Nature in Hiding

57- A cool water trick, please.

Hritika sat there bored, a leg upon another looking at the silent Neer.
"Show me some water tricks."

"I am not a magician," Neer deadpanned, rolling his eyes at her.

"But you are a water elemental. I am sure there must be some cool, nonthreatening tricks that can entertain me," Hritika urged, her upper body moving forward in excitement.

Neer pushed her back, shaking his head at her antics. "What's with the childish excitement? Did you ask the werewolves to jump through the hoops when you first met them?"

The question was meant to be sarcastic, but the silence he received from Hritika in response made me laugh out of bafflement.

"You did?" He tried to confirm, in between the laughs.

"Wellll...I did threaten them that I will report them to authorities and then humans will use them in circus for entertainment," Hritika said, not meeting his eyes.

"The threat was made in self defense," Hritika explained hurriedly, as he could feel Neer's unimpressed stare from the side.

"I swear," she said, pinching her throat, not wanting him to think she was an evil person.

"Alright, alright, stop now. I believe you," Neer said when he saw her getting fidgety.

Hritika sighed in relief, before questioning to herself, 'Why did it matter what he thought of me?'

"Soooo...a cool trick?" Hritika asked again, to lighten the mood.

"You don't give up, do you?" Neer chuckled, shaking his head.

"I am seriously bored. Do something. If not cool tricks, then what about attack. It's just tiny old me here. All the powerful people in the pack are busy. You can easily attack this weak human and get away," Hritika offered, thinking the attack would bring some spice in this boring day.

"Weak and you," Neer scoffed.

"I am the only human here. That too an unfit one," Hritika offered, hoping he would take the bait.

"Humans are the most dangerous species out there. And especially the ones with a smarter intellect," Neer said, looking at her pointedly.

For some reason, he always thought that smarter minds were scarier than physical strength. Even if he lost, at least, he would know what he was getting into during a physical fight. But mind games could completely throw him off.

"Okay, don't attack me. But at least try to run away," Hritika urged, "It would be fun playing a game of catch, but the end result would be death, what say? Interested?" She asked, rubbing her hands in excitement.

Neer laughed at her imitation of an evil laugh.

"Just kill me already and end the game," he offered back, laying back on the headrest of the couch.

"Nah! Can't do that. Once you are dead, we won't be able to capture your other group members," Hritika said with a sarcastic smile.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he grumbled, "I asked you to leave them alone as my last wish. They didn't do anything."

"Then who's gonna pay for the damages?" Hritika questioned, reminding him of the burned pack house.

"We don't have any money," Neer answered sincerely, although he knew Hritika was playing around.

"Obviously, you don't. You can pay by working for us."

"Weren't you going to kill us?"

"After you complete the payment."

"Righttt," Neer nodded, playing along with the ridiculousness.

They both chuckled at their stupid conversation, before Hritika cleared her throat.

"On a serious note, are you not going to try and run away?" It didn't make sense to her. He wasn't really captured and he had his energy back. Why wasn't he trying anything when he had all means to do so.

"I am tired of running," Neer answered truthfully.

"Tired?"

"We have been running away for so long. First from the media, then from doctors, then from the whole human world and now from werewolves. We manage to get out of one problem, only to fall back in another.

"Even if I manage to get out of here today, we will still have to roam around to find a place to hide. Who knows, we might end up finding another species. Then they will find out about us. And this whole cycle will repeat.

"I don't want to run again. I am really tired of hiding now. Just want it to end right here."

Hritika looked at him with sorrowful eyes. Her heart aching as she heard him give up on life.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"How am I looking at you?" Hritika asked, seeming self-conscious, thinking she gave her feelings away.

"Like you trust me," Neer replied, looking at her with teary, hopeful eyes.

"That I do," she said, blinking her eyes in affirmation. She didn't know how and why, but she did trust him.

She had felt betrayed when she had first seen the video, but as time passed by she couldn't really imagine Neer to be a murderer.

"I still don't have any evidence to prove my innocence," he reminded her.

"Your eyes are enough evidence."

"What if it's just a ploy? What if I am acting?"

"You don't want me to trust you," Hritika concluded, instead of answering his questions.

"You will get hurt in the end. Hritika, don't believe in me. It will hurt a lot more when I am killed."

"Why are you so sure about getting killed?" Hritika huffed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"There's no evidence for us to prove that we are innocent. And until and unless it is proved, we will remain as  wanted criminals across the globe. There are only two options left then- either keep hiding from everyone or get killed by them.

"That's why I am telling you Hritika, don't trust me. It will be much easier to get by if you think of me as a criminal," Neer pleaded.

"You aren't going to die. And I will make sure that you don't have to live hiding," Hritika promised him, determination coursing through her entire being.

"How?" Neer asked, not wanting to raise his hopes for nothing.

"I have my ways," she winked and stood up to start on her mission.

A mission to protect the Waterboy.