Hey guys. I appreciate the reviews that a few of you have given. I'm currently going through a little writing block, so it may take a little while for chapter 5 to come out. This chapter is really long, just a little warning. Thanks for the support, to you cool people who reviewed! And thanks to my sister Andrea, for being my editor. :D Enjoy!!

P.S. I don't own MR, or any of the characters, besides Morta, no matter how many times I send a letter to Santa… ;)

P.P.S. It's Fang's POV, and this was hard, so please be nice!!

Chapter 4

Fang's POV

The dark, leafy canopy above our heads was a good shelter from the rain that was falling from the New York skies. I glanced around our makeshift campsite, making sure everyone was still asleep, even with the slight pattering of raindrops against the trees. Max was still awake, but trying to sleep. She would've fooled anyone, but not me. Her face was too tight, her jaw not quite relaxed.

I turned back to the dark forest, and scanned the area, remembering the previous events that occurred today. Remembering how Morta had viciously attacked Max, and how it seemed she wasn't in control of herself, and how Iggy had tackled her, which seemed to snap it out of her before she fainted, falling forward. I glanced over my shoulder, to see her lying on the forest floor, chest slowly rising and falling, and I could almost hear the same ragged breathing that I had heard earlier.

I leapt off the branch I was perched on as silently as I could to walk over and examine her. I had only gotten a few glances, and because it was still dark out when I carried her into the forest, I didn't really get a good look. When I knelt down, I noticed she had a few strands of hair, which had fallen in front of her face. I gently brushed them away, so gently that she wouldn't feel it even if she was awake, and noticed that her hair was soft and clean. We hardly got a bath once every few months, and I highly doubted that she was lucky enough to get one. But, maybe she had just washed recently?

I shook my head, scolding myself for being so stupid. We were designed to notice everything around us, and it usually kept us safe. But more times it would just get annoying.

She stirred slightly, and I froze right away. Luckily, she just sighed and went back to sleeping, very still like. I stayed a few more seconds, staring at her, and it dawned upon me, that she was pretty. The only other girl I had thought was pretty was Max, but she wouldn't have me. There was also that girl from that school in Virginia, but I didn't actually think she was attractive. In fact, I didn't remember why we kissed, or why I let her.

That was when my over-observation abilities were a good thing. She was a little too still, and her breathing was too quick, not the breathing of someone who was sleeping. I stood, and silently crept away, towards the tree where I kept my look-out. I hoped she hadn't heard me, and prayed that she was asleep again. Lord knows what she would think if she found out I was watching her as she slept.

I unfurled my wings fully, and almost silently leapt up onto the wide branch to continue my watch. After 6 minutes of this, when I was sure she was asleep again, I went back to staring into the darkness of the forest. Then, a presence next to me almost made me fall off my perch, but she caught me. Luckily, I don't scream when I'm surprised, so no one else woke up.

She up righted me, and I hated myself for enjoying her hand on my back. I had to keep thinking Max! Max! This actually helped a lot. I could picture her, flying in the twilight, wind blowing her blonde hair behind her, her face in a wonderful smile that could light up the darkest spaces, directed at me, and only me. My imaginary illusion burst when I saw that Morta was smiling at me, and was almost as pretty, if not as pretty, as Max's.

"Hi." She whispered, seeming genuinely happy.

"Hi?" I didn't understand her joy, when she was on a murderous rampage earlier. "Why are you so…happy?" I questioned her.

"Well…" She slightly bit her lip. I took note of that. "I was told at the Lab that it wouldn't be long until I died during a Fury, so I guess I'm just happy to be alive!"

"A…fury?"

"Oh, right, I should apologize, shouldn't I? It's when my body is taken over by uncontrollable anger, as if I was a tiger or hawk that was in a cage, and released to do whatever on my captors. It was supposed to be controllable by me, but as you know, the Lab is prone to accidents. Their accident turned out to be their downfall." She looked down, as if she felt guilty.

"Why do you trust us now?" I was wondering.

She laughed, and it was like chiming bells. "Because, I know I would be back at the Lab by now. I know it takes me a while to wake up from my rampage, and I recognized that we had barely moved from where we fought. Also, I know that I could easily take you out without even waking up the others." She finished smugly.

She was right about one thing. She had been sleeping for 2 days now. But she was wrong about others. "Take me out, huh? As in kill me, or would you be nice and just knock me out?" I teased.

She laughed again. "Well, because you're nice, I'd let you live. Or," she thought for a moment, "I'd convince you to come with me. I'm very convincing."

For a second I actually thought she was serious. Then, to my relief, she laughed again. There was a moment of silence, and deciding that I wanted to continue our conversation, I asked, "Morta. That's a different name. Why did you name yourself that?"

She looked over at me, her gaze piercing, and her short, dark brown hair brushed behind her ears, except for the part that hung in front of one of her eyes, and spoke, seriously, "When I was at the Lab, the scientists were always saying how Amazing I was, and how I was the perfect specimen, and there was one scientist who would always say that I was mortal. For that, I was grateful." I looked at her quizzically, and she continued, explaining, "I never wanted to be different from the rest of the population. I always wanted to be human. This one scientist taught me my similarities, while the others focused only on my difference. On my advantages they put it. So while I may be part bird and part feline, I'm mostly human, and I thank him for pointing that out. In order to remind myself everyday that humans and I aren't so different, I call myself Morta. Like mortal. When I'm cut, I bleed. When I'm hurt, I can cry. When a freaking knife goes through my heart, I die. My name will always remind me of that."

When she finished, she was looking down, at the leafy floor, and I was looking at her face. I now believed her when she said she was very convincing. There was something in her voice, that made you feel what she was feeling, and that could be called a weapon of sorts. I tried to think of ways to change the subject, but could only come up with, "You're part feline?"

She perked her head up, a slight smile on her face at the idea of going back to our previous, not so emotional, conversation. "Yeah. I'm the first tri-hybrid to survive without any damaging side-effects. Besides the Fury, of course. My feline side is my instincts, enhanced senses, and retractable claws and teeth."

"Wait," I started, confused. "Your teeth are retractable?"

She giggled. "Yeah." And with that, she opened her mouth, showing her teeth in the dim moonlight. I leaned forward, and saw that her teeth were actually elongating and sharpening. I was also surprised that her breath didn't smell like a bloodthirsty cat, but like something sweet. I thought, and figured it mostly smelled like fresh bread and peppermint, which was actually a good combo.

She closed her mouth, and giggled. "Don't you ever cut your lips with them?" I asked, cautiously.

"No! I grew up with them. That's like saying, haven't you ever knocked your wings while walking out a door or something."

I smiled, which is something I do rarely. "Well, our wings can be tucked in."

"Yeah," She continued, "And my teeth can be returned to normal size. I don't cut my lip; I can eat normally, talk normally, and kiss normally."

I was taken aback by that one, but continued on, without seeming to be surprised at all. I was able to tuck away all emotions into my head, because I learned long ago that emotions weren't necessary in life. Maybe that was my ability. I hoped not.

She looked over at me, probably expecting a reaction on my face, but she wouldn't get one. "Wow. I never thought about it that way." I admitted.

"Not many people have."

Silence stretched out between us, and I broke the silence again. I was surprising myself by how much I wanted to keep talking to this girl. Talking to anyone was a stretch for me. "Have you told anyone else about your…special abilities?"

"Yeah, I have." She was completely serious. "Have you?"

I shook my head, my longish hair whipping around my face. "Naw. Max has, though. We don't blame her. She was injured, and needed help. People do know about us, though. We learned that when I had to go to the hospital." I could tell she was going to ask more, so I cut her off. "Long story. I'll tell you about it later."

"Oh.' She seemed a little disappointed, but perked up after a minute. "I told one guy, and after I did, he told me that he was special, too. Funny, huh?" She laughed.

"What was his name?" I asked, hoping we could meet him someday. Any good mutants were friends in Max's book, after we got to know them, of course.

She sighed. "Jared. He's dead. The Lab got him back. He…" she shuddered a sigh. "He was the guy who taught me that I can kiss without cutting my lip."

I understood right away. Her face was so pitiful and crest-fallen that it struck even my heartstrings. "Ya know, Max found her father at the school after 2 years." I didn't mention he was there on his own accord, and that we still hate him to this day, but it was worth it to see her face lift, even the slightest bit.

"Maybe...maybe I'll go to the Lab, see if he's there. I won't make it out, of course, but it would be nice to see if he's alive."

I was about to make an offer to help her out, flock included, (I don't know why I was being such a nice guy to this girl, but I was,) when she held up her finger to silence me. "Someone…" she closed her eyes for a moment, and snapped them back open again. "Her name is Max right?" I nodded, confused. "Yeah, well she's waking up in about, oh, 4 minutes 32 seconds because of a bad dream. I'm going to bed. Oh," She turned and looked at me again. "Don't expect me to be in a good mood all the time. It's only when I just wake up from the Fury, and there's not a crowd. I'll still be nice to you, but don't expect me to be too trusting of your friends right away."

I was gaping now, completely bewildered about the whole Max waking up in 4 minutes thing. She giggled, and with that, leaned over and quickly pecked me on the cheek, whispering, "Good night, Fang. I'll explain everything to you tomorrow." And with that, she leapt off the branch, completely silent.

I was frozen, recounting in my head everything that had just happened. I was snapped out of it by Max, who was mumbling and moaning as she slept, tossing and turning. I would make sure that Morta wasn't right. Instead of letting Max wake up on her own, I went over and affectionately kicked her, right in the ribs. Her eyes snapped open immediately, and I told her it was her watch.

She blinked sleepily at me, and as always, it struck me deep. Every time she looked at me, the same thing happened. I just ignored it and walked away. I was too frustrated to care what her dumb dream was. She didn't care about me. Well, it was my turn to return the favor. I curled up in my sleeping spot, next to Nudge, who curled into me, glad to have someone to warm her up on a cold night. I rubbed her arm, which was frigid, and she mumbled "Mmmm…good night, Fang." I glanced up to see Morta staring at me, a smirk on her pretty face. Then, exhaustion clouded my brain and I drifted off to sleep.