The Jem

~18~

Crimson and Hunter raced through the damp, deserted tunnels the next morning. And the purple Jem was somewhere hidden with Crimson.

The tunnels were big and dark so it made it even harder for them to navigate their way through them. Suddenly, they heard footsteps that weren't theirs. They froze. Panic snaked it's way up Crimson's spine as she clenched onto Hunter's arm so tightly her nails began making their mark.

He put a finger to his lips, signalling for her to be quiet. But she already knew that if she even breathed the wrong way, they would be found. The footsteps kept on prodding their way rapidly, getting closer and closer to them.

"Crimson! I know your down here!" A familiar voice whisper-shouted. Just then relief filled her and she exhaled. It was Deeja and although Crimson was mad at her, she was happy that it wasn't a guard or worse Cassava or even worse The Queen.

"What are you doing here Deeja?" Asked Crimson as she walked towards her.

"The Mage told me where you were going cause I said I was going to help you find them." She mumbled, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms her arms over her big chest.

"Find the element holders? Really? Thank you Deeja." She bellowed and before she knew it, she was being rudely shushed by Hunter and Deeja.

"Yes I'm helping." Her lips twitched with a little attempt at smiling.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She hugged her sincerely. And at first Deeja resisted but shortly she returned the hug.

"Not trying to ruin the beautiful moment, but we have to leave, now." Hunter growled through his teeth. Crimson beamed more, then tugged onto her backpack straps and started to run again.

~

They finally reached the end of the tunnels and they weren't surprised when they heard, "Hey! You, what do you think your doing down here?" A muscly guard was striding towards them. None of them gasped or stepped back. Instead Deeja sharpened her nails and Crimson readied her hands for her magic to erupt.

"Ready?" Hunter asked them as he pulled out his dagger.

"Mmm hmm." Crimson nodded and Deeja made a purring noise that still sent shivers down everyone's spines.

As he got within arms length, Crimson's vines slithered toward the angry man and he was now tied with his arms and legs stuck out. He was no longer touching the ground. But what did surprise the three of them was that he only smiled.

"You must be extremely stupid and naïve to think these useless things can hold me." His smile became more feral, almost as feral as Deeja's. She shrugged and glided over to him with pristine stealthiness.

"Ok then." Deeja grinned with utmost hunger and struck his face. The guard glared at her, his cheek now had 4 deep cuts that were endlessly bleeding, "Your not going to say a single word about us to the Queen or so help me, I will turn you into nothing more then little shreds of bulky meat, and then I will feast on your delicious insides." She hissed as she lifted his chin up with one of her claws.

His chin began dripping blood too, "Deal?" Deeja added with a teasing tone. He groaned "Ok Fi-

But before he finished, he glanced in Hunters direction, "Your one of the Queens most trusted guards, how could you defy her like that?" His voice was now a little more broken but the roughness still over powered it by miles.

"I'm doing this so we can win the war, Im helping her Majesty." Hunter declared, Crimson could have sworn a little speck of sadness gleamed in his eyes.

Suddenly her gut twisted, what if Hunter didn't want to leave? What if he was doing this because of her? And what if he gets killed because of her?

"No your only a traitor!" Snarled the guard viciously and he tried tugging at the vines, but Crimson hadn't realised she was tightening her grip on the vines. Just then his eyes widened in her direction this time.

"She's cutting off my blood circulation!" He shrieked. The feline smiled more but Crimson loosened the grip.

"Oh the hell with this!" Shouted Deeja as she disfigured his face then killed him with such calmness and ease. Crimson felt like spewing her insides out again but then she remembered she had to get used to death now, she remembered that she was going to witness a lot more harsh things than what she just saw.