Maximum Ride - The Phoenix Evolution

Chapter 18

The morning sun glared down on me. I shaded my eyes and sat up. The coals from the fire flickered a dark passionate red. Fang sat, his back to me. Iggy sat next to him. They were chatting quietly, moving the burning coals around in the fire with sticks. I looked across camp and saw Phoenix lying not to far away from me. Angel and Gazzy were sleeping behind few bushes and Nudge was awake, staring at the ground, deep in thought. I stood up, and walked over to the boys and stood behind them.

"Good-morning." I ruffled their hair, making Fang look at me, obviously irritated, and Iggy veer his head away and flatten his hair again. Then, being the great leader, and a sort of sister I am, went at sat with Nudge.

"Hey Nudge."

"Oh, Max! Thank god your awake! Iggy and Fang are having such a 'private' conversation that apparently I can't join it." Nudge frowned.

"Hey! Fang, Iggy! Don't you feel a bit guilty for excluding poor Nudge?" I shouted quietly over at them. Shout quietly? Is that possible? Eh.

Fang and Iggy looked up.

"Hey, lets pretend we're talking about something very serious as well!" Nudge suggested. I nodded. We hunched over and put our heads very close together. Occasionally we looked over at the boys, giving the impression that we were talking about them. Eventually Iggy stood up and walked over.

"So like, what are we talking about, sista? OMG Nudge, blue is the new pink!" Iggy said in a girl voice. Nudge and I bawled over in laughter. Iggy invited us back over near the campfire.

I sat next to Fang and watched as Iggy roasted some jungle rat Angel and I had found on Nevermore Island. By the time everyone else was up, it was finished cooking. Phoenix sat on the ground in-between Fang and I. She didn't really like the rat, but she was too hungry to care.

Later, just as we were about to leave, Nudge went to the bathroom. I sat impatiently waiting for her to come back, when I heard a scream. It was Nudge. I abruptly stood up.

"Nudge?" I screamed. The rest of the flock were on their feet.

"Fang and Gazzy, you guys fly up and see if you can see her. Iggy and Angel, stay here  with Phoenix, in case she comes back. I'm going in." I delegated. I ran into the forest. I didn't have to run far, until I found Nudge in a crumpled heap on the grassy forest floor.

"Nudge?" I shook her frail body. Her face was pale. She slowly pointed to something behind me. I turned and saw a snake. It was a Python. I remembered I book I was forced to read in science. Pythons weren't poisonous. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Nudge, It's going to be alright." I cradled her body in my arms. I mustered all the strength I had to pick Nudge up and carry her back out of the Forest and to the campsite. I carefully put her on the ground and took out a few chocolate cookies. I waved them in front of Nudges face. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Ooh, Max! Cookies!" she exclaimed, taking one out of my hand and chomping on it happily.

"Are you okay, Nudge?" Phoenix asked.

"Of course, Muffin!" Nudge said, putting on a brave face.

"I just don't know if my leg is." Nudge pulled up her pants. There were two bite marks, gushing with blood.

"Iggy, go find the others, if you can." I ordered. Iggy flew off.

"Phoenix, can you please bring me the clothes bag? It's over near the fire." I asked Phoenix. She nodded, her dark curls bobbing around her rosy cheeks. I took out one of my T-shirts and ripped it up into a bandage, and wrapped it around Nudge's leg, after rinsing it with water.

The Flock and I waited for Nudge to eat her energy back, before leaving for Arizona once again.