Claimed By Zodiacs

Chapter 1 part 2

# Braeden Wildfire
*Endless Woods, outskirts of Aurora Province (Abril)*

We've been sitting on top of the tallest oak, legs dangling off the branches. The redhead beside me was grumbling under her breath about a certain green eyed warrior named Michael.

"He is an insufferable nincompoop!"

I failed to hide my smirk. "Oh yeah?" Aria glanced sideways, hearing the undertone. I chuckled. "He is an insufferable but handsome nincompoop."

"Indee---what? No!" She elbowed me hard in the ribs, making me wince. "You are both insufferable blokes."

"I love you too."

"Ha Ha. Very funny."

I laughed at her flushed face, her cheeks tinged pink, ears turning into a deeper shade of red. She gets embarrassed everytime I do that, most women do, but Aria knows I'm mostly joking. Mostly.

Aria pulled her legs up. "Sshhh..."

"I was just kidding."

She pulled herself to a crouch, pulling the dagger hidden inside her boots. Her empty hand shushed me, slender yet calloused fingers grazing my lips. "Can't take a joke Missy?" I licked her palm. The wet palm found its way to my cheek, slapping me hard.

"The heck dude?" She wiped her hand on my gear. "I hear intruders. Now shut up and get armed, you imbecile."

That sobered me up. I stood up, laughter dying in my throat as my hunter ears picked up a sound. A rather loud scratching that sounded like a cat scratching on wood.

"Sounds peculiar." Sweat rolled down to the tip of her nose, distracting me for a moment. "A sound that loud means a rather large intruder."

Pulling my bow off my back, I cursed under my breath as I saw the leaves rustle in a frenzy. "No shit Sherlock." A loud screeching interrupted my next words. We didn't dare move nor breathe as we listened on.

"YOU ARE ONLY BORN TO DIE! A SACRIFICIAL LAMB JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER! USELESS! PATHETIC! YOU ARE NOTHING IN THIS WORLD! WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!"

It wasn't just an unintelligible screech. No. This is something else entirely. I heard Aria gasp beside me, gripping her dagger tight. "That's not true."

I pulled her by the arm but she wouldn't budge, just stood there, waiting for the creature. I have a bad feeling about this. "Aria, we need to move now!"

The branch we're standing on shook as a massive shadow charged towards us, screeching insults of colorful variety not only addressed to Aria but to me as well. I swallowed the sting in stride, trying to think of happy thoughts.

"No. No. You're lying." Aria brandished her dagger as another slid off from her sleeves towards her empty hand.

"Don't be stupid," I snapped, having an inkling with who or what the creature rushing towards us is. "Let's go!"

Aria didn't listen. Her dagger lit on fire, engulfing her arms in hot, bright flames. I yelped, letting go of her.

Sure, Pyro (it means fire) zodiacs are immune to fire but fire varies in intensity. The stronger a person is, the stronger the intensity of one's flames and tolerance. Aria's flames, on the other hand, is quite different. Being of questionable birth (she's adopted. Don't tell her I said that), she's quite powerful to begin with and became more so after running away from home. She rarely uses fire anymore, afraid of her own strength, she told me one night in a drunken stupor. She must be really mad right now.

She threw her daggers with a speed that belies the strength of those lean arms. The daggers sailed towards the creature, the flames illuminating it's face. Reddish brown fur encompassing a body as tall as a two-story house, not including the tail swishing behind. Ears twice as tall as my 6 foot frame, with whiskers that looked like long fencing swords. The dagger bounced off its two front teeth stained with something that suspiciously looked like blood.