Darling in the Franxx: Cold Blood

Chapter Eighteen: A Little Heart to Heart

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You and the rest of the squad moved through a canyon that was a old dried up river bed. The sun had only come over the horizon and if you continued to travel at the speed you were going. You would at least make it to the coastal town by sundown at the latest. Completing your days of traveling. Though that was until you put your hand up stopping the group in their tracks. Wondering why you ordered them to stop. The group looks ahead to see something rather unexpected. Standing a few kilometers in front of them where the river became a lake. Was a lone Klaxosaur that very much so resembled a velociraptor.

The odd part was it wasn't acting hostile in the slightest. Instead, it looked back at all of you and let out a few small chirps. As if it was curious about your presence. "Aww, it's actually kinda cute. For a Klaxosaur, that is." You hear Argentea point out as your radio turns on. "Hey Warrior, why'd we stop? Is everything alright out there?" Naosu asks from the Pack. "No, yeah, we're fine. But you're not going to believe it. It's one of the old members of the Raptors." Naosu lets out a few words of surprise before Delphinium begins to walk up next to you.

"So is that a good thing (Y/N)?" Ichigo asks, overhearing your conversation with Naosu. "If I'm being honest, no." You answer. "The Raptors were a special ops group working for the coalition. I never fought them myself. Though those who did never lived long enough to tell the tale. But they always traveled a pack of eight. So what's this one's doing all alone beats me. Either it got lost at some point or the pack is no more." After hearing your explanation. Strelitzia started to try and walk past both you and Delphinium.

However, you put a hand up to stop her before she could get past you. "What are you doing? You said it yourself. It's alone, let's kill it and continue on." Shaking your head at her rashness. You look back up at the Klaxosaur and start to speak. "No. Something seems off. I can't say what it is. But something is all wrong about this entire situation." Then you noticed something odd. In the shadow of the canyon wall. You notice three shapes moving on top of it. Looking up, your eyes went wide as you saw three of the Raptors looking down at you.

"Ambush!" Was all you could get out as they launched their attack. While two groups of three descended down the sides of the canyon. The Klaxosaur in the front of the group and an unseen one from behind also start to rush you. Causing you to get surrounded on all sides. Once they reach you, you and the rest of squad 13 try to defend yourself the best you could. Though this soon turned into each of you getting separated. As the Klaxosaurs went about splitting the group into smaller pieces.

Being in the front of the group. The raptors seemed to focus much more on both you and Strelitzia. As you tried to defend yourself the best you could as two raptors tried to disembowel you. You noticed Strelitza also having trouble. With the two agile beasts continuing to dodge her attacks. The other four members however managed to split into two groups. Delphinium and Argentea stood back to back. Each of them tried to fend off the two Klaxosaurs that snapped and slashed at them. Genista and Chlorophytum on the other hand weren't as lucky. Since the raptors were too fast for them to put in their crosshair. All they could do was try and keep away from them.

One of the raptors lets out a pained screech as you slam your fist into its face. With the raptor stumbling back. You turn your attention over to the other raptor as it tries to jump onto you. Grabbing it by the feet, you throw it onto its back before it could sink its sickle claw into you. Then from across the battlefield. You could hear a series of calls below out. After that one of the raptors that were chasing Genista and Chlorophytum then split off. Though before you could see where it was going you had to once again defend yourselves from the raptors.

As the raptor you'd punched earlier tries to take a bite out of you. You coil your tail around its throat and force it down to the ground. As the Klaxosaur attempts to struggle its way out of your grip. You notice the other one roll back to its feet. With a powerful kick to its side. You manage to tip it back onto its back before it could even stand up. Moving back to the other one. You press a foot down on its head to keep it from struggling too much.