Stress was sure she must have passed out at some point because she couldn't remember how she had gotten there. She had been dragged through the forest, refusing to use her feet. The trees had blurred together, and she had blinked. When she opened her eyes she was no longer in the forest.

Stress felt the soft cushion of a hospital bed underneath her body and a pillow under her head. She could hear the beeping of a BP monitor and the air smelled like disinfectant.

Slowly and carefully, Stress opened her eyes.

Yes, this was definitely a hospital of some kind. It looked different from the ones she was used to. This one wasn't white, and there were no doors or even curtains separating one bed from another. Looking out across the bleak dark room she could see what looked like hundreds of beds, each with an occupant.

Stress checked herself for injuries but found none. She wasn't even hungry or dehydrated. Following the IV stuck in her hand up to its origin, she saw what clearly looked like a water and glucose drip.

She was even wearing fresh clean clothes.

They're taking such good care of me... why?

She checked the beds again but saw no sign of Grian. Tears of pain welled up in her eyes as she began to yank the IV out.

"Stop! What are you doing?"

A girl, clearly a healer from the pin she wore, ran up to Stress's bed.

Stress froze and the girl slid the IV back in place. She smiled down at stress, her green eyes twinkling.

"I know you're probably scared and anxious about your pet, but don't worry, you are in a safe place"

Stress just stared at her.

"I'm Cleo" she continued, brushing a lock of red hair out of her face. "What's your name?"

"What do you mean, anxious to see my pet?" Stress asked in an accusatory manner, narrowing her eyes.

Cleo blinked, her smile faltering slightly.

"I mean your avian" she said. "Your pet. The half breed your kind think are-"

"He is not a pet!" Stress interrupted, sitting up so suddenly that Cleo jumped back. "He is a person! A wonderful beautiful hybrid person! How dare you call him a pet as if he is no better than any random animal"

Cleo's mouth opened and closed as if she couldn't find any words. Finally she cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken without thinking. You are new, and it will take time before you see things our way"

"Excuse me?"

Cleo had already plastered that smile back on her face and was taking out Stress's chart from the compartment at the end of the bed.

"Now, your vitals have been completely normal since you've arrived. I think you may have just over exhausted yourself on the journey here. You were quite dehydrated"

"Wait a second, don't just-"

"Going forward" Cleo cut in as though she hadn't heard Stress. "We will have you rest one more day before you begin work"

Stress gaped at her.

"Work?"

Cleo's grin widened.

"Thank god Cub brought you in. Scar and I are the only two doctors left in this treatment camp, and we really need help"

Stress's mind was swimming with questions.

"Why... why are there only two of you here" she decided on, scanning down the row of beds. "There are hundreds of patients"

Cleo nodded sadly.

"Many of us were sent out to the war zones to deal with immediate trauma patients. We get the civilians that are just unlucky enough to be in the blast zones"

Stress felt her heart ache.

"That's horrible" she whispered.

"I know. That's why it's so amazing to have you here!" Cleo said clutching Stress's hand. "I just know we're going to be great friends"

"I... uh... yeah" Stress said gently pulling her hand away. "I'm kind of tired Cleo. Do you mind if I rest a little longer?" She managed a weak smile. "When I wake up I can - uh, we can get started on helping these people"

Cleo nodded vigorously and smiled.

"Absolutely! Let me know if you need anything. I'll be in here for the rest of the day"

She turned to leave.

She needs to trust me  Stress panicked.

"Cleo!"

Cleo turned and smiled expectantly. Stress held out her hand and gave the redhead her signature winning smile

"My name is Stress. It's nice to meet you"

____________________________________________

"Guys there's a cave over here. We can rest for the night" False said kicking a shrub to the side.

"No"

Everyone turned to look at Mumbo. He continued to walk forward, his face icy and solemn.

"We keep moving" he declared yanking on the rope that bound Xisuma's wrists making him trip.

"Mumbo we've been walking for nearly 12 hours" Iskall said gently. "We need to take a break or we're going to collapse. It won't do Grian any good if we are too exhausted to help him"

Mumbo opened his mouth to retort but he couldn't think of a counter argument. Truth be told, he was shaking and sweating from fatigue and his blood sugar was dangerously low.

He gritted his teeth.

"Fine. But only a couple hours. Then we need to keep going"

The rest nodded in a way that made Mumbo huff and turn away from them. He knew they were stepping on egg shells in fear that he would have an outburst.

They don't even care  he thought bitterly as Doc began to direct the rest of the team to set up camp. Grian is all alone and they only care about themselves. For all we know Grian could already be-

He clenched his jaw.

No no no he's fine. He'll be fine. I can protect him. We'll get him out of there and he'll never have to be scared again.

He was so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't even noticed Xisuma sitting down behind him until he coughed.

Mumbo jumped away as if he had been burned.

"Get away from me!" He growled kicking dirt in Xisuma's face.

X sputtered and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm sorry Mumbo but you're holding the lead"

He held up his wrists that were still tightly bound

"Well I can't trust you not to leave" Mumbo said turning to tie the rope to a nearby tree. "You might run off and tell your little buddies we're coming"

X's forehead creased in a mixture of frustration, sadness, and sympathy.

"I told you I wouldn't run. I need to get to the corporation just as much as you. They have Stress"

"Yeah and who's fault is that?" Mumbo spat.

"They said they wouldn't..." Xisuma trailed off. He had repeated that sentence so many times in the last 12 hours he doubted they carried any weight. Instead he looked directly into Mumbo's eyes.

"You know I never knew you had this in you Mumbo Jumbo"

Mumbo's dark eyes widened and within a second he was holding X by the throat.

"YOU DON'T GET TO CALL ME THAT!" He yelled. "ONLY HE CAN CALL ME THAT"

"Oh yeah?" X mocked. He was starting to get angry. "What makes you think he even feels the same way about you?"

Mumbo opened and closed his mouth soundlessly. All he could feel was blinding rage.

"You... you better... stop" he could barely get the words out. "Or I'll-"

"Or what? You'll kill me" X scoffed.

"Yes"

"Get real Mumbo. You don't have it in you. You're just angry because you stood by and watched while Grian gave himself up to protect you"

Mumbo was shaking. He couldn't distinguish rage from sadness, and was acutely aware that the fingers on Xisuma's throat were beginning to tighten.

"Take... that... back"

Xisuma laughed in the maniacal way he had back at the base.

"No!" He stuck out his tongue.

"Mumbo!"

Mumbo felt someone grab his arm and pry his fingers from X's neck. It was Ren.

"Mumbo what are you doing!?"

"He... he's not sorry... he's not... I'm going to..." Mumbo was still shaking. "Just let me-"

"No" Ren cut in. "Mumbo, he's off his rocker. I doubt he even knows what he's saying. Besides, this isn't you"

"How do you know?" Mumbo snapped, fighting to break free from Ren's grip. "Maybe this is the real me!"

Ren's face softened.

"No Mumbo it's not. You're just... scared. We all are"

"No! I'm not scared, I'm furious!"

"Mumbo-"

"No!"

"It's-"

"Let me go!"

"No!"

Ren pulled Mumbo in and forced him into a tight hug.

"No. I won't let you go"

Mumbo's thrashing began to die down.

"We are here for you. We are here for each other" Ren continued, holding his friend even tighter.

Mumbo relented into the hug, only then realizing that he was shaking because he was sobbing.

He cried into Ren's shirt, dying the fabric dark red.

"This wasn't supposed to happen" he whimpered as Grian's smile swam into his view.

"I know" Ren whispered holding his friend even closer. "But it did. There is no use in regretting what can't be changed. Now all we can do is try to rectify the situation"

He pulled away and held Mumbo at arms length.

"I promise we will get Grian back" he said. "Can you at least trust me on that?"

Mumbo sighed shakily and nodded, wiping his face.

"Ok" he looked into Ren's eyes. "I trust you"

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please consider leaving a like, and leave a comment if you have any feedback!
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