Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
A/N: T-Birds-AM, it's okay if you thought the kissing scene between Robin and Raven was weird. I was just trying something new. X Acheron X, you're becoming a faithful reviewer, thank you. Someone……no really, nice to have you! It feels great to see that another person likes my story!
Starfire awoke and cringed, sensing a rush of pain in her foot. She screeched, "Friends! Please be of assistance!"
Beast Boy and Cyborg scuttled into Starfire's room, out of breath. They gaped at her foot.
"Star, you –" the mechanical teenager paused.
"– have the same bite as me!" Beast Boy completed, indicating his worn bandage.
Starfire howled, "Yes, and it is most painful." The blood dribbled onto her bed sheet. "Please fetch the 'First-Aid device'."
"I'm on it," called Beast Boy as he soared through the hallway.
Focusing on Cyborg, Starfire questioned, "Friend Cyborg, is this wound of any danger?"
He shrugged, winding a towel around the girl's foot. "I'm not sure, but let's hope not."
"I am concerned about Raven and Robin. Please, let us locate them," pleaded Starfire.
"We can't. As much as I want to myself, we just can't. I'm sorry –"
"But we MUST!" she babbled.
Beast Boy's green head hung on the side of the door, eyes crossed. "Hey, what's with all the yelling?"
Turning away, Cyborg mumbled, "Nothing. Just give me the First-Aid." He massaged his temple and held out his robot hand.
"No, I shall mend my own foot, thank you!" Starfire snapped. Zooming toward Beast Boy, she captured the box and fumbled through the items within.
"Dude, what's eating her?" whispered Beast Boy, concealing his laughter as Starfire dumped the entire bottle of alcohol on her wound.
Glaring at his green friend, Cyborg wordlessly exited the room, fuming. "Just leave me alone."
Offended, Beast Boy retorted, "Hey! What did I do?" With his question unanswered, he barked, "Fine! Be that way!" He marched out the door.
I can't believe this! Oh my God! How can I be so stupid? Raven chastised herself.
Removing her head from Robin's shoulder and unwinding his arm from her waist, Raven scrambled through their spot, hunting for her book. I have to find it! Ruth is the only other friend I've ever made besides the Teen Titans! Other than Robin, she's the only other person who really understands me! A tear squiggled down Raven's cheek. What do I do now? Groaning, she collapsed onto her knees. This is hopeless. A squeak erupted from behind.
"Raven, what's wrong?" asked Robin, squeezing her shoulder.
"I lost my book," Raven informed, drying a tear. "I remember putting it somewhere in my leotard, but after the transformation, all I'm left with is my cloak." She fiddled with her remaining garment, disgusted.
"I'm sorry, Raven," sympathized Robin. "Don't worry. I'm sure it will come up sooner or later. C'mon, let's get going." Clutching Raven's hand, Robin directed her away from under their fungal shelter. "At least the storm's over."
A grunt escaped Raven's throat.
Clenching his stomach, Robin groaned.
"Robin?" Worry became evident in her voice and she forgot about her book. "Is something wrong?"
Heaving Robin admitted, "I'm hungry. When was the last time we ate?" He hinted at some humor in his tone.
Relaxing, the cloaked mouse noted, "I'm kind of hungry myself, but what can we eat?"
"Whatever mice eat, I guess." Robin shrugged, referring to Raven for approval.
"But that would most likely be cheese, and where are we going to find that in the wilderness?" Splaying out her arms, Raven's frustration controlled her.
Robin whined, "I don't know, but we have to find something!" Twirling his tail, Robin prowled their surroundings for a decent meal like a rabid wolf. Picking a shred of grass, he shoved it in his mouth despite the bitter flavor exploding on his tongue. "Not bad," he winced, yanking a handful of the green plant. "Want some?" He held out the bland food to Raven.
Shrinking back, she declined. "There must be something else."
"Afraid not…unless you want to eat some bugs." Robin aimed at a patch of worms and ants crawling at his feet.
Horrified, Raven shrieked and snatched the grass from Robin's paw, thrusting it down her throat without proper knowledge of her action. Her cheeks bloated.
Robin chortled and fell backward, his face reddening. "Want some more, Raven?" he teased.
Swallowing the tasteless lump, Raven scraped the remains of the greenery from her tongue, glowering at Robin's fit. "Be quiet, Boy Wonder. Why don't you eat a bug, and let me know what it tastes like." She waved a paw at him.
Robin insisted, "No, you do it." A shiny beetle waggled in Raven's view.
Slapped away, the creature flung into Robin's open mouth, a leg dangling from the teenager's bottom lip.
With bulging eyes and growing desperation, Robin attempted to spit out the vermin, but Raven's paw obstructed his chance.
"Swallow it and I'll let go," she instructed, retaining a firm clasp on Robin's lips.
Forming a "V" with his brows, Robin tried to peel away Raven's arm with no avail. Sagging, he shut his eyes, forcing the remains of the crunchy insect down to his stomach. He threatened to gag at any moment.
Raven observed an obscure lump travel down Robin's throat before releasing her hand.
"Raven," panted Robin, "you're going to pay for that." His lip curled up, teasing her.
Scoffing playfully, she remarked, "Sure. Well, I'll go see if I can find any edible berries to eat." Departing, Raven shuffled to the bushes stationed to their left. They towered above her like skyscrapers, but their height failed to intimidate her. Raven combed through the plants for any possible food, but their absence of berries only gained her disapproval.
She moved on, detecting a bush speckled with red dots. Advancing toward it, Raven extracted a plump berry from it. She squeezed its juices onto her palm, sniffing it. It smells normal, she reported. I wonder what it tastes like, but I can't take the risk. I need to see if other animals are able to eat it. As if on cue, a swallow fluttered onto the topmost branch of the shrub. Extending its neck, it bent down and guzzled a dozen berries. They crunched in the animal's beak, stabbing the woody silence. The swallow chirped happily, oblivious to Raven's company, and sprang away with newly found vitality. That's good enough for me. Using her cloak as a sort of carrying bag, Raven viciously attacked the bush, stripping it of its decadent fruit. She gathered twenty-five berries until they weighed her down like bricks and started to stagger back to Robin.
Crack.
Startled, Raven jumped at the sound.
Rustle rustle.
She felt like hollering for Robin, but her voice froze.
Crackle crackle crackle. It sounded like two crumpled sheets of parchment paper rubbing against one another.
Eyes shivering in their sockets, Raven lost her grip on the berries, witnessing them roll away and bounce over twigs. The sounds ceased for a moment until they returned, quicker this time.
Rustle-rustle-rustle-rustle.
Panicking, Raven pulled her hood over her head when she saw something staring at her from the bush on her right.
Peeking out of the fir were two red slits. The slits became even smaller, focusing more on Raven as if trying to hypnotize her. Raven perceived something flickering below the eyes. Then the eyes disappeared, revealing two rows of glossy objects. Terror shot Raven's chest.
"RAVEN!" called Robin. "What's taking you so long?"
Facing her hero, Raven inhaled profoundly, clutching her heart.
"What's wrong?"
"I-I just saw something from behind the bush."
Investigating the shrubs, Robin informed her that nothing resided there.
"Are you sure?" Confused, Raven looked herself. The grass was bare aside from a few twigs. "I don't understand." She slunk to the ground, the bush at her back, eyeing a long, white object in the distance. "Wait a minute, what's that?
Glancing at where Raven pointed, Robin analyzed a length of pearly skin sprawled on a patch of dirt. It contained patches of clear material that arranged like a pattern. Running his finger along the specimen, it felt thin and fragile. "A creature must have shed its skin…recently," he notified.
Cyborg ripped a branch from an adjacent tree, holding it like a baseball bat. "Where is it?" he demanded Beast Boy, who shivered by his side.
This terrifying encounter convinced the three titans to set aside their squabble earlier that day.
"Over there," Beast Boy answered shakily, referring to a rugged boulder amid a sea of sand.
Starfire glided toward them. "Friends, what is occurring?"
"Beast Boy saw a 'monster'," Cyborg told her, rolling his eyes.
"It wasn't a monster!" the green teenager barked. "It was a lizard without legs! It was the weirdest thing." He shuddered.
Starfire proposed, "Shall I assist?"
Beaming, Cyborg ordered, "Yeah. Grab a branch." Directing Beast Boy, he started, "B.B., I need you to change into an animal to lure that bad boy out. Then, Star and I will attack."
"WHAT!" Beast Boy screamed. "NO WAY!"
"You aren't scared, are you?" Cyborg smirked.
"NO!"
"Then prove it, or I'll take away the batteries from your GameMaster." The half-robot held out his buddy's hand-held gaming device.
"You wouldn't…"
Cyborg threatened, "Yes, I would, and I will if you don't get your butt over there and lure the 'monster' out!"
Contemplating, Beast Boy provided, "Fine. I'll do it, but on one condition: when we get home, you have to let me beat you at video games…for a month."
Cyborg's face stoned over. "A month!" After considering the situation, he relinquished, feeling like punching himself.
"You rock, Cy," celebrated Beast Boy. He danced around while Cyborg glared at him. Then, Beast Boy transformed into a mouse and scurried to the rock. Squeaking emphatically, Beast Boy wiggled his tail, mocking the creature behind the rock. Planting his fingers into his ears, he blew a raspberry. Chuckling, Beast Boy developed immunity for the head that lunged toward him.
"B.B., LOOK OUT!" Cyborg bellowed.
Spying the head, Beast Boy morphed back into himself and charged toward his friends, squealing like a toddler.
The creature swerved toward the teenagers, baring its teeth threateningly.
Starfire announced, gripping her branch, "Let us attack!"
At the command, Cyborg thumped his weapon on the beast, roaring war cries.
Dodging the blows, the creature progressed toward its victim and hissed after Cyborg mashed its tail. Its blue eyes illuminated in the night, and the animal swiped away the teenager's branch with inhuman strength before sinking its teeth into its victim's ankle. Then it crookedly shrank back into the darkness.
"Aw, man!" cried Cyborg, gingerly holding his foot.
Concerned, Beast Boy knelt beside his pal. "Cy, are you okay?" He and Starfire detached Cyborg's hand from the injury and peered at it, appalled.
The monster's teeth had pierced two incisions into the metal.