(August 3, 2020)

small slightly important note at the end

Word Count: 1585
Category: backstory
Warnings: none

this was actually for a school history project but i had these three in mind while writing it. so i kinda just edited their names in, changed a few things, and ta-da a one shot

i also feel like not proofreading something that was written on a phone is a bad idea but lmao idgaf

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They were alone for the longest of times, fighting for their lives against the wilderness.

After the fourth month, they lost track of time, and that was over six years ago. Time, however, wasn't the only thing they lost. They lost communication with everyone besides each other on the first day, they lost their direction on the third day, they lost their survival work in a fire in the second month...

One might consider it impressive they hadn't gone insane or given up, leaving themselves to die to the wild animals. Before it all happened, they might have, but they are living proof people can change (unlike what the rest of the town thought).

Zedaph's hearing and sight improved, especially in the night. Impulse's fight or flight response had been shaped to react almost instantly, getting the three of them out of life-threatening situations. Tango's hunting skills improved greatly, he could take on a full grown lion without gaining many scratches.

In other words, they did just fine in the wild (maybe gaining some animalistic characteristics. Later they would say it was necessary to survive for as long as they did, and no one disagreed). Their little home they built out of wooden planks survived the small storms that passed over, the crops were thriving, their tools were well made, the healing methods they used and adapted worked like a charm, and their adventures to explore the surrounding areas went as good as they could go.

This day, however, they ventured farther than they normally would have.

But maybe they had ventured a little too far.

The moment they spotted the unfamiliar group many blocks in front of them, their minds blanked at the thought of other humans. Impulse had taken initiative when they all froze, dragging Zed and Tango backwards and back to their little camp. They knew it was too late though, the group had spotted them already. The three survivors scrambled away as the prickly green prairie grass scratched their backs.

It was going too fast to think coherently. They didn't know how long they had been running, but it seemed like they just started and all of eternity at the same time. Their hearts pounded against their ribs as Zedaph tripped on a hidden branch and tumbled to the ground. Tango and Impulse hauled him to his feet, glancing over their shoulders. The other group was gaining on them. They were moving faster than the trio could run.

Impulse pulled his friends in front of him and pushed them forwards. They had to go faster, faster than they have ever gone before.

The fear in their minds and the adrenaline coursing through their veins pushed them harder than any time in the past. The feeling of going as fast as they were would have been euphoric if it were any other situation, and not one where they were running for their lives.

"They're gonna catch us!" Zedaph squeaked, his eyes wide with fear. He had been keeping a steady pace with Impulse, who grabbed his hand with a comforting squeeze.

Tango growled at Zed's revelation, quickly gazing over his shoulder once more. Normally he'd be making jokes about how they were slow, but he seems to have understood the seriousness of the situation. Tango directed his red eyes to the two slightly behind him. "No, they're not. Don't think like that."

"If they do, they'll have to take us dead," Impulse added, gesturing to the stone dagger on his belt that he fashioned himself years ago. "We have the weapons, we just have to get back to them."

It wasn't long before the other group caught them, yelling out to the trio in alarmed yet cautious tones. Everything was a blur in the last moments of their adrenaline, and they couldn't comprehend much from that point on. However, by the time everything cleared, they were huddled together on the prairie grass ground, their backs pressed against each other as the other group towered over them.

Impulse had taken Zed's and Tango's hand in his own, squeezing them reassuringly. Tango bared his teeth at their supposed captors, hoping to scare them off. Zedaph shook madly as if the winter had come around earlier than he had prepared.

The other group blocked the sun, casting a dark shadow over their vulnerable forms. An assortment of colorful words sped through Tango's head as the entire chase party examined the trio with cold and calculating eyes. He eyes the idle weapons in the other people's hands. A man, which he assumed to be the leader of the group, stepped forwards, looking down on them through a purple visor with a mild hint of recognition in his eyes.

His fierce gaze softened as he said, "Are you three the ones that disappeared years ago?" Tango instantly recoiled and hissed, shielding Impulse and Zedaph with his body. The leader sunk to a squatting position, holding his hands up. "We mean no harm. We are from the same place you disappeared from. Except, we weren't thrown from the town," the leader added the last part under his breath. Tango pulled his hand away from Impulse's and squeezed his fist, drawing back for a punch-

"I don't believe you," Impulse said, grasping his dagger in his now free hand and holding Tango's elbow back. They did not need to escalate the situation further, and Impulse had a different (not hostile) feeling about this group. "That's what they all said before attempting to subdue us." The leader gained a dejected glint in his eyes and motioned for his group to lower their weapons... whenever they had put them up. They did instantly, some even stashing them away.

"Is that so?" The leader looked Impulse in the eyes, ignoring Tango's hostile snarls. "Then why have you not tried to escape?"

Zedaph said in a shaky voice, "Usually they don't send fifteen or whatever people." The leader hummed and stepped back, shuffling through a shulker box.

The ZIT team tried to subtly disappear through the prairie grass. The leader was distracted, the other people didn't seem to be hostile (anymore), and they could be gone by the time the leader turned around again. Of course, those plans were instantly foiled as the leader turned back to them, holding out three communicators in his gloved hand.

From his sitting position, Impulse slowly lowered his dagger and got to his knees, slowly holding his hand out for them. Tango protested with another growl and narrowed eyes, but Impulse only set a shaking hand on his knee, as if to say, 'Please. It's the only thing we can do.' Tango scowled and moved next to Zed.

The leader gently smiled as he reached out with said communicators, carefully moving them within Impulse's reach. Looking up at him, Impulse gingerly took them with a shaking hand, his palms moist with sweat. He paused as he pulled away slightly, thinking for a split second that this was a trap. Impulse looked up at the leader. He didn't move, the corners of his eyes crinkling ever so slightly.

Impulse took them, examining the devices. He turned it in his hand, familiarizing himself with said item as Tango and Zed looked over his shoulder. Tango gasped quietly, all aggressiveness depleting.

The blonde pointed to a tiny code on the side of it and said, "That's an older model. One that's usually given when someone's leaving the town since it doesn't cost much to make..."

"Or stolen because the latest models would be deactivated and traced," Impulse continued. "And judging by the state of these, they seem to have been newly made but roughed up..."

"Which means they escaped," Zed finished. Impulse looked back at the group, seeing wonder and impressed expressions ranging across their faces. The leader nodded.

Tango, Impulse, and Zed shared looks with each other. They had been praying to the Minecraft gods for anyone that didn't want to capture them (maybe for six years... but that's besides the point).

The leader held his hand out. Not in the way of asking for the devices back, but to pull them off the ground.

This might just be the day they no longer have to wrestle with nature to keep their lives.

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Just wanted to let you know that Im gonna have to disappear off the face of Wattpad and possibly Discord for a while. I dont know how long, maybe a few weeks, maybe a month, Im not sure. Ill be back, I promise. I always come back.

I just need some time off (for personal reasons), like some of you have been saying for me to do. Ive been doing a year plus of... well, maybe not consistent updates, but frequent enough across all my books to know that Im still living. In the past year, I always seem online even when I 'take a break', dont I? I really need an actual break.

I just need to relax before disaster that is known as school strikes.

Thanks for understanding, I appreciate it. <3

~Ariyaquila :3