I am so so so so so so so so so so (x500) that I am posting so late. Things are a little hectic with school and sports, but you don't want to hear my excuses. So happy reading.

Alec POV

Birds chirped throughout the mountains. They sounded so happy.

"...because this food won't last forever. So who's going to go out first?" I only heard the last part of what Simon said.

We all sat in somewhat of a circle near the white embers of the fire from last night.

"Alec?" Clary asked, "Do you want to go?" It was slightly cold out, but I knew it'd be warmer later.

"Huh." I was quite sure what they were talking about.

"Do you want to go out to the woods to hunt with Clary?" Isabelle clarified.

"Sure," I'd said, even though Clary wasn't my first choice, I didn't mind going with her.

We both already had our weapons near us. We got up to leave when Jace whispered something to Clary. I didn't think anything of it though.

Clary and I climbed down through the mountains.

We finally got to the bottom where we had started the day before.

I crept through the wood alongside Clary.

She abruptly stopped and I almost ran into her. Bringing to her knife, she whipped it at something.

A bush shook in the distance near where she threw the knife.

Almost immediately after throwing the first one, she threw a second.

"Got it," Clary uttered.

She jogged up to where the carcass laid on the ground full of dead leaves.

Grabbing it by the ears, Clary inspected the dead rabbit.

"Not much, but something." She shrugged. Clary didn't say much, for we both knew that we'd scare any animals away in an earshot.

We stepped over a large muddy area and began to discreetly step through the trees.

I stopped, and Clary seemed to notice. She halted in her tracks.

After her giving a questioning look, I breathed one word, "Rain."

I could feel a humidity that wasn't there before.

"Soon?" Her voice was almost inaudible. I nodded and Clary asked, "Go back after the rain?"

It wasn't a complete question, but I understood it and nodded again.

I could smell the water in the air that was soon to come.

"I'll go up," I whispered after a while of wandering around finding nothing.

She didn't seem to understand at first but soon recognized that I meant the trees.

I found a tree that seemed to have low enough branches. When I reached the top, I pulled an arrow out of the quiver strapped onto my back.

Nothing happened for a few minutes. There was an eerie silence to the forest. There was not a leaf that fluttered in the treetops, not a russell of branches. Nothing.

Then I glimpsed a fiery object in the distance. No sound went along with the sudden movement.

I pulled back the bowstring ready to fire when I saw it again. This time, I could make out what it was, rather who it was.

Clary came toward the tree I'd climbed in a full on sprint. She still barely made a sound.

Her eyes were frantic. She clutched the rabbit's ears and a squirrel's tail in her hand with the rest of carcasses dangling.

Chungk.

A short metal and wood spear landed in the tree inches from where Clary had just ran past.

From my vantage point, I could see her go behind a tree trunk and drop the dead animals. She pulled out three knives.

I could now see her attacker, which meant, I could shoot.

It was a girl with dark skin and dark curly hair. She held a crossbow. There was a boy running beside her with hair a few shades lighter than her own. He was the one with the spears. He held two other in his left hand.

Clary stayed put as they continued to run toward her. She didn't dare make a sound.

The other two didn't seem to see where she hid.

I still held the bowstring pulled back to my cheek.

I had one shot, or else I'd give myself away gaining nothing.

They stopped running and I took the chance.

The arrow flew. It hit the girl's upper arm, but that didn't seem to affect her.

Clenching her teeth, she pulled it out.

Not a smart choice, I thought, remembering that you should never pull an arrow out.

The girl looked up at me, and we shared a glance before Clary threw a knife.

I didn't even see if it hit either of them before she released another from her grasp.

Clary went back behind the tree. The two didn't seem to see the spot the knives came from, only the direction. Only one of them hit a target. The boy's chest was covered in a dark crimson that stained all of his shirtfront.

Before I knew it, the girl lifted the crossbow and shot an arrow at me. I barely dodged it.

I attempted to get behind the tree trunk for protection, but failed. An arrow sliced my calf. I winced as I turned behind the tree, no longer visible to any incoming weapons.

What could have been seconds or minutes passed by when I saw Clary again.

She had a short lateral cut on her cheek that hadn't been there before. With a hand motion from Clary, I climbed down from the tree.

"She ran when she realized she was outnumbered. Are you alright?" She asked when she saw me limping.

"I'm fine," I said as we began the trek back to the mountains.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Maia POV

"Look," I said pointing at the fiery blob of hair.

Jordan had an evil look in his eye as we began to run towards the person.

These woods were ours. We'd already killed four trespassers. No one could stop us. Definitely not a short little girl like this one.

She was quick when she saw us coming, I'd give her that.

Jordan slowed his pace for a moment and let one of his spears fly.

Chungk.

It embedded itself into a tree inches from the girl's head.

Jordan and I glanced at each other quickly. That was our first mistake. The girl was suddenly out of sight. She probably hid behind a tree, but which?

We looked around to see if we could snatch a glimpse of the fiery-haired girl.

We saw only an arrow come from a tree above.

It sank into the flesh of my upper arm, thankfully, not too deep.

It was like a fire burning in my arm. I couldn't stand it, so I pulled the arrow out with my teeth gnashed.

I regretted it the moment after I did it; it hurt much worse, but I'd push through the pain. I wouldn't let it show, at least not until Jordan and I were alone.

Suddenly a knife flew out at us from the side.

It didn't hit either of us, but another one came. I didn't know who was throwing them.

Then, before I knew it, I was shooting up at the attacker in the trees, drawing blood, but nothing fatal.

I looked around to see Jordan, lying on the ground, his eyes wide, yet unblinking.

A small throwing knife protruded from his chest, where blood spilled to the ground around him.

I knew I was outnumbered and would end up like him if I didn't go now.

So I ran.

It was a cowardly thing to do, but I ran.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks that I sweated away briskly.

I wished he hadn't gone unknowing that I didn't love him any longer.

Even though I was going to break up with him, it still hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt.

When I knew it was safe to go back to the woods, I rushed in, hurrying to make sure I'd get there before they took his body.

I sat next to Jordan and wept. Shaking as the hovercraft gasped his limp body.

I knew then, I knew that I'd have to win for him now. I was sure.

Review what you thought of this chapter. Good or no?

I added Maia in this to make up for my late-ness.

Thanks for reading even though I won't be able to post as frequently.

I love y'all!