The Fates Were Here

Chapter 4

In honor of our lovely friend on this SUPER IMPORTANT DAY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD NOTE.

FELIX DIES NATALIS TIBI, TWILA!!

You'd think with so much in common, Twila and Jaz would get along. Jaz was the girl no one gave a second glance to. She was unclaimed, and after a while of being that, people stop waiting for your parent to claim you. Then it's just Jaz staring at the sky through the leaves in some far off forest wondering if she was so much of a disappointment that her parent was just too embarrass to claim her. Twila was the freak no one wanted to get close to. Even if you just met her there was something about her unnerving grey-green eyes that whispered 'stay away'. Jaz and Twila would make better friends than enemies.

"FREAK!"

"DISAPPOINTMENT!"

You'd think that wouldn't you?

One of the hunters had to hold Twila back as she strained to attack Jaz. Similarly Jaz gnashed her teeth together yanking against her friends arms. Wait no- that's not right. Acquaintance's arms.

"FRIENDLESS!"

"EMBARRASSMENT!"

"MENACE!"

Jaz embellished the shadows causing them to draw towards her, and she could feel the pounding of the undead skeletons deep under the ground, drawn to her anger. Her eyes flashed darkly, and those who weren't holding her back edged away.

"LETDOWN!"

"MUTANT!"

Twila vaguely heard her name being called. Even though she probably should've cared she didn't. Anger pulsed in her ears, turning her vision red. The ground carved under her feet as she raged to gain enough ground to pounce on the idiot girl. Her hair fell out of the braid she'd worked so carefully to make that morning.

"Knock it off!"

Twila's view of her prey was cut off by a distinct figure.

Thalia Grace was not someone you wanted to make mad. But there she stood, her silver jacket swinging open revealing her black band T-shirt. Her choppy black hair was highlighted blue like her lightning-struck eyes. And she looked furious.

Jaz glared around her. Twila snarled.

"I said KNOCK IT OFF!" Thalia commanded again, "You two are acting like little kids! It's time you grow up!"

"They can't." Some other hunter pointed out but they were shut up by Thalia's glare.

"Twila, Jaz, you make amends now." Thalia said, "Or you're both kicked out of the Hunt."

"What!" Twila yelled.

"You heard me!" Thalia fired back.

"You can't do that!" Jaz inserted. The shadows under their feet twisted and withered under her control almost like they were trying to dance.

Thalia tipped her head down, spinning her spear dangerously. The air filled with the scent of ozone, and Twila thought her saw a couple sparks flicker out. Her silver halo caught the afternoon light, "In case you've forgotten, Jasmine, I am Lieutenant now, not Zoë. I have full authority to kick both of you out of the Hunt."

The words came out before even Twila knew it. It tumble from her lips, and it was almost as bad as if she just quit the Hunt. All she could see was red. And her anger boiled and the insult flung out without before she could stop herself.

"It's not my fault she's a mistake!"

"Mistake!"

Jaz blinked like she'd been slapped. The Hunters all around them gasped, which resulted in a whirlwind of hisses like snakes. Even Twila, herself, looked aghast. Everyone froze. Seconds spread out like years and Twila wasn't sure she'd see the end of them. Jaz closed eyes, but Twila didn't miss her squeezing her hands tighter in her fists.