They're just Children! {REWRITING!}

{Chapter 3}

We're Being Followed...
[POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: Stalking behavior, panic, depictions of injuries/blood]
Rewritten & Edited!

As the moon started to sink into the horizon, Tommy, Tubbo, and Puffy were getting closer to Spawnpoint. They wanted to get there earlier and leave the SMP by dawn, but it seemed that they had gone slower than they hoped. Throughout the trip, they were on edge, peering around every tree they passed to see if they would spot any hostile mobs or unwanted players following them. They never saw any, but were still on edge nonetheless.

Tommy and Tubbo held hands, tightly clenching them as if they would be pulled apart at any moment. Puffy was in the lead, a torch out to light up their surroundings and her shield on an arm, glancing back at the boys every few minutes. When Spawnpoint, a boxy structure made of varying materials, finally came into view, the three players felt more at ease.

"C'mon," The sheep hybrid said, picking up her pace, "we'll be out of the SMP by morning if we hurry!"

The two boys picked up their pace to a speed-walk, following their mother figure. Suddenly, there was the sound of something falling from one of the trees, landing on the leaf-ridden and podzol-covered ground. The three stopped, even taking a step back. The figure was only a few feet ahead of them, covered almost entirely by shadow. They had two triangular ears atop their head, a slender tail swishing behind them, and glittering red eyes stared back at them.

"Antfrost." Puffy growled, shield-wielding arm up to protect herself.

"Hello, Puffy." The cat hybrid spat, stepping forward, "Weird how we meet each other again."

"Drop the act. I know you followed us if you're here now." The sheep hybrid said.

"Well, I guess I don't need to ease into it." Ant said.

He pulled out a glowing sword from its sheath, swinging it around like he was in a show-off competition, not a premeditative murder. Puffy snuffed out the flame on the torch before throwing it to the ground, unsheathing her own sword.

"Tommy, Tubbo, I need you two to run." The mother figure hissed to them, "It's your only chance."

"We're not leaving you." Tubbo said.

"He just wants me, you two still have a chance." Puffy said, keeping a hard glare on the cat hybrid.

"You let us fight when Bad and Ant attacked!" Tommy protested.

"That was different! Now, go!"

Ant charged the sheep hybrid, and the two were quickly locked in combat. Tommy lunged for the bag of weapons and armor that Puffy dropped in favor of fighting the Eggpire member. The cat hybrid saw this, and took the opportunity to jab at his hand with his sword. The blonde screeched in pain, reeling back. The sound distracted Puffy for a second, causing her to falter and allow her former friend to slash her left leg. She hissed a curse, knees buckling, but kept her stance. Tommy growled, but wasn't giving up yet. He glanced back at Tubbo, who hadn't moved since the fight started.

"Tubbs, go around Ant's left and jump him. I'll go 'round the right." The blonde said.

The ram hybrid nodded to the plan. The two boys dashed opposite ways from each other, hiding in the shadows. The Eggpire member grinned as he noticed them leave. He dodged Puffy's swing of her sword by ducking, placing his hands on the ground and sweeping the sheep hybrid's legs out from under her. She fell onto her back with a yelp, sword falling to the ground next to her. She tried to get up, but the cat hybrid's sword was pointed at her throat. She gritted her teeth, looking up at who she once called a friend. Now, he grinned maniacally at her, tail flicking around happily.

"I'm truly sorry for this, Puffy, but you were just getting in the way." He said, head tilting to the side.

There was a cry nearby, causing Ant to quickly turn around. Tubbo rammed into the Eggpire member's stomach, elbow making contact. The cat hybrid yowled in pain, but didn't get to recover as Tommy jumped from behind. He wrapped an arm around his neck, putting him into a triangle choke, legs wrapped tightly around his torso. The blonde pulled back, choking the cat hybrid. Tubbo backed away, scurrying to Puffy.

"Puffy! Are you okay?!" He asked, eyes wide with worry.

"I'm fine, Tubbo. I'm okay." Puffy said, giving a weak smile.

The ram hybrid looked at the sheep hybrid's leg wound, which still bled onto the forest floor. Tubbo grabbed one of the bags and opened it up, digging around for bandages. They heard a thud, alongside dust and leaves being kicked up. They looked, and saw Tommy standing over Ant's motionless body, breathing heavily and hands clenched into fists.

"Did you kill him?" The brunette asked, almost casually.

"No. Just passed out." The blonde said, finally looking up at the two, "Puffy, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Tommy. Really." The sheep hybrid said, smiling.

Tubbo found a roll of bandages, and knelt down by their mother figure. He rolled Puffy's pant leg up, and started covering the wound. Once it was covered, he ripped the strip off and helped Puffy stand. She faltered for a second, but was able to stand on her down. The ram hybrid turned to Tommy with a smile, seeing him approach. His smile faltered when he noticed his friend's hand bleeding, and he grabbed it.

"EY! Careful!" Tommy hissed.

"Keep your hand out, I need to wrap it." Tubbo said, ignoring the blonde's shout.

He did, and the ram hybrid wrapped up his hand. Once he was done, he ripped the strip off, and he put the bandages back in the bag it came from. Tommy picked up his backpack that he carelessly threw to the ground, and slipped it onto his shoulders. He looked at the others, seeing they were also ready to go. Puffy picked up the discarded torch, relighting it with little difficulty.

"We need to move. It's almost morning." She said.

"Yeah, I don't wanna be caught in the SMP." Tubbo said, messing with his jacket sleeves while keeping a serious look.

The three started to quickly walk (or in Puffy's case, limp) past Spawnpoint, and further through the spruce-filled forest. Tommy knew they were far from being out of danger, but he couldn't help but feel so liberated. He knew that his old life of endless fighting, arguments, and assassinations would be over. It felt like a dream.

He could finally be free.