Family R.O.O.Ts

One Step Forward & Another Back

Narrator: Pein Yagasouri

"Run away Pein, run as fast as you can. Don't come back here. It's not safe, it's not safe here."

I woke up that morning with beams of sweat draining down my face. I was exhausted from the long night before. It wasn't until the first rays of light grazed the sky before any of us had felt comfortable enough to go to sleep. I still felt myself shaking lightly, and my breathing brought pain to my chest, me being swallowed up by the small shrubs that covered the forest floor.

"Pein' good your awake are you alright?" I heard Kyia's voice murmering somewhere off in the distance.

I nodded in my drowziness, before beginning to scratch at the sleep and dust in the crevice of my eyes. Sanyo and Kyia must have both woken up several hours before me, because they both looked refreshed and ready to continue the mission. Sanyo was sitting next to a small fire with lumber I assumed he'd clawed down himself, and Kyia had begun to roast small pelts of meat on top, he'd give her a look but she'd pay him no attention. In the back of my mind I could think of how scared I truely was. I didn't want to seem like such a little kid to some of the coolest people I had ever known, and certainly the most popular at the academy, but I had the most ominous feel. Which seemed to be getting more and more common these past couple weeks. With dreams i'd been having, and the encounter we'd had the previous night my nerves were completly wrecked. Well more than usual.

"Pein' come along and try some of this meat I just cooked, it's pretty good."

I snapped out of my trance realizing I had been staring aimlessly for a good moment.

"Come sit."

I did as I was told, and generously accepted the meat that was handed to me from the flame. Kyia wasn't lying it was quite delicious.

'So we need to discuss our next move," Sanyo interrupted the silence.

I nodded, my mouth full.

"Currently we don't know where Hinai is heading.

"What," I murmured.

"This area is very damp, it's hard for me to track anything out here that we don't alreay know about. Hopefully the sun will begin to dry the area up a bit. But until then were pretty screwed."

"That's optimistic Sanyo," Kyia's sarcasm jumped in.

"This isn't the time for optimism it's the time to lay down the cold blunt facts, and see exactly were we are, and if this shit is even worth it."

"What do you mean," I questioned.

He stared at the ground seeming to search for the right words to say next.

"It's just maybe, there's no point in going after your brother and Hinai, you know. Maybe they've got this themselves, maybe."

His sentence was cut short with a slap to the face. That brought me pain just at the sight.

"How dare you!" Kia yelled.

Sanyo's eyes turned fierce as his fangs began to clinch together in sheer anger.

"How dare you be so ready to give up now just because of inconvenience. You Qualcoom make me sick!"

"Watch it Mombaii!" he warned.

"You know what Sanyo, you call yourself a great warrior and shapeshifter, but all I see is a little boy, who can't do anything without a cup of gen in his left hand, and a list of failure in the other!"

"I'm warning you girl," he growled getting into a striking position.

The reflection of Kyia's sword was blinding.

"I'm ready when you are baby doll!"

"Guys please stop!" I yelled knowing nothing else I could do, in such a panic. Clearly we were all on the edge from a lack of sleep.

They both looked at me like they were unaware of the whole last five minutes, and puzzled at there current stat, but both sides seemed to be calmed and that was enough for me to try and ease the tension of what had just happened. I hated these situations, but I had learned well from my master and peace making was a ability I had.

"Sanyo I need to wash up a bit, could you please help me locate the lake you found earlier?"

"Um yeah, sure." he agreed a bit disoriented. "I'm sure Kyia doesn't mind cleaning up here that is the work of a women."

Kyia began to raise her sword once again but I think she saw from my expression I could handle no more disfunction.

"Thank you," I silently remarked before we disappeared into a deeper part of the forest.