob's arm, shaking him like an insane. "Oh my God! No! did you KILL him? Is that why he's not here?" She was now shouting at me, tears running down her cheeks, a wildness and insanity in her eyes, so much so that it made my heart skip a beat.
Jacob was quick to move and grabbed her shoulders to get her attention. "Ace! Quit! Chikki is safe. He is just sleeping in his bed. He wasn't hurt. Don't worry. He just needed some rest." Jacob was slowly whispering to her and when she nodded, he pulled her in a fatherly hug, kissing her hair.
I'd never seen Ace so jarred before, she was always composed or at least trying to keep her emotions at bay and that me wonder what relation did she have with the kid. Was he her son? Was she married? I was dying to know. She seemed young, who was the father? Where was he?
My hands seemed to shake as I speculated about the man, forehead creased and breathing picked up. Well, he sounded like a lousy ass boyfriend in my head, who knocked her up and then left. Balling my hands into fists, I drew in deep calming breaths. What I needed to do was focus on how to get back into my state area and deal with Amanda, who I affectionately liked to call "Medusa". Not worry about single mothers.
Lost in thought, I didn't notice Ace walking right up to me.
"You will not go near him, you will not touch him. If I catch you even so much as looking at him, I WILL rip you, smirk apart. Do you understand me?" Her threat in a low voice awakened something inside me, which I hadn't had in a long time...thrill.
Had she, 5 foot something, all bones and no muscle, sodden kitten just growled at me?
I smirked wider getting down in her face. "I can't wait to see you try, sweetheart."
She bristled and her grinding teeth with flushed face was enough to send a wave of placid satisfaction through me. She glanced back at Jacob, finding him busy talking to Doc, threw an obscene gesture in my face and stomped out, leaving me stunned.
I laughed throwing my head back, this was probably the first genuine laugh I had in YEARS. Hell! I didn't know when riling her up became my hobby. I was actually looking forward to my next chance, probably with her kid around.
Speaking of the kid, did I seriously felt something coming off of him earlier or was it just my imagination? He knocked a boy double his age and size unconscious, cracked a girl's skull and wrestled his way out of a full grown adult…twice. Yeah I would have to warn Ace about him as soon as possible. But he looked too young to go through...
A coughing fit brought me out of my musings. Looks like my former room mate finally decided to grace us with his response.
The guard, Brian was coughing violently and Doc was trying to help him calm down. When his fit subsided, he laid back exhausted and Doc moved to check his vitals again.
Jacob's eyes met mine over his makeshift cot and then he cleared his throat uneasily.
"How do you feel, boy?"
"Like I've been beaten to death." Brian managed to answer with eyes closed.
Jacob nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey! I know it's probably not a good time for you but do you remember anything?"
"No."
"What's the last thing you remember?" Doc asked.
His face twisted in thought. "I …I was asked to patrol the outskirts. We…yeah I was partnered up with Hugh…we patrolled the area but found nothing." He broke his retailing to take some breaths. Jacob and Doc were intently listening. I moved sideways to lean against the nearest stone wall.
"I was double checking the area when… when I sensed something. Blaming it on paranoia, I resumed my patrol deeper into the woods. That area of the woods looked unfamiliar to me. Even though I'd just checked it out a few minutes ago. I was about to go fetch Hugh when a glint caught my eye."
"A glint?"
"Yes. Right at the base of a thick tree. Anyways I went to investigate. It was a device, Jacob, and a really sophisticated one too. I thought we could look into it and use it to locate other humans, you know."
He was now half sitting up in his excitement, despite the pain evident on his face.
"Brian, it could've have been dangerous, it could've been a land mine or something." Doc fidgeted in his stool.
"I know. I just…" He laid back spent.
"Who shot you?" Jacob eyed him calmly.
Brian's eyes shot open. "I don't know. I didn't get a chance to personally greet them."
"As I was saying I was excited about my find, so I didn't hear them until they were right behind me. I only saw their shadow and then they shot me. I was turning my head to see who it was but something struck my head and the last thing I saw were fluttering clothes. I saw a person wearing dirty old gray pants and matching gown on top."
"Old gray gown?" All the composure left his body when Jacob heard the last part.
I reached the reason of his sudden change in demeanor. Ha! He was expecting some mutant, behind his guard being on the receiving end of a painfully obvious murder attempt.
Pursing his lips, Jacob voiced loudly something I already knew. "We have a traitor among us."
