LUNA

29: Dagger and Bet

Group training.

Food hunting.

As our leader and tactician, Nym is very attentive of everyone's roles. May mini forest ang palasyo sa 'di kalayuan ng kanilang lupa at doon kami pinag-training ng unang prinsipe at hari. They wanna see how good we are working as a team. If our communication towards each other is enough to be on the battlefield.

Medyo masakit parin ang aking ulo dahil sa nangyare kagabi pero hindi ko na ito pinansin pa muli. Cayden already held a short meeting regarding about what happened last night. All of them, except me, drew either a scowling or a shocking expression on their faces.

"Steady" Nym reminds us all with equal quietness. "Steady"

Pinapalibutan namin ngayon ang isang malaking tigre sa loob ng kagubatan. White and orange. Sharp and vicious. The tiger bares its teeth and fangs to warn us.

I assess with my own focused eyes. Bahagya kaming naka yuko lahat para madali na lamang saamin ang kumilos kapag may mangyareng hindi inaasahan. We are all in our black tight suits, minus the golden corset armor. Beside me is Pandora and Ryon. Across me is Piper. Lahat kami ay diretso ang tingin sa tigre.

"Just wait a little longer," Nym carefully whispered the words. Warily carrying her hand in midair to command— "Now!"

Sabay sabay naming inatake ang tigre. No weapons. The king's demand. Malakas na umangil ang tigre at inihanda ang sarili para saamin. "Avoid the teeth!" Nym reminded us again but that reminder is useless when reality is against you. The tiger is fast. Very fast. We only have our canines and sharpened nails. The tiger is an animal with an animal instinct— it bites the first flesh he sees with its dark eyes. Charlotte isn't quick enough to avoid it so she squeals in pain, but isn't dumb enough to let the opening slip. She pierces her nails into the tiger's skin and the tiger shrieks and backs away immediately. Mabilis kaming kumilos lahat.

Nym said we can only do an attack once.

The king wants the tiger alive. Another part of the challenge.

Three witches: Pandora, Elliot and Acey tackled down the tiger with such force. Binato kaagad saakin ni Piper ang isang tali at agad 'kong tinali ang bunganga ng mabangis na hayop.

"Putangina mo" minurahan ko kaagad ang tigre ng kagatin nito ang kamay ko. Blood oozes out and I barely have the time to feel the pain if I don't want to fail.

Zarax holds down the tiger's head for me and hisses.

"Bilisan mo!"

I throw her a sharp look. "Wag mo akong utusan"

Margot, Piper, and Makayla are also doing their best to tie the tiger's feet. Kagabi pa ako wala sa mood at mas lalo lang akong naiinis sa tigre na 'toh.

I punched his head. Hard. Just enough for him to be unconscious.

Napaimpit sa sakit ang tigre. Screeching in a high-toned voice before the tiger suddenly went still, and then, slowly, drifts away from his consciousness. His eyes are still open, but there are no eye movements.

Napatigil silang lahat sa ginawa ko.

Piper, Pandora, and Ryon suppressed a laugh. I saw it. They lowered their heads and their shoulders were moving up and down stiffly.