A/N: Late again. Oh well. Takinom requested some sort of Jystella/Krystella and Aivenna/Nivenna fighting scene so here you go! Ch 9, you're next. I don't own anything, if I did I wouldn't be searching for cheap colleges.
Meet the Family Ch 8
The next day, the sun rose bright and early. Intress and Tassanil had the morning watch and were currently munching on some fruit. Rothar was asleep against a tree, snoring deeply. Vinta was hanging from a branch in the same tree, asleep as well, though not a deep snorer like Rothar. Intress shook her head lightly.
"Never thought that I would see a sight like that," she said, jerking her head to the sleeping duo. Tassanil just chuckled.
"Let's just hope that this peace stays this way, as peace," the Danian said, his exoskeleton shaking in laughter. "Shall we wake them up?"
"You want Rothar or Vinta?" Intress countered.
"Vinta. You're faster with the big boy." Tassanil started forward and moved to one of the Rothar-less sides of the tree, directly under Vinta. Intress moved in front of Rothar and, taking a running start, slammed her body into the minotaur and bounced back quickly. Rothar was awake within seconds and roaring, fists clenched and ready to brawl. Tassanil pulled on Vinta's tail at the same time. Vinta tumbled off of his branch and immediately went into a fighter's pose.
"What happened?" Rothar demanded, still ready to fight.
"We woke you up," Intress replied calmly. "Now, come on. Get packed and something to eat. The sun's already up."
Vinta looked to the direction of the barely risen sun and immediately began to grab his supplies and pack them away. Rothar snorted.
"Those kids are probably sleeping in. We'll be fine," he said. Tassanil looked at the Underworlder incredulously, his gear on his shoulders.
"You mean that all the times that Sarah got up in the early mornings were all lies?" he asked sarcastically. Rothar glared at the Danian before starting to pack his own gear. Intress brought out two different fruits and tossed them to the now packed warriors.
"Best to eat on the road, no clue when we'll meet up with the kids again," she briskly said. The Mipedian and Underworlder nodded as they caught the fruit. Hauling their gear on their backs, the squad went off at a little trot. The two late risers stayed in the back and munched on their breakfast while the early birds constantly checked the ground for track or sniffing the air for a scent.
Rothar finished with his breakfast and threw the core into some bushes. By pure chance, he glanced down to see a footprint. He kneeled down to see the print better. A sneaker, size 9, with a slight heel. Only one of their humans wore a shoe like that. The other three had no heels and judging the position of the print they were heading toward the river.
"Got something!" Rothar cried. Quickly the others gathered around him to study the track. After a few seconds, Vinta spoke up.
"This is Kaz's shoe. Everyone else is flat," he stated.
"Right, and judging their position the kids are heading to the river," Rothar confirmed while Intress moved around the bushes to check for more tracks.
"They would go to the river. Plenty of water to fill their water bottles and they can cook there as well," Tassanil pointed out.
"You are also forgetting that Tom knows these lands. There are a lot of boulders and caves where they could hide. All they have to do is tap dance around the place and hide across the river while we stumble around looking for them. Got some more tracks over here," Intress called. The three males came over to inspect the prints. "They definitely went to the river. Let's go."
"Oh, come on. This is no time for orders!" Rothar grouched as the group moved ahead of him towards the river.
"Shut up, Rothar!" Vinta and Tassanil cried over their shoulders. Rothar growled and rushed to stay with them. The kids' tracks went everywhere. They mostly ignored the loops and figure eight tracks and pushed onward on the straight forward tracks.
"The kids are getting smart," grunted Vinta as he observed a track loop around a tree. "They probably thought 'Hey! Let's make as many tracks as possible, and have our scent muddled in the morning!'"
Intress hummed. "No, they most likely thought about their tracks rather than their scent."
"Did they think about this, too?" Tassanil asked as he stopped in front of the thorn wall. The others bunched together to stare it. Vinta crouched down to the ground to see the tracks going up and down along the wall.
"Well, looks like the kids aren't going to the river after all," he simply said.
"Or they could have gone around," Tassanil suggested. The three Creatures began to search the length of the wall while Intress peered closer into the thorns. She plucked a thread of thick white fabric off of a branch. Twirling it between her fingers, she stood up just as Rothar came back.
"They must have gone another way. The tracks ended there and were messed up pretty bad," the Underworld minotaur said.
"Or they went under the thorns," Intress countered, showing him the white thread just as Tassanil and Vinta returned from their own scouting. They had just caught the end of Intress's statement and glared at the thorns.
"Those kids are getting too smart for their own good," Rothar grouched. A few seconds and a tree climb later, the group of Creatures were back on their way toward the river. The ground had become rocky and soon they were at the river. Immediately, the foursome split up to search for any trace of their humans. Intress was the first to spot what Tom, Kaz, Peyton, and Sarah had left behind.
"They camped here!" she shouted, her voice echoing around in the outcropping where the humans were. Quickly, the former campsite was surrounded and inspected within inches of its short life.
"And here," Rothar began, "are their scents, going straight into the river."
"Let's check the other side," Vinta excitedly said, racing across the water to find tracks. The rest followed at a slightly slower pace. Together, the four Creatures carefully searched for scent trails and more tracks. Lady Luck was smiling on them when they found one lone track of a large sneaker a little farther down the river and fifteen minutes of noses to the ground.
"Finally!" Tassanil cheered when the gang started in the right direction of the track. "Who taught those kids how to cover their tracks in the first place?"
"I think Tom and Kaz had some sort of training of this stuff. Sarah and Peyton must be following their lead," Intress suggested.
"I got dibs on killing whoever taught them that training," Rothar growled. The foursome continued on, alternating between running full out and jogging. The next set of tracks came up around noon, on the edge of a small forest with plenty of hiding spots for Chaotic players.
"So they came through here," muttered Vinta while Rothar scouted ahead. "Is there a short cut to Kiru City?"
"Not really. On either side of this forest there's a ridge," Intress said. "There are large cracks that can lead to the Oakron Trail. The only problem is that the cracks are nothing more than mazes. It would take days to get out of them."
"So would they go through the ridges?" Tassanil asked.
"No. Beyond the forest, there's a large bog," Intress explained. "It'll take the kids the rest of the day, and possibly the night, to get out of, rather than lose the game to a series of mazes."
"So they went through the bog to avoid the mazes," Vinta muttered, just as Rothar returned from his scouting.
"They look to be about a quarter in. I could barely make out their silhouettes," he said. Intress grinned.
"All right," she said excitedly, the hunt getting closer. "Let's go catch us some humans."
…
Jystella and Krystella were in a field, running for all their worth, trying to escape their pursuers. So absorbed at running away, they did not know that their pursuers were ahead of them, ready to pounce. Finally, they reached the edge of the field to collapse to the ground. Quickly, they swung around to look for Aivenna and Nivenna.
"They're gone," Jystella breathed in relief.
"Or they're hiding to ambush us. Come on!" Krystella corrected her sister. The darker twin pulled Jystella towards the nearby woods. Weaving in and out of trees, they only stopped when Jystella tripped over a large tree root.
"You okay?" Krystella asked, concerned. After all, it'll be her butt on the flagpole when her parents found out what they were doing.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jystella replied, rubbing her foot. Mid-rub, however, she paused. Krystella watched carefully.
"What is it?" she growled, ready to move on.
"It's quiet," her sister replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Too quiet."
Krystella made herself stand still and listen. Not even the local birds were chirping, who were suppose to signal that everything was all right and to move on. Kyrstella turned to her twin, who was up and nervously shifting from foot to foot.
"Let's get out of here, before something bigger that the Lieutenant Twins comes and finds us," she said. Jystella nodded and the two began to jog. It wasn't long before they came across a split in the trail.
"Get the map," Krystella curtly ordered.
"Can you add a 'please' to that?" Jystella teased as she opened the backpack. Snapping twigs and a rush of leaves were the human twins' only warning before Aivenna and Nivenna dropped down from the hammock of tree branches.
"Gotcha!" Nivenna crowed happily, leaping in the air as soon as her foot touched the ground intending to land on Jystella. Krystella quickly swung her backpack off of her back and used it to send Nivenna away from her twin. Aivenna circled around Jystella to try and surprise Krystella. This action didn't work because Jystella rammed her shoulder into the she-Creature's gut. Aivenna bounced off a tree lightly and continued to circle the pair. Nivenna joined her sister after bounding out of the bush she was tossed in.
"Finally! After so many tricks and false leads, you're finally finished! This race is over; for you, that is," Nivenna continued to gloat.
"Sister! Don't give them any ideas!" Aivenna scolded.
"Too late," muttered Jystella. The blonde dove into her own backpack to reveal a Liquilizer. Pumping it quickly, she unleashed a Flash Flood on the Overworld twin. Immediately, Krystella pulled from her own backpack another Liquilizer. Together, they began to shoot as many water attacks as they could at the Lieutenant Twins. The Overworlder and Underworlder dodged every attack, circling the entire time. Quickly, the noose was tightened around the two humans, and Aivenna and Nivenna were able to disarm the girls.
"Impressive," Aivenna complimented as she tossed Jystella's Liquilizer far enough behind her so that the human would have no way of reaching it. Jystella cursed.
"So? Are you going to tie us up or are you just going to stand there?" Krystella sneered. Jystella gave her sister an astonished stare.
"Why did you ask that? Of course they're going to tie us up!" the blonde exclaimed. Krystella shrugged.
"Well, there's the other option," the brunette said.
"And what's the other option?" Nivenna asked with a grin, enjoying the argument.
"Fight!" was the Underworlder's answer as Krystella's fist made contact with the grey-skinned humanoid's cheek. Jystella kicked at Aivenna's knee, causing the Overworlder to collapse. Nivenna retaliated with a round house kick to Krystella's shoulder. Krystella sharply inhaled as her shoulder popped out of its socket, trying not to cry. Aivenna grabbed both of Jystella's legs, making the human fall on her belly. Jystella jabbed Aivenna's unprotected stomach hard twice, causing the Overworld twin to let go and allowing escape to Jystella.
Krystella was having more trouble with than Jystella was with Aivenna. Nivenna was throwing punches right and left, and there was no sign of her letting up. Krystella was barely dodging the swinging fists with her dislocated shoulder. Suddenly, Jystella was there, ramming into Nivenna with enough force that Nivenna was slightly dazed from hitting a tree.
"Come on!" Jystella tugged her sister's good arm forward and the two began to run again. They forgot, however, that Aivenna and Nivenna still had two attacks left each. Aivenna was up, crouching low, and attacked.
"Vine Snare!" she cried, slapping her hand to the ground. Vines immediately sprang up from the hard dirt and entwined themselves around Jystella's legs. Jystella landed face first on earth as the vines continued up her legs and snatch her wrists. Krystella desperately tried to untangle her sister from the trap, but it was impossible with only one arm.
"Sleep Sting!" came Nivenna's voice, followed by a sharp pinch as a needle hit home in Krystella's arm. Krystella desperately tried to stay awake but it was too late. She fell on her bad arm into a slumber.
Aivenna and Nivenna looked at each other and sighed in relief. Aivenna was the first to move; hauling Jystella to her feet and dusting the human off. Nivenna went over to Krystella and propped the sleeping girl against a tree. Quickly, the Underworlder popped the brunette's shoulder back into place.
"Well," Aivenna smirked, "game over."
Nivenna huffed. "Good!" She heaved Krystella over her shoulder in a fireman's carry, grunting lightly. "Now come on! Let's get to Kiru before night comes in."
Aivenna nodded and hoisted Jystella over her shoulder. Jystella grunted as her stomach made contact with silver shoulder armor.
"Come on! Don't we get a compliment for evading you so long?" the human girl grumbled.
"Uh, no!" Aivenna sarcastically replied, beginning to run to Kiru City with Nivenna.
….
Night had set in swiftly, but not before most of the hunters reached Kiru City. The remaining humans, however small the number, either began their night's sleep or trekking across Perim's lands to try and reach Kiru City.
The white full moon was high when Kaz, Tom, Sarah, and Peyton finally made it out of the bog with only minor scrapes and scratches. Kaz was panting as his feet scrambled from soggy mud to hard packed earth. The team of humans were covered in mud and tired, but they had to keep moving. Intress, Rothar, Tassanil, and Vinta had almost caught them back in the bog, but a swamp gas monster emerged between Tassanil's Flood Force attack and the ragtag team of humans before they lost the Creatures.
Tom nudged Kaz, who had gained control of his breathing. Kaz nodded and the foursome continued on their way.
"Hey, do you guys think that Vinta and the others got out of the bog as well?" Peyton wondered out loud.
"Intress probably led them to one of the bog's edges," Tom assured the Mipedian player.
"Yeah, they'll be fine," Sarah added. At "fine," however, a loud roar echoed from the direction of the bog.
"And if anything, Rothar is cursing our names as we speak," joked Kaz as the roar faded into the night. The others laughed lightly as they continued on their way to Kiru City. They walked most of the time because it was dark and their scanner lights couldn't give enough light to show the path. Clouds coming in about three made seeing even harder, which slowed them up even more and lose the path more than once.
At dawn, the kids stopped for a short break and eat. It wasn't until at the end of their "breakfast" that they looked over their maps again. Tom traced their intended path to Kiru City and smiled in relief.
"We'll probably reach Kiru City by midday," the olive skinned teen cheerfully announced.
"Thank goodness," breathed Sarah. "Can't wait to get back and Odu-Bathax a piece of my mind! Who thought this stupid thing up anyways?"
Kaz began to snicker. "Sarah, I don't think that no sane Creature would tell any of us whose idea it was."
"Yeah," Peyton agreed, laughing as well. They continued on their way to Kiru City.
Around midmorning, Kaz stopped from the light jog the kids paced themselves at. Tom stopped as well and frowned in concern. "What's up?"
"Can't you hear that?" Kaz whispered. Sarah and Peyton stopped as well and listened. There was only the wind brushing through the grasses from the upcoming storm, but under the whistling winds were the light snapping of twigs being stepped on.
The four humans looked at each other and immediately broke out into a run, just as Rothar barreled through the bushes almost on top of them. Vinta jumped out from the trees in time for Peyton to be directly under the branch he was crouching in while Intress launched herself at Tom from behind a young tree. Tassanil darted towards Sarah, intent on capturing her.
Fortunately, the children were able to escape by sheer dumb luck and some clever defensive arts moves by Sarah. Intress smacked into Vinta when Tom ducked and Peyton leaped out of Vinta's line of fire. Rothar rammed into Tassanil when he was sent over head over thorax by Sarah.
Quickly, they ran as fast they could from the entangled Creatures. They didn't stop until the trees gave away to prairie. They slowed down but didn't stop; they did not want to be caught again. Finally, as the dark clouds began to unleash the rain, Kaz and the others saw the massive castle overlooking Kiru City.
"We're almost there, man!" Peyton cheered as they continued their trek.
"Let's hope that nothing stops us in the meantime," Kaz muttered darkly.
A/N: Enjoyed it? Reviews are better than favorites, remember!