Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 36 - The Fortress

As soon as the group stepped out of the jet, Keira couldn't help but take a deep breath, breathing in the fresh air of the forest. She had never ventured this far out in her youth, but it still felt like home to her.

The air was still, barely a breeze rustling the leaves in the canopy. Crouching down, her gaze searched the ground where the snow lay untouched, and she couldn't spot a single deer track, which was odd since the forest was usually full of them.

"Seeing anything interesting down there?" Natasha mused with a smile, leaning against a nearby tree with her arms crossed.

Keira glanced up at her and shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. It's just... empty." It was almost eerie, how unnaturally still the forest was. Not a single bird flew across the sky, it was almost as though nature had abandoned this part of the land, or was holding its breath.

"Come on."

Keira took Natasha's outstretched hand and pulled herself off from the ground, brushing off the snow from her hair. She looked back at the jet, where the sound of motors was rumbling. They hadn't taken much with them, just a jeep and a motorcycle for Cap. It fitted them well enough, considering that neither Stark nor the Hulk would need a vehicle. Or Thor for that matter.

"This is gonna blow our cover, but nobody ever listens to me..." Keira muttered in a low, sing-song voice as she unshouldered her bow and took her place on the back of the jeep.

Clint, who was already in place, just gave her an amused smile. "Have some faith, Keira. This has worked on the other bases." He signed with his hands before fixing an arrowhead. They had taken down several bases before this one, and this was the first one that Keira was back on, so it was natural for her to be suspicious.

Keira just huffed and shook her head. "Maybe it's worked before, but it ain't gonna work on this one. I've told them this much, but their male egos are too proud to listen." She signed back, shooting a glare in the direction of Stark and Cap. Yes, she had been absent for quite some time, but that didn't mean that her intel was useless. But at least she would get the satisfaction of saying 'I told you so' when the guys were proven wrong.

As if Stark had felt her glare, he flew over to them and hovered beside the jeep that was rolling over the uneven ground, the faceplate retracting to show his face. "And what secrets are you talking about?" He questioned, shooting a meaningful look at their hands.

"Oh, nothing." Keira shrugged, shooting him a smirk as she fiddled with her bow, having nothing else to do.

"I don't like secrets." Stark pouted.

"We know you don't, that's why we're having them." Clint joined in. "Think he'll ever learn ASL so we can't speak in code anymore?" He added in sign language, smirking at the indignant look on Stark's face.

"Maybe? If we annoy him enough with it." Keira shrugged, holding back at laughter. "Oh, don't pout, Stark. I love the new suit, you know." She said, trying to divert his attention, which worked gloriously.

His pout turned into a smile, and he nodded in satisfaction. "I know you would. Worked on it for quite some time to get it to reflect your diamond skin so you wouldn't have to suffer any more destroyed clothing."

Keira looked down at her suit, slightly surprised. She wasn't aware of that special little trick. To test it out, she let the skin on her forearm transform and picked up an arrow, only to stab herself with it on the crystallized spot. And just like Stark had said, the fabric stayed intact. As she looked closer at it, having removed the arrow, she also realized that it was glittering slightly, as though indeed, reflecting the diamond skin underneath.