I frantically ran up towards Iavan and Miisa's direction and shook them awake rather roughly but it was not the time to be gentle.
"What the hell? Maia?"
Iavan sent up a glare at me while Miisa proceeded on yawning, behind us Damian started scrambling, fixing his stuff and getting his weapons ready. I held both of Iavan's shoulders and looked at her straight in the eyes, my hands shaking under the nervousness that was eating me up since I heard the howls.
"We need to run like right now. WE NEED TO GO!"
I hissed right through my teeth, even without knowing anything both of them nodded and fixed themselves. Within seconds we were all ready to leave. I grabbed a torchwood from the fire we made earlier. We certainly won't be able to outrun the wolves that were sent to make the game entertaining so we need to improvise. When I turned around, Damian was already eyeing me with his eyebrows creased together.
"What the hell Maia?"
He was sending me a glare that was enough to send a chill down on my spine. I know he knows what I'm thinking of doing. I walked up towards him. When I was finally near him I could see how big his body really is, he was looming over my figure which would be easier for me since no cams would be able to pick up the movement of my mouth.
"I'm entrusting Iavan and Miisa to you, this is part of my nin you know that"
"You're sharing that nin with me and no, I'm not going to leave you behind just like that."
For the first time since we've teamed up I saw something unfamiliar register in his facial features. It awoken something in me when I realize what it was. It stirred me up as the same feature only much softer registered in the back of my mind, like something like this had happened before.
Damian was scared. Not for him, but for me.
He held both of my shoulders and stared intently in my eyes. My heart was beating loudly as I stared deeper in his eyes. For each passing second the same emotion stayed in those dark orbs of his. Fear so intense it made me doubt that we were strangers at all. Maybe we did know one another more than what we both knew.
"This is too dangerous even for you. We can outrun them if we run now"
No matter how tempting that sounds, the echoes of the wolves' howls were getting louder and much fuller. The fire would set as a wall so I could finish my nin in the river. So no, this was necessary.
I shook my head and decided to do something that was so out of this world and practically inappropriate in this situation. I held his collar and tiptoed to give him a light kiss. I pressed my lips to his for seconds before pulling away, a smile plastered in my face. Not a grin, not a smirk, just a genuine smile.
"Have I told you how I have this huge crush on you?"
Damian stood still, stunned with what I had just done and told him and before I could even utter another word, his hands cupped my face and his mouth was on mine again. This time it was my turn to be shocked, his lips moving as if he was on borrowed time and maybe we both were. The kiss lasted only seconds and we immediately came back to our senses when Iavan shouted.
"Damian, Maia we need to go!!"
I looked at Iavan and waved her off before glancing back at Damian. It only took him seconds to recover from the shock before he cleared his throat.
"Meet me at the river outside the woods. I'll be there no matter what. Drag them if you have to. I promise I'll meet you there alive"
Damian heaved out a sigh before regaining his posture and looking at me with that smug on his face. Damn how could he look so hot while doing that.
"You have to. We will talk about this later"
I gave him a small laugh before waving him off. He then took off and held each of Iavan and Miisa's arms practically dragging them off while the two of them screamed.
"MAIA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"WAIT WHY AREN'T YOU COMING? MAIA!"
I saw a tear drop from Miisa's eyes as both of them were practically carried off by Damian. Lucky them, I want to be carried off like that too. I laughed at the thought of Damian carrying me off like some princess. Reality is often hard especially to dreamers weren't they?
I took out the gasoline from my pack and scattered them on the trees where Damian, Iavan and Miisa took off. This was the only way to keep them safe, as much as I hate destroying nature, this was the only way for the river to be the only safe place. After placing the gasoline on almost every roots of the trees, I threw the firewood from earlier. It will take seconds to a minute before the entire part of this wood is covered with fire.
However, the hunters do not have a minute. I took out the rapier sword that Damian got me, it was one of the few that he looted from the kids who were in the city and it was just the perfect one for me. It may not be the perfect one for killing a wolf since it's a thrusting sword when used in a proper way it could promise a safe escape and that was what I was about to do.
My nin had two signals, the 13 survivors and the howl of the hunters which are the wolves. When those two signals coincide, I must reach the river to deactivate the barrier that was set up on it. After doing so, some of the rebels would save the kids remaining inside. It would also initiate the start of the revoolution. By deactivating the barrier, we're sending a message to the whole country and everyone who was watching the game that there's a way other than obeying.
To defy and stand up all as one. And since the tournament was playing on national television, it will also reach other Asian countries who were invaded. That was how futile this mission of mine is. It's not something I can mess up here.
I counted up to ten before sending a loud whistle that had echoed throughout the forest. With the starting crackle of fire behind me I whistled once more, wolves were known for their sharp ears and eyes which makes them the perfect hunters of the night. I closed my eyes and pleaded a silent prayer.
"May I get out of this alive"