Twenty Six Hands| A Zodiac Story

BFFE (Best Friends For Eternity)

Sagittarius dropped the gun and stepped away from it. Cancer picked it up and pocketed it for safe keeping.

"I'll heal her, but we're tying her up," Cancer decided, since everyone else was too wrapped up in Gem supposedly dying.

Cancer pulled Capricorn over without warning. She dragged Pavo over to a tree and started to heal her wounds.

"Use your powers to trap her," she commanded Capricorn.

Capricorn just shrugged and started to use vines and plants to tie up Pavo. But Capricorn isn't known for being that simple, so he bent the tree she was up against and twisted it around her. The rest of the zodiacs turned to look at him as if he was crazy.

"What? It's effective." Capricorn shrugged.

"Well, he's not wrong," Cancer agreed.

"Serious stuff is happening you guys," Taurus hissed at them.

"That's why we tied her up, so she wouldn't screw it up," Cancer countered, crossing her arms.

"Stop arguing. We aren't getting anywhere with this. We should do the spell," Virgo decided.

"Or you could not." The twelve zodiacs turned around to see Hydrus, casually sitting on a tree.

"What do you want, Hydrus?" Pisces snarled.

"You all to die in a pit." Hydrus jumped down from the tree smoothly. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Aries. Since I was running from the forest fire coming our way, I found you guys."

"Shit. It's coming our way?" Leo asked, already gathering her stuff.

"Well, I can see it from here," Hydrus answered sassily. "Don't worry, you guys'll be dead."

"Hell no. I just got acrylics last week," Libra shouted. She used her air powers to put him on the highest tree. "Good luck getting down, biotch."

"Guys, we've gotta get to the lake. If we do that, Pisces can use her powers to save us," Leo said. She was already trying to pull Gem and Nye with her.

"Lee, that's where Aries died," Scorpio scolded. "We can't go back. Not now."

"We don't have a choice." Leo pushed past him.

"And worse," Sagittarius added, "it looks like we won't be able to make it."

The way to the lake was burning up. They had nowhere to go but deeper into the forest. They came to a silent decision and all started running, with Leo ironically covering everyone from behind.  Gem stayed with her best friend in the back, since she had never seen Leo so worried or distraught.

"The fire is getting closer! Watch out for burning branches," Leo shouted to the front.

"Got it!" Virgo called back. "You get that Pisces?"

"Loud and clear!"

They kept running, but the fire was faster. Gem's eyes widened. She pulled Leo close to her suddenly as a burning branch the size of them nearly fell on her.

"I owe you one," Leo thanked her.

"We both come out of this alive and I'll call it even," Gem promised.

They ran on, catching up with group. Leo was determined not to use her speed, in fear of leaving her friends behind. They were the family that never truly left her. Gem and her had pulled apart a bit to flank the edges of the end of the group.

Pisces ran at the front of the group. She considered herself water control, despite only having a few stolen water bottles. She figured Libra and Gem would also be useful with the job, since Gem could levitate the objects away and Libra could blow away the objects.