0-SA (The Last Ship Series)

Chapter Seventy-Four: Repelled

Luna sat quietly in front of the door, her knees pulled close to her chest. She hadn't hardly slept all night. All she could think about was her parents, all of her group, including Fex. He had disappeared with the infected behind him. All the young queen wanted was for everyone to be back together again.

She sighed softly as she looked over her supplies, 'Fex told me to wait, so I will wait until the sun comes up. That's it. No more. I have to get out of here. I don't even know if he's coming back.' All these thoughts ran through her mind. Her and Fex and never really gotten along already, and she worried he would be more upset once they were in the clear of these infected.

Luna rested on the floor with her head propped up on her back as she gazed at the ceiling. She was exhausted, but even now she couldn't bring herself to sleep. The sky was barely lit on the outside, but she made no effort to move yet. The fear of what lurked inside the shadows was set in her mind. She didn't want to risk anything knowing she was there, 'Maybe this was a mistake.' She thought to herself, 'What am I going to do?'

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It didn't take long for the sun to rise; allowing the soft morning light to come through the windows. Luna finally brought herself to her feet and began to get ready to leave. She didn't have supplies to make it through just sitting there, and at this point, she was scared, and she wanted to find her family. Even if it meant disobeying the knight.

Luna adjusted her oxygen tank. She glanced around the room once more to ensure she hadn't forgotten anything, but just as she was about to step out the door, she heard galloping that followed a harsh thud. The teen felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. "Fe-" She went to call out but found herself going quiet. Right now, she really didn't know if it was him or not.

The teen hesitated to look out the window in fear of being seen, but as she peeked out, she saw Fex lying on the ground next to Tillian, whom was circling the grounded Irinaut.

"Fex!" Luna opened the door and ran outside, only for Fex to immediately hold up his hand and hiss out.

The male lifted his head. He had several gashes down his chest and neck. His eye was swollen, and that rubied blood glistened brightly in the morning light. Drool dripped from his mouth, and he had no mask or oxygen. Fex was breathing heavily. Though Tillian seemed unharmed.

The blonde looked at him with dismay, clearly shocked by his condition, "Fex, w-what happened? Did you get bit? W-where's your mask?" Luna was already ignoring him as she walked forward towards him, "I-I think there were more masks inside. We can-"

'NO!' Fex held up his hand before baring his teeth, 'I said stay back.' There was a vibrant glow in those ruby eyes of his. The slits of his eyes being barely visible from the amount of blood that covered him. He glanced at Tillian. The male swallowed before growling out to the beast. As the two glared into one another's eyes, a gloss flashed over each of their eyes as if they were communicating between each other with the glances, 'Take the Yeti, and get away from here, Luna. Go home. I will be fine, but you need to go.'

Luna was becoming visibly distraught as he told her to stay back. She tilted her head to the side, "You don't look fine, Fex! You don't even have a mask o-or oxygen! You could get yourself killed! Please just come with me.' The teen found herself at a loss. Fex had came out of nowhere wounded and without his air, the infected were gone, but whatever altercation had went down, Fex clearly had a difficult time keeping up, "J-just tell me what happened. M-Maybe the tribe papa found can help, maybe we can just wait here together, Fex!"

The dark blue Irinaut hummed out. He closed his eyes for a moment. Fex was clearly just trying to take everything in. Tillian was clearly acting off himself. The beast didn't have a scratch on him, but Fex had clearly gotten hurt. He swallowed before wiping his face, 'I was ambushed by the infected, Luna.' Fex breathed heavily, 'They knocked me off Tillian, and before he could get even turn around they, they got me.' He looked around before letting out a low whine, 'You need to go, Luna.'

Luna was obviously scared, and seeing him like this broke her heart. The teen looked over him before moving towards him again to get a closer look, "F-Fex, why would they let you go?" The teen crouched in front of him, 'I do not even see any of the spores on you.' She scanned the area before running back inside. She frantically searched for a medical kit, and quickly grabbed any cloth she could find. The teen ran back outside before falling on her knees in front of Fex, "I-I don't think you're infected. You would have been one of them by now, right?"

Fex's heart was racing. Truthfully, he didn't know why they would let him go himself. The Irinaut began to look over his body himself; realizing that the young queen was right. His mask had been ripped from him, but no spores touched him. Fex's ears were ringing. 'What the hell is going on?' He lifted his hand; noticing that even now, the spores that floated around them, they didn't attach, and his wounds were not blackened with the infected sludge, but clean slashes and bites. He closed his eyes for a moment as if he was reflecting, but as he heard the footsteps of Luna returning, he simply let out whine, 'We need to get you out of here, Luna.'

"Just be quiet for a minute and put this on." Luna pulled the mask over his face before adjusting it and turning on the oxygen. Her hands were shaking, "W-We need to wrap these wounds before something does get in them." She rambled, tears streamed down her face. She had never been in this type of situation before, and she found herself terrified. It was her fault Fex was in this condition. Had she never left, he wouldn't look like this right now, and she knew that. As she applied aid, her hands quivered, and her quiet sobs became more clear now.

Fex listened to her go on about his wounds, 'Luna, get on Tillian so we can go. I will be fine for now. We cannot wait.' Though as he listened, he heard the young queen sob. Fex opened his eyes slowly. The Irinaut found himself tensing up at the sight of her being so distraught. Even in the midst of it all she was trying to fix his wounds.

Luna was fumbling with her hands as she attempted to clean up Fex, "F-Fex I'm so sorry. I should had listened. I should have just stayed home. I-I don't even know what I'm doing out here. You're hurt, m-mom had papa don't even know where we are." She found herself dropping things before finally just stopping and covering her face, 'I am so sorry, Fex.'

His ruby eyes brightened before he let off a low bellow, 'Luna..' The male wrapped his arm around her before pulling her into a tight hug. He rested his head on top of hers before letting out a low sigh, realizing he wasn't infected with the spores, somehow, 'We will go to your parents and the tribe. Whatever attacked me, wanted to find you.' The male coughed out, 'We cannot take them on alone, young queen.' He whined out, 'We need to go towards the tribe. We will..take the same path..they did..' Fex's thoughts were drawing in and out. He looked towards Tillian as he held Luna with one arm with ease, realizing that this Queen was still a child. He rested his hand on Tillian's muzzle, 'Can you get us there?'

Luna gasped softly as Fex pulled her into the tight embrace. She found instant relief from this. The Irinaut never touched her before this, and he had never attempted to do so. It was unusual for Fex to interact with anyone like this. Especially the young queen, "C-Can we go now? Please?"

Fex nodded. Even if he wanted her to go home, alone wasn't safe, and Tillian had brought them back to Luna, 'We do not have a choice. We need to move, now, and hope they have gotten my message.'

Luna leaned up. She wasn't surprised that he had told her parents. Her rendezvous wasn't something would be taken lightly. She chose not to respond to it, rather worrying about getting Fed up on Tillian, "Can you get up?"

Fex braced himself with Tillian's saddle before pulling himself upwards. He didn't understand why he wasn't infected. He had went a very long time without getting bitten or infected. The Irinaut didn't understand what was wrong with him or what had really happened out there. After a moment, he hoisted himself up on Tillian before pulling Luna on the front of his mount. The male took a deep breath before turning Tillian in the path Osa and the team had taken, 'Find Osa, Tillian.' The Irinaut let out a low growl, 'Hold on, Luna.'