Haven's Army

Chapter 7

I woke up later than usual the next morning. First coming on to the deck, I witnessed something new: Nathan and Dennis were in each other's faces and seemed to be having a heated argument.

"What's going on?" I asked Kathryn.

"They're fighting," she said, brow creased slightly in worry.

I rolled my eyes. "I can see that. Over what?"

She shrugged. "Ask them."

I crossed my arms across my chest as it began to unfold.

"You know what, Pretty Boy?" Nathan spat. "You can just shut up."

"Maybe you should shut up, *******," Dennis retaliated. I frowned at the profanity.

"You're not going to do anything?" Kathryn asked.

I shrugged. "They're guys."

She scoffed. "That doesn't explain anything."

I shook my head. "Let them fight their feelings out."

She threw up her hands. "Okay, but if this gets into a full-fledged fight, they could destroy the entire ship! They're some of the most powerful people in the group."

I raised my eyebrows. "True. If it gets to that we'll stop them."

"...then can it, ******." Nathan's third profanity since I'd been on deck was far enough.

"Is that the best insult you can come up with?"

Nathan looked furious by now. Without saying another word, he attacked. Soon, it was a full-fledged fist fight. No weapons, no powers, just the strength of their own two hands. It was brutal to watch.

"Now?" Kathryn asked.

I shrugged. "Probably."

I was about to step forward to intercept when someone else stepped forward: Lloyd. He grabbed Dennis and yanked him off of Nathan.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd yelled at them both, tired gaze switching between the two boys. "Don't you realize yet? People die! You two can't be fighting! If we want to win this war, we have to be in top shape! It doesn't matter how much you two dislike each other for whatever reasons you have. We need to stick together if we're going to win! So shut up and put up with each other!"

Lloyd stormed off. The deck was silent. Both Dennis and Nathan looked slightly shamed to have been told off by someone younger than them. After a few long minutes, everyone had gone back to what they were doing. Nathan and Dennis had proceeded to glare at each other but said nothing.

I approached them. "Nathan," I said, "could you come here?"

He stood up and followed me.

"Stay here," I said firmly after I had guided him to the far side of the deck. "I'm going to go talk to Dennis first, and then I'll be back."

I made my way back to Dennis.

"What's going on?" I asked him. "Why are you fighting?"

He shrugged, which angered me. "I don't know," he said. "You'll have to ask Nathan. He's never had a problem with me until now."

"So why did you fight back?"

"Because he fought me," he said with another shrug. Then he sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. "I'm still messed up over the whole Percy thing. I was supposed to protect him."

"Whatever. You're still being childish." I put my hands up in surrender. "But don't worry, Nathan will get the same thing."

He rolled his dark blue eyes and left without another word.