Arturo & Kodiak's Story

"You got some more wood, right?" Kodiak responded with a negatory roar. "What do you mean you thought I was supposed to get the wood? It was my turn to grab lunch today." Another roar, this time more inquisitive and insulting. "Whatever. At least we got some extra food out of this. C'mon, let's break us some firewood."

They liked to wake up a little late, since they were able to relax for the past few years. Arturo isn't counting, obviously, but he had a good guess for how long they've been gone. With Kodiak setting up the fire (yes, the bear knew how to make fire), Arturo shoved some fish on sticks. He never could decide whether he preferred them raw or cooked, so he always had both. Kodiak loved his fish raw, but never explained why. Arturo thought it was just evolution, but evolution could get him to like smoked salmon, right?

"This is the life..." was one of the conversations they had most, but every time they did something drove them out of their makeshift home. They apparently didn't even need to say it this time.

"We need to get moving," someone said nearby. Arturo and Kodiak hushed themselves to listen. There were quite a few people, with varied footsteps. Stepping far enough away from his ratty yet cozy campsite and into the way of the hybrid group with his bear in tow, they weren't going down without a fight using everything in their verbal — and possibly physical — arsenal. Not like they could run with the potential killers so close. At best, he could hopefully deter at least one of the cats, but most all looked hungry or angry.

"Please don't tell me those assholes are still looking to kill me. They had to send a whole squad, too? Come on; it's been what...? Three years since the last attack?" Of course, he killed the last attacker, and now he was mostly talking to himself. "Why haven't you given up yet, SAPH? It's obvious some of your jerkwads are s'posed to be good at sneaking, so why ya gotta insult me with direct confrontations?!" With a sigh he concluded, "C'mon, there's gotta be more of you here, right?"

Amber iris's gazed deeply into the river. The soothing sound of water running over rocks and across the bank calmed the serpent hybrid. Until the silence was interrupted, Farai looked as if he was deep in thought. As soon as Spots had begun to speak, his true thoughts came crashing down on his head and jolted him awake. His head cocked over toward Spots' side and he studied her expression. “You don’t have to force yourself; you can laugh at me- I would.” Farai didn't say anything. Instead, he just stared at her. His mouth slightly open as he continued to study her. After a good bit of silence, Farai finally spoke. "I do admit...I did chuckle a bit when you regained your composure..." He snickers at the remembrance of her acting as if nothing happened, just as he did when he hit that tree. He stops suddenly. "But why would you think I would laugh at you now? Everyone hasss vomited sssometime in their life...And that'sss no laughing matter..." He states matter-of-factly.

“No; I didn’t eat anything that would cause me to vomit.”“And I doubt it’s stress; I am the least injured, so why would I be stressed?” Farai tilted his head upward toward the canopy of the forest. "A lot hasss happened over the passst few daysssss...I myssself are sstresssssed..." Farai answers as he slumps his back over. He was exhausted, aggravated, and really wanted to be sleeping over a hot heating pad right now. But he wasn't. And in his point of view, Spots looked in a much worse condition then him. She was in a group full of nitwits, their owners practically want them dead, and now, she was puking up a storm. Who wouldn't be stressed? "...I jussst figured..." He states after a silence. “I have no stress.” 'Everyone has stress...' The snake thought. Her following question, and statement, made Farai lift an eyebrow before turning his head toward her again. “Why are you helping me?”“You are the last person I’d thought who would come over to help me; I thought you’d be all for the idea of allowing me to stay behind.” Farai stood up off the ground. He answered her first question, ignoring her following statement. "Well...Issn't it obviousssss?" he asks as if he were quite offended. "Think dear girl...We are ssstuck...in the foresssst...With the government out to kill usss...We need all the protection we could get." He states simply, putting emphasis on the word we. Basically, he was saying that he needed her for his protection or...They all needed each other for everyone's protection. What are the odds of one measly mutant surviving alone with the entire government out for their hide? At least a group had a fighting chance. "And why on Earth would you believe that I wouldn't come help you!?" His voice heightened in tone and his body tensed. His facial expression looked harsh, maybe even saddened. "Isssss it becaussse I am a ssnake!?" He growls. A silence follows before his lips curl up in a smile and he begins to laugh. Ah, it was only one of Farai's many attempts to get someone frightened.

Farai was about to speak once more when his eyes caught glimpse of the approaching Lovi. The lion hybrid returned the glance and, just then, his eyes told Farai everything. The snake grins sheepishly before scurrying back a bit, not wanting to be caught in the middle of Lovi's rage. The snake watched from a ways away as the lion grabbed the girls arm tightly and bared his teeth. Farai flinched and his iris's darted around, trying to find something to entertain him instead of watching Spots get a harsh punishment for her words. He didn't know what, but something didn't suite him well with the predicament he was in. Was it Lovi's presence? Spots's trial? Or was something going on that he could simply not see? What ever it was, he believed it had to be linked with the scene in front of him so, he diverted his eyes elsewhere.


After the intimidating scene had passed, Farai immediately stumbled toward Spots. "Gee, Isss it ssssafe now?" He asks jokingly. His eyes mocking that of fear as his head moved from side to side as if he was watching out for Lovi. Studying Spots' expression, Farai decided to leave her alone for a while. His fun would have to continue later.

Farai returned to the group, by the rivers edge, just as Lovi spoke. "We need to get moving," Farai noticed the uneasiness in the hybrids eyes. Was there something, or someone, among them that they couldn't see? Farai was never really good at sensing a hidden presence. He always had to rely on pure sight, or heat signatures. However, witnessing the scene with Spots not to long ago, the snake was hasty with his decision to not anger the lion hybrid. The snake quietly responds with an 'OK...' as he stands and walks up beside the lion hybrid. His belly churned in distress letting the snake know that he was hungry; again. The snake pushed the aggravating sensation away, repeating in his head that he could wait until they got out of here. Farai placed his fist on his hip, shifting his weight to that side as he impatiently waited for the group to get a move on.

"I'll be right back, guys. I need to do something quickly." The mouse girl spoke before darting into the woods, just after the fox guy seemingly disappeared. Farai slightly opened his mouth, almost protesting her future intentions to go chasing after the fox, however, she had already left. Farai furrows his eyebrows in a scold and begins his hasty pace; back and forth, back and forth. Everyone was tense, agitated, and uneasy. All of which made Farai tense, agitated, and uneasy. The very reason why the snake wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. He wondered, could mouse girl and fox boy sense another presence around them? Is that why they ran off? Should they be running off with them? Or were they unaware of the unseen? Farai hoped they'd be unaware. This thought however, aroused a bit of anger. The two knew the group was in a rush, so why stall!?

Farai growls, and continues his treading, making sure to step over his own tail rather than trip on it. It's, happened before. After more agonizing minutes, the grumbling of his stomach was becoming apparent, and the snake had resorted from calmly pacing, to hastily walking along the river, leaving the group behind. Under his breath, profanities and threats could be heard, thrown to an artificial presence. His eyes suddenly flicked toward the river. The gentleness of the water was replaced with a much more violent stereotype. The gentle slope he walked along altered into a very steep incline. Pristine blue waters turned into a menacing white as it berated against protruding rocks and up the bank. Nearly reaching the mutants feet. Farai had lost track of time, unexpectedly taking longer than what he wanted. A streak of fear passed through the mutants eyes. What if he lost his protection? "Calm down Farai...I'll jusssst follow the river upwardsss and, if they took my adviccce, I should be fine..." He states as a mere attempt to calm his own self down. It helped somewhat, but the snake couldn't help but feel a lack of security. He was pretty sure none of his 'teammates' were around him. So really, the snake was indeed shield-less.

It wasn't long until the snake decided to continue his journey once again, however, his paranoia did not subside. The sensation drove him mad as he bitterly spits nonsense at the life around him. The group did this to him. How? He had no clue, but their agitation seemed to rub off right onto Farai. Why wouldn't the feeling go away now? He was already a good ways away from the group. Unless, someone was indeed watching them. The very thought sent a chill down his spine. He was never the one to spy...Or like spying. He just couldn't stand the idea of taking information from somebody who doesn't know you are there. Like being invaded of ones own personal information, and have no idea about it. Farai was the one to go right ahead and kill; get it over with. Spies however, do things differently.

A crackle jolts Farai out of his thoughts, in just enough time to catch a nearby limb before he fell. As his eyes looked downward, his foot had mistakenly stepped on a protruding stick which broke under his weight and fell into the river. Farai lets out a sigh of relief and regains his barrings prior to studying his surroundings. The river only seemed to act harsher indicating a steep decline up ahead. A waterfall perhaps. That would be a view. The water gently gliding down toward earth. It reminded him of when he was younger, looking through a book about a place called...Yosemite he believes. He remembered the promise he was given to see such scenery by Skylar. The promise to one day visit Yosemite, the Smoky Mountains, and of course, Shenandoah. But eventually...Missions got in the way as well as training and now, this. Well, at least the snake could view yet another magnificent sight before he gets killed off by sundown.