Don't Run

Plans

Lucid lay under the scragglie bramble of dead vines. A hollowed out dead bush in the thick of the forest behind the school. No one could see him. Hear him. Hell, no one had ever found him when he was here.

The perfect place to keep all the loose ends at arms length and just relax for a while.

But he couldn't relax. Every time he started to, he could see her. Every terrible moment he'd spent with her was like another brick thrown at his head as he recalled them. That guilt had grown inside him steadily without him even realizing it.

If he had just done things different. If he had just been a bit more mindful. If he didnt act exactly like Damien....

The thought hit him like a boulder and he huffed in the dirt. His black maw scattering dead leaves and twigs. He didn't like the realization. But he recognized it as self awareness.

To get one over on Damien, He'd acted just like the Angry idiot. And in the process he ruined any morals or ideology he had about Herbivores.

Before he met her he'd believed, in theory, that the betterment of their society started with treating Herbivores as people and not prey.

It was always something discussed off hand, and he knew his stance on the matter. Yet instinct had him gripped by the neck and was tossing him around like a weak willed wussie.

"Why did i?" He shut his eyes tight and sighed with frustration. Auris was powerful and dominating. But he was kind to those weaker then him. He wouldn't treat her like they did. And Lucid had never thought he'd be involved with their ordeal.

It ate at him like a hungry rat, gnawing his head with worry. What if she started liking him? Now that someone treated her properly, there was no way she'd run to any of them. Her first move would be to seek out Auris like a safe zone.

They would lose her if they didnt team up together. And Lucid wasn't willing to start beef against Auris and Sloan with allies like Damien. He would never want the Tiger on his side.

But he also wasn't willing to let her go. He groaned and scrunched his face. What was wrong with him? Why was he so sick? He hadn't planned this, he just wanted to mess with Damien. And now the situation had spiraled so far from where he'd started.

When was it that he became so fixated? And why were Brutus and Damien so fixated as well? The adrenaline that pumped through him when he chased her down was addicting on its own. But being inside her was like melting into warm honey.

She was so mesmerizing and interesting. So intriguing. A species no one had really seen before. Seeing her emotions affect the world around her was also miraculous. Precisely the reason she was so dangerous to mess with.

Where was his rationality? If this Witch died. There was no new one. Not even born yet, and not able for 13 years still after. With the Barrier so weak, they'd only last another year or so tops.

If Alona Died. Everyone else would soon follow. And that realization made his blood run cold.

Damien POV:

Like a brutal tyrant. The Tiger mercilessly bludgeoned an unfortunate Cougar. It was the wrong day and the wrong time. And he'd bumped Damien.

"Jesus man, relax. No one wants to clean up a body." The Tiger turned and glared at Vilk, the Panther that always followed him around and sucked up to him. His ears bent back at his Boss's stare. He'd been so out of control since he got back.

He dropped the guy like nothing and continued walking. A dangerous look on his face. His hair was wild and he stormed up the stairs going into his dorm room. Leaving the door open. A couple other concerned Big Cats peeking in as Zilk spoke to him.

"Are you alright? We're worried about you dude." He asked seriously.

Damien's roomate, a Cheetah named Craz, came out of his bathroom and nodded. Pointing a finger at Damien.

"You my guy. Are going off the deep end." He said, nodding solemnly. Crossing his arms and swishing his spotted tail.

The Tiger Grumbled. Shaking his head and rubbing his face.

"I'm good. I'm just. Dealing with stupid people again.... But its more frustrating cause we aren't fighting." He grumbled and Zilk tilted his head. Looking confused.

"If you're not breaking the truce then why are you seeing eachother?" He asked and Damien hissed at him. Making him step back.

"Just mind your business. I'll calm down. I appreciate everyones worry. I'll check myself." He assured them. And waved his hand. All of them slinking off but Craz. He shut the door behind them and sighed. Coming toward Damien.

"Why are you acting all crazy and disappearing all the time? I mean your usually violent but, your pretty bad lately." He stepped closer to his buddy and patted his shoulder. Damien sat down in his bed and rubbed his face again.

"I just want one thing. And those two fuckers keep getting in my way. And now Auris is involved....." He looked up at Craz to see his reaction and the Cheetah looked nervous.

"Then you have to give up Damien. No way you can fight that monster. Is it that important?" Damien grumbled and looked miserable.

"No not important. Its the principal. I had the stupid rabbit first. She's mine." Craz furrowed his brows at him and looked shocked.

"Your still messing with her? Isn't she the Witch?" He looked a bit frightful and Damien snorted and shook his head.

"She may be a Witch, but she's still a useless herbivore. Not much of a threat." He tried to reason but Craz just looked stunned.

"So you want to fight a fricken Polar Bear for her?" He asked, incredulaous, and the Tiger snorted.

"I won't have to fight anyone if she just suddenly disappears." He mumbled to himself and Craz backed away from him slightly.

"What about the Barrier Ritual?" He asked The Apex. Fearful. And Damien shrugged.

"I'll let her go then. And afterwards I'll take her again. She won't be going anywhere. She belongs to me." His eyes were drowning in delusion. He looked crazy. And Craz just nervously laughed and nodded. Not wanting to involve himself, even slightly.

"Whatever you wanna do dude." He said and walked back into his bathroom. Damien chuckling as he thought out his plan. The next time he saw her. She was his. And nothing would stop him.

AN:// Hey everyone. Sorry for the short chapter. But I'm announcing that I'll be revising some of the previous chapters so false update notifications might annoy you for a moment. My apologies. The content isn't changing just formatting and grammar.

Also I would love to know if you want short but more frequent chapters (1000-2000)? Or longer once a month chapters(4000-5000)? Let me know! <3 love you guys.