Apex

Chapter 12

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•Zoryne•

Rem didn't let Kriss out from within his jacket, not even where we'd packed up camp and left to finish the last stretch of our journey. I don't know how she managed to slip past us last night. While I want to believe her excuse, something about the pitter-patter of her little heart told me that something wasn't quite right. She didn't even protest her captivity. She was quiet, withdrawn.

What was even more confusing was the uncomfortable feeling I got at the idea of Rem keeping her so close. I could feel the ghost of her clinging to me as we went through the forest. Her soft skin against my neck, her big brown eyes drifting about our surroundings in wonder, making me feel powerful without using my strength and size to cause pain. A small part of her trusted that I could keep her safe. She was mine to look after not his.

"Those creatures that attacked us yesterday," I called to Rem who had managed to stay in front of me for the past two hours. I needed to distract myself from these troubling thoughts. "Have you ever seen those before?"

"Can't say I have," he glanced at me over his shoulder. "Thought you'd have some idea what they were." I shook my head.

"They're far too large to be native to this planet, they couldn't survive in YD-R3's jungles. They had to be from Homeworld. My facility didn't release them into the wilds. It must have been one of the other facilities nearby."

"Don't know why anyone would want those things roaming around freely," he grumbled.

"For once I agree with you," I wiped sweat from my brow. Kriss must be suffering in Rem's pocket. According to Rem, we still had a couple of hours to get to the base. Maybe she would die of heatstroke after all. Surely, he would make an exception and let her out for her own safety. As much as Rem showed his dislike of her species, I doubted he really wished to kill her. At least not yet.

I opened my mouth to tell him as much when something squished beneath my shoe. On the ground beneath it, one of the thick vines that wrap around the trees was crushed under my shoe. Slimy juices oozed out of the destroyed plant, staining the ground with a substance similar to blood.

My brow furrowed as the now damaged plant writhed weakly and then went still. The rest of the vine that that hadn't been crushed moved on its own. It curled itself around my ankle.

"Rem?" I said, tentatively.

"What, genius?"

A bead of sweat slid down my temple. Gently, I attempted to lift my foot away from the thorny vine.

"Something is strange about this this plant." The vine tightened its hold. Rem stopped, shoulders slumping in annoyance.

"What are you talking about-"

I let out a yell as my foot was pulled from under me. I hit the ground hard, my face making impact with the loose dirt. The vine retreated higher into the trees, not letting go of my leg. My hands clawed at the dirt, trying to finder purchase as the rest of my body was dragged by the vine. Before I could manage to hold on to something, my entire body was hanging upside down and rising higher into the the trees.

"What did you do, brainiac?" Rem shouted, making his way towards me.

"I didn't do anything!" I reached up, arms stretching toward my ankle to grasp at where it was being held captive. "It was the vine!"

"Yeah, these plants are really scary." He replied sarcastically, slipping a knife out from his boot. He grabbed a branch from a nearby tree and heaved his body up, making his way to my foot.