Yay! There have been over 1000 views on the story! *big virtual hugs all around* Sorry this chapter wasn't up sooner. I had finished it then as I was saving it my computer FROZE! Feel free to be annoyed at it!
Max stalked over to the fire and sat down, still watching the flock daring them with her eyes to come and help me. Iggy walked over oblivious to her glare. Guess there is some use to being blind. He yanked my up to my feet and grabbed my elbow as I tottered slightly. I sniffed then wished I hadn't. I had forgotten my nose was bleeding, so when I sniffed it was air, but blood that filled my nose. Disgusted I wiped my nose with my sleeve.
I looked at the three younger members of the flock and noted how pale their faces were. Time for Operation Cheer-up. I walked over to them slowly.
Why slowly I hear you ask? Well at that precise moment I was seeing double. So in order not to end up as a fangcake against the stone of the cave wall, I walked slowly. Yes, there is logic. There always is.
I knelt down in front of the trio and watched carefully out of the corner of my eye as Max narrowed her eyes at Angel.
"Fang, help Max." Angel's voice appeared in my head.
"Always," I replied mentally.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she gave a sob then threw her arms around me.
"Thank you!" She whispered in my ear. I gave her a little squeeze then was assaulted by a blur of chocolate coloured hair. Nudge. And for once she was silent. Just holding onto me, as if her life depended on it.
"Hey," I whispered to her lightly. "I'm not going anywhere!"
Unfortunately it had the opposite effect to what I had hoped. Instead of her grinning and laughing at my slight poor attempt at humour she burst into tears and hugged me tighter. Then I noticed Gazzy walking slowly towards me, trying to control his emotions. I couldn't help but think how most eight year olds wouldn't be running for their lives every day, but only facing maths at school. He had coped with so much more than he should of. I felt a surge of hatred against the scientists at the School. He only ever wanted a good hug/
Which is why, when he ran suddenly towards me, I grabbed him just as tightly as he grabbed me and hugged as I could. Never under estimate the power of a good hug. I saw Max get up looking visibly sickened by what she saw.
"I'm going for a fly." She was already at the mouth of the cave, and with that she took off running.
Giving Nudge, Angel and Gazzy one final hug, I stood up and addressed Iggy.
"Why the hell did she attack me?"
Iggy shifted and looked away uneasily, while the others hearing my question quickly had a million other places to be and ran off in different directions. I scowled.
"What is it?" I caught Iggy by the shoulders as he attempted to sneak off.
"Well Fang, you see...there umm...seems to be a slight malfunction...in Max's brain which seems to only let her cognitive globe recognise some familiar facial pat-"I held up my hand.
"I don't want a definition. I want a simple answer." I growled getting annoyed. Iggy gulped. I was seriously close to breaking something and he could tell.
"She doesn't know who you are!" he rushed looking relieved when it was out. I stopped him looking so relieved when I picked him up by his collar and pushed him against the wall of the cave.
"What. Do. You. Mean?"
"I'm sorry Fang! We told her about you and she was all 'Who is thing Fang?'"
I sighed, releasing him and hearing him breathe out in a rush. Walking to the back of the cave, I processed this information. Feeling my anger surge and I yelled in frustration.
"DAMMIT!" I punched the wall, not caring about how the wall splintered around my fist.
"I have to go get her, Iggy. Look after the others." I sounded hopeless, even to my ears. He just nodded. So I ran out the cave and followed Max's foot prints which were still visible in the wet sand.
As soon as I had gotten into the air I realised something was wrong. The smell of the air was too heavy and the wind was too fierce. It could only mean one thing. A storm. And sure enough, black evil clouds where gathering on the horizon and speeding towards me. I had to find Max otherwise, knowing her she would find a way to be hit by lightning! Yeah, danger is attracted to her. A lot! I flew in a random direction for about three minutes hoping to see her. When I was about to turn around when I saw a Max shaped figure hovering in the air.
I flew as close to her as I could then hid amongst the tree tops. She looked so peaceful. Her hair was blowing a soft halo around her face and her arms were slightly outstretched like an angel rising up from the ground. She never even looked this tranquil when she was sleeping. Suddenly her eyes snapped open. She looked around in alarm and saw the black clouds. I held my breath as she suddenly dived towards me. Had she seen me? No, she was just heading for shelter.
I followed her at a distance, making sure she never saw me or heard me. She found a cave and darted inside out of the reach of the heavy raindrops which had already begun to fall. I flew silently after her and peered into the cave. She had her back to me and was pacing backwards and forwards.
Slipping inside I leant against the cave wall and folded my arms against me. Yeah, I know how to make an entrance. I could tell she was thinking by the way her shoulders were hunched up against her neck. Then I heard her mutter darkly, "Oh well, they have Mr Stranger-Man to look after them."
I did some quick Sherlocking and came to the conclusion that she had realised that she had left the Flock unguarded and that Mr Stranger-Man was me.
"No they don't."
I enjoyed how she jumped when she heard me. As she whirled around I let a small smirk play on my face. Her now cold brown eyes flashed with recognition-well it's a start-fury and downright annoyance. Heh, me annoying? Never!
"YOU!" She stormed towards me raising a fist towards my face and no longer bleeding nose. If she thought for even a second I was going to let her punch my nose again, she was downright crazy! Maybe she did hit her head a little too hard! She got within punching distance and her fist flew on a steady course to my nose. It would of hit as well, if a object, namely my hand had reached up and grabbed it.
"Me." I confirmed.
She gasped with shock or indignation or anger, I had no idea, but before I knew it another fist came towards my face. It was aimed badly which immediately put me on my guard. Max does not aim badly. Then I felt her foot hook itself around my ankle. I reached up and grabbed her other fist and danced out of the reach of her foot. I grinned to myself.
Now to make her furious.
"You're getting sloppy Max."
I said this just loudly enough for her to hear it clearly and let a small smirk play on my lips. This was gonna be good.
She stepped backwards and tilted her head slightly to the side. My smirk faltered. What is she doing? Well I found out soon enough. Suddenly she rushed at me and rammed her shoulder into my still broken ribs. 'Ouch' I thought as my ribs winced in protest and they were crushed for what seemed to be the millionth time today.
My breath left me in an audible 'oof' and I collapsed dragging Max down with me. In a never ending fall her eyes widened comically and her arms flailed as she tried to stay upright, but failed. Then she reached for me...and used me as a cushion for her fall. It worked to an extent and as I lay there winded she crawled over to me and sat on my chest. Helloo, what's going on here? I watched as she knelt heavily on my hands making it impossible to escape from her. She looked at me in annoyance then slapped me.
The velocity of the blow caused my head to snap to the side but I refrained from flinching-I wasn't going to give her the pleasure of knowing she had hurt me. She slapped me again and again and again until I couldn't feel my cheek burning anymore, even though I was sure it was red and swollen.
Every hit brought with it new frustration and anger at me as I refused to show any pain. Finally she leaned back and put her hands on her knees.
"Damn you!" Why won't you let me hurt you?" She growled at me. I looked at her. She looked so fiercely hot as she growled at me; her face even goes all low and husky. Just the sound of it made my inside turn flips worthy of the Olympics.
While she was questioning me I sneaked the opportunity to tug my hands from underneath her knees. Her eyes showed that she had felt it but she had dismissed it also.
"Because Max, you can't hurt someone who is already hurting."
As she processed what I had said she loosened her grip on me. I slid my fingers around her wrists enjoying the alarm on her face as she realised what had happened. She fought vainly to try and free her hands from my grip and as she yanked upwards I used her momentum to roll over and pin her to the ground the way she had to me. She looked very panicked now and I smirked at her knowing it would cause a reaction. As usual she never failed to disappoint. When the corner of my mouth jerked upwards she tried to pull one of her hands free so that she could no doubt claw at my face.
I never noticed how interesting her eyes were before. They were a melting brown with fleck of gold imbedded in them.
"You know Maxie." I laughed inwardly to myself. Man she had hated that name before. And judging by the way she started thrashing about beneath me she still did. She hissed at me loudly.
"DON'T CALL ME MAXIE!" Evidently even a bump on the head can't change something's. I continued unfazed.
"You're pretty cute when you're angry."
As soon as I had said the words I realised the truth in them and something inside me urged me to act. So moving quickly I lowered my head and pressed my lips to hers.
She stiffened immediately and her breath left her lips in a soft gasp. Then I whispered gently against her lips, "Do you trust me?"
On cue she shook her head and said "No." I was silent for a few seconds still touching my lips to her and gently said.
"Try." Then my lips moved against hers and my hands reached up to tangle themselves in her soft, silky hair. Slowly she began to respond.
Our lips began to move in sync and she tugged her hands free from my knees to slowly curl around me. At last! I was getting through to her, or so I thought. Until I went crashing into the cave wall and found myself gazing into two furious, fiery chocolate eyes.
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x-Hephaestus-x
