Hurricane / The Originals

Chapter 9

The car ride to the bayou felt like it ended too soon, and before I could mentally prepare myself, my feet sank into the mucky ground. A small sigh of disgust escaped my lips.

"Didn't you come prepared for a run, love?" Klaus smirked mischievously.

"A run, not a mud-slogging hike, you ass hat," I retorted, starting to walk ahead of both brothers.

Some time later, with no luck in our search, Elijah spoke up calmly from beside me. "We should head south towards the water."

Klaus, on the other side of me, interrupted swiftly. "You seem quite determined to find the little wolf."

"And you don't seem determined enough," I muttered under my breath, feeling the tension rise between them.

To break free from being sandwiched between the two brothers, I quickened my pace, frustrated with their constant banter.

"If we're moving too fast for you, Niklaus, you're welcome to wait in the car. Do be sure to leave the windows down," Elijah quipped, his voice tinged with subtle amusement.

I stopped walking to turn and face both men. "Ha, a dog joke. I love it," I said, trying to lighten the mood before resuming my stride.

"Ah, so I've touched a nerve?" Klaus retorted, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You've begun to admire the girls. Perhaps that's why you've been barking orders since your return, hoping to impress them by assuming the role of family patriarch."

His words caught me off guard, and I slowed my pace, trying to process his statement.

"Don't speak utter nonsense, Klaus," Elijah interjected firmly.

I turned to face them both once more, frustration bubbling up. "Klaus, your baby mama who is pregnant with your child is missing, and you're choosing to fight with your brother who is helping you find them. It's utterly perplexing."

Elijah's lips curved into a smirk as he began walking again. "I always knew I liked you."

As we ventured deeper into the dense bayou, the silence between us grew heavy with unspoken tension. The eerie sounds of the swamp enveloped us.

Klaus glanced at me sidelong, his expression unreadable. "You're different," he remarked quietly, almost to himself.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Different how?"

"You challenge us," he replied cryptically.

"Lovely," I remarked sarcastically, a smirk playing on my lips.

[Klaus sniffs at the air and looks around]

"Have you found her scent?" Elijah spoke, breaking the moment.

"Wow, you're really like a dog," I said, teasingly as we continued walking. Pushing through dense foliage, we came across a gravel road with an abandoned truck on it.

Klaus groaned, "No, but I found someone else's. This vehicle reeks of someone I thought I was rid of... Tyler Lockwood."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "And why would your little hybrid-sidekick from Mystic Falls have any interest in Hayley?"

Klaus smirked darkly. "He wants revenge because I went after his girl."

"Why do I suspect this is the least of your offenses?" Elijah's voice carried a hint of frustration.

Klaus pulled a blanket out of the abandoned car and sniffed at it. "Back when I had the means to sire hybrids, he was my first. Although, I didn't give him much choice in the matter."

"He was loyal in the beginning, but he grew insubordinate, turning my other hybrids against me. I couldn't have that, so I massacred a lot of them. Tyler ran like a coward before I could finish him off," Klaus continued, his tone cold and remorseless.

Elijah sighed deeply, his disappointment evident. "Anything else that you would like to share?"

Klaus hesitated briefly before admitting, "Well, there was this business with his mum..."

I speak up quickly . "Oh my god you killed his mother. Wonderful." I say as I rub my face.

Klaus defended himself defiantly. "He needed to be taught a lesson!"

"You're insufferable"I say as I begin to walk away from the brothers fighting. The only person I care about is Hayley and finding her and making sure she stays safe.

"And what lesson will you be taught, Niklaus, if he retaliates by harming Hayley or even Cleo cause don't forget she is still very much human then what ?" Elijah's voice was stern, his concern for Hayley and me was clear but I chose to ignore the conversation as I walked further and further into the Bayou, not wanting to be a part of Feuding brothers.

"Careful, bother your emotions," Klaus says, raising his voice.

"Oh my god I would rather the werewolf eat me at this point jesus christ" I say before finally Submerging myself into the bayou.

—-

My walk in the bayou was peaceful, despite the fact that my running shoes were now caked in mud. I found solace in the embrace of nature, each step grounding me in the tranquility of the swamp. Lost in thought, I wandered aimlessly, allowing the swamp's eerie beauty to envelop me.

The call of distant birds and the rustle of leaves overhead were my only companions in this vast, mysterious landscape. Each twist and turn of the path seemed to lead me deeper into the heart of the bayou, yet I felt strangely at ease, as if guided by an unseen force.

I couldn't pinpoint where exactly I was headed, but a sense of direction tugged at me subtly, urging me onward. Despite the tension and turmoil with Klaus and Elijah behind me, here among the cypress trees and moss-draped branches, I found a moment of clarity.

As I walked, I let the cool, damp air fill my lungs, cleansing away the frustration and confusion of the day. The squelch of mud underfoot and the occasional splash of water brought me back to the present, grounding me in the reality of the bayou's embrace.

Lost in contemplation, I barely noticed the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. It wasn't until a familiar voice cut through the quietude that I snapped out of my reverie.

"Cleo?" Elijah's voice, tinged with concern, called out softly.

As Elijah and I walked side by side through the bayou, the weight of our shared concern for Hayley hung heavy in the air. My question about whether he had found her was met with a solemn "No" that echoed with worry.

Nodding silently, we continued on our path, the tranquility of nature providing a stark contrast to the turmoil we had left behind. But our respite was short-lived. Soon, the peaceful sounds of the bayou were interrupted by rustling in the trees ahead.

Elijah's hand pressed gently against my chest, signaling for me to halt. He moved ahead with a protective stance, swiftly navigating towards the source of the disturbance. I followed cautiously, heart racing with a mix of anticipation and fear.

There, amidst the shadows and tangled foliage, stood Hayley, her figure tense with a knife pressed against her chest. Relief flooded through me at the sight of her, and without a moment's hesitation, we ran towards each other, embracing tightly.

"Oh my God, Cleo, what are you doing here? It's not safe," Hayley exclaimed, her voice filled with both relief and concern.

"I know, I know," I murmured, holding her close. "But I couldn't let them look for you without me."

"Them?" Hayley questioned, and I felt Elijah's presence behind me, a silent reminder of his steadfast support.

Hayley released me from her embrace and turned to face Elijah. "There's something I need to tell you guys," she began, her expression serious as she glanced between us.