The Silent Watcher.

Unseen Barriers

Hope woke up earlier, feeling surprisingly great despite sleeping on the floor – something she was accustomed to. What caught her off guard was the awkward realization that she had been hugging the Warrior's leg like a godforsaken plushie. A very muscular, very hard plushie.

  A subtle sense of unease lingered, since the moment she noticed that the sun had fully risen, and she knew they were running late for the day's games.
  She watched the Aliens move back and forth within the well organized camp, she concluded that they were getting ready for something.

Now, with half of the morning gone, seated in her newfound favorite corner, nestled between a flagpole and a display of skulls, she observed an ancient Alien delivering a speech of some sort to the assembled Warriors standing in formation. The atmosphere exuded formality and respect, yet she couldn't fathom the topic of discussion.

As her gaze settled on the older Alien, she shivered, recalling the intense stare he had directed at her earlier—a gaze that momentarily robbed her of breath and coherent thought. That living mummy wielded a formidable presence, capable of instilling intimidation with a mere, seemingly insignificant glance in her direction.
In the midst of the ceremonial ambiance, an intrusive but hopeful thought managed to breach her consciousness – the possibility that this ordeal might be approaching its end.

Scanning the bustling crowd, she searched for her Warrior. Upon catching a glimpse of him, an odd mix of emotions flooded her – a strange sadness at the mere contemplation of the possibility of parting ways with him.

Shifting her gaze slightly, she located the faces of her fellow humans. Some were still wrapped in sleep, while others shot daggers in her direction. The animosity puzzled her – all she wanted was to help, not cause harm. Scanning the group of humans, she finally found the faces she longed to see – Parvati and Ivanna.

Parvati focused on braiding Ivanna's wild hair, while Ivanna stared down, picking at her nails. From her vantage point, that's all she could discern. The desire to approach and talk to the duo intensified, a longing to ensure they were alright. Yet, she couldn't shake the uncertainty of whether such a gesture would be allowed.

Aware of her role in these games, a mere means to an end, she grappled with the uncertainty veiling her future in hues of doubts and possibilities. The Aliens held the power to either end their lives or grant them freedom. They could choose to take the remaining humans to their original planet or coldly abandon the females to navigate this ominous paradise on their own.

Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a series of roars and growls from the Warriors. It was evident they were displeased with whatever message the Older Alien was conveying to them.
'Something is wrong.' Hope agreed with her inner voice. The exchange between the aliens grew increasingly agitated. The Alien assigned to Ivanna, with a forest green hide, was clearly arguing with another one sporting beige with red stripes. She couldn't discern whom the latter was assigned to. A statement from the red-striped Alien triggered a wave of violent roars from the crowd.

Amidst the escalating tension and the dispersing crowd, it seemed like a fight could erupt at any second.A thunderous roar that shook her core emanated from the Old Alien on the dais. He walked menacingly toward the arguing duo, still vocalizing in their unique form of speech. The forest green one backed down after offering a respectful bow to his older counterpart, but the red-striped one persisted in his argument. Occasionally, he pointed towards the now visibly frightened humans.

'They are arguing about us.' Her inner demon concluded. From her vantage point, she could observe that some clearly sided with the red-striped Alien, while the majority aligned with Ivanna's warrior. The tension in the air was palpable, the noise echoing in her ears. Anticipation pulsed through her as her heart raced.

The old warrior growled something that ultimately silenced everyone else. He returned to his throne on the dais, an air of weariness and disappointment evident in his demeanor.
  With a dismissive gesture of his hand, the Old Alien dispersed the crowd. For a fleeting moment, she could swear he was looking directly at her, but it couldn't be right... could it?

The warriors organized themselves into groups, some exiting the ruins for destinations unknown, while others busied themselves retrieving the displayed skulls. A few were carefully dismantling the flagpoles. As she observed the warriors organizing and dismantling the camp, a growing sense of anxiety settled within her. The rapid movements, the dismantling of the setup that had been a strange sort of anchor in this alien world, all contributed to an escalating unease. The impending changes in their surroundings heightened her anxiety, leaving her with an unsettling feeling of uncertainty.

In just a couple of breaths, Her Warrior and his companions approached her direction. The two of them swiftly gathered the skulls or took the flags down, actively dismantling the camp. Her Warrior didn't spare her a single glance. Swiftly, he moved away after issuing a couple of commands to his already busy comrades.

Unease and fear gripped her, overshadowing any inclination to inquire about the unfolding events. The palpable tension in the air mirrored the growing turmoil within her. She risked yet another look towards the human corner; they too were clearly confused and tense. In Ivanna's gaze, she sensed a silent plea for answers, answers that she didn't possess. ' What the hell is going on?!' she heard her voice once again.

Observing her friends in the distant corner, she resolved to go talk to them. However, as she took a single step, a subtle warning growl reminded her that leaving the designated square was indeed forbidden.

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