Tɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ Bᴏɴᴅs || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Tʜʀᴇᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sɪx || ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴍʙᴏᴏ ᴘᴀɴᴅᴀ

Zay

Sasha and I ran back into camp. I raced over to Ryan as Sasha skidded to a halt beside Tyler. I shook her shoulder. "We found it!" I whispered as Ryan's eyes drifted open.

"Found what?" She mumbled, "Zay? What? It's the middle of the night..."

"The Bamboo Panda!" I hissed, glancing back over my shoulder to where Sasha was having about as much luck.

"The Bam... Bamboo Panda?" Ryan blinked slowly, her eyes glazed with sleep.

"Yes!" I growled impatiently.

"Oh..." Ryan yawned.

I huffed and stood, turning toward Sasha and Tyler. The latter was sitting up, questioning Sasha quietly. I walked over. "We have to attack tonight. If we wait any longer, the Conquerors will arrive!" I announced, the beginnings of a migraine throbbing in my skull.

Tyler pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Zay, we can't. It's the middle of the night; we'll be at a huge disadvantage!"

I paced, restless and annoyed. "So? We'll be able to see well enough!" I pointed up at the full moon.

Tyler sighed again, but rolled to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "Alright. Wake the others."

I shared a surprised but triumphant look with Sasha then we split up and set to work waking the team.

Less than half an hour later, everyone was awake and ready for battle. I gripped my daggers, pre-battle jitters dancing on my nerves.

Tyler beckoned us forward and we advanced as silently as possible through the forest. We emerged on the same rise that Sasha and I had discovered beforehand, moonlight illuminating the dew-touched grass in speckles of cold silver.

Tyler waved us back as he crept forward, peering over the rise, then returning to the group. "Okay, it's the same as always. Five animals; a stag, a red panda, a tiger, an ox and a Komodo dragon. We know the drill. Zay, Sasha, you've got the dragon. Niko, Lucia, take the stag. Tazi, Lizzie, the ox. Ryan, Flynn, You've got the tiger. Navia, Sabien, you're with me for the talisman." Tyler scrutinized our group. "Clear?"

"Clear!" We chorused.

I glanced over at Sasha, who looked especially calm. I gripped my staff tightened and tried to relax. We've got this.

We crept forward and crested the ridge, nothing more than shadows in the moonlight. My eyes roved the tree line across, searching for any sign of movement. For something, anything. Or maybe it was not a something, but a someone. Stop it! I berated myself, trying to focus again.

Sasha's soft whistle pulled me from my thoughts. He tapped his temple with a finger and pressed a finger to his lips.

Quiet your thoughts; we need to focus. I understood immediately and gave him a single nod.

He nodded back, then glanced at the Komodo dragon. Looking back at me, he held up two fingers with two hands, then moved them apart and pointed them at the two different sides of the reptile.

Split up and attack from both sides. I nodded, then held up my right fist.

He nodded back, holding up his left fist.