Crimson

Make me flutter.

JUNO

I knew when I was to blame .

And right now , I was to blame .

I had become unnecessarily competitive and when I should have shut up , I had said things that were nasty and uncalled for .

I reached the encampment first , no other person was here .

I moved towards the blankets , I would fold them up while I waited .

I would get my temper into check with each crease that I smoothed out with my fingers and finally , when I was done folding and my temper had been ordered , I would apologize like the grown man that I was .

Eeekkkkk...even calling myself a grown man was very unbecoming .

I picked up the smaller blanket , the one that Keanu and Nero had used .

Just as I lifted it up , Keanu and Nero stepped into the clearing .

We exchanged glances , Keanu did not look as crazy as he had looked earlier .

" Where have you folks been ? "

They turned to look at each other , Keanu's already red features turned flame coloured , I blinked .

Nero pushed Keanu behind him , probably to hide his extremely honest features .

" Keanu needed to cool down ".

Keanu tapped his head from behind .

" I ? I was definitely not the one in need of cooling down ".

Nero's face lit up too like festival lights , my mouth dropped open .

These two were getting it , I looked around the trees wondering where they had done it , how they had been so discreet .

I smirked at them and went back to my folding , Why was Ali not here yet ?

Movement from behind the trees caught my eye and I turned again , waiting .

Whale ran out , he had Fluff on his back , holding his father's fur like his life depended on it .

They came to a stop in the middle of the clearing and began to howl maniacally , I sighed and got back to my work .

Nero and Keanu had gone to the bags and began to pack up what we had used over the night .

Movement caught my eyes again , but , this time I did not need to move to know that it was Fabia .

He came to stand by my side , huffing lowly and trying to gain my attention , so , I could pet him .

I ignored him and focused on folding the one blanket that I had been trying to fold for a while .

Another movement from the trees caught my eye and I was honestly going to ignore it but it was coming fast .

I abandoned the blanket in my hand , letting it fall to the ground and turned to see what exactly was going on in the trees .

Keanu and Nero had also stopped what they were doing .

Whale and Fluff were moving towards the trees , I jogged forward , motioning them to go behind me .

Something brown was coming through the trees at very high speed .

I moved back to my bag that Fabia had dropped somewhere on the floor , I pulled out my sword .

The brown coloured thing had gotten closer , Whale was still trying to get into the trees and was beginning to growl .

It was a warning growl , he knew what was coming .

I put my sword down and Star burst into the clearing , her eyes wide .

Whale ran to her , along with the cub , Keanu and Nero moved far away .

I moved forward towards Star .

" Ali ? "

She nodded her head towards the path she had just come out of .

I ran back to my bag and began to load my body with as much blades as I could find .

" Nero , I want you guys to clear up every evidence that we were here and go back to the stream , wait for me at the other side ".

He moved forward in a bid to disagree .

" Juno , I think it will be better to go with you ".

I watched them , weighing my options as I put my hair in a bun using my silver needles .

" No , I don't know what kind of situation Ali and Vita are in and I need my attention solely on them . Go to the stream , Whale will go with you ".

Whale turned to me growling , his fangs out on display , I hissed .

" You can't come too , do a good job protecting them ".

He ran around in circles growling loudly .

I let him vent , I waited till they were ready to leave before I motioned to Star .

It was just like the old days , she ran ahead and I ran after her my sword out by my side .

We ran for a while before we finally stopped by a path , Star sniffed the air and stepped back .

I came to stand before her , there was a weird smell in the air , it was strangely familiar .

I had smelled it before , I ran forward , sheathing my sword as I ran .

We were going to a constricted place , blades would do just fine .

I pulled two from my shirt and threw one at a masked figure that stood ahead , I didn't see where that hit .

I threw the other one into the forearm of another masked man whose arm was around Vita's neck .

He released Vita and I dragged him behind me , putting my sword out between us and the masked men .

Star would go ahead to search for Ali , when she found him , she would let me know .

" Are you okay ? "

I turned slightly , he did not particularly look thankful to have been saved , he looked rather disgruntled .

Was this the new way of being thankful or was he still angry over what had happened earlier ?

I ignored him and focused on the masked man that was struggling with his bleeding .

" Who are you ? "

I turned to his partner that was also trying to stop his own bleeding .

" The white haired man , where is he ?"

They both ignored me .

Beyond where we stood , I heard Star's howl , I turned to Vita .

" I'm going for Ali , the others are waiting at the stream ".

I passed him my sword and moved from before him .

His shirt and undershirts had gone missing , he was holding my sword with his left hand .

There was something strangely tantalizing about the feel in the air .

" Uhmmmm...I'll go now ".

He turned to me , his eyes had slanted into mere slits , only the gold of them visible .

" I'll come with you ".

I was going to say no , I really was but for some reason I couldn't utter any word , the intensity of the moment wouldn't let me .

I nodded and turned towards where I had heard the howl from .

Vita was behind me in a second , we ran through the woods our steps as one and my heart fluttering excitedly .