Rodwood Academy

Chapter 15: Scheme

As Lauren and Alex returned to their village with their previously missing hunters, the group all dispersed apart from the man and woman who were heading in the direction of the cave.

Not speaking a word about Lauren's journey to the city in front of the others, the two of them waited until they were safely within the walls of the mountain.

Going straight to Alex's chambers they entered quickly before he shut the wooden door gently behind them. After sealing all of the others out of his room the man was finally able to get answers to the questions that he had been dying to know.

"What was the city like?" He asked with eager eyes as he sat tiredly on his stone bed.

Taking a seat besides him, as much as she wished she couldn't remember the past week, Lauren precisely remembered everything.

"Awful." She said simply. "The humans have ruined the land."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they have these smoke machines that follow paths in the ground, and if you get in the way of one it will easily kill you."

"Woah." Alex scratched the top of his head. "Have we really been out of the city for that long?"

"Apparently." She shrugged. "And remember all of the beautiful trees that we used to run around?"

As Alex nodded Lauren gulped knowing she was about to shatter one of his cherished memories. "Well they're all gone. Every last one of them."

Gasping at the lost of his favorite place as a cub, Alex seemed out of touch with himself. All of the places that helped define him as he grew were suddenly gone. "But what about the pond? You know the one where we would go to gather around during the sunsets, when it was time for our feast?"

"I couldn't find it. There were tall metal rods blocking the path." She said sadly. "I know it's been a long time since we've been to the city but it made me so mad to see how the humans have treated the area. The place reeked of machinery and there was almost no respect for the land."

Hitting his forehead with his palms Alex hung his head after a realization hit him. After being out of touch with the rest of society for so long, they were at a major disadvantage. "If the doctors tests show positive for a Fanger attack, then we're all doomed. We're never going to be able to figure out our way around the city."

"Can I tell you something?" Lauren ominously said as she scooted closer with a smirk on her face. "I've already thought about that." She smiled to Alex's relief.

"It's the reason we came back already. My original plan was to go into the city and kill the Fanger in charge, but then your point crossed my mind." She stood as she circled the room as excitement took over. "So I took some time to think, and it hit me. Why should we do the work if the doctors exams are right about our suspicions?!"

"What are you saying Lauren?" Alex stood by her side. "Not doing the work? Who else despises Fanger's as much as we do or who's willing to get their hands dirty for someone else's own personal interest?"

"Humans." She said simply.

"Humans?!" Alex jumped back. "First you run off to the city and now you want us to work with them! You're crazy Laur! That's not happening and you know it!"

"Alex hear me out." She begged of him. "I'm not saying we're going to work with humans. I'm saying we're going to use them."

"Use them? Why would they ever help us?"

"Cause we're going to put them into a dilemma that will ensure that they can't refuse us."

"Like what?" Alex said with doubt as his breathing was heavy and his eyes were going all over the place as his brain tried to make sense of Lauren's nonsense.