Hardlanding: Kingdom of Secrets

·7·

Don buried his hands in his messy green hair, his knee bouncing anxiously as he continued to mutter angrily. The two girls had been down there for what felt like hours, but in reality they had only been down there for twenty-five minutes. They hadn't heard anything from the pit the entire time, the only noise the quiet muttering of other students and the two packs of werewolves whimpering and bickering nervously. 

"Thirdy minutes have passed. The first battle is over with no winner. Both Nightinggale Alloy of the CreaNoir pack and Daphne Delori of the DesNo wolves are declared dead. Their bodies will be recovered by a diver team and the next battle will begin afterwards."

A team of soldiers marched down the stairs and into the arena. Don stood, turning to the Dean. 

"I'm going down there and so help me if you try to stop me, I'll kill everyone you know and love then I'll kill you," the boy threatened, his cold tone sending shivers down everyone's spine.

A bead of sweat rolled down Dean Jacobs' face as he held the boy's gaze. "And what makes you so sure of yourself?" The Dean snapped back, gesturing for the team to continue-they had stopped to watch the exchange.

Don didn't respond and instead climbed onto the railing. The wolves stood, ready to follow when the divers stopped, looking at each other in confusion. When they had begun jumping from pieces of the shattered earth to bigger pieces closer to the pit, stones had fallen in and not a moment later high barks of pain. A string of angry curses followed, amplified by the echoy pit.

"She's alive!" Sky cheered, bouncing in her chair and shaking Max, who tried desperately to escape her grasp.

A moment later, a dusty head appeared in the opening, panting tiredly. She scrambled for claw holds, stopping when she had gotten her upper body out in the open.

"Night!" Don cried.

She shook her head free of sand before she glared at the Dean.

"Who said I die that easily?!" She growled as she struggled to climb the rest of the way up, only stopping when she couldn't. "And why is Daphne so fucking heavy?! Stop standing there gawking and help me!"

The diver team rushed to pull the wolf out. Daphne sat on her back, her arm wrapped tightly around Nightinggale's neck and tangled into her fur. Free, Nightinggale shook her whole body free of sand, raising a dust cloud. When it cleared, she sat down and began glaring at her cracked and bleeding paws.

"So I'd like to know who thought I'd die in a pit?" She began slowly, giving them an innocent, toothy grin.

Immediately the students pointed to the dean, who had been watching with a shocked expression. 

"Next time, don't. And best be sure if that's how I really meet my end, you best believe I'm taking someone's army with me. Now get this girl off my back!"

"The ah winner, is Nightinggale! Her opponent is to injured to fight and unconscious." The Dean said after clearing his throat.

Aphmau and Cathy jumped into the ring, their medic bracelets high on their forearms as two of Daphne's clan mated jumped in after them. They untangled Daphne from Nightinggale, who shifted back to normal, before they began respectively to fuss over their leaders. 

"I'm fine see?" Nghtinggale snapped as she pulled away from Aphmau and stomped away. 

"Something's got her mad," Don said as she disappeared into the tunnel that lead to them. 

Aphmau ran after her as Nightinggale climbed up the stairs, finding a seat next to Don and collapsing heavily into it. She as wearing a cloak and every time it pulled away from her body he could see the bandages wrapped around her chest and abdomen. She also had a few wrapped around her arms and legs.