Fireheart | Raven Reyes [O.H.]

6 | mob mentality

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chapter six!
MOB MENTALITY
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ARES AND KIERNAN are still carrying the boar when they arrive back at camp. Partially because they're the ones who started off carrying it, and partially because Blake and Jones are too busy bringing back two body bags to help.

It's twilight, meaning the camp is back to being lit with various bonfires and torches scattered around the floor of the clearing. It illuminates the delinquents' horrified faces in amber glows as they turn to look at the hunting party. Even Murphy seems surprised to see them, as if he'd assumed they died in the same way Trina and Pascal most likely had.

Ares and Kiernan dump the canvas with the boar in it near the newly-constructed meat house. The former heads back toward his tent without a word to the blond boy, eager to lie down on his uncomfortable cot and be alone for the first time in too long. Before he can reach for the zipper, though, something in the air changes. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Ares is too tired to block the punch that sails into his right biceps, but it causes his mouth to twist in rage as he immediately snatches the front of the attacker's coat and raises his fist to strike the person back.

He barely manages to bring his hand to a screeching halt before he can hit Nate. A sigh of exasperation falls from his lips as he releases the boy's collar and takes a step back, dropping both arms to his sides with a soft smack.

"You asshole!" Nate half-yells in exasperation. There's a frown pulling down his lips, eyebrows drawn in so the wrinkles of his forehead disappear underneath his beanie.

Ares doesn't understand this outburst. "I mean, sure, but what did I do this time?"

"You left before I could wish you a happy birthday!"

"Oh, yeah. That."

Ares unzips the flap of his tent and is about to duck inside it when Nate grabs him by the back of his coat and yanks him back. It's a bold move. The curly-haired boy's mouth sets into its usual scowl as he raises his hands in innocence and allows him to speak.

"I got you something," he says, causing Ares' eyebrows to shoot up his forehead. Just as he opens his mouth to object, Nate cuts him off. "You're taking it whether you like it or not. But knowing you, you'll like it."

Nate looks around to check if anyone is watching. When he's certain nobody is paying attention to them, he ducks inside his own tent and emerges holding a folded rectangle of gray fabric. Ares' curious gaze roams the thing as he moves closer. When he realizes what it is, his eyes widen.

"A blanket? Nate, where'd you even—"

"I scoured the entire dropship like the incredible thief I am," he says somewhat proudly as he chucks the blanket into Ares' tent before it can be seen. It lands in a messy heap on the floor. "Turns out, when everyone was getting their cots and tents, they didn't look hard enough on the second level. This thing was tucked in the corner of a cabinet. I figured that your tent wouldn't be complete without one."