Slowly, they moved in, creeping up on us with eyes hungry for blood. One pounced at Jack's leg, but Jack kicked him back and we all heard it yelp with pain. I flinched at the sound, with that, the ravenous looks of the Mightyena seemed to intensify and they all moved in.

I can't let this happen. Think, think, THINK! What can I do now? Everything has gone to far, they wouldn't believe anything we say over one of there own. I wish Nokto was hear to explain to them all. My ears perked at the idea and I started to scan the crowd for his face but it was nearly impossible to tell them apart. All their faces blended together, making it all more terrifying. My emotions were boiling over and I wanted to scream with frustration. Ever since we had left Mt. Frolic, my life seemed to be spinning out of my control. I just want to have control of my own life, that's why I left. But now what? Nothing was going the way I had planned! None of this worth it! I just wanted to know about my injury! This is too much! My mind was on working on overtime, asking a hundred questions a second making my heart throb.

"STOP!" I yelled, my voice rang through the air. No one moved, not even the Mightyena. The air was filled with tension and the woods were silent. I looked around at the Mightyena, and all of them, every single one, had their eyes fixed on me. I trembled with the terror that consumed me and they all looked upon me.

"Please," my voice was strained and low," Please, all I want is to speak with Nokto," I looked form one pair of ruby eyes to the next, scanning for a clue. Their eyes were hidden and blank, giving nothing away. The was movement behind me, I turned to see the Mightyena moving aside for someone to get through. Nokto!?, I wished silently.

A large Mightyena stepped through into the clearing, she looked very familiar, then it hit me that it was Nokto's mother. She circled around the four of us, never taking her eyes off mine. She spoke in her native tongue as she across from me, it wasn't threatening, but Chance was tense and growled under his breath.

"Ma'am? I'm sorry, I don't speak-," and before I could finish one Mightyena spoke up and translated. "She asked you why it was so important," he yelled over his pack.

"Oh..., well thank you," I spoke to him, then turned my attention to her," I wanted to ask him about my injury, to see how long it would take to heal and how to take care for it, before I left and possibly to see about Chance's injury as well."

Another Mightyena nearby relayed my message to her and then she spoke to them, but never left my gaze. A chuckle ran trough the crowd which terrified me, what did she say? Is she going to kill us? Is that amusing?

"She said 'Why go to Nokto? He knows nothing of medicine or treatment. He would be as useless to you as prey with no meat.' "

"Oh, I-I-I guess I should have known since he b-brought you to wrap my leg instead of doing it h-h-himself. He was just... just the only one I-I really knew enough to ask f-for help," I stuttered clumsily through my sentence, still mortified by all the flashing fags nearby, ready at a seconds notice to rip my throat out and eat my bones. I don't think she believes me.. "Uhm... and I-I wanted to say goodbye. To him. I didn't get proper chance to." What a lie, I thought. Well... it's partially true, I didn't get to say a proper goodbye. But, then again, that is so not why I'm here.

Once the message was translated, she stared at me silently before speaking again. Her voice was strong and sweet, while her language was complex and mysterious. Once she was finished speaking to me, she stood up and turned to her pack and silently blended back within them. Before disappearing completely, she turned to me one last time and said something, obviously I didn't know what but it sounded kind of hurtful. With that she disappeared behind the infinite pair of red eyes.

A Mightyena then broke the silence," She said 'You should have taking Tusma's warning and left. You must have luck to not be dead already. You should count your blessings and leave before it runs out.' Then she told you that Nokto is here now, if he wanted to see you, he would have saved you." Then all at once, the pack turned and to walk away; as some walked by their sharp, jagged fur brushed on me, sending shivers down my spine.

They left us there alone, with no answers or help. Better than dying, I thought grimly. I turned to Chance and the others with a smile," Why don't we move on? Shall we?," I gestured casually in the direction we has previously been running.

"Violet?," Theresa spoke up from behind Jack.

"Hmm"

"One didn't leave," she whispered terrified, her eyes big and round with fear.

Slowly I turned around, to see a lone Mightyena standing in the brush outside the clearing. He stood there with his chest puffed out, looking as arrogant as always, I had nothing to say to him now. I no longer gave a rats ass.

"Where?," I looked past him, acting as if her were invisible. "I don't see anybody. No one at all," I spoke with an abrupt icy tone, sending my message of angst. "Let's just get out of here," I mutter, turning to walk away.

"Wait!," his voice rang out.

Before I could snarl my response, surprisingly, Jack stepped in, "No, we cannot wait. We have wasted too much time here already," with that he turned his back to the Mightyena.

"Just let me explain," he begged.

"No," I retorted simply. "Obviously, you have nothing to say or you would have spoken up sooner. In front of your tribe!"

"How was I supposed to know why you had come back, Violet!," he snapped. " I told you to...," his eyes danced from me to Chance,"... I told you to leave and never come back, yet here you are."

"I came back here for information Nokto, not for some petty fight."

"Excuse me," he retorted," for not reading your mind."

Behind me, I heard Chance growl in the back of his throat, I knew he was getting irritated with the conversation in progress.

"Look, Nokto," I sighed," How do I take care of this cast and when do I take it off."

He turned his head slightly, ears perked," What's the magic word?"

This time I growled and spoke through gritted teeth," Please."

He smiled cooly," Just keep it clean, rest as much as possible. Take it off in a few weeks, you should be healed by then."

I took a deep breath, not for relief, but for patience," And Chance?," I asked," Please?"

Nokto took a step towards me," The next chance you get, wash the bite. Keep it clean. It will most likely scar, but otherwise it should heal over time," he spoke softly, no longer angry. "I'm sorry," he looked sincere, his eyes were wide and clear, " to all of you," he looked to my friends.

I felt shitty, why does this always happen! I'm so rude to Nokto. We just need to get far away, far far away.

"It's okay," Theresa squeaked from behind me, "No harm. No foul."

Nokto smiled at that, flashing his deadly white fangs, but her turned solemn again looking to Chance," I'm sorry to you the most, Chance." He spoke with genuine apologeticness, he really did feel bad...for everything.

Chance didn't speak, he just gave a slight nod, sort of like making amends. I rolled my eyes, Boys.

"It's all forgotten and forgiven," I told him, he moved his gaze back to me, "Thank you, Nokto."

"For what?"

"Saving him," I whispered," and saving me. I can never repay you enough," I looked down.

"It's all forgotten," he spoke with a smile, I looked up at him and he gave me a sly wink. "Don't be a stranger around these parts, all of you."

"Thank you," I said again, before turning around I reached out and gave a quick hug before retreated to my own pack. " See you around," and with that we all turned from the lone Mightyena sitting in the clearing.

Chance walked next to me and smiled, "What?," I was confused.

"I just love you, sometimes," he laughed.

"Sometimes?!," I questioned with false outrage and with that he licked my nose and I squealed with disgust and delight. He ran ahead and then crouched down, barking playfully. I yelped back in response and he continued barking, I hobbled after him but I knew he could outrun me en if I didn't have a cast on.

He walked over to me with his tongue out, glowing with the pride of his victory of escaping me. We linked tails and continued walking down the path, further and further away from Nokto, further away from Mt. Frolic, and further away from the hunters.