The scene changed to Zeta who was lying on a hospital bed, she slowly opened her eyes waking up groaning.

Zeta: Uh...my head...

???: Oh you're awake!

She turned to her side and saw Dario and the others.

Katherine: How ya feeling?

Zeta: A bit better I think..?

She looked at her broken arm as it was now bandaged again with a new set of bandages.

Zeta: What is this place?

Dario: A hospital, it's a place where us humans go to get ourselves treated from injury or illness.

Zeta: Ah, thank you.

Phantasm: Oh don't mention it petite myrtille~. (little blueberry)

Adrianne: Never. Say that again. *closed eyes*

Phantasm: Quoi? Ses cheveux sont bleus, j'étais obligé. (What? Her hair is blue, I had to)

Zeta then looked aside, she had a long face. Thinking about everything that happened before she passed out. Dario got concerned.

Dario: You ok there Zeta?

Zeta: I..I just can't believe what happened earlier...

Diamanté: Gustave killing your brothers? That's rough.

Phantasm: Sight was graphic, but kind of creative~.

Adrianne: But deserved, given their own behaviors and justification.

Dario: Adrianne now's not the time.

Zeta: He swallowed Kalin whole...

Diamanté: He what-Oh mon Dieu, c'est dégoûtant...(Oh my god, that's nasty)

Dario: Normally he'd just kill someone and leave them mangled, I feel like the one with Convulsion was personal.

Katherine: I mean, they did try to blow him up.

Adrianne: I mean if he killed the leopards why didn't he target Zeta then?

Zeta: *looks at them wide widened eyes* He could've killed me...?

Dario: Not on my watch he won't!

Phantasm: That crocodile's behavior is so weird, he chose to spare you when you were on board with blowing him up...

Dario: Well whatever his behavior is, he's still an unpredictable force of nature. But right now he's to be left for another day, we have our plate full at the moment.

He looked at Zeta with a smile.

Dario: How'd you like to spend the day with us after your cleared to leave the hospital?

Zeta was confused and surprised by the offer.

Zeta: Me? But I don't want to burden you, you can just send me back to the jun-

Katherine: No no, you don't burden us sweetheart. You can come with. We don't mind, right girls?

Phantasm: No objections~.

Diamanté: I don't mind.

Adrianne: As long as she doesn't do anything stupid I suppose.

Zeta had a small smile on her face, happy that they mind she came along with them.

Adrianne: But first we need to get her new clothes, we can't have her coming along like a poor-

Diamanté bumped her elbow as she looked at the ibex furiously.

Adrianne: I mean, we can't have you go with your tribal clothing or whatever. What would the humans say?

Katherine: Good idea. Let's give you a makeover, girl!

"2 hours later"

The scene changed to a clothes boutique in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. The group were inside it, the girls were mainly looking for clothes so that Zeta could try on and fit in.

Zeta was inside a booth waiting.

Zeta: Umm guys how much longer do I need to wait?

Diamanté: No need to worry Zeta we're trying to pitch in for you some fantastic clothes, be a bit patient ok?

Katherine: Oh you're gonna love my choices.

Adrianne: An expert like me will blow you both away from the competition.

Phantasm: That's what you think!

Meanwhile stood beside the booth, keeping guard in case someone enters by accident. He began shaking his head with a smile.

Dario: Girls~.

Zeta: Are they always like this?

Dario: The girls about clothes? Well Adrianne for sure, she is the shopping addict of the group.

Zeta: Oh, well I never ever went shopping.

Dario: I know, but hey this is your first time with us! We're gonna help you get up and stand on your feet.

Zeta: Again Dario. Thank you for this, it's weird...that someone that's not related to you cares more than your actual relatives though...

Dario: Hey, let's not delve in the past and focus on the future okay? I think it's best you move on, because in life there will be other people willing to accept you with open arms.

Then his phone rang. He saw it was Seth.

Dario: And my boss is calling. Hey Phanta?

Phantasm: Yeah?

Dario: Do me a solid and come guard Zeta's booth while I take a call. It's Seth's.

Phantasm: On it mon cheri~.

She walked over to Dario with a pair of clothes, she kissed his cheek before letting the Americo-Macedonian walk away.

Phantasm: Anyways I got some clothes for you to try on~.

Zeta: Oh, great! Pass them over.

The scene changed to Dario who accepted the call as he was outside, near a bridge where the Wupa river was flowing.

Dario: Hey Seth.

Seth: Dario! How's it going my man?

Dario: Eh it's going great.

Seth: So how's the hunt with Gustave going?

Dario: *sigh* He escaped again.

Seth: Again? That's like the 3rd time this happened.

Dario: I know I know, there's just something with him...I never expected him to be hard to catch and kill.

Seth: I mean if he has lived for this long and has evaded hunters for most of his life so catching him is no easy task my friend.

Dario: I know, but the scariest part is that he's self aware that he's being hunted down, it's almost as if...this is a game to him and one where he is playing along and is prolonging it so how long will it last.

Seth: Well it won't last forever I am sure. You know what they say kiddo, nothing lasts forever.

Dario: I'm lucky he's just limited to Africa, I'll search the entire continent to find him.

Seth: That's the spirit. So I assume you'll be returning soon?

Dario: Yeah, we'll be coming back don't worry. By the way how are Armand and Faust?

Seth: Those two? Yeah they're both pretty fun to be with, you should join us sometimes. *chuckled*

Dario: One day maybe Seth-

He was cut off as a piece of paper was thrown at him like a knife but he caught it with his other hand.

Dario looked down at the direction it was thrown, there he saw Gustave's head poking out of the water staring at the hunter, with his signature smile.

He looked down at the paper which read the following.

"A place where the Groote flows, with disastrous heat as it continues to grow. Dead ends and gridlocks are set to take place, I summon you there face to face"

Dario:...*low voice* Namibia...

Dario looked back down at Gustave to see he was gone.

Seth: Dario? Can you hear me? Are you there?

Dario: Oh uh yeah Seth, I can hear ya. I was thinking about something. Anyways I'll call you back I'm a bit busy.

Seth: Right, cya!

The call ended. Dario put his phone away and looked at the river water, casting a reflection of himself.

Dario: Just what even are you planning...?

The scene changed back to the boutique, we see Dario come back and enter the building and was met with a surprise.

Dario: Hey girls what's up? How did it go?

He saw the quartet as they were huddled up in a group.

Katherine: Oh lover boy~.

Adrianne: Allow us to introduce you to the new and improved Zeta!

The four seperated themselves as they revealed Zeta with a new outfit.

Zeta's hair went from a bit messy to well organized, she wore a dark magenta blazer, underneath it was a purple sports crop top with matching cycling shorts, a long sleeved fishnet top, she wore black fingerless gloves on both hands, a pair of black knee high socks and magenta colored sneakers.

Zeta: The girls said I looked good, but now I want your opinion?

Zeta had a cheerful and friendly smile, Dario on the other hand stood frozen as he eyed the leopard trophy from toe to top.

Phantasm giggled, followed by a playful eyeroll from Katherine, Adrianne had a smirk.

Diamanté: Umm girls I think Dario.exe is broken again.

Adrianne: Réveille-toi rousse! (Wake up redhead!)

The hunter snapped from his trance and shook his head before composing himself.

Dario: Damn, Zeta. The girls really brought out the best side of you. I adore the outfit.

Zeta: Aww thank you.

Adrianne: What can I say, we know our fashion~.

Katherine: You literally tried to dress her up with expensive clothing that didn't sit well with her.

Adrianne: They still looked tho!

Phantasm: Only for yourself that is~.

Adrianne and Phantasm exchanged glares, Diamanté got between them to defuse the situation.

Zeta approached Dario with a coy and shy smile, her hands behind her back looking at the Americo-Macedonian.

Zeta: I'm glad you like how I look.

Dario: It's important to showcase the beauty in everything, never be shy about it being who you are Zeta.

Zeta: Well it certainly beats wearing a skull mask~.

The two would giggle.

Katherine: Oh that reminds me, you and Rakezh would get along well.

Phantasm: Oh yeah, he'd be happy to see you around.

Zeta: Who is this Rakezh?

Dario: He's a leopard like you.

Zeta: Another leopard? *excited* Now I'm stoked!

Adrianne: Ah, the brash one?

Katherine: You could say that, but he's far from brash.

Diamanté: Come to think about it he would've been very much needed back when we faced the coalition.

Dario: True but I say we played our cards well even without his help.

Zeta's stomach then grumbled a bit, the leopard trophy felt both embarrassed and hungry.

Zeta: Sorry about that, I'm kind of starving..

Katherine: Oh no worries, we'll go get something to eat right Dary~?

Dario: Oh sure, definitely.

Phantasm: I could devour a steak in about 10 seconds if given the chance~.

Adrianne: Yuck, I'll stick to a salad.

Zeta: Of course, because you're the only one that is a herbivore right?

Adrianne: Gee I wonder where you guessed-

Diamanté hit the ibex's elbow with her own.

Diamanté: Injustifié. (Uncalled for)

Zeta: What did she mean by-

Katherine: Oh it's nothing. Come on let's go Zeta, and then we'll bring you along to meet our friends.

Zeta: Where?

Dario: Back in America, but we gotta forge you a passport.

Zeta: What is that?

Phantasm: It's a thing that gives you permission to pass a country abroad. We all have one each~!

She showed her own passport to Zeta who looked mesmerized by its intel.

Zeta: And I get to have one too?

Dario: Yes you can, we just need documents, a picture and then you get to leave Nigeria and go to America.

Zeta: Sounds good to me.

Dario: Alright girls we'll deal with the passport later on, but right now lunch is on me.

The quintet cheered on as they regrouped and went to pay for Zeta's clothes.

Zeta had a warm smile as she was feeling fuzzy after being accepted by Dario and the others.

The End.

OK guys this was chapter 144.

Yeah it's been a long while since I updated this book. College is a huge ass bitch to deal with recently, I got like 4 out of 6 exams done and I got enough time to at least push out one chapter. Hope y'all like it.

Peace out!