Running • Iggy

Leaving

Everything was so pretty, it always was. I could never take views like this for granted, no matter how many times I saw them in a day. I loved the way everything nature seemed so in tune with everything else, birds flying high above the treetops, coasting the wind. Leaves fluttering from trees, their browning complexion being the evidence of Autumn. I loved the way squirrels hurried across trees, jumping from branch to branch as they carried nuts for the holes they dig, and the way a small ant colony carried leaves to and from their den deep in the woods. I loved the way Angel would laugh as Gazzy would mimic Max's voice, making Max scold the younger boy lovingly, the way Fang would peer over at Max and smile, the evidence of his crush (unknown to Max) shining in his dark eyes. I loved the way Iggy gave Nudge a piggyback ride, Nudge instructing Iggy when he needed to turn. I loved the feeling of calm, peaceful nothingness. No worries. Nothing.

Of course I knew this was just the calm before a storm, I just didn't know when the storm was coming. I didn't know how soon the storm would come. How I wish I wasn't so naïve.

"IGGY!!" Nudge shrieked, laughing as low leaves from an oak tree slapped her in the face. "BACK! BACK!" She batted the leaves out of her face. Iggy chuckled, backing out of the shrubbery. He crouched down so she could jump off his back, and turned to where he knew I'd be sitting, on the front step in front of the blue off-white walls of our house, paint slowly peeling from years of neglect.

"Hello, ma'am." He sat down next to me, leaning his elbows on his open legs and hanging his head slightly. "Hey," I grinned, seeing an orange leaf stuck in his hair. "Idiot." I mumbled, reaching over and plucking the leaf from his hair. "Rude, I'm pretty sure I'm smarter than you." Iggy didn't move his position, but the sass in his voice was evident enough. "Says the person who said 9 times 3 is 19." I retorted. "That was a year ago!" Iggy protested. I slapped his arm lightly, looking over to the rest of the group.

Huh. "Where's Nudge?" I wondered aloud.
"I'm blind" Iggy responded.
"Shocking! Ground-breaking information! Put it on the news!" I spoke sarcastically, but I still stood up to get a better view of the clearing in front of our house.

Fang. Check.

Max. Check.

Gazzy. Check.

Angel. Check.

Nudge. ...

"Nudge?" I called quietly, more to myself than to her. Is she playing a game? Hide and Seek? Iggy quickly stood up, grabbing my arm. "Wait, you can't see her?" he asked urgently. "No. Not anywhere... Maybe behind the house?" I muttered, but I knew she would've said something. She wouldn't have gone out of view without telling me. She wasn't like that.

Suddenly, before my brain even recognized it, I had torn myself from Iggy's grasp and bolted into the forest where I had seen her last, picking wildflowers. If I had tiger's ears, they would most likely be twitching. "Citrus?" Fang asked quietly. "Where the hell is Nudge?" I snapped unfairly at Fang. Max's head shot up from where she was crouched, helping Angel. "Nudge?" Iggy called.

Silence.

Then a scream, piercing and distant, yet still loud. Before anyone had time to react, I bolted for the scream. Every bird kid was fast, and had amazing reflexes, but I was faster. I tore through the shrubbery, loose branches, and leaves. My brain was on hyper drive, focusing on the screams that were getting closer. Suddenly, I found myself face to face with 3 Erasers, one holding Nudge down with his foot, pressed cleanly between her shoulder blades. 

"LET HER GO!" I roared, launching myself at the Eraser - what we call a wolf human hybrid - pinning my Nudge down. I was strong, strong enough to knock the Eraser off Nudge. Strong enough to land a kick to its muscley, strong stomach. Strong enough to wrestle two Erasers away from Nudge as she scrambled into Max's arms, sobbing. When the third Eraser's foot came down on my back, I wasn't strong enough.