Brave One (Completed)

Chapter 39

The smell of blood was still  prominent in the air, even as the fire was burning and all I could see was smoke and ashes. 

"So we're going on foot?" I scrunch my nose at the smell, and my eyes watered as the smoke blew in my face. 

"Yes," Caleb responded, his nudity is not going unnoticed like Ken's, but the situation was too serious for me to freak out about it. But I couldn't help but glance at him and stare at - him. 

"S-so what are we going to do with them?" I gestured to the pair of trembling kids, ones that tried to be part of the attack, but then ran away. Or at least tried to run before being slammed into the ground with a 300 pound Caleb-wolf on their backs. 

"They told us all we need to know," he turned to them, and they held onto each other tighter. 

The smell of urine was prominent, seeing how then both wet themselves. 

"Caleb!" I rushed over, grabbing onto his arm, "Don't hurt them, they are only children." 

"They were going to kill us, kill you." He growled out, not making eye contact with me. 

"Yes, but in the end they didn't, they just wanted to run and live." I tugged at his arm to no avail. 

"Run back to their master."

"Then we can use them!" I shouted, trying to distract him, but it seemed to work, seeing him wince ever so slightly. 

"We already know where we are going, we don't need them." 

"We-we can use them to uhhh send a message?" I mentally smacked myself in the head, I have no idea where I'm going with this and I don't like where this is already headed. 

He finally stopped lurching towards them, turning to me with still a clenched jaw, but soon relaxed when I gently brushed my hand against his face. He quickly grabbed onto my hand, pressing it to his cheek as he looked down gently at me. 

"Please," I whispered, not sure what I was begging for. 

"I understand you want to help them," Caleb whispered too, leaned down to give me an eskimo kiss. "But you need to trust me, they are not children anymore." He lifted his head, nodding to Ken who started moving towards the two kids.

"W-wait, what are you doing?" I tried to reach the kids, but Caleb wrapped his arms around my waist, not letting me stop Ken from snatching one of them up by the neck, tightening his hold until the child stopped moving. 

The other child was screaming, but not from fear but from pain? 

To my utter horror the children morphed. Not like the woman from the infirmary, but like creatures I have never seen before. They grew legs, not human ones but insect-like ones, that were greenish in color, with hooks at the end meant to be feet. 

I brought my hands to my face, trying to hold in the bile that rose and burned my throat. 

"They were chamile-mantises, shapeshifters," Caleb whispered in my ear, trying to keep me on my feet, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but you need to be able to see what creatures lurk around the world." 

I felt sick. "I th-think I'm ready to leave." 

He nodded, walking in front of me as he shifted, crouching down to allow me to climb on top. I robotically moved, trying to focus on his black fur, clinging onto his back as I leaned down, pressing my cheek to the softness. 

**Hold on tight.**

I clenched harder, looking off to the side to see Ken shift too, after dealing with those creatures, walking up beside us in his wolf. He seemed solemn now, just silently -as always - walking beside us without much reaction. 

I would've told him he had blood all over his fur, causing a reddish hue to the midnight blackness, but my stomach threatened to turn itself inside out if I even dared to open my mouth. 

And my mind was too numb to try to focus and mindlink him. 

I think I want to go home now. 

But where is home? 

It's with Caleb right? 

But why do I feel so distant? 

He's always had a tough love that switches from harshness to tenderness. It's been like that since I've met him. Though he's shown me more of the tenderness when compared to other people. 

He won't hesitate to rip someone's head off, but he hesitates to speak to me for fear of scaring me off. 

Something I sorta just found out but knew in the back of my mind. 

I guess I just didn't believe Caleb had just as much insecurities as I did. 

Ken on the other hand, he's just a mystery, but I'm strangely okay with that. Ken has had the hardest upbringing out of all of us. 

He's never spoken about it, and Caleb has hinted at certain details, but I don't want to question it. If Ken doesn't want to speak about it, I won't pry. 

I trust him and that is what matters. 

**We are going all the way there,** Caleb spoke, making sure to keep me in the loop, **Prepare for a fight when we are there.** 

More fighting? 

I'm so tired of that already. 

**Mable,** A familiar but rare voice spoke out. 

**Ken?** Listening closely to him brought me out of my daze. 

**Are you alright?** 

**Mhm.**

**We will be done before you know it,** Ken's voice was soft, and so soothing, **Rest now, and you'll feel better when you wake up.**

**Okay.**

I shut my eyes, snuggling into Caleb's fur to get comfortable, feeling his muscles ripple as his wolf ran faster. 

But when I shut my eyes. 

All I saw were what I thought were just children. 

And all I could hear were screams echoing in my head. 

But strangely. 

I don't feel as sick as I did before.