Stalking

Toki and Ayuri both tried their best to return to the camp as soon as possible with Mio. Their journey however, was extended beyond what was possible for them to achieve their goals.

We're only halfway back, and yet it took us double the time. We have twenty minutes to make it back fully towards the camp from the original over an hour that we planned.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he turns back to see Mio and Ayuri struggling due to her issues. They weren’t growing, which was a good sign, but the tiredness from moving such an injured body part was taking its toll.

“I can take over Ayuri. From what I can tell, it's pretty safe for you to lead, especially with the reduced amount of footsteps left.” He steps back, his legs planting themselves onto the dirt.

Moving towards Ayuri, he gives a subtle nod before she lets go of Mio. He turns around and takes her hand towards his shoulder, which changes the roles of the temporary team completely.

“Ayuri, just keep going that direction, and it should be fine.” He starts walking with Mio; the strain was starting to get unbearable for her, but she didn’t dare to speak up. Stopping for any amount of time was a death sentence, getting closer.

As they continued, Mio was getting progressively slower in her steps. Toki realised this as well, trying to match her pace slightly but making sure she couldn't slow everyone down too much.

In front of them was Ayuri, looking around for the easiest path. She took in the details of the area, where the foliage and trees were destroyed. Where the least difficult path could lie, and which was the fastest. Her eyes were darting around everywhere, noticing…

The emerging colours of pale yellow and silver hues took place above them. Everything started to darken around them, and what felt like over twenty minutes went by in an instant, and there was no exit in sight anywhere from this bushy forest.

It's too late to do anything about it, but I hope that we can somehow survive these two hours.

Toki stops moving near a big enough stone for them to sit on. He takes his hand off of her and then puts her down on the rock, which was smooth and sturdy for her slender frame to get embraced by the coldness and fear that started to brew.

“No point in continuing our escape. You are far too slow.” He glared down at Mio, not with hatred but just self-disappointment that he agreed to this without considering this possibility.

Her voice shook like it was about to break. “I'm sorry; I take the blame for everything.”

Ayuri goes next to her and pulls her chin to face her. “We decided to come out here, not you or Kazu. We decided with our own free will and knew this could happen, didn't we, Toki?”

I didn't really predict this to happen. I know you're trying to be motivating and all, but we're basically prey waiting to be struck. Now it's the best time for me to most likely ask what her power is; she got through two intervals without dying. That's impressive.

He gives a subtle nod despite it being forced. “Mio, what is your power? Can't it be some sort of use while we wait for you to recover?”

She starts to look around; her blue eyes scan the surroundings around them, the rapid turning causing her red layer to flutter from the speed. Other than the rock, it was a pretty open spot to be in, which could be good and bad in their case.

“I can summon many marching members to my aid, each with their own abilities, but it's super loud and will attract more.”

A combination of abilities; it's like Shina, but if it was actually useful.

“Set up your ability, while we will try to drag their attention, as we don't have anything to kill it currently.” This plan was a failsafe in case something does notice them. The ideal would be that they don't get spotted at all and can safely return once she rests up.

Mio nods with a bit of hesitation, impressed by the selflessness of these two people to protect her because of a request. It was kindness that she would never imagine.

Since their agreement, over twenty minutes have passed. Mio seemed to be regaining her energy at a steady pace, but the turmoil of walking for over an hour without a stop with a poison that would eventually kill her wasn’t easy to wear off.

Various sounds were heard throughout their waiting, the heavy footsteps that grew closer every minute or the various running and destruction that came with it in the distance. There was something out there waiting for them.

Something is watching; it must be the creature trying to find a way to quickly take us out. I'm watching a side while Ayuri is also watching the one opposite me. The terrain behind us protects us, but it should still be looked at, and Mio is looking towards the open space from her rock. There is nothing that we haven't covered for it to sneak up on us.

The sound of the distant creature got closer as another twenty minutes succumbed. The scariest part to them wasn't the approach of something, but the way it hovered from one side to another, like it was scouting the easiest point of attack.

All three of them stay at full alert at all times, giving not even a window of time for it to jump.

Knowing it was futile, the creature's other limbs started to come out of hiding right in the open field where all three of them could catch sight of it. Its purple-brown body advanced slowly, striking fear and death towards the group.

Its beaked mouth was leaking that same purple venom that brought such a powerful user under its grasp to a mere victim waiting for slaughter.

“Ayuri, remember our plan.” Toki starts to tense up; his side injury wasn't even a concern within this fight of theirs anymore due to the care Ayuri gave it. It was the concern of being eaten alive and devoured as a side dish.