Author's note Here we go this chapter seven and I have to say that thank you so much for over the ten favs and follows. I want to thank all of the people who have shown support for this story.
Now to give shout-outs and thank yous for SD321, SharpDragonKlaw, KeybladeWriter of the Dawn, Guest, ZeroFullBuster, and GraceKim20 who left reviews to this story. I genuinely appreciate the support for this story.
I don't have too much to say about this chapter so without any further delays let's get on into Chapter Seven.
Just as a warning there is going to be some violence and blood.
Disclaimer I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic belongs to Sega.
After the scorching heat of the day, the cold nighttime air was always a mixed blessing to the residents of the small campground. It was refreshing after the sweltering desert heat they endured during the day, but it would be too cold for them. The residents found warmth in their homes by huddling up under thick blankets and turning on their heaters keeping snug against the harsh elements.
Well, most of the citizens were asleep. Except for a few figures that were up and about determined to put their plan which had been discussed earlier that same day into action. Dune walked down the long hallway his feet shuffling across the sandy floor, making his way to his parent's tent. He pushed the tent flap open hearing; it rustles hoping it wouldn't wake both of his parents up. He stepped into the dark room, the pair of lumps lying in their own sleeping bags. He crept forward on tiptoes making his way to a small wooden chest near the foot of his parent's bed.
"There it is."
Dune pushed the lid open hearing, it creaking in protest. A low moan in the room suggested his father shifted positions in his sleep. Another groan signaled to Dune his stepmother moved closer to his father. He saw the prize awaiting him in the box.
There, nestled against the ebony velvet was his father's prized red short sword. It made Dune sick to his stomach that he would never own such an excellent weapon. He grasped the handle of the sword pulling it out of the velvet closing the lid of the chest with care.
"Sorry, old man," Dune whispered, shooting his father a look of contempt. "I'll prove to you that Zerinn is a poor choice of leader."
He silently left the tent tightly gripping the handle of the sword having put the first stage of his plan into action. The weight of his Father's sword in his hands reminded him it was his birthright to become the leader of the Jackal Squad, a goal that would lead him to become the strongest mercenary in all of Mobius.
"It's time."
Aster left the house carrying Kaito bridal style. A peaceful expression graced the sleeping jackal's face. An ear twitched Kaito letting out a low moan in his sleep shifting suddenly nearly losing his grip on Kaito. The flap to Zerinn's tent already had been pushed back. Dune hurried over to the fennec fox the hilt of his sword gripped between his fingers.
"Heh, he was out cold," Aster giggled shooting the child he was carrying a disdainful look. "Your weak brother didn't do a thing to stop me."
"Never mind that where are Chad and Mara?"
"In there," Aster said gleefully. "They said there was one more thing that they had to take care off."
Dune slipped into the house. He made out the dark form of Zerinn lying fast asleep on his side. Even in his slumber, Zerinn appeared to be in pain. Chad pulled back on Zerinn's matted white hair, jerking his head up slipping a hand, his head, placing his thumb underneath Zerinn's head giving off the impression that he was sucking his thumb.
Mara giggled, pulling back Gadget's blanket balancing a small glass of water in the palm of her hand. She tipped it so slightly letting the bottle of water dribble out of the glass on the sleeping bag giving off the impression Gadget wet himself in his sleep.
"Oh come on playing pranks? We need to go." Dune furiously hissed, grabbing the much bigger maned wolf by the arm attempting to drag him away from Zerinn.
Chad, of course, took offense to the movement. He growled low pushing Dune back, causing the smaller jackal to stumble against the bed. Dune let out a low snarl his mouth parting to say something when he noticed Zerinn beginning to stir. Meanwhile, Aster had taken several steps when Kaito finally stirred began to open his eyes realizing that there was no blanket covering him with the arctic wind hitting his fur.
It felt like someone was carrying him. A foul hot, heavy breath hit the back of his neck. A pair of gold eyes blearily snapped open as Kaito whipped his head around, his gaze meeting Aster's the plump fennec fox was running through the streets burdened down by the weight of Kaito in his arms.
"No, let me go! Zerinn! Gadget help!"
Kaito struggled fiercely forcing Aster to let him go. Immediately Kaito inhaled sucking a deep breath into his lungs, letting out a loud howl. It was loud and annoying. It was a cry for help, and Aster cursed almost dropping the fiercely squirming jackal pup.
"Damn it! Will, you shut up!" Aster shrieked covering his ears with his hands. '
In the heat of the moment, Aster forgot he was carrying Kaito dropping him to the ground, hearing the small thud, as Kaito scrambled to his feet breaking into a frantic run ignoring Aster's furious shouts sprinting across the sandy grounds with the enraged older fennec fox pussuring him.
Saber walking alongside Ace and Flint, having come off guard duty paused in his stride with a pair of taller other jackals pups were walking along the streets late at night with several crudely made street lamps illuminating the vast city carrying several bundles of food wrapped in their arms. It was going to be a late night picnic when the call of a panicked jackal pierced the air.
"Wait is that Kaito?" Saber was alert breaking into a run with the pair of black jackals running alongside him.
"Yeah, that was Kaito," Ace growled. "It's too bad that Quartz and Nephthys are already on guard duty. We really could've used the backup."
There was an unspoken law where if any one of its residents were on guard duty it was strictly against the law for them to leave their posts. Doing so would result in severe consequences. Ace heard his older twin sister Flint chuckle in excitement. He was the younger twin. It was clear to the other members of the future jackal Squad that he was the more dominant one of the twins.
"Yeah, we can handle a bunch of crooks on our own," Flint snorted. "Besides Kaito needs help."
Saber said nothing else leading Fenrir and Hela towards the source of Kaito's desperate howls.
The sound of the loud cry cuts through the air as Zerinn jerked awake; his mismatched eyes blinked blearily. Gadget jolted awake rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He reached for his glasses coming face to face with Mara grinning nastily at him. He reached out with his right wrist forgetting that it was in a splint he hissed in pain feeling it touch the bed.
"Awwww look at the poor little machine lover wetting the bed."
Gadget looked down as Zerinn shot out of bed, charging straight for Dun who smirked sidestepping out of the way of his brother's assault running out of the house the red short sword strapped to his back.
"Wait a minute, that's Dad's sword," Zerinn breathed out. "Dad is going to kill you."
"Not if I use this sword to kill Kaito first." Dune grinned. In the next instant, Dune ran out through the entranceway vanishing into the night, leaving Chad and Mara to deal with Zerinn and Gadget.
Zerinn let out a low growl of rage pinning his ears back against his skull. Gadget ducked Mara's attempt to grab him for Chad was tripped up by Gadget sending him crashing into Mara. The two of them were entangled in each other, struggling to get up. Gadget heard the two of them cursing at each other as they struggled to rise off the ground.
"Leave them; they're not worth it."
Zerinn broke into a run with Gadget not far behind him. The two of them ran across the cold cobblestones. Gadget looked over to gauge Zerinn's reaction. The jackal's ears were pinned back against his head. his lips set in a grimace one that promised pain and mutilation for Dune the second he caught up to him. The jackal's breath came out in short gasps, his pupils were slightly diluted with pain, but he still pushed himself forward.
"Zerinn how do you know which way that Kaito went?"
A couple of loud howls answered Gadget's question. Zerinn skidded to a stop, his large ears twitching before he turned to his left breaking into a run down an alleyway.
"We're getting close. That fat ball of lard of a coyote didn't get far with Kaito."
Kaito felt Aster's backhand causing him to hit the ground. His eyes were fixed on Aster stomping towards him a grin on his face which promised nothing but pain for daring to howl. Kaito tried to get his hands underneath him to push himself off the ground feeling a heavy foot drive him back down.
"Well, well look at this." Dune's harsh voice echoed out as the jackal walked towards Kaito the short crimson sword held in his hands. Kaito let out a terrified yelp of fear at the madness in Dune's eyes.
"Say goodbye Kaito." Dune slowly walked over to Kaito where a chorus of howls filled the air. The next thing that Kaito saw were three black and white shapes tackling Aster.
"Get your mangy foot of Kaito!"
Kaito paused, seeing the glare appearing on Aster's face lashing out towards Fenrir. The jackal grinned, holding a small dagger in his hands as Hela landed on the other side of Aster. Kaito smiled in relief at his rescuers.
"Behind you."
Aster turned around only to feel a kick connect with his back, knocking him face first to the ground. Kaito felt the foot being lifted up off his back. He could at least breathe, hearing a scream of frustration coming from Dune.
"Saber! Fenrir and Hela!"
Saber turned around to face Kaito holding out a hand helping him up as Fenrir and Hela worked together keeping Aster busy. Dune began to circle them swinging the stolen sword left and right keeping Fenrir and Hela away from him. All four jackals slowly backed away their ears down. Kaito shifted his weight from one foot to the other feeling the tip of the sword resting on the center of his spine.
"One step from any of you and I'll do it."
The threat was clear. Kaito began to tremble. The younger jackal didn't have to turn his head. He knew there was a mad gleam in Dune's eyes. His brain was still trying to process why Dune his flesh and blood wanted actually to hurt him. The steel tip slowly being moved and a black and white blur tore across the desert ground along with a red blur which made a beeline straight for Aster tackling him across his midsection.
"Gadget and Zerinn!"
Saber saw Dune glower unwrapping his arm, letting Kaito go turning to face Zerinn. The silence fell between the two brothers. Kaito ran back to Zerinn feeling his older half-brother hug him gently.
"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
Kaito whimpered turning around to show Zerinn the tiny cut on his back, which the blood welling ever so slightly on the surface of fur and skin.
"How dare you!" Zerinn hissed. He lunged out, grabbing Dune's wrist as he gripped it tightly, hearing his brother's yells for him to unhand him. No, he wasn't going to let go this time. All of his life ever since they were little kids even younger than Gadget and Kaito were now. Dune always had pushed Zerinn away, mocked him, put him down and called him weak.
Zerinn decided in that moment enough was enough. Dune had always made him feel weak. He hated that feeling of being weak, and it was his biggest desire to wipe the grin from his brother's face.
"Oh come on is the future leader too scared to fight me?" Dune mocked Zerinn. "You're such a weak leader."
"That's it Dune! Now you're dead!"
Gadget stared in horror as before anyone could stop Zerinn running over to Dune in one lightning quick movement swung the sword down in a full arc slicing down the right side of Zerinn's face through fur and skin. The gush of blood shot up into the air, followed by a piercing scream as Zerinn crashed down to the ground rolling onto his back laying there panting for breath, the gush of blood staining the right side of his muzzle red.
Kaito screamed in pure horror running over to where his brother lay ripping off his glove placing it on the new facial wound. Zerinn moaned reaching up with a hand to press down on the wound his glove becoming saturated with blood.
"Let's get out of here!" Aster broke into a run nearly jostling Dune who stood staring down at the short crimson sword the blood dripping off the edge of the sword before he turned on his heel following Aster into the night.
"Cowards! I'll kill you!"
Hela prepared to break into a run before a gasp came from Gadget who was kneeling down at Zerinn's side, ripping off his gloves, pressing it down against the wound to stop the bleeding.
"Zerinn? Are you alright?" Gadget asked mentally cursing himself. "Zerinn hang in there. Where does it hurt?"
"Gadget, my face
He lay flat on his back in pain. To Zerinn it felt like half of his face had been sliced wide open. Kaito ran over to Zerinn gently picking up his hand. Gadget kept the pressure on Zerinn's wound dimly aware of Hela taking off her left glove placing it onto the newly formed scar. The glove immediately saturated with blood.
"You idiot. You should've told us that you thought Dune would pull a stunt like this," Flint snarled. "Don't even say that you thought it was a weakness if something was wrong with you."
"I just didn't want Kaito or Gadget to worry," Zerinn mumbled his eyes were beginning to close. "I wanted to make Dune pay for what he did."
Saber frowned reaching over to press a hand lightly against Zerinn's stomach hearing a sharp gasp of pain. Saber put his hand on Zerinn's forehead, seeing the sweat dotting his brow; his lungs were pulling hard.
"Zerinn has a fever, and I'll need all of you to stay with him," Saber said matter-of-factly. "My parents are doctors they'll know what to do."
With that Saber broke into a run heading to the eastern the sound of his footsteps echoed off the dusty ground. Kaito let out a low whimper feeling Zerinn squeezed his hand in reassurance. Gadget kept the pressure on Zerinn's new injury. He felt the sting of tears at the corners of his eyes. It felt like a long agonizing wait for help to arrive. A silence fell over the area and eventually the silence broke by the sounds of running feet after several minutes after what felt like hours Saber returned with a maned wolf and a jackal that between them were holding a stretcher.
"Okay, we'll have to take him to the medical tent right away," The maned wolf spoke with a look of anxiety on her face. "Oh, Chaos, that's Cassius' kid, isn't it?"
Zerinn was lifted onto the makeshift stretcher. Gadget and Flint removed their blood-soaked gloves, which Gadget shuddered casting his bloodstained glove to the ground.
"I'll be okay Kaito I promise," Zerinn said weakly. "Stay with Gadget in the meantime, okay?"
Kaito nodded. Zerinn let out a low moan of pain before he was carried away by the anxious medics heading in the direction of the medical tent. Kaito, Gadget Saber, Ace, and Flint stared after the sight in sorrow, seeing their future leader being carried away unable to do a thing to help him.
"Oh no, this was all my fault. If I hadn't gotten caught, then Zerinn would be fine." Kaito whimpered beginning to cry.
"He'll be fine, he's strong," Gadget said, feeling a few tears slip down his face. "He's not weak."
Gadget felt sick. The wolf knew that Zerinn wanted to make sure his younger half-brother would be safe. Saber, Fenrir, and Hela came closer to him as they were all worried for Zerinn and the best thing that they could do for now was to comfort Kaito.
Kaito continued to cry in silence, feeling the warmth of Gadget's fur pressed against him. It was all his fault. He was so sorry that something like this had happened to Zerinn. Kaito quietly closed his eyes just wishing that this was all a bad dream, and he wanted it to be over so badly.
Author's note. I am going to admit it that this chapter was a bit darker than the others. Oh boy, I didn't want to do that to Zerinn, but I headcanon that he got his scar at a young age and this felt like the right point to do it. It's implied in the Rise of Infinite Comic that injury's been there for a long time.
Well, Fenrir and Hela the last two members of the Jackal Squad make their debut here at last. We're going to see more of them in the future. They are in training as scouts, and they're already very good at scouting out any threats. Saber is in preparation to be the medic of the Jackal Squad.
I tried to make Zerinn's appendicitis as factual as much as possible. In rare cases, blunt force trauma to the abdomen can cause appendicitis. I also added in some of the common symptoms of it such as vomiting, the abdominal pain and the loss of appetite.
Dune is a very ambitious jackal. He craved the leadership position and was furious when his father passed over him choosing Zerinn instead. The reason that he wasn't picked to be the leader was that he is too reckless and doesn't care at all about the safety of his teammates.
In broken friendship, Chad was the one to give Zerinn his scar. Here I picked Dune because when he scarred Zerinn, that was him letting out his resentment towards his younger brother. Dune knew that if Kaito were in danger, it would bring Zerinn running. He was hoping to kill two birds with one stone.
I don't have too much to say about this chapter since that all I can say is that things are going to get rougher for Gadget, Kaito, and Zerinn in the next update.
As per usual Suggestions/ Thoughts and reviews are appreciated. I will talk to you guys soon with the next chapter.