The Hunting

Chapter 10

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Part of this chapter is in Nate's perspective. In this chapter and chapter's in the future, some will be from his point of view. Hopefully, you enjoy it! 

It was mid-afternoon by the time we stopped for a break. We walked in silence for most of the way, the shenanigans of this morning seem like a distant memory. Even though there was little to no discussion, the atmosphere changed while we were walking. The hunters still had us in the middle, but they weren't as close as before. They are no longer watching us like hawks, except for a certain someone whose glare remained ice cold.

The area we stopped in was very different from where we stayed the night. The patches of grass were not as green as they were back around the Burrow. The trees aren't as full and if you angle yourself right, you could see for miles. By the Burrow, we were lucky if we could see things within a mile of the wall. Gradually, the vegetation is becoming more and more foreign. This was concerned me because that means that I have no clue what is safe to eat and what's not. I could tell that Nate had the same feelings as I did because he looked around with a curious expression on his face. Please don't let Nate kill himself from his stupidity.

There was a small stream flowing through the clearing. It was microscopic in comparison to the rivers we had seen. The lack of vegetation was concerning.

Calum was the first to talk, "We will stay here and rest for a bit. Tonight, we should be at the forest's edge. We will stop there before heading out on the prairie. After the prairie is the canyons. Javier, you and I will go get as much food as we can while we still have some vegetation. Don and Pietra, you stay here and watch them."

Before Calum walked out of the clearing, he turned around and looked at Pietra, "Don't get yourself into too much trouble."

Pietra smirked, "No promises."

Calum shot her a smile before he walked off. The more time I spend with the group, the more I become aware of Calum and Pietra's relationship. It's subtle, the looks that they share. The way that the look at each other is more than friendly. My curious nature wants to ask them about it, but I know I wouldn't get an answer.

There was silence between the four of us; each of us doing our own thing. Don was looking around the clearing, Pietra was glaring at something, Nate was looking at his feet, and I was lost in thought.

All of a sudden, Pietra came marching over to me. I looked at her as she closed the distance between us. Don and Nate snapped to attention as Pietra spoke, seething, "Listen here scavenger, I don't want you to think just because you can make us chuckle we are accepting of you. I don't trust you and I don't plan to. It's only a matter of time before your true self comes forward and everyone else sees what an awful person you really are."

I was completely shocked. Where did this come from? Don spoke before I could, "Pietra they haven't done anything wrong. Calm down."

Don's effort to try and soothe Pietra was valiant, but it did little to sway her. If anything, it made her even angrier. She snapped, "Don, how could you say that? Two people with a bunch of weapons come out from the middle of nowhere trying to talk to us. If we didn't threaten Nate, that bitch would've never come out. She would've killed us! They are scavengers and I am sure of it. I know she's wanted to kill us since day one. The only thing that is holding her back is the dumb ass that came with her. You think you can come in and drag us to our death. Neither you nor that useless piece of trash will get what you want. Go down to hell where you belong bitch."

I snapped, I took the two steps to close the difference. If either of us leaned we would be touching. I looked up at her as her eyes bored down on me. I hissed, "You can call me all the things you want, but don't you dare say anything about Nate. You don't know us so how can accuse us so callously. We could be many things, hunters, grazers, burrowers, and scavengers. Can I remind you that you decided that we were scavengers and took us? We didn't want to go with you all. And no, I haven't wanted to kill you all. The only thing that I've wanted to do this whole time is shut you up because I am sick and tired of your attitude. You think your entitled to say whatever you want just because you have a weapon and I don't. You are nothing but a coward with a sword!"

Before I could say anything else, Pietra threw her sword on the ground and lunged at me. My fist met her face as we tumbled to the ground. We both struggled for dominance as we kicked and threw punches at each other. I landed a good punch to her nose and she punched my eye. I could see Pietra's nose start to bleed as someone grabbed me by the waist and yanked me away from Pietra. Pietra was hulled to her feet by a red-faced Calum. My legs swung wildly as I tried to touch the ground, but the person holding onto me had an iron grip. The last person I expected to whispered in my ear. "Calm down Arden, she isn't worth fighting."

I spun my head around to see Javier gripping onto me. Javier sensed that I calmed down as he gently set my feet on the ground. No longer did I care about Calum and now Don holding onto a bleeding and furious Pietra. I also didn't care about Nate standing there stunned. I expect that he is shocked considering that the only true fights I've ever been in have been verbal. I didn't look at anybody as I stormed through the clearing before I reached the edge I heard Calum yell, "Arden where do you think you're going?"

Without even looking back I yelled, "For a walk!"

With that, I stepped past through the clearing and started to run goodness knows where.

~

In my completely unbiased opinion, I personally think Arden won. Nothing can hold a candle to an angry Arden. Her stubbornness is unparalleled back at the Burrow. It has been an hour since the end of Arden and Pietra's fight. With each passing minute, my worry grows. I'm not worried for Arden, I'm worried for any poor, unfortunate soul that crosses her path. Nobody shares my worry as Don fuses over his still raging sister. Calum and that Javier dude looking as solemn as ever. Out of all of the hunters, I trust Javier the least. That's not saying much because I wouldn't even trust any of them with berry picking. But something about Javier throws me for a loop; I don't like the way he looks at Arden, it's suspicious.

Finally, after what seems like forever Arden walks back in. I can tell that she has calmed down, but what I didn't notice when she stormed was the cut on her pink lips. I gave her a once over to make sure the rest of her was okay, my eyes landed on her bleeding knuckles. I stood up, making my way to Arden. I heard Pietra hiss under her breath. I grabbed Arden's injured hand lifting it up to inspect it. My laugh was empty as I spoke, "Who knew Arden Able was one to punch a tree out of anger?"

Arden's tone was bitter as she whispered, "Who knew Arden Able was one to get kidnapped by a bunch of hunters and get into a fight?"

I grabbed Arden's chin with my other hand as I made her look up at me. I grimaced when I saw her left eye was bruised and swollen. I looked down at the dried-up blood on her lips. Arden sighed as she took my hand away from her face, "I'm fine Nate."

I've heard that phrase enough to know that she means the exact opposite. With my hand still on her wrist, I dragged her to Calum and asked for some bandages for her hand. Arden didn't argue as I bandaged her up. My eyes flickered to her face. She was staring off into the distance. In times like this, I look to her eyes for answers. I can tell that she regrets getting in the fight with Pietra. I also see the worry in her eyes, that look hasn't ceased since we left the Burrow. This isn't the Arden I know. The Arden that I know is always smiling, if not in the face, then the eyes. I don't like what this is doing to her.

Calum cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention. He spoke cautiously, calculating almost, "Okay everyone, we need to continue on our way. Pietra, you walk up in the front with me. Arden, you walk in the back with Javier. The last thing we need is another fight."

I smirked as I thought back to when Arden punched Pietra's face in... hot. Arden pulled at my hand causing my eyes to look down at her. She narrowed her eyes at me, "What are thinking about?"

My smirked widened, "You wouldn't like me if I told you."

She looked at me with that mischievous glint in her blue eyes, "I don't like you regardless of whether you tell me or not."

I chuckled as we started to walk.