Predator (DWT x OC)

82

The dawn wafts over L'manburg in a haze, the mist of cloud cover descending from the mountains, soft peaks of warm gold streaked across the grey sky. My breath comes out in short puffs, steam over the frostbitten leaves, green dulled behind ice. I can't feel my fingers, and the tips of my ears burn in the cold. Tommy shifts his weight slightly behind me, and the frozen foliage on the grounds cracks and splinters underneath him. 

We're crouched in bushes at the edge of L'manburg territory, nestled in one of the morning-shift blindspots in between the guards, hands frozen stiff around out bows, the chill eating through our clothes and nipping at our skin. 

Wilbur and Niki are on the opposite side, camouflaged in the hills, while Tubbo is with Eret back at the ravine. 

"We don't need Dream." Tommy says under his breath, after glaring at the trunk of a particular tree for a few minutes straight. 

"Shut up." I hiss back, elbowing him sharply. "We'll talk about it later."

"You're just going to go off and make a deal with him anyway." Tommy whispers, albeit loudly, scowling. 

"I said, we'll. talk. about. it. later." I grit out between clenched teeth. 

"You-"

I reach over and smack him across the back of his head before he can get started, and pull him down further behind the bushes, closer to me. 

"Do you want to get killed?" I ask, almost inaudibly. "Stop talking."

"Sorry." He grumbles, staring down at the dirt. I raise my head back up. 

A guard saunters across an open stretch of grass, the heavy metal of his armoured boots makes the grass crunch underneath him. There's a sword sheathed in his belt. Tommy does not hear him. 

Tommy decides this is a good moment to speak. 

"Actually, I want to talk about-"

The guard swivels instantaneously in our direction and locks eyes with me, while I shove Tommy down and behind. His hand jumps to his belt, as I pull the arrow that was previously notched loosely in my bow taut, swinging it across my shoulder, two curved fingers icy against my cheek. I let it fly, and it sinks in between the chest and arm plates, burying itself in his shoulder as he roars in pain. 

"Go!" I scream, kicking Tommy while I pull another arrow from the quiver slung over my body, watching the guard stumble towards us, one hand bloodied at his shoulder, the other wielding the sword that's pulling him slightly off balance. 

Tommy scrambles, from his hands and knees to his feet and charges off, weaving through the trees. I  start to follow him, aware of the heavy footfalls that are clanging behind me, the sound of pained breathing I swear I can feel on the back of my neck. 

A hand clutches the back of my jacket and I go flying, arms and legs flailing  before I collide with the solid earth, and I gasp for air. The guard stumbles, wobbling off-centre and in pain while I roll onto my stomach, bracing myself back up. 

For a second, both of us are trying to regain our footing, and then I launch myself at him. 

I dive for the sword, twisting his wrist in an unnatural direction while he screams, my other hand planted into his face to push his head back. His free arm swipes wildly, clipping me on the side of the head so hard I'm surprised my ears didn't start ringing.

He bodies me and I tumble backwards, tripping over my own feet. I collide with a tree, whimpering as my hip, already sore from the ground, smacks into solid wood. The guard advances, red face contorted into an ugly snarl, swinging his balled up fist into my cheek. My head snaps back and I gasp, feel with heat flood my face, the pain and shock dulling everything else.