Two weeks, said Ninja. Cuddles rolled her eyes. It will be fun, said Ninja.

Cuddles leaned back over the wooden bleacher. "I hate this already."

Above her, green leaves drifted in the light breeze below the cloudless blue sky. No sign of the heavy rain that passed through days before. Give it some time, thought Cuddles, imaging what the scene would be like with burnt orange and yellow trees. Autumn's still making up their mind.

"It's not that bad," said Belle. Wouldn't have made it past a lie detector. Ever since joining hero-high, as Cuddles liked to call it despite a broad age range from child to elder, things weren't as simple as wearing capes and cracking model-worthy smiles like comic books led one to believe.

Scone glanced towards them but turned back to the demonstration. If not for the striking resemblance, no one would have known she was related to the two social outcasts sitting as far away as possible. Somehow, the introvert who only spoke once in a blue moon blended in. The hero social ladder worked differently than the gang hierarchy.

"If I had a kibble for every valiant and brave harebrained nutcase I've seen today alone," said Cuddles, lazily flinging her hands above her head, "I could feast every night for the rest of my life."

Belle made a pinched face. "On kibble?"

"I could live off of that," insisted Cuddles. "One bowl in the morning and one at night. Probably tastes better than you think."

Belle would have replied, but the bleacher beneath them lurched side to side and a loud thunk! snapped her attention away to the bottom of the bleachers. Cuddles sprung up, but none of the other kids, most in human form, were looking at her. Their attention was locked on the brunette scowling from her awkward position sprawled out over the first few rows.

Stray wisps of brown hair stuck to her sweaty face, and a ponytail reached her mid-back. She was older than them, Cuddles noticed, but only three or so years. If Cuddles were to guess, seventeen or sixteen.

"That little," she started with an edge of malice but stopped when she noticed everyone around her, including the instructor of their current demonstration, Berry.

He had a shiny, clean shaved head and a hint of a mustache above his lips. His pleasant personality and light-hearted humor were what drew the sisters, especially Belle, to his demonstration. If Cuddles had given him half the chance instead of zoning out, she'd probably have liked him.

Instead of his earlier friendliness and patience, irritation flickered through Berry's dark brown eyes while staring at the tawny-haired girl over the heads of his ten or so audience. "Nice of you to drop in, Squirrel," he said, his tone neutral.

An embarrassed grin replaced Squirrel's scowl, and she rubbed the back of her neck. Laughter filled the clearing as a group of teenagers, all Squirrel's age and presumably her teammates, hurried toward them.

"Sorry." Squirrel sent a nasty glare to the most amused member of her team. "Someone rigged the catapult."

Cuddles' eyebrows shot up. They catapulted her? A few others looked surprised as well, but most of the teens and their instructor appeared unfazed if not amused.

Berry paid them little mind and said way more nonchalant than the situation called for, "Do try to be careful next time. These bleachers are older than you."

With a cheeky smile, Squirrel hopped up. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Won't happen again. I hope." She jogged over to her friends. The one who had probably been the cause of her miscalculated landing playfully dodged away from her incoming fist. Cuddles watched for a few moments, wondering what it would be like to be on a team, but then snapped out of her daydreams. Who was she kidding? A team? Her? The only reason people stuck around with her in the gang was her rank.

As if a hero would hang out with a villain.

Berry sighed and turned back towards his distracted audience. They stood in a crescent around him with their backs to the bleachers. A few others, like Squirrels' team, watched from beneath the trees on the outskirts. Most of them were in human form, but a few birds perched in the trees.

"Okay," said Berry, redirecting everyone's attention. "Sorry for the distraction. Back to training. What do you say we get a couple of volunteers up here?"

That must not have been a question because immediately hands went up. Belle's arm brushing against Cuddles' side tensed, and she shrunk in on herself, hoping to not be chosen. Berry's eyes passed over them, landing on the black-haired girl sitting at the opposite corner.

"Taze and Capala."

Somehow, Cuddles recognized both names. Not that she knew either of them, of course. She'd heard Taze's name spoken and called by his friends. He must have been likable, but then again, the hero social ladder had a peculiar order. As far as Cuddles knew, he might've been a pushover who his "friends" used. Some gangs had those, but not Black Tigers. That's why they wanted Belle out.

On the other hand, Capala's name came up in random conversations. Sometimes they whispered, and other times they laughed and gossiped. Cuddles decided it depended on whether Capala —or a friend of hers— was around, but Cuddles never cared to look for the girl. She had enough business between her and her siblings to go minding someone else's.

The audience dispersed, leaving behind a strawberry blonde boy wearing a loose tan shirt. Taze's sandy eyes passed over Cuddles, Belle, and Scone, who was making her way toward them, before landing on the black-haired girl sliding off the bleacher.

Her back was to Cuddles, so all Cuddles saw was her long, shiny hair that swept her mid-back and the tight black jacket that pinched her waist. It was average thickness for a jacket, but even Cuddles' hair heated in the sun. The girl no doubt was bathing in heat.

A hush fell over the nearby audience, but teenagers hiding outside the clearing whispered to one another. Squirrel and her teammates didn't join in. A couple spoke to one another, but they didn't bore holes into Capala's shoulders while they did so or act like they were hiding something. Squirrel didn't speak at all, only nodding acknowledgment to her companions.

Cuddles leaned back. She already knew how the match would end. Fragile toothpick afraid of the sun vs. fit and lean, athletic, everybody's friend? The same outcome as if Berry put Belle vs. a punching dummy. She'd be no match.

They stood face to face, Berry in the middle. Taze offered a small smile, but Capala didn't return it. Her shoulders rose almost to a where one could draw a straight line through them and her chin. Berry raised his hand between the sparring partners.

"On the count of three, I'll lift my hand and the match will begin," he said. "This is just for practice and observations. There's no winner or loser." He sent a pointed gaze toward Taze's friends who were barely holding in their cheers. "Ready? 1, 2," he raised his hand, "3!"

Capala brought her hands up to guard just in time. Like a tiger, Taze sprung from his casual waiting stance towards her, ramming into her arms full force. Cuddles watched intrigued —she hadn't thought someone as light and bouncy as Taze would go for the direct approach.

Off-balance, Capala stumbled back, but Taze didn't give her time to right herself. He swept his foot across the ground, hooking her leg and pulling it away. Her back met the dirt ground and she let out a tch sound as the air from her lungs pushed out between her gritted teeth. But much to Cuddles' surprise, she wasn't done yet.

Her eyes targeted Taze's closest leg. If she could just pull him down with her, then she'd have half a fighting chance. Taze subconsciously let his guard down when Capala fell and wouldn't expect her to lunge for his foot. Her fingers closed into a fist and with all her might, she pushed herself forward–

"Stop!"

Capala bounced at the noise then crumpled down. Berry looked toward the crowd, completely unaware of her attempted comeback. "Now, would anyone like to point out what Capala could have done better?"

Taze offered Capala a hand, but she rolled over and stood up on her own. Cuddles grinned at the open display of stubbornness, unprepared to hear the name, "Cuddles?" called.

Cuddles snapped her attention towards Berry and couldn't bite back, "Cleo!"

Belle looked at her like she'd just sworn in front of the class, and Berry chuckled light-heartedly. "My bad. Cleo, what do you think Capala can improve on that may have turned the tides of this match?"

Unfazed by the attention like Belle, Cuddles shrugged her shoulders. "I think she was doing perfectly fine until you cut in. Haze, or whatever your name is–" "–Taze," interrupted the boy, "–had every odd in his favor until the end."

Capala's eyes flashed toward Cuddles for an instant before flicking away, too quick for Cuddles to even notice. She stared off into the forest, not focusing on anything, but surprise still lingered, frozen on her face as if she didn't even notice.

Before Berry could question Cuddles' answer, one of Taze's friends, a teen with unusual lime-green hair that stuck and twirled in every direction, snapped, "What are you talking about? Taze threw her to the floor."

"Knocked her to the floor, actually," said Cuddles with a look that said she was trying her best not to roll her eyes. "Big difference. And, that's exactly what Taze did wrong."

Before Taze's friend could get riled up, Taze waved his hand at him as if to say 'calm down'. He turned toward Cuddles with the slightest smile that hadn't rubbed off since Cuddles first saw the boy. No wonder why everyone liked him.

"Taze is light-footed. You can tell that from a mile away. He's quick on his feet, far quicker than what's her name.–" "–Capala–" "–Which is precisely why he should have kept her on her feet," explained Cuddles like she was speaking to a class of kindergarteners. "An opponent on the ground is harder to reach, they have an easier time blocking, and they have an easier time bringing you to the floor."

Cuddles chuckled with more humor than her entire audience combined. "And she nearly did. If Berry hadn't called it short, Taze would be rolling around on the ground as well- no longer able to rely on his quick feet. If I were in a fight with him, I would have willingly taken us both to the ground right off the bat."

Taze's friends grumbled arguments that Cuddles chose to ignore, and the audience exchanged glances and whispers with one another. Across the way, Squirrel's team chatted enthusiastically and lit up with a mix of amused and intrigued faces, not anywhere near as serious as the younger teens. When Squirrel caught Cuddles' eyes, she sent a smile that verged between reassuring and cheeky.

Berry considered her answer for a moment. "I may have called it too short to determine the winner of the match, but as stated before, that wasn't the intent of this exercise."

Cuddles groaned beneath her breath. Like anyone cared about the intent.

"Proper balance was one of the main points illustrated in my demonstration," he pointed out. "However, everything you said did hold a certain degree of truth. Have you had training outside of here?"

Nervous stares burned into either side of her head. Belle and Scone were both afraid she'd straight up say "Oh yeah, I lived in a gang a few months. Saw a lot, learned a lot." After all, Cuddles didn't openly care about image, so they'd be the only two to suffer.

"Nothing official," she said, her sisters' relief noticeable even without looking.

Berry nodded, his emotions indiscernible. "Taze would indeed be handicapped significantly on the ground. But what about," he looked toward Squirrel, "Her? Where would you rather fight Squirrel?"

A few moments passed as Cuddles examined the tawny-haired girl. Nothing stuck out and screamed dangerous about her. Average height, neither lean nor overweight, slightly stalky shoulders, normal fit muscles. But Cuddles knew better than to judge on the most obvious characteristics.

"In a maze that's easy to get lost and hide in," said Cuddles, earning her a bright grin from the girl. Her friends just catapulted her who knows how far away. Of course Cuddles wouldn't want to battle that!

"I meant on the ground or standing," clarified Berry, although he, too, seemed amused. "And don't worry- her power isn't combat suitable."

Semi-beast, thought Cuddles. An image of Jack, his bear side coming out in human form, flashed through her mind. She mentally shook her head. No, they're not all like that.

"Standing," she said. "That way, I can run."

Squirrel's teammates laughed, but Cuddles stood by her answer. She may have had combat experience, but someone with as much genuine, unexaggerated confidence as Squirrel paired with her obviously more advanced team had tricks up their sleeves that Cuddles didn't want to witness. Standing or ground combat, Cuddles would lose.

Berry nodded then continued, "Interesting. Out of curiosity, what about Capala?"

Cuddles took a quick glance toward the black-haired girl who still faced away. "Makes no difference. I could beat her standing or from the ground."

***

A cold breeze dispersed the warm tingling sensation from the feeling of someone on her side that she'd felt moments before. Her eyebrows lowered and squeezed closer. Capala whipped her head around to face Cuddles.

Dark stormy blue met dazzling sky blue when their eyes locked.

"What?" snapped Capala, a flash of heat flooding her veins.

"You heard me," said Cuddles, ignorant of her sisters shrinking back under the attention. A wave of excited whispers swept through the audience. "I'd win either way."

Capala wanted to shut the whispers up, but that'd just bring more. She hated it. The prickling of their eyes on her skin, the sound of her name from their mouths, and their stupid stories. 

"Are you sure about that?" asked Berry.

Gossip spilled from the audience's lips like a waterfall —and Capala was the water. She couldn't tell if they agreed with Cuddles or the reverse. All she knew was it irritated her even more. Why did that blasted cat have to draw so much attention? At least it pulled some of the stares off her shoulders.

Cuddles looked Capala up and down again as if it were a trick question. "Yeah. She has no muscle, no balance, no... I don't know, anything?"

Capala's pale face turned a faint red, her mouth ready to explode with remarks. But then she heard someone whisper to their pal, "She's right. All she did was use her power," and Capala's rage deflated, tightening into a little ball in the deepest depths of her chest.

Cuddles heard the whisper as well —everyone nearby did. Squirrel frowned, which didn't look right on her smile-suited face, and Berry cast his eyes over the crowd. "Settle down, everyone. This demonstration is over, so you may be on your way."

Capala wanted to stomp up the bleachers and have a face-to-face discussion with her newest problem, but she relaxed her shoulders and took a deep breath. No fights, she reminded herself. She didn't need more gossip.

As she stood there, thinking, Squirrel passed by and sent her a knowing smile. What was that supposed to mean? What could she possibly know about me?

Fists clenched, Capala spun around to leave, nearly head-butting the blonde standing beside her. Startled, Capala sucked in a quick breath of air, but slowly exhaled it as she glared at the girl, Pixie.

"What do you want now?" Capala crossed her arms, eyes flicking from side to side in case a chance to walk away arose.

"Well, now I'm hurt. I might not tell you anymore." Pixie's smile, the same shade of rosy pink as the tips of her wings, was short and sweet. And fake.

She twirled her curls with one hand and placed the other on her hip. "But Taze wouldn't like that."

"Don't lie to me. We both know if Taze wanted to talk again, he'd be the one to come. Not his fairy."

Pixie grinned. "Hummingbird, actually. And right indeed. I came to give you support." She made a worried frown. "After... you know. Apparently, Berry heard the rumors. Otherwise, he'd have known better than to pair you with Taze."

Capala knew she wouldn't hear the end of it the moment Berry called her name, but she had hoped Pixie would wait at least long enough for her to leave the premises. Wishful thinking.

"I mean, Taze didn't exactly do so well either," said someone whose voice Capala recognized. She narrowed her eyes and spun around to see Cuddles standing there, crossed arms, with her two sisters flanking either side. Capala didn't know either of them, but all three had a strong family resemblance.

"All he did was ram into her. The only reason he managed to knock Capala to the ground is because he put his full weight into it, which wasn't exactly 'proper balance'."

Pixie's smile dropped instantly. Belle and Scone shared an uneasy look. If Capala were to guess, it wasn't their idea to come in the first place. But Capala didn't care to guess or think about them. Followers scared Capala, especially when she knew they followed her enemies.

"Cuddles, is it?" asked Pixie.

"Cleo."

"Nice performance back there, Cleo," said Pixie, snorting at her given name. "You're new here, so I'll let you off the hook this time."

"Oh gosh," said Cuddles with fake exasperation. "Is this where you start listing all the unwritten rules? I hate this part. It's such a time-waster, and so many of them are the same. There's always someone you're supposed to stay away from who varies depending on who you're friends with. There's always someone you're not supposed to talk trash about. Can't you just show me the secret handshake, and we can pretend I know the rest?"

Apparently, Capala wasn't very good at hiding her shock and amusement because instead of taking it out on Cuddles, Pixie rounded on her with a nasty glare.

"What?" asked Capala, confidence swelling in her chest.

But with the confidence came doubt. She'd felt the same way before because of Cuddles, but look how well that worked out. Maybe blunt people like Cuddles were just more believable than sickly-sweet ones like Pixie. Just because they were more believable didn't mean they were more trustworthy.

"Oh," said Pixie, looking back toward Cuddles as if she had some huge revelation. "I see what's going on here. You've heard the rumors and want her on your team."

"Me? Want her on my team?" asked Cuddles with what Capala hoped was mock bewilderment. Belle and Scone began to slip back as if they knew something was coming on. Maybe they weren't as loyal followers as Capala thought. "Are you crazy?"

"No need to lie. I completely understand," said Pixie. "Taze and others offered too, but she denied them all. Lost cause, if you ask me."

"Good thing I wasn't asking you, your opinion, or her to join my team," stated Cuddles in a way that left no room for argument. "In fact, I wouldn't be here if not for a couple of someones," Belle and Scone shifted uneasily, "Who asked me to have a word with Capala. So why don't you fly off to find some flower to pollinate."

Pixie's face turned red, and her cheeks puffed to the size of a chipmunk's. Capala thought she'd retaliate, but instead, she spun around on her toes and stalked off, no doubt to go vent about them to Taze. She'd be back.

"What did you come to talk to me about?" asked Capala a little harsher than she had meant. Although Cuddles possibly made it worse, she did help her get out of a tough situation which Capala was grateful for.

"I came to say one word," said Cuddles. In the most positive tone Capala had heard from her all day, Cuddles sang the word, "Sor-ry."

Cuddles turned around to leave, but Belle slid in front of her. Cuddles groaned. "I only agreed to say sorry. I've already said more than I came for."

"At least try to sound apologetic," Belle hissed through clamped teeth.

"But I'm not."

"Well, you should be."

"That sounds like a problem that has nothing to do with Capala."

"Cuddles."

"Don't call me that in front of other people!"

While Cuddles and Belle bickered, Capala sent a helpless look towards Scone. She gave a smile and nervous shrug that relieved Capala a little. Nothing like everyone else's glares.

"Just say sorry."

Before Cuddles could reply to her persistent smaller sister, Capala looked away and cut in, "You were right about the unwritten rules."

Although unable to see them, she could feel three pairs of eyes turn toward her. "And I'm the one you're not supposed to be around. So the longer you're here–"

"Who cares about unwritten rules," said Cuddles. "If they're not important enough to be written down, then they're not important enough to follow."

Capala's eyes widened then narrowed again with mild suspicion. She looked at Belle and Scone. "Maybe you don't care, but you're not the only one your decisions affect."

Annoyed, Cuddles gritted her teeth and placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah, yeah. Responsibilities of being the oldest and such."

"We're the same litter," Scone reminded her.

"Trust me, I wouldn't be here if they hadn't badgered me nonstop."

"You would have simply ignored me, the girl you publicly humiliated," rephrased Capala. "Nice."

"Isn't that a bit dramatic?"

"No," said Capala, Belle, and Scone at the same time.

Cuddles raised her hands up. "Whatever, whatever. It's not like I'm sticking around for much–"

Belle pushed Cuddles aside. "Sorry about her," she said, cheeks glowing pink. She tried to look Capala in the eyes, but nervousness sent her gaze everywhere but at Capala. "We're new here, and it's nothing like where we come from. Our old home didn't work the same as this place."

Scone and Cuddles both looked at her surprised, but Capala didn't notice. "Same," she replied, her eyes darkening. "I came here recently from Sliders' River Camp. Safety reasons, you know. Or, I guess you don't know. You're new."

"And we don't care," said Cuddles, flinching under Belle's glare.

"What she means is, you don't have to tell us if you don't like," said Belle. Cuddles made an obvious effort not to retort. Belle's voice became more chipper when she asked, "Since you're the first one who has talked to us for so long–"

"–We haven't talked to anyone else–"

"–Then would you maybe want to hang out?" Belle's voice dropped when she added, "Unless you don't want to. That's fine too."

Capala looked skeptical. "You want me to hang out?"

"No!" Cuddles glanced uneasily at Belle's glare. "Maybe."

"Yes," said Scone. "We'd be happy."

Although still doubtful, Capala felt relieved hearing Scone's unwavering calm tone. Belle's was kind but delicate. Breakable. Cuddles' was rash and a little intimidating. It felt good to hear it on her side but not the reverse. Like an uphill versus a downhill fight. Every time Cuddles started going uphill for Capala, a downhill followed.

Capala looked between the three sisters. One set of orange eyes awaited, one blue set begged, and the other blue set looked completely defeated. It was the last set that made her give in.

The delightful feeling of seeing Cuddles' entire face replicate her eyes when Capala said, "Fine. Not like I've got anything better to do," caused delight to bubble inside her chest. Sweet, sweet revenge.