The Glade and Its Glitch: Book 2 Allies or Enemies

Chapter 8

"You're helpless, completely helpless!"

"Look at me! I'm stronger than you ever were!"

"You can't fight. You've never been in the real world. You're just stuck in this little fantasy world you've created for yourself."

"At least I stick by my friends. I don't abandon people. I wouldn't ignore them for over six years!"

"I had a good reason!"

"Your reason was-"

Huntress shook her head, clearing her head. Her dreams had been getting weird. Flashbacks to her past, but also flashforwards. Seeing herself and what she assumed to be her brother. But she couldn't tell for sure, the dreams just wouldn't stop glitching.

She rubbed her sore shoulder. Despite knowing that if she kept moving around the wound would get worse, she was still going. Dani had tried to tell her to settle down, but Huntress wouldn't listen.

Many of the adults in the Glade were oddly protective of the children. They were even protective of the teenagers, Huntress was seventeen, and Supernova and Skylight were almost fifteen. Yet they found themselves being mothered and parented by nearly all of the grownups.

There were tree houses for the new arrivals, two for children, and one for adults, each with different rooms for ages and genders. When Supernova had first come to the Glade, back when she was only known as Skye, she'd stayed in one of those rooms. Skye didn't talk to anyone for a while and was constantly on edge. TJ was able to earn her trust, and she moved in with the Kings. She had her own floor above TJ and Kiki's rooms and she hung around with their family.

"Huntress!"

Pulling her hood off and her scarf down Huntress stuck her head out from behind the tree. "I'm up here!"

The woman on the ground shot a glare up in Huntress' direction. "Come down here right now."

Huntress smiled, she wasn't used to the people in the Glade yelling at her. It was a nice change, she preferred to be known as the Glade's leader, not their queen. Much to her dismay, the Glade liked to bow when she passed, do everything she said, and call her 'your highness'.

Huntress jumped down out of the tree. "You're gettin' bossy Dani," she joked.

At those words Dani bowed her head, "Sorry your hi-"

"No no no, Dani I was kidding," Huntress said quickly, she grasped Dani's arms, "Please Dani I was kidding. Call me Huntress, or Carrie, but please don't call me your highness."

"That's what Protector told us to call you."

"Yeah well, Protector's not the leader anymore. Actually, neither am I. Go call Skylight your highness, I'm sure he'll love it."

Dani rolled her eyes, "Sure he will. Come on over to the infirmary, I want to check your shoulder."

"There's the sass again. But my shoulder is fine Dani." Huntress folded her arms, she'd go eventually. For now, she wanted to enjoy exasperated Dani.

"Huntress, I am being completely serious," the older woman said with an even tone. "However well my power works on healing wounds, it's not perfect. You need to come to the infirmary, and let me check your shoulder."

"What'll you do if I don't?"

The look on Dani's face said it all. She scowled and crossed her arms, "Huntress."

"Fine, I'll come," Huntress grinned and the two made their way over to the infirmary.

The walk wasn't too long, the infirmary made its home in the base of a short but thick baobab tree. Flora and her family had grown the tree many years ago and it was still going strong. Thanks to their magic, the tree was able to survive in the climate of Ninjago.

Dani led the way and brushed past the vines placed as a curtain over the arched doorway.

Huntress sat down on a small cot by the back wall. She slipped off her scarf and jacket, then took her arm out of her undershirt.

Washing her hands and putting gloves on, Dani walked over and knelt beside Huntress. "Tell me when it hurts."

"It always hurts, I just ignore it."

Dani gave Huntress the stink eye, "Huntress. You can't do that." She pressed gently on the area around the bullet wound. Thanks to Dani's healing power the wound was mostly healed, yet nothing was perfect.

As Dani pushed Huntress doubled over in pain and pulled away. Her vision went dark for a few moments and she fell off the cot.

"Carrie!" Dani grabbed the girl's shoulders and eased her to the ground. Tapping Carrie's face, Dani tried to wake her up.

Blinking her eyes and groaning in pain Carrie sat up. With Dani's help, she lay down on the floor.

"Huntress." Protector stood in the doorway. "I needed to talk to you but we can talk later."

Dani put a hand on Carrie's forehead, "I want to keep her here in the infirmary. Something's not right." She put her other hand on Carrie's shoulder to steady the girl, but that only caused another whimper of pain.

Protector walked into the room and looked down at Carrie.

Carrie returned the gaze from half-closed eyes. She strained and her body blipped, rapidly changing form without meaning to. It happened from time to time but she could normally control it. Right now Carrie was too weak to do anything.

"Rest Huntress, you need it. You've been going hard for a week straight. Catching Kiki earlier today didn't help. Skylight can lead, I'll help him. Rest, that's an order."

Dani lifted Carrie onto the cot again and covered her with a blanket, "You're an idiot Carrie."

"Runs in my family," Carrie shot back as her eyes drifted shut.