Of Birds and Hunters
The sequel to Severing Ties

Summary: The rollar coaster of leaving home has finally come to a halt, and Peter Parker is left scarred and in emotional turmoil. A best friend he thinks he loves doesn't help, and new problems arise as tempers flare, cruelty reaches new heights, and a certain concept is proven wrong.

Chapter 2: Howling at the Moon

"Scott, look," Logan said roughly. "I know she's a real looker, but come on! Staying in there when you've got no other responsibilities? Isn't that a bit on the obsessed side?"

Scott's face was in an ugly look for a split second. Then he exploded. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I'VE GONE THROUGH? WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH? NO! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS POKING AT ME AND MAKING ME ANNOYED WHEN IT'S OBVIOUS I'M IN NO MOOD TO WRANGLE WITH YOUR ANTICS!"

A very select few had ever seen Scott Summers yell. They didn't want a repeat performance. Logan backed off, noticing that now wasn't the greatest time.

"He's a bit touchy about all this, isn't he?" a female voice asked from behind Logan. He spun around, claws extracted, just to see Felicia.

"Don't ever," he paused and put a claw to Felicia's pale, delicate throat, "ever startle me."

"Or you'll what? Forget that I'm one of you? What is it with you people?" she asked suddenly. "Every single time I approach one of your kind, you always feel like you need to attack me!" she remarked loudly. "It's not cool! Just because I don't have some damn X-gene thing doesn't mean that I can't be trusted!"

Feeling like he was the cause of everyone's shouting, Logan backed out of the room, and out of sight.

These people! Felicia thought angrily. They all think I'm not like them 'cause I'm not a mutant. Well screw them… She furiously left for the library. She'd rather drown her sorrows with playing basketball than reading, but it was raining, and she hated the rain. She picked a random book and started perusing.

"What are we doing here, again?" Jackie asked Peter. They were in Washington D.C., looking at the monuments.

"Learning about America's history," he responded, a look of awe on his face.

"I hate history." Jackie's eyes wondered around. The only thing she was doing was trying to get her mind off of the frozen bird-woman in the X-Men's headquarters.

The two wandered around for the rest of the day. As night closed in, Peter took Jackie stargazing off the top of the tallest building in D.C. They lay there, watching stars and clouds go by.

"The moon's full," Peter remarked casually.

"Yeah…you should be able to hear Logan howl any minute, now," Jackie joked. They laughed and then silence reigned. A few minutes passed and tension grew slightly. "I had a good time, today, Pete," Jackie admitted.

"I thought you hated history?"

"I'd put up with it if it meant that I could spend time with you." She meant every word. Her heart leapt as Peter held her hand. He was so sweet.

"I can't help thinking this is slighting MJ." His voice was laced with guilt. "I want to move on, but I still love her…"

"And she still loves you, too," Jackie comforted. "I'm sure she wants you to move on. You'll see her, again. And when you do, she won't care if you dated me or if you married. She'll be glad to see you."

Peter took a deep breath. "I guess. It still hurts. If I had stayed with her, she would still be alive—"

"No, she wouldn't. The only thing you would have done if you hadn't left was prolong her life for a little while. The people who were doing this to you would have killed her sooner or later. So you made it sooner."

Seeing the sense of this, Peter shook his head as grief came over him, again. He wanted to cry, but not in front of Jackie. She noticed his emotions. He wore them right on his sleeve. She leaned over and embraced Peter.

"I'm sure you miss her terribly. I'm sorry I didn't get to become her friend," she whispered in his ear.

"Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," Jackie denied. She felt Peter hold onto her tighter. Her heart was beating quicker.

"Yes, you did. You're here for me." He pulled back to look into her eyes. "And it means the world to me."

Arms still around each other, they kissed. It was slow and lingering. Grief tainted it, but the comfort more than made up for it. They broke apart and hugged once more.

"I think I'm in love with you, Jackie," he confessed.

"I think I'm in love with you, too, Pete."

Aloysha, nicknamed Kraven the Hunter by the last witch-doctor he visited, was in New York, again. It was very different from the jungles of South America, but he realized that it was just a different kind of jungle. He, at first, had tried to catch the web-slinger's attention by getting into trouble; making muggers try to hit him up, that kind of thing. Instead of getting Spider-Man, he got two girls. Snorting, he walked away from 'trouble' unscathed. Then he knew what he could do to get his attention. He could rob a bank.

All things considering, it was actually quite easy. The bank tellers only had to look at his menacing attire, made of the skins of tigers and cheetahs, and then they handed over cases of cash. Growling in contempt, and noticing that the webhead was nowhere to be found, he walked to the bank's door, and threw the cash back. He shook his head, snarled to himself, and went to look somewhere else.

A woman woke up from what felt like a ten year sleep. She couldn't move, but she was conscious. She felt encased. Panicking, an odd power coursed through her arms and she let out a trill as she exploded out of her shell. Falling to her knees, she looked at herself for the first time in months. 'How did I get here?' Confusion abounded as memories of being drowned flooded her mind. Jean Grey couldn't understand why she was alive when she remembered dying. Knowing she wasn't supposed to be walking around, breathing, panic set back in. She desperately didn't want to be in the large building that was unfamiliar to her. It didn't help when she suddenly became engulfed in flames and was transported somewhere else.
A/N: Yay! Here's chapter 2!!!! Chapter 3 won't be as fast in coming, so be warned! ;-)

Mary Jane Watson-Parker: Wow. Did I make you so happy that you couldn't type right? I feel special!! Thanks bunches! Hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the last one! :-D

Hazelle: Hi, and thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you're lovin it! I think I do understand. You like her, but not the role she plays in the story. AHH!!! SOMEONE CAUGHT IT!!! WOO HOO I feel so awesome now! You caught the humor of that statement! Yeah! Go you! Have a virtual cookie!

Oddball91: No, she's just a bit weird. She's not chipper or crabby, she's got a strange thought pattern. Most Dangerous Game, right? Yeah my class juts reread that the week before last. He reminded me of Zaroff too, but just remember that I didn't make him! Someone else did, and then I used my artistic license to make him into the crazy hallucinating madman he is here. Thanks for reviewing!!!!!

PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I'D LOVE YOU FOREVER!!! (okay, not really, but you get a nice reply down here if u do! I promise! :-D )