by J E Reed
Vixin glanced toward Zak, half wondering what kind of man he’d prove to be, but her lips parted upon seeing the fear on his face. Not fear for himself. No, far from it. His eyes darted from her face to the man with a wicked grin and then back to her. He struggled and, in that moment, she knew Zak wasn’t a coward. He bled as he fought against the thorns, but the blood rolling down his arms wasn’t for himself. He bled for her.
Vixin offered him a reassuring smile, but Zak didn’t return it. She shifted her attention back to the man still prattling on about what he was going to do to her. All the ways he might teach her a lesson. She’d all but drowned him out. Any moment now—
His companions hit the ground. Their vile leader spun around, his booming voice commanding them to stand until he grabbed his chest and sank to his knees alongside them. The vines fell from Vixin’s body and she rotated her wrists to bring circulation back to her limbs.
“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Their leader twisted around, spittle dripping from his mouth, but his face hit the dirt floor before he could utter another word.
The vines holding Zak captive fell at his feet. He stared in silence, looking from her to the motionless bodies sprawled before them.
“I don’t understand,” Zak whispered.
“Poison. Not the most exciting method to get rid of someone, but definitely effective.”
He gave her a blank stare.
“I hit their ankles with it earlier. I know you don’t like—”
Zak’s arms were around her before she could finish her sentence. Her first instinct was to put him on the ground, but something about the look in his eyes made her hesitate. He crushed her body against his, gripping her as if she might disappear any moment.
His entire body trembled, but Vixin remained still, dumbfounded.
“I’m sorry,” his voice cracked. “I didn’t know what to do. I froze. All those things he said, I should have—”
“Stop.” She pushed him away and pinned him with a stare. At least he wasn’t crying. Yet. “Everything’s fine.”
Pain flashed across his face again. “He could have—”
“He didn’t and I wouldn’t have allowed him to. I’m not the damsel in distress and I don’t need a knight in shining armor. It takes practice to react to stuff like this. Practice I’ve had. Now that you’ve faced it once, you’ll be more prepared next time. Unless, of course, I get to them first.”
Zak chuckled and gave her a half-hearted smile. “You really are one of a kind.”
~~~
The pair carefully made their way back to camp and Zak kept eyeing her as if she might break down any second. She didn’t berate him for it. He cared and though she couldn’t fathom why at least now, she knew he wasn’t a selfish coward. If she were going to have anyone as a friend, that was definitely a positive quality.
Still, she wondered if he would expend the same kind of energy in a desperate attempt to save any of the others. A selfish part of her hoped not. Vixin silently shoved that part of her away, mentally kicking it to the side.
She split from him as soon as Zak saw Sam’s face. They’d want to talk, and she wasn’t in the mood to detail every little thing that’d happened.
Vixin settled into her usual spot outside their camp and tugged at a familiar seed just below the soil’s surface. She still marveled at how quickly it responded. Almost as if the plant itself sought to please her with its presence.
Blue flowers unfurled from a thin stock that steadily grew and grew until she ceased feeding it. Vixin stared at the deadly plant. She’d always thought killing would feel...different. She should regret, but all she could summon forth was indifference. Vixin furrowed her brow. Was there something wrong with her?
“That’s pretty.” She startled at Zak’s voice. He knelt and reached forth a hand.
“I wouldn’t touch it if I were you.” He paused and she inclined her head. “That’s the reason those men are, well, you know.”
“Oh.” He sat back on his heels and stayed silent for a time. “Are you all right? After all that I mean?”
Vixin snorted. “I’m fine.”
“You really weren’t scared?”
“I had the situation under control.” Zak stared at the flowers. “Were you scared?”
“Terrified,” he admitted. “I didn’t—” he cut himself off and huffed. “My mind just went totally blank.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, most people freeze. It’s normal.”
He let out a long breath. “Normal or not, that sucked.”
Vixin shrugged. “Then don’t let it happen again. Dwelling on the past doesn’t fix anything. You know your weakness now, so fix it.”
“Will you help me? Help us?” Vixin stared at him. “We could really stand to learn some of the things you know. Obviously, we can’t learn everything, but at this point I feel like anything would help. Whatever helps us survive.”
“Yeah. I guess I could do that. As long as you’re willing to learn.”
Zak saluted her. “I will ensure my students are the best you’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “They’ll be the only ones I’ve ever had.”
Zak stood, still staring at the flower. “Hey Vixin.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
Chapter Five
With morning Vixin woke to a very peculiar feel in the air. Everyone eyed her, but not with the discomfort they’d shown previously. They watched her every move, right down to how she ate breakfast.
She’d never liked being the center of attention, but if she was going to teach someone, she’d rather have them clinging to her every word than ignoring her. Not that she had to do this, if they proved incapable, she could always walk away. If Zak let her.
“We’re ready when you are.” He sat beside her with a bowl in his hand.
“I think I’ll eat first.”
“Right, I was just saying.” He took a bite of the stew, which by all standards was pretty good.
“What did you tell them exactly?”
“That you were going to teach us some kickass survival skills.”
“They’ll be disappointed.” He raised a brow. “It’s not all about the physical. In fact, that’s the least of my concerns.”
“They’ll learn whatever you teach them.”
We'll see.
After breakfast, the group gathered in a circle around Vixin and Zak. She glanced at Zak and then to the people patiently awaiting her instructions. All eyes were trained on her. Faces she’d started to recognize. There were Anton and Blitz. And then Sam, who’d started smiling at her more after hearing of her daring escape. Maybe that’s why the others were so willing to listen.
Vixin took a step forward. Last night, she thought she might be nervous, but it was quite the opposite. She felt elated. Empowered. “All right. First thing is first.” The mini conversations quieted. “Awareness. Some of you might think this is a boring step so I’m going to show you up front why it isn’t. Grab a partner.” Some shuffling occurred and she waited for each team to settle into place. Zak stepped closer and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. He’d certainly regret volunteering himself before the day ended.
“Now close your eyes. You’ve been beside this person all morning. Likely a lot longer since you’ve been traveling together. I want you to think about the answers to the following questions.
“First, are they right or left-handed? This is of paramount importance if you run across an enemy. Maybe you know what your partner is, maybe you don’t. If you do, props to you. Now, am I right or left-handed? Or am I ambidextrous? If I were your enemy would you know how to fight me?
“Open your eyes and see if you were right about your partner.” She gave them a few moments. Giggling occurred and her irritation rose, but Vixin pushed it down. “Now what about me?”
They called out their answers and Vixin tried not to shake her head. “You forgot the middle option. It’s not often that a person is ambidextrous, but I am. If you were u
p against someone like me as your enemy, ninety percent of you would have just died.” The giggling stopped.
“In this world you need to concern yourself with more than simply what hand someone uses. What about their magic? Do your eyes flicker to their wrist? Do you even think about it? What about the guards? What does their body language tell you? Are they tired? Injured? Need a break?
“With the line of work you do, these are the things you need to pay attention to and it’s as simple and as hard as that. When was the last time you glanced at the treetops?” Several eyes shot up. “Could someone have been lurking over you? Your first lesson is to pay attention and we’ll be practicing just that.”
Vixin drew her blade and faced Zak. He glanced at her, his brow raised, but when she charged, Zak drew his weapon to block her attack.
He staggered back. “What the hell?”
“Good, now put your sword away.” He held onto it until she sheathed hers. Murmuring flew through the crowd. “Now, which arm did I attack with? Which did Zak defend with? What foot did he use to step back? Did he falter or was his stance steady? Discuss these things with your partner because this is what we’ll be focusing on today.”
With Zak’s help, they split into several groups. A few squared off while their comrades observed and evaluated. Not only did they take the exercise seriously, but it seemed as though they were learning more about their own abilities as well. About what their reactions would be and how they could correct their mistakes. Perhaps there was hope for them yet.
“Is that a smile?”
She tilted her head toward Zak's voice. “Does it matter?”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you smile since you’ve been here.”
“It’s not exactly been a jolly fun time.”
“You’ve got to make the most of it. If you spend the entire time in survival mode, you’ll drive yourself crazy.”
“Giving me lessons now?”
He crossed his arms and smiled. “I guess I am.”
She huffed and turned back to watch the others. The same young man had fallen three times already and couldn’t seem to figure out his mistake. Vixin shook her head and walked forward with Zak on her heels.
~~~
Night descended and Vixin seated herself in her usual spot. A few approached her, albeit cautiously, to ask questions and she happily answered. Most revolved around how they could possibly pay that much attention to so many details. She gave them all the same answer. Practice.
With questions done and dinner eaten, Vixin rested her head against a tree and closed her eyes. Zak sat next to her a few moments later and she resisted the urge to huff. “What?”
“I want to show you something.”
She cracked one eye open. “It can’t wait till morning?”
He looked toward the sky and the full moon rising. “It wouldn’t be as epic in the morning.”
“If you try to kiss me, I’ll break your arm.”
He roared in laughter which had a few others glancing their way. “Noted, I won’t kiss you then.” Zak stood and held out a hand. She looked at it but didn’t take it before standing.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Vixin crossed her arms. “You had me teach an entire class on awareness and now you want me to follow you blindly into the woods?”
“What’s wrong? Don’t trust me?”
She scoffed. “That shouldn’t surprise you. I don’t trust anyone.”
“Ouch, I thought we were friends?”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. “Fine, lead the way.”
Vixin followed him through the trees, careful of her footing and laughed when Zak couldn't quite do the same. She watched his staggering form and found it difficult to not to ask questions. Instead, she contented herself to watching the treetops for anything sinister that had nothing to do with Zak.
Vixin huffed as their nightly stroll continued. “I would like to get some sleep tonight.”
“Just a little further, I promise.” Zak paused just ahead. “We’re here.” He held the brush back and let her walk through. Water reflected the dark sky and full moon like a sheet of glass.
“You wanted to show me a pond?”
“Not quite.” He lifted a finger and ice formed on the tip. “I haven’t seen you have much fun since you’ve been with us, so I thought it was time you did.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“Well, it’s not like you’d do this in front of the others.”
“What do you think I am, broody?”
“Yes.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but Zak walked to the edge of the pond and dipped his fingers into the water. Instantly, frozen flakes began crawling across the surface, shimmering and spreading as they made their way across the entire pond.
She took a few steps forward, watching the display. The ice thickened and then the frost crawled outward toward the trees, up the trunks and into the leaves. It touched the air, giving it a cold bite and flecks of what appeared to be snow swirled in the breeze.
She let out a breath and it became a visible cloud.
“Have you ever ice skated before?”
Vixin shook her head. “Not sure we’re going to find a pair here anyway.”
Zak smiled, lifted one foot, then ran his hand underneath to form a blade. “No need for them.” He held his hand out to her leg. Vixin stood there for several seconds, debating all the reasons he could possibly want to ice skate in the middle of the night. It seemed ridiculous. With his abilities he could easily drown her, leave her for dead, but her instincts weren’t screaming against it and Zak was...her friend.
Vixin handed him her foot and he took it carefully, running his fingers along the bottom of her boot. A shiver ran through her body as the cold seeped through the material.
“You might need to sit down for the other one.”
Vixin plopped onto the bank and another stream of cold went through her foot as Zak finished the second blade with precision. She’d seen him use some of his abilities on their runs but didn’t realize he could be so accurate with it. She’d tuck that information away for later.
Zak finished working on his other foot then Vixin stared at the clear, icy surface. “I take it you ice skate back home?”
“It’s a hobby. There’s a rink down the street and everyone from our neighborhood meets up on the weekends. It’s decent exercise and keeps us out of trouble as our parents say.”
“Sounds like a close-knit community.”
Zak shrugged. “We all grew up together, go to the same school, same church, and most of us play the same sports.”
“Which are?”
“Hockey mostly.” Of course. Zak shifted to his feet, placed one foot on the ice and glided out without so much as a stumble. It was elegant. Perfection. The exact thing she strived for with every challenge she took on.
Zak turned back toward her and slowed to a stop at the bank. He placed one foot on the frozen grass and offered his hand. “Come on, at least let me help you find your balance.”
She pursed her lips, glanced at the slippery surface, then decided accepting his offer would be far less humiliating than planting her face on the ice. She tucked her small hand in his, finding a strength in his palm she hadn’t expected as he pulled her to her feet with ease.
As soon as her skates hit the ice, Vixin took off faster than she anticipated, but Zak held firm, slowing her down as they glided across the surface together. His hands wrapped around her elbows, preventing a fall she was sure she’d regret in the morning.
“Take your foot in front of the other like this.”
“I have skated before.”
“Really?”
“What do you think my dad does? Keep me locked away in the mountains?”
“Well…”
“I told you, he tries to get me to socialize.”
“So you guys are really close then.”
“We do ever
ything together.” Vixin studied her balance. “I think I got the hang of this now.”
Zak released her, though he looked reluctant to do so. She put one foot in front of the other and leaned to one side to turn back toward him. She tottered but caught herself before he could come to her rescue. “See? Piece of cake.”
“Fast learner.”
“Always have been.”
“All right hot shot, let’s see who’s the fastest.”
They raced, gliding across the surface with the cold air hitting her in the face. Her nose froze over, her hands stiffened, but the exhilaration flooding through her made all those small inconveniences worth it. Is this what friendship felt like? Is this what her father wanted her to experience?
When her feet were too frozen to go on, Vixin slid to the edge, breathing hard, and Zak came to join her before plopping on the hard ground. He ran his hands over the surface of his blades, and they melted back to water. Vixin sat beside him and he did the same to hers.
“I guess you can have fun.”
She scoffed. “You just don’t know me.”
“Does anyone?”
“Not really,” she admitted.
“Is that why you originally played the game?”
Vixin crossed her arms for warmth. “I don’t know. Maybe, but once I saw the idiotic conversations I wasn’t really interested anymore.”
“Yeah, people can be pretty stupid, but that’s with anything.”
“Why did you join?”
“Remember all those neighbors I told you about? We decided to start playing together.” He looked at his hands. “Who knew it would lead to something like this.”
“Then they’re here too.”
He nodded. “I keep hoping to run across them, but in a world this big, what are the chances?”
“Probably not good.”
He chuckled. “Blunt as always.”
“I don’t see the point in lying. The situation is shitty, so why try to doll it up?”
“To make people feel better.”
“So people would prefer a lie?”
“Sometimes a lie is easier.”
Vixin disagreed, but instead of arguing she lifted her gaze to the clear sky and stars. With the cold air hitting her back it reminded her of home and the nights she’d spent outdoors around a campfire with her dad. “Thanks for bringing me out here.”