Well this is a cute little chapter, let's face it we all like cute. And an interesting fight scene in here too, how wonderful. And yes, you read right. This is now an M story that will eventually have a lemon but not for a while. I feel like when they come to early readers become desensitized to the characters relationship. Alright, read and review, see you next Friday.
I feel something shift against one of my sides but not the other. I try to ignore it but the lack of pressure is irritating. Nearly growling I open my eyes prepared to throw whatever the girls left in my tent across the room.
I freeze when I see its her.
Maka is curled up into an uncomfortable looking ball on my left side. Her hands are clamped together and pulled close to her chest while her legs are pulled up into a crouch. Her eyes twitch in a strange way that seems to be a signal of her dreaming. I can't help but wonder as to when she fell asleep. And that is when it occurs to me.
I don't know because I was asleep.
I had been so long since I slept I had forgotten the feeling of it. My muscles seem newly rejuvenated and my head is clearer than it has been in years. I would even dare say I am happier than usual and that the world seems more balanced now.
But, as to what made me sleep I am baffled. I only planned on lying there all night and calculate the rest of the trip in my head but my brain seems to have decided I needed a break. But why?
The girl shifts and I feel a pressure in my lap. She has rolled and is now resting her head there as she stretches out her long, smooth body.
I absentmindedly stroke her hair. Realizing this I pull my hand away quickly.
Could it have been her? Her warmth? I suppress the urge to stroke her cheek and shake my head instead.
The sleep must have slowed my mind. Or at least that's what I'm trying to tell myself. Something else seems to pull at me, whispering that, that isn't it at all. Something seems to stir inside me. Nothing big or life changing, just something small. Not something anyone who wasn't me would notice. Not something anyone who never changes could see. But Death never changes, its always stays the same.
The deep thinking seems to be undoing the damage of my first good night's sleep in a while. I feel the beginnings of a headache tickling the back of my mind. I rub my temples but as I try to focus I find my eyes drawn to the girl below me. The sun kisses her cheek in an appealing way. I can nearly feel her soft skin and I want to.
Noise outside the tent draws my attention. I notice that it is well past dawn and that the girls must have already gotten up to make breakfast. I start to stand but a small sound makes me freeze.
The girl has draped her arms around my waist and is holding on tightly. She burrows her head further in my lap and yawns. I can't help notice my body growing warm. My heart rate quickens and my breathing comes more rapidly. For some reason waking up doesn't seem so appealing anymore, neither does being on time.
A rock being kicked pulls me out of my stupor and back to reality. I carefully unwrap the girl's arms and place them around a nearby blanket. She wraps around it and sighs with a smile on her face. Its almost… endearing.
But, nevertheless, time moves on. I gently lift her from my lap, ignoring the heat that seems to pool wherever she is touching me, and collecting elsewhere, and set her down on the mat. I start to unzip the tent door but I find myself looking back at her sleeping form. Once again I am struck by the urge to just lay back down for a little bit and wait for her to wake up.
I shake my head and turn back to the exit. Yes, it must be the grogginess.
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A horrible growl wakes me with a start. It sounds like a big cat that just killed it prey. Sitting up I look around the tent. In the moment it takes me to realize why I am here the growl is followed by a gun shot. More sounds fill the clearing, some howls some barks but every sound seems to be accompanied by a bullet.
Jumping from my sleeping mat I run to the door and pull at the zipper so hard it breaks off in my hand. I climb through the small opening hoping to find out what the hell is going on.
A mangy creature is towering in front of me with patchy brown fur and black skin. Its turned so I can't see its face but before I can look I am greeted by a spray of blood and brain matter. The beast falls back just inches from my feet. I look up to see Liz holding a pistol that's still pointed at me.
"Maka? What the hell are you doing? Get back in the tent!" She looks panicked and takes a step toward me. Suddenly an animal running on all fours charges from the greenery and leaps for the girl's back. I try to call out a warning but its moving too fast.
Just as its about to slam into her a skull broadsides it and knocks it away and slams it into the grass. Its fur is matted and missing in some places as it bleeds from others. A slow black ooze is pouring from the wounds and its mouth, past rotted yet still razor sharp teeth. The shape almost reminds me of a wolf if not for the horns sprouting from its head.
….ka…aka…MAKA!" I jump as the prince shakes my shoulders. He is covered in blood and the black ooze as well as something that looks suspiciously like fur. "What the hell are you doing? Get back inside the tent!"
He pushes me toward the tent and I stumble. My legs won't work and I can't stop shaking. He tries to say something else before the tent burst into flames. It shocks me out of my apathy and I push the prince back, falling with him on the hard ground.
A beast jumps from the flames landing where we had just been standing. Its claws are chunky and heavy. Each with a talon the size of my finger. Its legs are short but scaly and decorated with horrid spikes that seem to ooze more black. It walks on all fours but its heavy body demands it. The torso is a dark green and is stained with dried blood and mud. A heavy tail swings behind it with studs on it that makes it look like a medieval club. Worst of all, hanging from a short thick neck is a scaly head decorated with a dripping maw filled with teeth. It hangs down off to the side like it is broken but closes as the beast licks its lips. Its eyes are a dull black and seems to shine in bloodlust and hate.
As it dives towards us I jump away hoping Kid does the same. Instead he jumps up as the beast pounces and slams his foot down on its head. The animal's skull crunches with a sickly sweet pop. I flinch as he steps away from it. When the animal doesn't move I am relieved. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes just in time to miss the tail flicking. When I open them again I see a horrid sight.
The creatures face is now sunken in to a point where even its eyes have been crushed in their sockets. Its jaw is split in three places at the top and hangs in a downward frown. It opens its mouth above the unprepared prince and I see panic flash in his eyes. I try to stand but I'm too frozen by shock to do anything.
Suddenly lightening shoots out from the trees as a white blur comes thundering through. The electricity just misses the creature but is enough to draws its attention. The blur slams into its side, knocking it into a tree.
Kid's horse is standing next to him eyes watching the reptile intently for any sign of movement. The animal starts to stand only to have the horse dash its hoofs into its wounded head and sending electric shocks through the now exposed brain for good measure.
I try to say something but a scream interrupts me. Both Kid and I look over to where Liz stood a moment earlier. Another one of those creatures leans over her. Its bulk and has the shape of a bear with long spikes of bone shooting out from different parts of its body. Again I panic knowing we won't make it in time.
Another shot rings out and the bear falls over on its side. The bones digging into its flesh with a sickening crunch. Patti comes skipping out of the trees giggling. She is more covered in blood than everyone else combined.
"Sissy, you should be more careful. If you get hurt you can't play anymore." She giggles in a way that makes me take a step away from her. Her eyes are wide and her pupils are dilated as she grabs her stomach in laughter.
"Liz, Patti protect Ma-" The prince is interrupted by a long howl. We all wait expectantly for something to happen. More of the beasts slowly start to crawl out of the forest, some already wounded but others looking fresh for the fight. We are all pressed to the center of the clearing as the animals stalk around looking for an opening.
"Hey Lizzi… I'm outta bullets." The younger girl tosses her gun aside as she smiles gleefully at the animals. An unnerving smile on her face.
"Yeah, me too." The older sister seems to chuck a bit herself before she closes her eyes.
"You know what that means don'tcha?" Liz slowly nods before her eyes shoot open. They are a solid black with a crack shooting out from the pupil.
"Yeah, it's been awhile. I'm due for some target practice." She smile evilly and Patti giggles. The girl stills for a moment before throwing her arms out to the side. Her skin rips off into shreds and her body shrinks down to all fours. A coating of earth that seems to hold her body in place cracks open and a red wolf charges from the stone. Its fur is the color of blood and spikes shoot from its spine to its tail, ending in a wicked ball. Teeth overlap the jaw and only grow longer as her jaw drops down further.
The wolf stands on its hind legs as its arms elongate and its claws extend to the length of swords. Liz speaks but her voice is dark and gravelly. "Let's have some fun, sis!"
The wolf swipes at the nearest thing and sends it flying towards Kid and me. I duck to the ground and try to pull the prince with me. He remains standing and in turn holds me up as the beast flies towards us.
At the last second a large blue worm shoots through grass before coming up in front of us. It opens its mouth before catching the threat and crunching down hard with deathly fangs dripping in green liquid. Diving away it grabs another before it fully forms and tosses it into a tree.
The worm's body slowly takes shape into that of a deep sapphire blue cobra. It stands about ten feet tall and has a webbed cowl around its neck that is stretched out like a fan around its hissing face. Antennas float softly in the breeze twitching quickly. Small clear nubs make up the scales and as a beast lunges for its tail it falls over flat as if paralyzed. The cobra sweeps its tail around stinging anything in its reach that could not get out of the way fast enough.
A bark from the back reminds me that we are only protected on two sides. I spin around to find a pack of dogs closing in on me. They snap at each other in hunger as if fighting over who gets the first bite. I look around desperately for something to defend myself but only find a long tree branch. Kid has jumped off to the side and I can only see his back. I know there is no way he can see, or for the matter save me.
The dogs crawl in to close and I swing as the nearest one, hitting it in the face. It whines as it is knocked back but shakes it off. However, it does advance more slowly than the rest. No way in hell I'm not putting up a fight.
The dog at the head jumps up aiming for my throat and I swing again, smacking it in the shoulder. As if on cue the rest close in. some jumping and some just running straight at me. I spin in a circle and hold the branch tightly to my side. I feel it connect and don't stop spinning until nothing else hits it.
A few dead dogs lay at my feet but a majority of them have jump backed up forming a circle around me. None of the other are in sight but can still hear the fight going on. I know I'm screwed.
A dog jumps at me and I am too slow to turn and bash it away. Its teeth miss but its claws rake through my arm. The burning is unbearable and I nearly drop the branch. I manage to block another attack but a smarter one waits until I have lost my balance and rips a chunk from my calf. I fall to my knee as they begin to circle.
"What didn't anyone tell to you not to play with your food?" I chuckle darkly as a bigger dog jumps in. It lunges for my throat and I only manage to slow it down before it sinks its claws in to my neck. Falling backwards I kick the animal off a hear ribs crack before it lets go.
The rakes themselves are shallow but the wound burns like fire. I feel all energy leave me as I lay on the ground. I can hear the other animals getting closer but I can't manage to open my eyes.
A whine sounds and I force myself to look. The prince is standing over me. Two sharp needles are shooting from his middle fingers and he swinging at anything that moves. The blood splatters across my face but I can't even really feel it as I pull myself up. The pain is somehow lost in the adrenalin and I swing at another one of the mutts.
I only get one though, the rest are either all dead or had run off. I am panting and the prince stands next to me bathed in blood and gore. He looks around with his eyes glowing a deep shade of yellow before they land on me. It looks like concern flash through them and he says something as they dull. I try to listen but my adrenaline filled high notices a different sound. The dog, whose ribs I cracked is dragging itself up behind the oblivious prince. I try to speak but my voice won't work. It only makes more blood pour from the wound. Kid only seems more distracted as he rushes to me.
The dog crouches low.
I try to move him but he won't go.
Its muscles tense.
Oh god, just move!
The energy is released.
Now!
The dog leaps.
My mind moves in slow motion. With the last of my strength I push kid out of the way, he is off balance and unprepared. He falls sideways just as the dog's claws would have raked his back. Its eyes flash and its target changes. The jaws fly toward my face as the prince flies out of reach. I can feel every heartbeat, every breath, my body screaming for a way out.
I move just in time and its jaws sink into my shoulder with a bone shattering crunch. The wound burns and sends powerful shocks of pain through my body making me oblivious to anything else. My eyes widen and I cough violently, blood landing in the fur of the beast on top of me. The beast rears back with an intent to kill and I find I can't move at all. I'm spent. The monster dives down, ready to rip out my throat.
But I don't feel the hit come. I open my eyes and Kid is holding it by the neck, staring at my shoulder. Many emotions flash through his eyes including fear, but eventually they land on anger. He screams and his eyes glow blue as he stands over me. A ball of deep purple explodes outwards knocking new attackers out of the air. He points in different directions and black skulls shoot towards his targets. The animals fall dead the moment they are touched and decompose in seconds into rotting chunks of meat.
My vision blurs. The girls stop moving and return to normal, staring wide-eyed at Kid. I try to focus on them more but the pain is more than I can bear. I have never felt anything so awful in my entire life. The prince is talking again but this time I can hear him. He has knelt down and leans over me. The adrenaline has worn off.
"..you?...Bite? God DAMN IT! Did it fucking bite you or not?!" I shake my head yes and weakly coughing up more blood. The stuff sticks to his previously white shirt making a splotch of black in the collage of red…black that isn't right.
The boy's eyes flash with regret as he looks at me. One of his hands now holds a needle. He looks at me again before looking away in pain. It slowly registers in my mind.
I want to scream to tell him that none of the wounds are fatal that my body can stand up to this he just doesn't know the weak points of humans. But, I can't even move. I just stare at him with broken eyes as he looks away in pain. He must be thinking he's putting me out of my misery, that he's helping. But he's not… he's going to kill me.
Without looking he positions the needle above my head and places the point against my forehead. The sharp tip cuts the skin but I don't even feel it, ust the blood falling into my eye. I'm sure it makes me look like I'm crying.
I look around for help and spot the girls. A spark of hope ignites only to be dashed when my eyes flick towards them. They are leaning on each other but look away, choosing instead to stare at the carnage around them.
No, no, no! It can't end this way! I already died! This isn't fair! I want to scream but I can just sit there in silence as I look into the eyes of a dead beast next to me. I can't help but wonder if it ever feared death the way I do now. How ironic that I fear death as he stands over me himself with my blood on his sword. I stare up at him in hatred, the bastard won't even look the person who he is about to kill in the eyes.
If I could speak I would have curse him. But I can't even make a sound, even as he pulls up and slams the point down into my skull.
What did you expect this to be long? Come on I'm not made of masterpieces. Xp Alright let me know what you thought. As a side note I never pull the "It was all a dream" its too generic so don't even ask.