𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 - camp cretaceous

Hostilities

The choice had been made, and I wasn't glad about it.

It wasn't because Darius had agreed to aid Mitch and Tiff, who Darius revealed to be big-time game hunters, but because it seemed they wouldn't think twice about hurting us.

We had been walking from camp to the watering hole for about – I'd like to say seven minutes – and my cheek still stung like heck!

I can't comprehend how Tiff, a woman who presented herself as all sweet and all, could have slapped me so hard. Besides all of that, I still had other concerns.

When we first arrived at camp, who would have thought we would be deserted and find our only companionship with two psychotic hunters? And now that we were separated and in apparent danger, how were we to find Kenji and Brooklynn!? They were stuck somewhere with Hap, and we had yet to learn what he was capable of! I was praying, wishing, hoping that they would be okay...

"I know it wasn't easy, but you made the right choice, kid," Mitch smoothly said, gripping Darius' shoulder. "Thanks to you, we'll be done in no time!"

"We better be," Tiff grumbled, swatting the mosquitos that flew around her head instead of watching Sammy, Yas and me. "I told you I never wanted kids. Now we have four of them and no guide!"

"We don't need a guide, babe. We have Darius! And he is taking us to – drumroll, please!..."

"...The watering hole," Darius muttered reluctantly.

"A one-stop dino-hunting shop! This kid is something. Didn't I tell you this kid is something, babe?" Mitch exclaimed.

I looked to the sky as the golden rays scattered. It was already sunset. What would happen if it got too late and we didn't find them? That carnivore hunting us on the day we were "rescued" – the ceratosaurus. If it saw Kenji and Brooklynn, all they'd have to protect themselves with is Kenji's butterknife! And that's only if he hadn't dropped it somewhere, which he probably had.

Sammy started coughing loudly, catching mine and Yasmina's attention. At the look she gave us, we glanced at the furious Tiff, but she was still busy with the bugs. Sammy rolled her eyes and coughed again, pointing at Yas's leg.

Yas's eyes widened, and she nodded with a slight smirk. After a few steps, she slipped and knelt on the floor, groaning painfully.

"What?" Tiff asked as she glared at her.

"Ankle hurts. I need a break!" Yas managed to say.

I grinned at the two of them and innocently turned to Tiff, who had turned to glower at me.

"Yas just needs a little break, that's all," I said.

"Yeah, she can't keep movin' this fast!" Sammy agreed, taking one of Yasmina's arms while I took another. We helped her sit against a log and discreetly shared a smile.

"Fine!" Tiff said exasperatedly. "It's exhausting keeping these bugs away! Why are they only attacking me!?"

When Mitch went over to help his psychotic girlfriend, Darius snuck away and sat beside us.

"Kiara, what happened to your cheek? You okay?" Darius asked in a hushed voice.

I nodded. "But she definitely isn't," I replied, gesturing to Tiff. "I tried to figure out where Kenji and Brooklynn were, and she slapped me!"

We can't just go along with this!" Yas whispered.

"We gotta do somethin'," agreed Sammy.

"I know, I know! But we only have two choices. Help them and get back to our families, or don't and stay trapped here!" Darius said.