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"Am I being mean to Alpha's little pet?"
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"WOULDN'T IT BE so cool if one of the artifacts just happened to be hidden right at our spot?" Omkara asked as we moved through the forest.

Every other hour, we were supposed to circle our territory just to make sure no outsiders were lurching.

I nodded at this. Whilst the excitement from that Hydra female that had appeared earlier this morning had given us a bit of action, I felt quite bored just waiting in these woods all because some Alpha told us that's all we should be doing.

These were inter-color games.

Games were the keyword.

We were supposed to be having fun, not wasting away in some forest. But that's exactly what we did until nightfall, the sun finally tucking away into a sheet of Night.

We were back on our rocks, sifting through a pack of playing cards that Omkara had brought. I know if Harvest was here, he would not be pleased to see us playing cards in the middle of the forest.

But it was all we could do to pass the time.

I was not at all ashamed to say I sucked at it, and Omkara was winning every round we played. After the 8th round, I was surprised he wasn't bored playing against the easiest opponent ever.

He grinned showing me his winning hand, "You make me look so good at this."

I playfully rolled my eyes.

To be honest, given my experience level, I could make anyone look like a pro if they were playing against me.

I was going to reshuffle the cards when Omkara stopped me, raising a hand.

"Wait... someone's coming," he paused, staring into the nothingness as if he had simply disappeared from this conversation.

He came back with a blink, sighing, as he rolled his eyes, "Alfred."

Before I could ask, Alfred Dorrens's voice broke through.

"Playing cards on a battlefield, why am I not surprised?"

I stared at the mountain of a boy moving towards us from the trees.

Whilst we have never had a decent conversation, I always had the feeling he didn't quite like me.

"I doubt this place saw any action," another voice replied, Naala moving from behind him.

Omkara turned slightly to look at the dual behind us, "what are you guys doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be looking for blind spots?"

"Duh..." Naala rolled her eyes, her gaze searching the area, "what do you think we've been doing all day?"

Omkara watched her for a moment, before turning away- "Well, we're just saving time till the next cycle takes the night shift," He hummed, "You're welcome to join us if you like."

Alfred moved toward us, grabbing the deck of cards he then proceeded to incinerate in front of us, using his fire powers.

I stared at the action in shock, whilst Omkara's jaw hardened.

"We're in a battlefield. Fucking act like it," Naala grunted, side glancing our way.

"I thought they were called intercooler- games. Not wars," Omkara quipped, "and I don't appreciate you burning my stuff," he huffed, glancing up at Albert.

Albert only smirked and Nala seemed to be doing the speaking.

"What do you think the Alpha's going to say when I tell him instead of being vigilant, I found you two playing cards in a forest. Highly unalert. You're hardly fit to be defenders of our cycle."

"No one's gotten passed us," Omkara defended.

"I doubt anyone's tried."

He was about to argue but I touched his arm knowing it would yield nothing fruitful. We were on the same team. This wasn't helping anyone.

That action was caught by Naala, and her gaze shifted to mine, "Got something to say, Red?"

I pursed my lips but kept quiet as always. I could tell she was mocking me.

Not giving her a reaction did not seem to please her.

"You chose her as your scout? Seriously? How the fuck can she alert you if she sees something when she can't even talk?" she glanced at Omkara.

My fists tightened.

Omkara's gaze darkened, "You're being mean, Naala."

"I'm sorry, is it obvious?" She smirked, her gaze traced back to me, "Am I being mean to Alpha's little pet?"

"Naala-"

"I guess that makes her his little bitch-"

I would be lying if I said I didn't want to smack her in the face right now. I was never one for violence, I hated it. Loathed it. I knew she was pulling my leg, trying to get under my skin. But she was succeeding.

"That's enough," Omkara huffed, getting to his feet.

He was not at all intimidating.

He was a skinny kid, who reminded me a lot of David, but one thing Omkara was that David was not, was bold and unapologetic.

He had a quick tongue; one I was sure would land him in trouble one day. I was afraid that day was today.

I was grateful he was standing up for me, but I had enough of people doing that for me.

"What can she even do? Besides Kingsland, I think you're the next biggest mystery. You've got Alpha's fighting over you, and this kid..." she pointed at Omkara, and he sighed, giving me a look that told me to just let this blow over, "and you've never even said a single word."

"That's none of your business. Alpha made it extremely clear that we shouldn't do anything to alarm her-"

"What is she? His little bird?" Alfred added.

My gaze flashed to the boy, a sudden spark of anger lighting inside me. These words confirmed that even when I thought people weren't watching, they were.

My fingers fisted around my notebook, but I kept calm. This would all blow over soon enough. They would leave and continue their search and soon Talon would be here with the new cycles shift.

"What have you got there, birdie?"

My gaze snapped to Naala, noting her eyes were on my notebook.

"She just uses it to write, don't be callous Naala."

"Everything?" Nala asked.

Before Omkara could respond the book was sucked out of my arms and went flying into Nala's grip.

I was taken aback at the abrupt movement, and Nala smirked, holding the book in her hands.

"That sounds interesting."

I tried to get it back, but a strong force wrapped around me, as if a large invisible fist, my hair in the invisible wind and keeping me stuck to the long.

"Let her go, Naala!" Omkara gritted.

"In a moment," she grinned, lifting a finger at him before opening the book.

"N-Nala, we're not supposed to be using our powers against our team members. Alpha will not be Happy," Alfred warned, whilst I struggled against the force.

Nala looked at him, nose deep into my book, "What are you? His soldier?"

Alfred frowned at this.

"This is stupid, Nala, just let her go-"

"Sit down, Omkara," she yawned, and soon even he was sitting beside me an invisible force circling him like a mini tornado.

I realized it was simply air pressure. She was a silver after all.

"We're just having a little fun-" she gleamed, flipping through the pages of the book, "poetry, poetry, random words, poetry..."

Her gaze snapped to me, "You're as boring as you look you know."

My jaw clenched at this.

"Nala, I'm going to count to five. Either free us or I'll do it myself," Omkara threatened.

"Like to see you try-"

"Let them go Nala. This isn't what we came for," Alfred interrupted, eyes flashing to Nala, "I don't want to get in trouble with Harvest for this."

She stared at him for a minute, before closing the book. She rolled her eyes, muttering how none of us could take a joke.

Flicking her hand, the force released us.

I could breathe better, and no longer felt heavy.

"Herd. It's all gibberish anyway," she smirked, handing me my book.

I was angry at this point. Getting up, I snatched the book from her outstretched hand.  I was about to walk away before her hand clenched around my arm.

I stopped in my tracks, turning and catching her right in the eyes.

We stared at each other for a passing moment before her lips curved into a taunting pout, "No hard feelings, birdie?"

I could only feel raw anger. Anger at her for her taunting and at myself for taking it. Always take it.

Never standing up for myself.

I'm not a birdie and I'm not Alpha's little pet.

My gaze darted to her arm, noting a snake tattoo running from the palm of her hand and up her sleeve beneath the jacket she was wearing and the Leviathan suit.

I wished it could come to life and make her feel just as insignificant as she had just made me feel. I wanted her to know what it was like to be stuck, unmoving, and just taking it.

I could feel the anger warm my insides and a spark of some sort suddenly flicked on inside me.

I watched as her eyebrows suddenly arched, her gaze shifting from mine as she stared at her arm uncomfortably. She looked back at me, and I noticed there was a look of panic in her eyes.

"What the..." she trailed off, releasing my arm and yelped suddenly waving her arm up and down.

"Something's in here!" She screamed, "Somethings in my sleeve!"

"What?" Alfred asked, his eyebrows arching whilst Omkara and I stared at her flailing arm in surprise.

"Something's moving in my sleeve!" She screeched now jumping up and down, her eyes growing wider, "it's big! Get it out! Get it out!"

"Uh-" Omkara was the first to move to help. "Just uh-Take it off!"

She didn't have to be told twice throwing off her jacket and jumping away from it.

She stopped after a horrified moment, inspecting her sleeve.

"I-it's gone..." she stuttered, her gaze shifting to us.

"Oh fuck, something's moving under her jacket," Alfred commented, eyes wide and we watched something move from beneath it.

All of us didn't know what to do. I was shaking, unable to understand what was happening.

Nala, used her powers, raising a hand to ward off the jacket and an invisible force threw it off whatever it was that was hiding beneath it.

Her biggest mistake.

Beneath it swerved a large black obsidian snake, coiled and ready to strike, staring right at her.