The Animal Inside-Amaya Jiwe

I, Ava...

"I am not just walking away from the team, Ray." Sara assured us as Ray and I, along with Nate and Amaya, followed her towards the jumpship.

"She says as she's literally walking away." I muttered, no restraint to stop myself.

"Sara, we appreciate that you may need a break after what happened with the Death Totem, but this is the absolute worst time for you to leave." Amaya quickly sympathized before just as quickly returning to her point.

"At least let us lock you up in the brig." Nate proposed. "We need you now more than ever."

"Yeah, we've almost won the totem race." Ray reminded the captain.

"Which is exactly why I need to go." Sara turned around, stopping where she was to finish the conversation. "Look, we are so close to gaining control over the six and getting the upper hand on Mallus. I just- I need a day or two to clear my head."

"Or to get over your heartbreak." I suggested bluntly, crossing my arms over my chest. "And don't say that you can't be heartbroken because you dumped her."

Sara bit her lip in response, trying to hold back the tears brimming in her eyes. "I need an interim captain while I'm gone."

"Oh, well, uh, I hadn't exactly thought I'd-I'd pick up the mantle this soon, but-" Sara cut Ray off, dampening his excitement.

"I'm putting Maria in charge. Good luck."

XXX

"There you are, Mick. You ready?" Amaya challenged Rory, giddy with excitement as he played with his totem.

"For what?" Mick responded with a snippish tone.

"Training." I reminded him, having been a bystander to the conversation he and Amaya had a few days prior. "Do you remember?"

"We spoke about learning to harness the powers of the totem." Amaya recapped.

"Hmm. I got a new trick." He gathered himself and held out a finger. "Pull my finger."

"What?" Amaya reached her hand, but before she grasped it around Mick's finger, Zari stopped her.

"Do not pull his finger." She warned cautiously. "Let's just say hot dogs aren't the only thing he's learned how to light on fire." I cringed in response to the statement.

"Sorry to interrupt, Miss Stein, but Doctor Heywood requests your presence in the library."

"What does he want with you?" Amaya muttered to me, question in her voice.

"I don't know." I responded, my voice just as hushed. "Just come with me. He won't try to pull anything with you there."

"Who's gonna teach Mick about the totem?"

"The other totem bearer here." We both turned to Zari. "Zari, you're now in charge of teaching Mick how to use the totem."

"Uh, no, no, no, no, no. I'm busy."

"Busy doing what?" Amaya questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Zari couldn't come up with an excuse quick enough. "Sounds like you're free."

XXX

"So, what's going on?" I asked Nate, walking into the library with Amaya on my tail.

"Kinda hoping it would be just you." Nate muttered, just loud enough for me to hear, but Amaya not to.

"Uh, it's your granddaughter, Mari. She's been hurt." Wally, standing next to Nate, informed my wife. "A minor wrinkle in the 2018 timeline."

"How badly?"