We walked through the dense forest in an equally dead silence. There was no noise. Not even a bird. We could only hear our steps through the leaf-litter and damp soil, or the occasional stick breaking underneath us. This eerie silence was unnatural and just screamed horror stories of murderers picking spots to leave their victims to rot.

Cat didn’t look back at all and walked at a faster pace on purpose, probably in a half-assed attempt to lose us. I was curious about the consequence if Moon had failed to make it in time for this deadline and half wondered if Cat would attempt this by leading us in circles. But it also felt like we were being watched.

We could actually be literally attacked at any moment from all sides. It was incredibly dangerous to put our faith into this girl to lead us in the correct direction. I stare up at Shadow before tapping him on the shoulder to gain his attention and pull him towards the back and asked quietly, “You know how to get to the meeting spot?”

Shadow looked towards Cat for a moment before nodding, “We won’t get lost and Cat will lead us there, even with the attitude. She won’t risk upsetting Ghost.”

So…her hissy fit was probably a reaction to things not going the way she thinks Ghost wanted…and a twisted ideal standard that she has towards Ghost and what she thinks is expected of her.

“…What is Cat’s role?” I probe him. She was too proud and “in-charge” not to have a ‘position’ in Ghost’s band.

“She was always OCD with lists so she’s usually in charge of supplies and rationing.”

So she’s all about numbers. Why did Ghost choose her to escort us? Maybe she’s the most dispensable…nah someone who can keep track of supplies needed to run their group wouldn’t be easy to chuck out…maybe she’s just irritating, and they needed a break, I thought sardonically as we came across an official track that wasn’t too bad to follow. A sign indicated that we still had another kilometre to go before we reached the lookout. The track was suddenly steeper with heaps of stairs leading directly upwards, too far past the trees to make out any sort of progress towards the top.

As we climbed the never-ending staircase, I saw a fence at the very top with a permanent gap, which would be the entrance to the outlook. Cat had strayed far enough away that she soon went through the entrance and disappeared from sight. Despite my burning carves, I only thought for the worst as we got closer, getting ready to bolt. Walking through the break in the fence, I saw an open and overgrown picnic area. The trees have grown so that they were threatening the fence and the small block of public toilets that were just beside the entrance as we passed it. The ground was a mess of overgrown grass, shrubs and climbing vines all vying for space in the mud and leaf-litter in the mostly shaded grounds that was a good fifty-metres by fifty metre clearing.But no so-called group waiting for us. Unless they were invisible. With that thought, my ears picked up a shuffle in the branches above us and to the side from the toilet block.

I immediately step to the side before palm striking something solid in the chest and moving my foot at the last second to trip it backwards to the ground and I was ready to strike again. The others weren’t as keyed in to the surprise as Jaguar was grabbed from behind, her neck secured in a headlock, her face was turning red with the pressure and I guess a little bit humiliated. She was too shocked to resist. River was pinned to the ground, someone holding his arm behind him in such a way that a little pressure would dislocate his shoulder. Reaper had escaped her attacker, pushing the girl into the mud that had let out a surprised and pained shout as Reaper didn’t think about twisting her heel into the shoulder, looking around for the next attacker before laying eyes on Moon and froze.

Shadow had slipped from his assailant’s grasp, climbing up the tree to get a better vantage point but also froze as he looked at Moon and probably horrified at the situation he had exposed her to. Moon was staring down a revolver’s barrel with no ability to react one way or the other. The boy on the end of the gun was staring her down with muddy maroon eyes. Cat was beside him, a sneering grin etched across her face.

I had to think. Plan A; run for the hills. Plan B; disarm him but risk being shot in the face. As much as I want to take Plan A, my body moved on its own, shoving Moon out of the way before moving low and up, pushing the wrist holing the gun to the side and down with so much force and surprise that he let go of the gun as it landed in my hand. I open the cylinder and empty the bullets from their chambers onto the ground, tossing the gun like a useless toy.

Cat stared at me in shock but the red-eyed kid still had a piercing stare, his emotions completely unreadable. He was the most dangerous of the lot. We were in a stalemate as no one was ready to make the next move.

The silent stare down broke by an unamused voice, “Why did you have to jump them?” The owner was in a tree overhanging the toilets . They jump onto the roof and down onto the ground, I realise it was a girl, her dress covered by an open, over-sized green jacket. She sighs, before looking up over at the mess, her dark, almost black brown eyes were disdainfully staring up at the contrastingly calm maroon ones. “It’s a chat, not a showdown.”

“Keep out of it Silver,” Cat hissed back at her.

Silver shrugged, “And what? It’s clear that we have the numbers but they might actually manage to kill us if we push it. Between the two of us, it’s clear they have more experience in combat.”

“You actually dare say that Ghost could-”

“There’s one of him and he was just disarmed by a kid with lightning reflexes. You tell me.”

“Alright, shut up you two,” Ghost went over to pick up the gun I had chucked. “We just had to make sure you weren’t going to try the same," his words were sharply aiming for Moon.

Shadow easily lands between him and her. “That was uncalled for. I told you that Moon was good on her word.”

Ghost snorts, “Between your friend Echo a few days ago and the fact that you brought more people…excuse me if I doubt you just a little. Besides it’s been months since you left us, who knows how you might turn on us. I’m not taking chances anymore, Shadow. You should understand that more than anyone.”

Shadow glared at him before helping Jaguar out of a headlock before punching the person holding her square in the joint between shoulder and arm. Making the kid yelp before rubbing the socket gingerly, standing straight again and out of his reach. “What’s that for? I wasn’t hurting her.”

“Shut the fuck up, you were strangling her.”

Jaguar was gasping and coughing, holding her neck. Reaper immediately came over to check on her.

“Sorry…” The guy instantly looked horrified, “I didn’t realise I put that much strength into the hold.”

The girl who was pushed to the ground by Reaper got up easily enough, wiping her cheek that was smeared with mud while walking back over to Ghost.

“You Ok, Rose?” He asked gently pushing his thumb against her face, trying to get some of the dirt.

“I’m fine,” the blonde girl looked up at him and smiled, “just caught by surprise, is all.”

“Wow, so the jumper became the jumpee, what a surprise,” Silver rolled her eyes.

“I don’t want to hear it for someone who just sat up in the tree and didn’t help.”

“I didn’t ‘help’,” she added with air quote marks with her fingers as she says this rather sarcastically at Rose, “because I said that I won’t help with any stupid concoction of a plan that you two made up on the spot because Cat came running up here all upset. You just told me to ‘climb a tree’ if I wasn’t gonna listen in on the plan. So, I did. I climbed a tree and had to stop falling out of it from laughing at just how badly it went.”

Rose bristled, “Shut up.”

“Why? You were the one that decided to tag along.”

“Ok, enough!” Ghost snaps before making eye-contact with Moon, “I’m sorry for scaring you but I’m not going to apologise for jumping you. You brought more people and Cat told us that you were whispering amongst each other and was worried that you were planning something.”

I blink at Cat, who unapologetically just looked at Ghost like no one else existed. I have never wanted to pummel someone so much before I met this bitch. But…easily manipulated by the looks of things. I’ll note that, at least.

“I’m -as you can guess already- Ghost. This is Rose,” he pulled her close before indicating with a hand back at Cat, “Cat as you’ve met her before.” He then motioned the boy who had Jaguar in a headlock, “Bulldog.” Bulldog was wearing baggy clothing and was tall. Like a giant compared to the rest of us. His dull grey eyes that would have been covered with the thick black hair, save for the sweat plastering it back, looked back at us overwhelming apologetic. So, the usually 'gentle giant', I guess. “Dragon,” he then motioned to the guy with gold-brown hair that had pinned River to the grown and was helping him up with a cheeky grin and laughing hazel eyes. He patted River on the back as if to show that there were no hard feelings. “Envy,” the one who I had knocked back first was up off the ground and nodded his head. His slightly curly red hair contrasted to the black hoodie and solemn look on his freckled face. “And lastly…Silver.”

Silver grinned as she faced us. “Apologies for everything.”

Moon stood, slightly annoyed. “I…understand but I’m unhappy that you presumed to the extent that you’d threaten us with a gun.”

Guns were rare to start with and bullets even more so. I stare down at the bullets between my feet, there were five in total…their worth in a trade would be worth a fair deal if there was a concept of bartering…but I made no attempt to grab them and looked back up at Ghost. He seemed to be used to pulling the gun out as first choice to threaten the other party. His aim was also true and unhesitant. He was not unfamiliar with firearms. I let out a breath, this is the last time I do this. I had mistakenly didn't consider a gun and their potential to be of use since I’ve never come across anyone who has until now. It was always fists and knives. Speaking of…I should have taken out the knife as were walking up this trail. I’ve become too complacent recently.

Moon continued, “I was the one who wanted to help you in the first place. Why would we have made contact with you if we were going to attack first?”

Ghost chuckles, “Fair point. Excuse me for being jumpy. Are you going to introduce your…interesting crew?” his eyes lingered on me as he said ‘interesting’. I immediately went on guard. He was not happy that I obtained advantage and didn’t let it play out the way he wanted. No wonder Cat had so much faith in him. It seems that very little didn’t go his way.