Uprising

(10.2)

"Thinking before acting is wisdom but acting before thinking is regret." -Terry Mark

I breathed in Travis's scent choking back tears and I bit my lip harshly. I wanted to believe that maybe if I was strong, or had some backbone that I could have saved these humans. I kept what little belief I had as of now thinking that.

Travis being this close made it all seem bearable and I shifted even closer so that I leaned against him. I sniffed in his scent using it to calm myself as small currents of sparks shot through me. He seemed like a statue until tentatively his hand reached up to cup the back of my head.

And, I knew that he needed this embrace as much as I did. Despite being a colossal dick at times, Travis was really just a person afraid to show his affection and I wondered why.

"What a charming scene this is,"

Travis stiffened at the voice gripping me extremely tight against him. His heart spiked immensely and I barely had time to react before I was flung sideways slapping off the ground.

I winced feeling my cheek bruise badly from the fall. I turned to face Travis ready to give him a piece of my mind when I came face to face with a cloaked stranger.

I kicked away from them, climbing shakily to my feet ignoring the rotting corpses all around me. I glared at him eyeing Travis who seemed to be arguing with the other masked stranger.

Both their scents were indescribable and I cocked an eyebrow.

"You smell weird," I said befuddled sniffing the air only to shake my head and sharpen my glare. "Now get out of my way."

The man's chuckled vibrated through his plain black mask. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."

I bit my lip contemplating my options, but it all came down to one thing. I wanted to help Travis even if he didn't want it or if I messed up.

"I'm sorry."

He winced when I rushed forward giving him a staggering kick into his shin. His instant reflex, which betrayed him, was to grip his shin whilst crying out in pain. That left him open to a side punch that I delivered to the side of his head rendering him half conscious as he fell sideways to the ground. I then glanced towards Travis who was struggling with his foe and my few seconds of confidence quickly gone when I contemplated my options, eventually coming up blank.

I watched indecisively from the sidelines not knowing what to do. My palms became sweaty and I licked my lips feeling my adrenaline rush die down. Almost immediately I crashed onto my knees breathing heavily.

My stomach growled and I barely had time to condemn myself when a thin wire wrapped around my throat. I gagged from the loss of air trying my best to sustain my oxygen but it was extremely hard considering how weak I already was. I struggled to break free whining and clawing at my attacker who was chuckling down my neck tugging me backwards against him each time I bucked my legs forward.

I can't breathe, I thought frantically gasping for an ounce of breath. My head was fuzzy and black dots filled my vision and I pleaded with myself to keep fighting even though I just really wanted to give up. I didn't want things to end like this and I laughed bitterly in my head. I've nearly died so many times since leaving my tribe, it was pitiful and I wanted- no needed - to change the that about me.