Children of the Stars

Chapter Fifteen

For a heartbeat, I just stared up at Aidan in shock. I opened my mouth the argue further when his eyes suddenly jerked up and he dropped into a crouch. All anger and dislike was gone from his face as he stared out between the gap of the two bushes.

"They're here," he muttered.

"Who?" I peered out as well and saw my question answered. In front of us were three Water students; a girl from Scorpio with golden-brown hair that I'd seen around before, a dusty haired boy from Pisces that I recognized from my Environmental Studies class, and a black haired girl I didn't recognize. They were creeping towards the centre of the clearing, where Maera dropped into hiding with the people there.

"Any invisible people around, Melody?" The dusty haired boy asked. The dark haired girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked around.

"I–I don't think so?" She stammered, her eyes darting around. "I can't tell if it's from those guys in the woods. I sense emotion but it's faint. Almost like—"

"We're in hiding?" I finished for her, standing up from behind the bush. Aidan groaned in exasperation but stood up as well.

The boy's face blanched, while the girl named Melody looked unimpressed, and the Scorpio observed us carefully. After a moment, the Scorpio shrugged.

"There's only two, we can take them!"

"Actually—" Melody began.

"There're more of us!" Dorian finished for her, dropping out of the tree. One by one, the other Sagittarius's began to show themselves. We surrounded the three intruders as the Water students began to look uncomfortable. I looked over and found Aidan grinning at me.

"Let's get them!" He cried, leaping out of the bushes. I followed suit and the three enemies turned tail and began to run through the gradually shrinking trap. Dorian caught up to them first, and grabbed Melody by her shoulders while the girl in subject bristled.

"Your fly is down," I heard him murmur.

"Dammit! Screw you, dude."

Aidan and I were running stride for stride, watching as the Scorpio and the other guy slipped past the others and grew closer to the shadows of the woods. The other Sagittarius's were close behind us as we hit the bushes. I saw Clover and Paula out of the corner of my eye, darting into the brush to try to spring on them as a surprise. But all my attention was focused on the two Water students in front of me. They were holding hands, not out of romance, but out of support. I saw the boy tumble and the girl pulled him back to steadiness. When her stamina started running out, the boy pulled her along as if willing her not to give up.

My own stamina surprised me. Here I was, loping over uneven ground and chasing two people like they were the prey I was stalking, going fairly fast, but steadily. I didn't feel lightheaded or out of breath or feel my muscles protest. I was graceful, balanced, in control. It was like someone flipped a switch and I was now gulping energy from a limitless pool. I could feel every little shift in my muscles as they pushed me towards my prey. I felt the ageless power of the hunt course through me. Everything was in sharp clarity; I could even see where the fibres in the girl's dark blue sweater tore from running into a branch. My ears crackled as they picked up the small sounds of the wind brushing by me, the leaves rustling as we passed, the laboured breathing of the Waters in front of me.

I saw my opportunity when the girl stumbled again. Just as I reached out to grab her, Aidan leapt and caught her a second before my hand closed around her arm, reaching with his other and snagging the boy's shoulder.

"Your fly is down," I heard him hiss, almost drowned out by the girl's reaction.

"Bastard!" She yelled, groaning in defeat. The Pisces boy yanked his arm out of Aidan's grip and took off once more. I took off after him, slowing to a stop and turning to Aidan to see if he needed help. He just shook his head, his dark hair flying every which way and ending up a wind tussled tangle as he pinned the writhing Scorpio girl beneath him.