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Survival Week: Day Five

Caught. He, the great Grand Master, joint ruler of the formidable Lin Kuei, was caught like a wild animal in a net, about six feet off the ground. He was walking along, minding his own business and going to the lake to fetch fresh water for himself and Tomas. Somewhere down the line he'd not watched where he was going and had stepped right into the trigger to some manufactured trap. Now here he was, swinging back and forth with the effort he was expending in trying to free himself. And to make matters worse...

"Long time no see, little brother."

"Bi-Han." the younger cryomancer scowled, "So you're the one who laid this diabolical trap?"

"Pretty intricate, isn't it?" Noob answered proudly. "Oh don't look at me like that, Kuai. I gotta' get flags someway, right?"

"I don't have any." Kuai claimed.

Noob crossed his arms and walked around the huddled figure of his brother, strung up from one sturdy branch on a thick oak.

He shook his head and stated, "You know I can always tell when you're lying."

"Why are you acting this way?" Kuai suddenly asked.

"What way?" Noob asked, though he knew what was coming.

"Like nothing's changed between us."

"Because nothing has changed."

Kuai shifted in the net and gazed at his older sibling. So different he was, and yet, if he squinted, Tundra could find remnants of the cocky sibling he always knew. There was his smirk, thin and presumptuous and full of good nature. And those eyes weren't so pitch black and soulless now that he really stared. His thin, firm nose and sturdy jaw made something stir in the pit of Kuai's stomach.

Could it be, he wondered, after all these years and all these awful trials, that my brother is not lost after all?

"...Bi? Is this. Is this really you?" He dared ask.

Noob nodded, "Somewhat. Maybe one day I'll tell you all that I've been through, but for now rest assured, little brother, in knowing that I don't completely hate your guts; maybe your entrails, but not your guts."

Oh, his humor had not changed. That was sort of comforting. But Kuai winced, because that rope was beginning to chafe his palms.

"Can I get down from here now?"

"Go ahead," Noob spoke, stepping back to watch.

"That's not what I meant," Kuai frowned, but nonetheless started to work at his restraints.

First he tried to rip the net, and when that didn't work, he froze it. Why hadn't I done this in the first place? With a solid punch, the thing shattered and he landed in a neat crouch on the ground.

"Now about those flags," Noob drawled. "Hand 'em over."

"Yeah, right." Kuai retorted, abandoning his more refined manner of speaking in the face of his brother's familiar bullying.

The cryomancer darted to the left, trying to make a break for the woods, but all it took was for Noob to throw forth his arm and send Saibot to tackle his sibling to the ground. Kuai Liang elbowed the wraith's minion in the face and pushed himself up off the ground. This time Noob himself leapt from the earth in front of his brother and grabbed Kuai by the front of his shirt.

"How's this for old times?" The wraith chuckled as he robbed his brother of all of his silk flags.

He dropped Kuai in a heap and the young leader lunged for Noob. He wasn't quicker than the portal that Noob stepped through, though, and so he was left colliding head-first into the base of a tree.

When he came to, about a half-hour later, Smoke was there.

"What happened?" the enenra asked.

Kuai hesitated, rubbing his head. "I got in a fight and uh, lost my flags."

"All of them?" Tomas asked incredulously. "All at one time?"

"My opponent was formidable." Kuai muttered.

"..."

"What?"

"It was your brother, wasn't it?"

Kuai frowned. "He's back, Smoke, and he hasn't changed at all."

"Then we'll have to avoid him." Tomas reasoned. "Just for three more days."

"You make it sound so easy."

Okay, that is the last time I ever go near that psychotic bastard, Tanya thought to herself as she stormed away from the unnatural hole in the ground. That pit had been the location of her impromptu meeting with the host. She'd sought him out because there were rumors floating around about how he had a ton of flags; she wanted to get in on that. If only she'd known beforehand what an anti-social prick he could really be.

Before she even got two words in, he was attacking her. His telekinesis was impressive, downright impeccable if she were being totally honest, but she hadn't trained under the Brotherhood of the Shadow without honing her own skills. That prowess of hers was the only reason why she was stalking off, in search of a certain sorcerer, instead of lying in a bloodied, crumpled heap: oh she had no doubt Ermac would have mangled her. For some reason, he seemed to really despise her. She chalked it up to his hatred of Rain and her being the demigod's partner in crime.

At any rate, she was getting nowhere with the host, and Noob had already turned her down, so now she was off to see the other leading competitor. And she found him not too much later.

"Is there something you want?" The sorcerer asked.

She placed her fists at her hips and said curtly, "I have five flags. They're all yours."

Now that made the black-haired immortal turn around to face her. He was sitting on a slab of a rock, staring out at the unmoving lake waters. But now his sharp dark eyes were on her.

"Go on." He spoke.

Tanya smirked. "All I ask in return is that, if and when you win, you choose me to be on your team."

Two powerful magic-wielders? She knew she would get far with him. He knew this, too, but the deal wasn't sealed just yet.

"Very well," Shang spoke, "But there is something else I want you to do for me."

"You mean besides fork over my flags?" She frowned.

"Indeed."

The woman made a face; this better be worth it.

The week was drawing to a close on this fifth evening, everyone could feel it. For some this brought about a renewed desperation to win, but not particularly for the shaman or his wife. He had all three of his flags, but that was only because he was within his element in these woods and knew how to navigate them without being heard or seen. His wife, on the other hand, had but one flag left. Not that she really cared. No, the only thing on her mind was the savory meal cooking over the fire in front of her.

Nightwolf had thought ahead and packed but one spare pair of pants, some medical equipment, weapons, and food. Lots of dried meats in particular. It wasn't for himself, either; he just knew how much his favorite woman loved venison and couldn't help but indulge her. She'd gone through the last of his stash last night, though, which was why he'd had to hunt down small game and prepare it fresh for her this evening. The anticipatory gleam in her dark eyes as she watched the meal cook let him know just how grateful she was.

And she wasn't the only one who'd been enticed by the decadent, spicy scent. No, there was an Edenian royal, staring longingly at the spit that the meat roasted on from their place behind a cluster of trees. This royal was too proud to come any further, having denied themselves anything more than just gazing from afar at the food, food he hadn't had a taste of in days. He was a demigod, he didn't absolutely need it, but he wanted it. It smelled delicious and he wanted it so bad. He wanted to be the one to sink his teeth into the tender flesh of what was once a large hare. He wanted to be the one enjoying every bite of it.

That should be my feast, he thought vindictively, Who am I to starve while those below me dine as kings? It's not right.

His stomach made a disturbing noise and the woman jerked her head over to where he stood. She saw the prince, met eyes with him, and where he scowled she grinned.

Mileena picked up the entire spit and came sashaying over to the royal. She was out of seeing range of her husband, the only other in the clearing. Very sweetly she smiled at Rain and then took a bite out of the meat. She made a show of fluttering her eyes and humming deep in her throat as she enjoyed the meal.

"This is really good," She told him after she'd swallowed it.

He glared at her, not daring to open his mouth for fear a pool of drool would come splashing down. He was so, so hungry!

"You want some?" She offered.

Rain narrowed his eyes. "No."

"No?" She parroted, tearing off a piece of meat and waving it under his nose.

The prince's stomach clenched and his palms began to sweat. He balled his quivering fists at his sides and snapped his head to the right, away from her. Mileena smirked and hooked a finger under his chin, making him face her again.

"You sure?" she sang. "You can have it, you know."

He gritted his teeth and implored her with his eyes to stop goading him. I knew I shouldn't have come here. But I smelled food and I'm so, damn hungry. I could eat that thing in one bite!

"All you have to do is give me one thing." She bargained.

Rain swallowed dryly. "A flag?" he guessed, "I only have one left."

"Oh, boo-hoo, so do I," She snapped, "And no. I don't want it. I want that."

The girl pointed to his pants and Rain flushed for a moment. He'd heard of these kinds of deals, but was he really that hungry?

"Stop looking at me like that, you ass," She hissed, "I was talking about the knife."

Now Rain looked over at his hip where a beautiful dagger rested. The thing was one of his favorites. It was wickedly curved at its silver hilt to fit neatly within his hand with sapphires and diamonds embedded between the navy leather binds. The blade was thin as a shoot of grass and ten times as sharp. It was a thing of finesse. And Mileena wanted it. How many times had she stolen from him? And now she thought that he would just hand over one of his most prized weapons for a piece of food?

Hot. Steamy. Mouth-watering. Juicy.

"Alright." He panted, yes panted.

He was losing his cool over a bite to eat. Mileena grinned and held out her hand in wait. He reluctantly handed over his dagger and she cradled it to her chest, giving him the spit with the meat on it in exchange. He tore into it at once, before her hand even left the charred wood it was impaled on.

"Could you not bite my fucking fingers off, please?" she scoffed, "Prince of Edenia, my ass."

Rain ignored her.

"No wonder your girlfriend ditched you," she added, "You're like a wild animal."

He was so engrossed in the chore of getting that food inside his mouth, down his throat, and into his stomach that had nothing but air to bounce around its walls that he didn't regard her insults. Only when he'd finished a moment later and was doing his best to get every sinew of flesh from the meal as he could did he glance at her.

"You gonna' eat the bones, too?" She deadpanned.

Yes.

"No."

Maybe, he thought, but that last shred of dignity kept him from doing just that. He'd sated his hunger, for the most part. Now came the regret.

"You know you're not getting this back, right?" Mileena spoke.

It was as if she could see the distress brewing behind his dark brown eyes, desperately wondering what on Earth he'd just done. His despair amused her, made her laugh lightly.

"Don't worry," She told him, "I'll take good care of it for you."

And she looked him dead in the eyes as she ran the flat side of the knife over the tip of her tongue, then pretended to take aim at his head. The utter disrespect.

I'm getting that knife back, he amended, deal or not.

A/N: Short again, as all these will be. Are you still reading? If so, please review, tell me what you think.

Your feedback will determine if I keep this going or not.

~DymondGold~