Zeref followed closely behind Mavis marveling at how swiftly she moved through the forest in her bare feet. Natsu kept in time right behind his brother. Lyon followed him, next Levy, and last was Gajeel. They rushed fearing Grays state of mind, they rushed because the blue sky had giving way to shades of purple glittered with stars, and they rushed because somehow as mismatched as they all were they had become something stronger than friends and 2 members of their patchwork family were missing. The sense of urgency they shared had only been amplified when Gajeel had noticed a handful of white pills scattered on the forest floor. Lyon recognized some of them being the kind Gray took, they had to be Gray's that would be the only explanation. It unnerved Lyon to think Gray was carrying his meds around instead of taking them and also guilt from not noticing his foster brother silently acting out in such a way. At least it was a clue though however erie it may be. They had found no sure signs of Leo and only hoped that when they found Gray they would find the other as well.
In front Mavis had slowed and came to a stop. She motioned for everyone to gather close.
"There are 2 footpaths branching off at this point. The paths meet at the cabin so if they took one way it would eventually lead to the cabin and loop back to here. We will need to split up here that way we won't miss them if they did follow the loop back this way. Levy will have to lead on the less overgrown path and I'll lead on the other." Mavis's usually light expression was clouded with seriousness. "We foolishly left without flashlights and the sun is within minutes of being completely gone. Levy stay on the path, go slow and steady you will get lost in the dark if you don't. Stay together within eyesight no one runs ahead. Zeref and Natsu will go with me Gajeel and Lyon follow Levy. We will meet at the cabin and go back to camp together. Are we all ok with that?"
Silent nods was all there was after Mavis's strategy was laid out of them. The carefree spirit of the barefoot girl seem to be tightening with each passing moment. The forest usually held a sense of peace for her but the forest was too quiet. It's natural energy seemed sharp instead of relaxed and it showed through on Mavis. Mavis being on edge was a somber sign of the current situation. After quite goodbyes and safe wishes each group headed on their own path losing sight of the other much quicker than they wanted to.
"Just a small town girl living in a lonely world she took the midnight train goin ANYWHERE! Just a city boy born and raised in south detroit, HE TOOK THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN GOIN ANYWHEEEEERE!"
"If you don't stop singing fucking Journey songs I swear I will cut your damn tongue out!" Jose's chest was heaving in and out with anger. The stupid ginger kid had been half singing half screaming the songs for the last half hour. Even walking as far away from the cabin as he dared he could still hear the idiotic teen. He couldn't wait til Ivan got back from looking for Laxus, Jose was already sick of babysitting these kids.
Leo looked toward his captor from his spot on the floor then back to Gray, "I thought everyone loved Journey." Leo shrugged as if the threat of death had been no big deal. Gray had figured out quickly that Leo used apathy to cope but he was beginning to worry that Leo's could care less attitude was going to get them killed and Gray found he no longer wanted to die. Gray elbowed Leo as best he could with his hand constricted behind his back.
"Owe," Leo looked over at Gray and rolled his eyes at the cautionary face the other teen gave him. "Whatever I'll just sit here and be mind numbingly bored."
"Good," their captor gave both boys a venomous before he walked back out of the cabin.
"Are you trying to get us killed Leo?" Gray looked at his friend.
"No I thought we decided to live after our mushy bromance moment in the forest earlier today."
"You realize you are not funny, not even sarcastic funny right?" Gray couldn't help but smile despite the situation. The dark haired boy started to wiggle in his spot. "This floor is making my butt hurt." He continued to maneuver around trying to find the least uncomfortable spot.
"Yeah mine went numb a long time ago." Leo groaned as he rolled his head trying to stretch his neck.
Gray tried to lean back but with his hands tied together trying to lean back twisted his wrists uncomfortably. As he straightened up and pulled his arms back to the original position he felt his fingers pass over a hard coldness. Curious he let his fingers search blindly behind him until he would the object. It was cold flat with jagged edges. His sense of touch gave him hope as his mind whirled with new lines of thought.
"Leo, look behind me at my hands. I think I found something great! I can't see myself, is it what I think it is?"
Leo leaned back taking a quick glance before sitting back up. "Congrats Gray you found a broken piece of glass, I'm sure you will do great things with it." The sarcastic teen went back to trying to roll his shoulders.
Gray stared at Leo with his jaw clenched. Feeling the heat from Gray's glare Leo looked back at his friend, "What!"
Gray only glared in response.
"You seriously want me to get excited because you found some broken glass? You are going to end up cutting yourself on the jagged edge because its sharp…..sharp enough to cut you….." Gray watched as Leo connected the dots. " Or Maybe sharp enough to cut zip ties because broken glass is usually jagged and sharp. Holy shit Gray!"
"I'm going to scoot behind you and will have to try to do this together blindly. Keep watch on the door Leo and i'll try to cut you loose."
Leo felt Gray's hand feel out and find his. The adrenaline was now rush through both boys at the hope of getting free and the fear of getting caught. It was much harder to actual cut the zip tie than his head had imagined. Leo felt the shape bite of the glass as Gray fumbled trying to use the glass to cut. The glass dug into Leo's palm again as Gray tried to angle the glass to cut in an upward motion.
"Shit Gray, do you maybe want to try not slicing me up as well?"
Frustrated Gray leaned forward and cursed under his breath as he did the glass caught on something unexpectedly. Not thinking Gray yanked angrily and the resistance that had stopped him snapped like a band and he flew forward onto his face.
Leo had felt the snag also and was almost pulled over with Gray but before the dark haired teen could pull them both over Leo felt all the pull let go of his arms and the constriction on his wrist fall away. Unbelieving he sat gap mouth for a few seconds before he sprang Into action.
"Dammit, Leo I'm stuck I can't push myself back up…...Leo did you hear me?" Gray tried to twist his head to see the other boy.
Leo winced as he saw Gray's hands. He felt bad for complaining about the few cuts he had ended up with. Both of Gray's palms were covered in cuts from gripping the sharp glass.
"Hey Leo what's going on?"
"Hold still for a moment than you'll be able to get up."
"What?" Gray questioned as he felt a hand take the glass from him. "Wait it worked, your free." Gray was grinning from ear to ear as he felt a rhythmic sawing of the glass chewing through the zip tie.
Within minutes the tie snapped and Gray started to push himself off the floor but regretted it immediately. He sucked in a pained breath as he put pressure on his palms. Leo reached down putting his arms around Gray helping to pull him up taking the pressure off his damaged hands.
Once both boys were on their feet the wasted no time peaking out a window to discover Jose's location. Fearing they wouldn't be able to spot him in the dark they were relieved to see the light from his phone give his location away. Seeing this Leo motioned for Gray to follow him to the back of the cabin where a busted window seemed the best option for escape.
Crouching under the window both boys mustered up and strength or courage the had left. "We will have to be as quiet at we can but once we hit that tree line we run as fast as we can." Gray nodded in agreement.
Taking one last breath the boys locked eyes a silent understanding passing between them that it was time. Standing up Gray first then Leo pulled themselves up, over, and out of the window.
Turning their backs to the cabin the boys silently moved toward the tree line behind the cabin.
They crept away with no intentions of turning back until they heard an unfamiliar voice scream a very familiar name.
"GAJEEL!" rang from the front of the cabin. Both boys stopped and looked at each other before turning and running full speed I the direction of the scream.
Levy had been the 1st to break through the tree line on the front side if the cabin with Lyon right behind her. They had no reason to assume there would be danger and in the dark no one had seen the stranger standing waiting.
As Levy stepped into the open her eyes widened in shock as this stranger came into view. Lyon came to a sudden stop almost running into Levy as he fought sight of the new person.
"And who the fuck are you kids?" The man questioned as he pulled something from his waistband.
Levy couldn't answer but gasped in shock as she saw him pull the gun and point it at her. Lyon started to move himself in front of Levy but the body tearing from the trees surprised him. The idiot surely wouldn't be so stupid Lyon thought.
The stranger was just as surprised as Levy and Lyon had been when another body rushed from the trees. His reaction time slowed by the shock if the surprise and before he could re aim his gun properly he was hit with enough force to take him to the ground and send the gun flying.
Gajeel smashed into the man at full speed. He felt the air rush out of his lungs as he crashed into the man taking them both down. They rolled across the ground the other man rolling a few feet further than Gajeel. As Gajeel sucked air back into his lungs he tried to get his bearing straight and pull himself to his feet. He saw the other man doing the same. Not wanting to lose his advantage Gajeel rushed the man again this time pulling his right arm back and swinging it around meeting the other man's stomach with his fist.
Jose stumbled back holding his stomach, pissed at himself for letting this brat get the upper hand. He snarled at the watch his new enemy pull both fist up ready to strike again. The kids shift side to side ready to react to Jose should he choose to attack. Jose used his crouch as an advantage to reach into his boot without the brat seeing.
As he straightened up into a standing position he smirked. "Not too bad, not too bad but it's not going to be good enough kid."
Gajeel eyed the man suspiciously, "This kid just plowed you down old man."
Jose gritted his teeth, "The name is Jose not old man. I can not stand you overly confident shitty brats. I'm not going to play little games with you. Come at me like a man or keep talking shit because you're scared."
"Sure as shit ain't scared of you." Jose smile as Gajeel took the bait and closed the gap ready to fight with his fist. He waited for Gajeel to swing with his right arm leaving his rib cage exposed. Jose saw his moment and swung under Gajeel's right are with his left arm.
Levy saw light from the moon reflect off something in Jose's hand as he swung under Gajeel. Everything happened so fast and she couldn't warn him in time. She felt Lyon rush past her while she watched in shock.
Gajeel's fist faltered as a sharp pain rushed through his right side. He looked down in time to see Jose's hand pull back and retract a 6 inch serrated blade from under his rib cage. Jose snickered at the confused expression on the younger man's face before he stepped forward once again plunging the knife into Gajeel this time deep into his stomach.
He held the knife there smiling at Gajeel, "Told ya you were over confidant. I could finish ya now but I think it'll be funner if I just let ya bleed out instead." Jose yanked the knife out of the teen and watched as he stumbled back falling to the ground.
The terror that was filling Levy finally let go as she watch Gajeel fall. Her feet started moving as she ran toward the fallen teen. She couldn't stop herself from screaming out loud, "GAJEEL!"