The Phoenix Risen

Chapter 12

Lunar wasn't sure why the mutants had left but by the time she woke up that night their scents were faint. The faint moonlight trickling down through the pine branches showed the tents still in position and she could hear several footsteps milling about the camp yet to her confusion only one mutant's scent. Panic flared in her and she tried to rip her jaws free only to rip open another wound that gushed fresh blood over the dried crimson from earlier that day. In the distance she heard people, lots of them, slowly stalking towards the camp. For a brief moment she wondered if Scott and Bobby had left her to die like Logan had said they would but a faint voice calling her name made her prick her ears.

"Scott, Bobby, hurry I'm trapped at the edge of the camp." Her telepathy felt strange, a bit muted as if there was a bad connection, but at least now Jean's power over it was waning so she could communicate with it.

The sound of people running through the trees grew louder until the undergrowth across the camp waved wildly before releasing Bobby and Scott from the dark green, shadowy, depths. Lunar stayed still as they ran over calling her name once again, this time in horror, as they saw her. She winced as they crouched down next to her and jostled her slightly as they tried to find the first chain. Scott shot a small optical blast to break through it and unwound it from around her front paws. Lunar snarled slightly in pain, as she hadn't realized the chains contained barbs until she felt them being pulled from her flesh. More blood ran out of her but she stopped herself from making any more noises of discomfort as they broke and unwrapped the rest of the chains. When Bobby moved to take the dagger out of her however, she flinched back and pinned her ears to her head while a dangerously low growl came from her.

"We have to get it out." Bobby told her gently as he went to grab the hilt again.

Lunar knew he was right and grudgingly let Scott hold her down while Bobby pulled the dagger out. To her it was agonizingly slow, but she could tell that was only because Bobby had to fight to get it out of the ground where part of it had been deeply buried. When it was out she shook her head to scatter some of the blood, which was starting to gush out again, before shakily getting to her paws after Scott stood up to look towards camp.

"Someone is here." He announced as he turned back to them. "We need to leave."

Lunar limped off towards the trees, still a bit too weak to try shifting into human form. "They are part of Magneto's Brotherhood. Not sure which mutant... but I don't want to find out."

"Can you run?" Bobby asked, glancing at the blood matting the fur around her paws.

"If I have to." She shook more blood from her muzzle and pricked her ears suddenly. "Humans are coming! We're going to be surrounded!"

Scott cursed and looked around before nodding to the trees. "Climb them, now."

Bobby obeyed and quickly began climbing a pine tree with the help of picks he made from ice until he got into the branches. He looked down at his suit once he was high enough and scowled. "Gross, it has sap all over it!"

"Deal with it." Scott retorted as he followed him up. "We can get it washed off later."

Lunar looked up at them with a small whimper as she took a step forward into the dark shadows beneath the tree. She shifted into human form; her clothing shredded and covered in blood instead of fur, but still couldn't find the strength to climb up and ended up sliding back onto the ground. Scott looked around worriedly as she gave up but couldn't come down as the cracking of branches came into their hearing range. She shifted back into her wolf form, allowing her black fur to camouflage her, which was something that had helped earn her codename Phantom all those years ago. She could only hope it still worked with these government agents coming to the abandoned camp.

Everything stayed silent as the minutes dragged by. Soldiers with guns appeared through the undergrowth, so close to Lunar she could've accidentally brushed her fur against them, before they disappeared into the outer edge of the camp. The three didn't stick around long enough to find out what happened next. Bobby and Scott climbed down as quietly as they could before heading back to the jet quickly and silently. At one point Bobby stepped on a branch that cracked loudly, making them all freeze, but no one seemed to be coming after them and they continued on. Lunar was wheezing by the time they finally made it to the jet, her legs were shaking even worse than before, but she could tell her wounds had healed enough to stop bleeding. That meant she would gain the rest of her strength back soon enough.

"I'm guessing you didn't find her." She commented as she lay down on the jet's floor.

Bobby shook her head, a look of confusion and sadness in his gaze; Lunar could also sense his frustration at the failure. "No, we didn't. We looked everywhere around the building that was giving out the cure but... she wasn't there."

Scott put a hand on his shoulder briefly before sitting down. "Why don't you fly us back Bobby? You could use the practice."

Bobby nodded, a glimmer of pride filling his eyes as he sat down and turned the jet on. Lunar tried to sink lower into the floor as she felt Scott's burning stare turn back to her, she could tell he was going to make a remark about how right he had been.

"Yeah I get it." She put a bit of a low growl into the thought she sent him. "You were right, I was... somewhat right. I could have used someone to back me up."

What were you somewhat right about? His thoughts came back to her through the mental connection she made.

"That I knew where the camp was, I could fight just fine, I didn't die, and you came back for me." Lunar mentally smirked at the irritation beginning to show on Scott's face.

She could sense concern coming off of him as he shook his head. You were almost killed; I can guess who it was, as leader of this team you should listen to me.

"I'm not on any team." Lunar snarled out loud. "I am a wolf not some puppy that needs someone to order me around. If you want to control me I dare you to make me."

His gaze grew uncomfortable, as he was silent for a few moments, not mentally making thoughts for her, but debating with himself before speaking out loud. "If that is what it comes to, I will."

Lunar got to her paws and bared her sharp teeth at him before lunging forward in anger. "So be it!"

Scott's eyes widened in surprise beneath his visor and he moved to the side to avoid the attack. Lunar snarled again and turned towards him before stalking forward, she felt ice coat her paws as Bobby glanced back in alarm and defended Scott, but she merely ripped herself free before it managed to thicken. Before Bobby could try again she pounced and knocked Scott flat on his back, her jaws centimeters from his throat.

"Do not tempt me to finish this." Her golden gaze was cold as she looked down at him.

Scott's defiant look told her everything his thoughts didn't and Lunar clamped her strong jaws around his neck and bit down. He grunted and tried to pry her off, as he was unable to use his laser beams in the jet without causing a crash, but had to admit he wasn't able to. Ice laced over her fur as Bobby rejoined to fight, causing her to shiver and weaken her grip slightly, but it was Scott's thoughts that made her release him completely.

I thought you hated killing? You told me so yourself during a training session. It isn't me you want to kill anyway, it's Jean and Logan. He glared up at her, his breaths coming in heavy gasps as he fought to breathe.

Lunar could feel his heart slowing as she kept enough pressure on his throat to nearly suffocate him, but loosened it as she saw the truth in his words. She hadn't ever felt the need to challenge his authority this way before, nor had she ever attacked him out of anger once freed from Stryker. Once again he was right, it did frustrate her that he was right most of the time, but she backed off and sent him an apologetic thought as she laid back down. Bobby knelt down beside him and Lunar watched as he worked on stopping the bleeding. Guilt washed through her at the rash, unnecessary attack as she realized how much damage she actually did. Lunar only hoped he would forgive her and not send her away, or worse once they got back to the school.