Soul POV
Sleepless nights were always the worst. What made this one worse was waking up every second to either Patti's kicking or Tsubaki's snoring (she says she doesn't snore but I think otherwise).
Being the first to wake up, it was a little weird to see the faces of those who I had just met. In a way it was actually kinda cool to be around these Greeks. Kilik and Black*Star were bro material and we all seemed to bond within one day.
Once everyone was up and awake, Kid had decided to get going as fast as possible. We ended up in a thick forest after only minutes of walking but something didn't feel right. I looked around to make sure no one was following us. Nothing was in sight so I figured I was just being anxious. But then death boy stopped and I ran into him.
"You know, you could warn someone before you abruptly stop right in front of them."
He didn't answer and instead scanned his eyes around.
"Hey get your ass moving! It's getting crowded over here." Patti yelled from behind. Sheesh this girl needed to know when to keep quiet sometimes.
Kid cleared his throat and began walking again. Now I'm getting paranoid. This forest feels odd and death boy over here just scanned the area but said no word at all.
"Hey is everything alright?" I forced myself to ask.
"For the time being."
I knit my eye brows. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that we may run into trouble. It is a forest after all. Several enemies lurk around here."
"Like that stupid goblin thing that attacked me?" Maka added, though I had no idea what she was talking and I don't think I wanted to.
"Yes. So everyone keep alert, you are only as safe as the demigod near you."
I didn't bother saying anything in return. Kid made a point, we had to keep focus and make sure that neither of us gets eaten by anything.
"Uh. You guys, what is that?" Liz spoke.
I turned toward where she pointed but saw nothing. "What are you talking about?"
"I just saw something. It was just there, I swear." She furrowed her gaze and dropped her hand back to her side.
Judging by her face I would've said that she was having another suspicion like always, but considering this forest felt uneasy I decided to believe her. "Maybe we should stop and make sure we're not being followed." I suggested.
"That isn't necessary. I assure you that we are safe." Kid argued.
"How can you be sure?"
He sighed like always and just kept quiet. Geez if this guy is always like this then pretty soon there's gonna be some very colorful language spilling from my tongue.
"Kid I think Soul's right. We should stop." Maka confronted him. Thank Olympus she was on my side.
Kid gawked down on her sternly, but his eyes suddenly widened and he turned his head. We all followed his gaze and well...you know where it goes from there.
"Death boy, what the hell is that!" I panicked. I've seen a couple foxes in my life and they were pretty cool. But this guy was huge! I think there should be a limit on how gigantic normal everyday animals should be. But with the luck of the demigod, we were all staring at a giant elephant sized fox who seemed to catch on to us.
"Dammit!" Kid turned and told us all run so we did. We skittered through the trees until death boy pulled us near a bush.
"What is that?" I spoke between huffs.
Kid grit his teeth and took a peek around. He calmed and faced the demigods who all panted in terror. "It's a fox."
"Yeah I think we get that already." I grunted.
"It isn't just any fox. It's the Teumessian Fox."
I rose an eyebrow along with everyone else. "The what?"
"Ugh you idiots really need to take in consideration to your own history." Kid grunted. "The teumessian fox is a creature that is destined to never be caught."
"You mean canis minor, the constellation?" Maka asked.
Kid looked at her surprised and nodded. "Yes. However there was a conflict that happened only a centuries ago and it caused many complications to the gods. The fox is back and we can't let it see us."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because we'll be sucked into its game. The fox is destined to never be caught, but the game requires us to catch it. If we don't catch it, we'll eventually die either of starvation or by the fox's fangs."
Nobody commented on that. The gloomy demigod peered around nervously. I found myself looking around for the creature as well.
"So what do we do?" I asked.
"How about you all just let me kick its butt?"
I looked over at Black*Star who had his sword held out high. Kid rolled his eyes at him and faced me. "Soul I know you don't want to, but the only safe way out is for me to shadow travel us out."
I dropped my expression and glared at him for a few moments. Then at everyone else. I couldn't put everyone in danger due to my selfishness...well I could but that would be uncool of me.
"Alright then. Hurry up and-
"Guys up ahead!" Liz shrieked.
I looked up just in time to be smacked and sent rolling across the ground. I could hear everyone else groaning or yelling around me.
I pulled myself up. The fox had left, most likely coming to strike us again. "Death boy, what's the call?"
He drew two blades and gave everyone the look. The rest of the demigods pulled out their weapons and I noticed that I was the last one empty handed. I chuckled and went for the bow I had around my back. "Our first battle together. Don't ruin it." I teased.
"I should be saying that to you." Kid returned.
I heard thumps coming fast and close every second. We all huddled together and waited for the fox to approach. I tensed just before it jumped out and pushed us all away with the swipe of its tail.
"Not even a chance." I groaned.
"Here it comes again!"
I rolled out of the way before I was stomped into demigod dough. I notched a bow onto my arrow and tried to aim but this fox was quick. It skittered out of sight right as I blinked.
I looked around and saw my team panting a few breaths. Black*Star helped Maka to her feet and Kilik was fiddling with something in his hands.
"Where's Kid?" We all looked around but the damned son of Pluto was nowhere in sight. "Ok whatever. Let's come up with some sort of plan."
"How? This thing can't be caught. Kid said that we have to catch it in order for it to let us go." Maka argued.
"Well then we'll do what we do best. Stall."
The fox came back around and all we could do was jump out of its way before being swiped back again. Black*Star attempted to clutch onto its tail but he was brushed right off and sent back to the floor.
"Maka you summon lightning don't you? Why not just fry it to a crisp?" I asked.
She looked at me as if saying, seriously? "I wish I could but I don't think I can without frying one of you in the process."
"Point taken." I aimed my bow as the fox came back around. It was just playing with us right now. I didn't wanna see what happened when it got hungry. The fox was coming into my aim and just as I was about to let it fly, death boy popped up from a black cloud of smoke and jumped onto the beast.
"Soul! You have your arrows right!?" He shouted while struggling to keep a grip on the beasts' fur.
"Not at all, I just happen to be holding a lethal stick that can impale anything." Boy I crack myself up sometimes.
"Maka Chop!"
And now my head just cracked itself up. "Ah geez! What was that for?" I faced the green-eyed blonde only to be defeated by an angered look.
"This is serious, we could all be killed right now."
"Alright. Alright. Geez can't a guy have some fun once in a while?" I stopped rubbing my head and looked back toward Kid. "Hey Pluto boy, what do you want me to do!?"
I had to wait a few moments until he replied. A rodeo and a fight for our lives, how lovely.
"Soul, I need you to shoot an arrow into its mouth! If we can't catch it let's bring it down."
I nodded. The Greek crawled his way towards the fox's neck but it was a rough ride. He was gonna be tossed down pretty soon.
"C'mon fox, just give me a clear shot here."
"Hey why are we standing around! Let's help!" Maka shouted and ran forward. The others followed without a second thought. She's as feisty as she is cute, hehe.
Perhaps our strategy wasn't working. With the attacks from everyone else, the monster was thrashing wildly. The fact that everyone was attacking randomly instead if together didn't help. Poor death boy looked like he was gonna spill his breakfast.
As the sniper of the group, I ran to my left in hopes of getting a good shot. But the beast thrashed and stood on its hind legs for a moment. He shook and Kid went flying off straight into a tree. The others had to jump out of its way as the beast landed. He looked angry now and those glowing yellow eyes weren't too cool when they were angry.
Black*Star launched forward as the beast had its head close enough to the ground. I could see a glint on the blade he was holding just before he crashed into Tsubaki who also had the same thoughts. The two of them took a hardened slam to the ground.
"You idiot you got in my way!"
"I got in your way? Maybe you should learn to make room for the big guns!"
"Big guns my ass. You haven't done anything so far."
"For something as small as a Roman, I think you should watch what you're saying."
As if things weren't bad enough, the older Thompson sister decided to step in. "Who you calling small short stuff?"
"You guys!" Maka screamed. "Shut up and get out of the way. It doesn't matter who's better than who. None of that will matter if we let ourselves get killed." She seemed so fierce and intimidating. Sort of like Ox when his lazy butt decides to fight on the front lines.
Black*Star took the hint continued forward and got a good kick at the beast. But only a second later was needed for the fox to clamp him underneath his paw.
"Hah! Like that'll he enough to take me down!" The loud-mouth somehow, just somehow managed to lift up the paw with his pure strength. Children of war always get the awesome abilities.
"Onward!" Patti yelled. She ran forward and everyone else shrugged and joined in.
Small exploding noises caught my attention. Kilik was throwing mini grenades at its paws. Tsubaki and Black*Star had teamed up attacking the fox's front and the Thompson sisters at the back legs.
This was my chance.
"Maka, get its attention!"
I aimed again straight for its head. Maka shouted out and threw some rocks at it. Perfect, all he needed to do was look down and open that set of fangs.
"3...2...1." The arrow swam toward its target and made its way into the fox's mouth.
"You did it!"
I huffed a few breaths only to come to confusion when the beast was still standing without distraught. "Uhm, I don't think that did anything..." I cursed under my breath. I should've used a sunbeam, damn, what was I thinking?
A black puff of smoke by my side startled me until I realized it was Kid. He looked unscathed for a guy who just got bucked into a tree.
"Sorry. My effort was pointless." I huffed.
"It's the teumessian fox, we couldn't expect to beat it so easily."
"Then what do we do? It'll kill us all." I argued. I looked over to the group of Greeks and Romans who were desperately dodging as the fox came and went.
My gaze shifted to the gloomy demigod beside me. He was blankly staring the fox down as if thinking of a plan. Hopefully a good one. "This fox cannot be caught, but what about trapped?" He questioned himself.
I smirked at him. "There's a loophole in every rule ain't there. What's your plan."
"You and the others keep distracting it. I'll do the rest."
With that we broke ways and I joined the others in our desperate attempt to fight. I wasn't sure what death boy had in mind but I sure hoped it would work.
We were all approached by the shouting of an intimidating daughter of Zeus. "Listen! If we all pick at its feet it can't run anymore. So everyone, attack those paws!"
"If you say so." I took three arrows and bulls-eyed my target as it came back around.
Maka made use Black*Star who was crouching down by using his back as a stepping stool in order to strike higher up. She slashed her sword as she was falling back toward the ground and the beast turned quickly to get revenge.
Just when I thought the chick was gonna become lunch, the ground underneath the fox split open and his left limbs dropped in. The ground closed just as quickly as it opened. But it didn't seem strong enough to hold him. We all scrambled to catch our breath. As for the fox, the poor trickster was flailing to get free.
"I don't think that's enough." I urged only to be ignored by the others. Sure we were all tired but if the fox got out again, he'd have a straight shot at a five star dinner of eight demigods.
Kid seemed to notice his plan didn't work considering he came running towards us in a panic. It happened in a split second, the fox pulled itself free and the last thing I saw before everything went dark was a raging set of knife sized fangs.
It felt terrible, the darkness prickling among me, causing hundreds of shivers all over my body. It was pitch black with sub-zero coldness, and claustrophobia started to kick in. Honestly the worst five seconds of my life.
All of us crashed onto a floor of dirt. It shifted from cold to hot in blink. I realized that death boy shadow traveled us just out of Vegas.
'Phew. What a rush."
"You got that right. That was awesome!" Black*Star and Kilik cheered.
"How was that a rush? I feel like I just died and came back to life." Liz squealed.
I finally calmed myself down with a few gulps of air. When I convinced myself that we were safe again, I looked over to congratulate death boy for the win but he looked terrible.
"Hey Kid you alright?" Black*Star beat me to the concern.
Kid nodded to answer the question but his pale body lurched forward only to be caught by the blue haired wannabe. "I'm alright. Just give me a sec...It isn't easy transporting so many at a time..."
He was paler and huffed for air. But if he said he was alright then leave it at that. We needed to leave asap.
"Let's get out of here before anything else happens."
Responses:
QuantamTheory- Thanks for the amazingly positive feedback :) I always worry about Kid's chapters because they're always the most informational and I feel like i'm drowning the mood sometimes. It's always great to have your feedback and suggestions. I hope this chapter caught you as well.
Sara lovelymusic- I believe that happened in book one (or three) But yes I totally remember that chapter. We'll see what happens to our lovely little demigods here soon ;)
WeightlessWriter- I actually thought about a scythe for a moment there to give it a Soul Eater traditional feel, but I have many surprises coming up so I had to stick with a sword for now.