Maximum Ride is property of James Patterson, not me. Kisha and Deveann are property of me. Kumali is property of Jwan.

Fine... (sigh)... here goes nothin'

"Fer goodness sakes, guys! Where in the whole of heck were you?!" Deveann spat when we'd entered the clearing.

Kisha took off her shoe and shook it threateningly. "Don't make me, cuz you know I will." She growled. Deveann folded his arms and stared at her crossly.

"Erm... anyhoo... what sidetracked you guys?" Kumali asked ushering the quarreling two out of camp.

"Snakes..." Fang mumbled.

"Snakes?!" Kumali cried with fright but Iggy laughed.

"You couldn't handle a few snakes?" He scoffed.

"They were really big." Fnag went to sit in his usual spot stroking the fire.

"Nudge? Angel? Gazzy?" I called the three scurried out of the cave and hugged me.

"Where were you? We missed you? Are you okay?" They cried.

I laughed nervously. "We just got sidetracked by some freakishly large snakes but no need to worry, we weren't bitten and Kisha killed them. I'd like you three to go into town and grab us some grub, can you handle that?" I asked. I figured a band consisting of 14, 11, and 9 year olds would be fine on such a simple mission. They nodded, saluted, and ran off towards town with big goofy smiles and laughing loudly. I had a big goofy smile of my own.

"Oh! Max!" I turned to see Kumali's mortified expression. "What happened?" She cried in horror.

"What're you..." I started.

"Your arms! They're all red!" I looked down to see imprints of where Fang had held me down. I was shocked. I hadn't hurt at all.

Maybe you were preoccupied...

I sighed inwardly.

Fang's expression was one to match Kumali's. He got up and looked at my arms.

"You okay?" He muttered going to pick up some lotion with Aloe Vera.

"Yeh... I don't understand, I didn't feel a thing..."

"You didn't feel what? Did one of the snakes attack you?!" Kumali screeched.

"No! Of course not!" I laughed nervously once more. Then Iggy let out a spiteful, almost menacingly bitter laugh.

"I get it..." He went into our cave smiling maliciously.

"Get what? I don't understand..." Kumali said, seemingly helpless.

"Nothing, there's nothing to get." I said taking to lotion from Fang and putting it on my arms.

"You don't think...?" Fang whispered nudging my leg where he'd held me. Probably thinking he may have caused some sort of damage there as well.

"No. Even so, this isn't the time to check." I mumured back.

"What are you guys hiding from me?" Kumali screamed.

I was about to say nothing when Kisha and Deveann walked in. "You stupid, idiotic, irrational MAN!" Kisha's shoes were missing and Deveann had a bruise on his arm and a bruise on his forehead. No doubt Kisha had taken them off and smacked him with them.

"Yeah? So I suppose me saving your life by being irrational doesn't amount to much does it?" He hollered back.

"You didn't save my life! You almost ended yours though!" Kisha spat. (explanation at bottom) Deveann was taken aback.

"Fine whatever..." Deveann has always been kinda sensitive. You could throw him in a waterfall and as long as he came out alive he wouldn't hold it against you but if you hurt his feelings... diong, you had better watch out. He stomped out of the clearing.

Kisha tore off Kumali's tennis shoe. "Hey!" Kumali cried.

She threw it in the direction Deveann had gone. "FINE!" She thundered.

"OUCH!" He howled.

"Agh! WHY'D YOU HIT ME?" Fang was at the receiving end of Deveann's throw.

"Cuz I'm not gonna hit Kisha!" He screamed it like it was common knowledge. He then trudged further away until I could no longer here his footsteps.

"Stupid..." Kisha said under her breath as she plopped down on a log.

"What's wrong? You guys are usually so buddy buddy." Fang snorted and began to stroke to the fire again.

"No more shoes... crap." Kisha snarled.

I sat in between Kisha and Kumali.

"But Fang's right, Kisha. You two are good friends, really good friends. Why are you fighting?"

"Oh, you know Deveann, always butting in. I just wanted him to stay out of Max's buisiness is all but he wouldn't have it. He said I was hiding something from him." She crossed her arms and turned up her nose with a huff. It almost pained me to know it was partially my fault.

A few months before this takes place Kisha and Deveann are struck through by a spear (Eraser's fault, naturally). Kisha healed within hours because she's a changelum but Deveann almost died.