Chapter Three

A/N: Hey, guys. I'm just apologizing in advance for any errors in these chapters as I write them, especially the last two. It was painful when I noticed how many mistakes I made! I have a nasty habit of leaving out words when I'm typing late at night, so bear with me. Late is about the only time I can actually write for my fics. So, sorry again, and thanks for the reviews already! Enjoy the next chappie!

I started breathing quickly, in and out, in an attempt to make my body calm down. I stayed leaned against the tree, panic clutching my insides and my head. Perfect timing for Erasers to reappear, right when there's no way in hell I could defend myself. Of course.

My eyes slowly began to focus. I quickly took inventory. About twenty Erasers were walking up out of the darkness of the trees. Luckily, none of resembled little Ari. It felt like most of my body was back into order. My blood was boiling; I was itching to get my hands back on those ugly excuses for mutts. My muscles were tensing, ready for anything. But I kept myself leaned against the tree, acting like I didn't have the energy to move.

The Eraser that spoke before was the closest to me. He walked up slowly, as if to savor the moment that they finally caught one of us. Fat chance. I waited a bit longer, timing his approach with the others, trying to measure my options here . . .

"Well, little birdie," the leader laughed. "I don't think you'll be going far now. Does your stomach hurt? Aw, that's a shame. I'll help it hurt a bit more . . ."

He reached his arm out to touch my face. I grabbed him by the wrist with my left hand and brought down my right arm as hard as I could on his. I heard and felt the snap of his bone. Whoops, I didn't really mean to do that. Oh, well, it didn't hurt. I grabbed him as he went to drop to the ground and chucked his body into about five other Erasers who were starting to advance quicker.

With that, I whirled around and sprinted off through the trees, trying to find a clear spot. I raced and nearly tripped on a root that was prodding from the ground. I stumbled and kept going, cursing the entire time over my amazing grace. I heard the branches snapping behind me as the Erasers pounded after me. I tried running in a zig zag, random pattern, in the hopes of shaking some of them.

After what seemed like an eternity, the trees thinned out and a clearing stretched out in front of me. I put on some extra speed and leaped into the air as soon as I was far enough away from the trees. I felt a weight tug at my foot. I felt my shoe slip off and the Erasers slammed into the ground below me as I went upwards. Great, now I was missing a shoe. Just perfect!

I continued gaining altitude as the remaining Erasers, 18 I was pretty sure, launched themselves upwards with their own wings. Each one of them got off the ground easily and flew after me as if they knew what they were doing. Uh oh. I put on the speed and flew upwards toward the cave. I had to get Fang and the others . . .

I glanced behind me and saw . . . all of the Erasers right behind me. What the hell? Now they were able to keep up with my super speed, even with their size! Wow, I guess Itex was able to figure out the kinks during those three years. Which made no sense because everything they had was destroyed, right? Well, I guess that was something to worry about later.

I flew upwards near the cave. Knowing better than to land there or fly straight to it, I whistled as loud as I could as I zipped past with all of the Erasers right behind me. I turned around and started to fly straight at the Erasers. I was about to crash head-on with the ones in front, when I dropped down beneath them at the last second. I waited until I was sure all of them were on my tail again, then went straight down toward the ground.

I sped up again, watching as the rocks began to come toward me faster and faster. Please, please, please, don't let this be a stupid idea, I thought to myself. I was about to hit the ground when I went back up, flying parallel with the ground only inches below me. I breathed a sigh of relief. I glanced behind me and watched as about ten of the Erasers crashed into the ground, unable to turn as quickly as I did. That left about eight to take care of. I looked back in front of again in time to see a large pine tree spring in front of me as if out of nowhere. I swerved to avoid it, my wingtips brushing against the bark of it.

I started weaving through the trees, trying to put on my super speed, but being more cautious to keep from slamming into the many trees that were whizzing by me. About two more Erasers went down, both face-planting into a huge stump of a tree I had went by. I shot straight up into the air, back out of the trees again. I hovered above them, waiting for the other Erasers to shoot up after me . . . Nothing happened.

"Well," I said out loud, searching the trees below me for any movement. Absolutely nothing. "What the hell?"

I was still searching the forest when I heard Fang shout in front of me. I snapped my head in time to see his boot coming straight at me. I ducked out of the way, hearing it cut the air as it went by, barely missing my ear.

"Fang!" I screamed. "What the hell do you–!?"

I stopped when I saw his boot making contact with an Eraser's jaw. Apparently, it was right behind me. Wow, I didn't even hear it . . . We watched its limp body drop down into the trees, crashing branches down along with it.

"What happened!?" Fang demanded. "What was that?"

"An Eraser, obviously," I answered, trying not to roll my eyes, but I did anyway.

Fang's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What!? I thought they were all gone!"

"I guess n–"

His boot went by my head again and another Eraser dropped down below us.

"Will you stop that!?" I shouted. "I keep thinking you're going to hit me!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to save your life!" Fang snapped back. "Where are they coming from!?"

"I don't know. There should only be about six left . . ."

"Where are they, then, Max?"

"I obviously would've had it taken care of by now if I knew, Fang."

"Get down!"

Another one dropped down. Fang grabbed my arm and tugged me upwards. We flew up away from the forest, going toward the cave again. I felt another weight on my foot, but it didn't slip like the last one. The Eraser pulled me down with a hard yank. My hand broke away from Fang's as I fell down. The Eraser went to grab for me, but Fang slammed both of his feet down on its back in between its wings. I tried to straighten back out as it dropped past me.

Fang came down and pulled me up to face him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded, still a little shaken. After all of the times I've been caught before, I never had that close of a call from dropping out of the sky. Fang nodded, too, his eyes showing every which emotion, most of it being angry. He pushed me upwards slightly.

"Fly above me," he ordered. "Get to the cave. We'll wake the others up and then we're out of here."

For once, I didn't argue. I flew above him, getting closer to the cave. Then, out of thin air, an Eraser appeared in front of me, its teeth flashing in an evil grin. I stopped suddenly as it went to grab my throat. Fang shoved me aside and took the Eraser head-on. They became entwined as Fang went to punch its snort repeatedly and it was trying to throw him to the side. In horror, I watched as they struggling ball of fur and wings started to plummet down toward the earth.

"Fang!" was all I managed before a heavy body landed on top of me and I dropped, too.