I swallowed hard and forced myself to get up, straining with my good eye into the dark in an attempt to find Crimson and the attacker. Glancing over the edge of the rocks, I found them. They struggled and flailed about, each trying to land a blow on the other. Moving quicker than I thought, I snapped my wings out and dove down towards Crimson. I grabbed her arms and swung my leg out, catching the assailant in the rib cage. I turned and leapt up into the air, dragging Crimson away with me. I quickly set her down up on the rocks and rolled back in the air to face my opponent. A hard punch rocked my skull and I moaned before returning with a high kick up into the shadow's stomach. A gentle grunt echoed from the figure, but a pair of strong hands came back grabbed my hair tight, flinging me through the air and across the jagged rocks. Anger seeped into my blood, mingling dangerously with the adrenaline already coursing through me. I jumped up and wrapped my arms right around the shadow's neck and squeezed for all I was worth. I felt my victim shudder and slow, gagging for air. A pair of cold hands tried to pull me away, but though my opponent was strong, I had the advantage. Then, suddenly, the thing sprouted wings and shot up into the air. I heard Crimson scream out, but the wind whistling in my ears made it impossible to decipher what she had said. I felt myself get flung towards the ground and my back cracked hard against a tree. Something pinned me and a gnarly voice screamed in my face.

"Answer me!"

"She can't!"

I opened one eye and looked down. Crimson was shuffling up the base of the tree, desperation on her face.

"She can't speak!"

Whatever held me loosened their hold enough for me to breathe, and I collapsed on a branch beneath me, sucking air into my lungs.

"Why are you two following Max?!"

"It's what we were told to do."

"By the Whitecoats?"

"Well, yeah. Obviously."

The shadow slowly shook his head, almost as if out of pity.

"You think they care, don't you? You think they want to find Max for her own benefit. You believe they want to help."

Crimson and I glanced at one another. We were treated well - accepted and cared for - why would these mutants be treated any different from us?

"You're mistaken if you think they care at all. They're all monsters, demons - they care only for the paycheck."

The figure glared at us and I finally saw his face. He was olive toned with dark eyes and hair that shimmered in the dim moonlight. His expression was sad yet determined, full of hopelessness yet passion. He straightened up, spreading violent black wings out to balance himself.

"You'll learn eventually. Or die, one of the two. But I have a family to protect, and if you two endanger us, I will kill you."

With that, the boy leaned back and fell into the air, rising up and out of sight on black wings that melted into the night sky.

Author's Note: I realize that this chapter is quite a bit shorter than the others. My apologies, but I simply did not want to cram too much into one chapter.

Please review if you want me to continue :) that way I know people are still reading this.