Fight or Flight

[amithethird]

(Well they can come in any time, my idea was just that Sterling is captured by the Embers and then the others may or may not go after him. I don't know. That's up to you. )

"Hey I'm not the one continually insulting the other person," Cassius said, "Honestly did you expect us to just be friends right off the bat? Now are we going to do something about Sterling or not?"

Sterling realized a bit too late that there was no version of this where he came out on top. As he ran through the forest he could see fighters through the trees pulling up along side him, boxing him in. If only he could remember what lay ahead in this forest, he might be able to use it to his advantage. He didn't get much of a chance to think it over. At that moment he heard a soft hissing noise and something sharp struck him in the shoulder. He gasped as pain bloomed in his shoulder and he stumbled and fell into the leaf litter.
He didn't have even a moment to absorb what had happened before he was surrounded. Someone grabbed him by his hair and hauled him up to his knees. He grimaced, but refused to show any other sign that he was in pain. Suddenly someone came up behind him and yanked whatever had stuck him out of his shoulder. He sucked in a sharp breath and watched a skinny young man come into sight, twirling a bloody arrow in his fingers. A moment later Psych came out of the bushes.
"You're a bit rusty, Silver," he said.
"I haven't exactly had cause to fight the past two years," Sterling said.
"I also find it interesting that you haven't left any of us writhing on the ground in pain yet," Psych continued, "Could it be perhaps that you actually have a conscience now?"
Sterling didn't answer. Psych continued.
"Or maybe you just don't have the juice anymore. Driftwood has been reading your aura since we first talked. She says it's changed," he said. Suddenly he burst out laughing, "How far you've fallen. You're rather infamous, you know. Won't the others be interested to hear how weak you've grown. The stone cold killer, now nothing more than a peaceful hippie living in the woods. Pathetic."
He looked at the others,
"Restrain him. We've got placed to be," he said.
Sterling was yanked to his feet. He struggled, twisting out of the man's grasp. He didn't get far through. Someone pressed their hand against his head, and everything went black.

[Puppy_Paws]

Xiah didn't say anything for a few minutes. Sterling had told them to leave so he obviously didn't want help. There were other things to consider as well. For instance there were only two people here Xiah could count on to fight on their side. Axel wasn't a guaranteed and Maeko couldn't risk being found out. There was also the fact that they were dealing with trained killers and none of them were trained fighters except for Axel. And then there was Sterling. He had tortured and killed people but he had saved Xiah's life. No matter how much dirt she could pull up on him she would still owe him her life. "We go after him. I have a debt to repay." Xiah said, grabbing her bow and arrow. "Can we count on you two to fight on our side?" She asked.
"Depends on who we're fighting." Axel said.
"The Embers." Xiah said.
A small growl comes from both Axel and Maeko.
"Count me in. I can't wait to tear their pretty little throats out." Axel growled.
"I'm in too. I have a score to settle with them." Maeko says.
"Cassius? You in too?" Xiah asked.

[amithethird]

"Obviously. He's messed up, but he's still my cousin," Cassius said. He paused a moment.
Yep, we're going to die.
"Alright, let's see, it's getting dark out," he said, "Sterling said he'd be leaving once night fell, so maybe he's still at his house. Maybe we should go there first and see if we can find him."

Once the group reached the top of the ridge, Psych gathered together everyone to go over the plan.
"Alright, we're going to go ahead and move out. It's getting dark though, so we won't go too far. I just don't want to make camp up here with in sight of the city. We'll head for the plains and camp there. Got it?"
The others nodded.
"Alright, let's get going."

[Puppy_Paws]

"Yeah, that sounds like a good place to start. If he's not there we check the ridge next. That's where they told him to meet them. Let's get going. We have to move fast if we want to find him. If he gets too far or he's captured we may never find him." Xiah said, placing her bow and arrows on her back before heading off to Sterling's house.

((I just got an idea! Maybe Sterling could be forced to join again and The Embers figure out that someone is following them and send Sterling who doesnt realize its Xiah and Cassius))

[amithethird]

(I doubt he'd cooperate right off the bat, but maybe after a while...IDK. We'll see.)

Cassius nodded and followed her. He hoped that Sterling was still at his house. It would be much simpler that way. If he was gone though, there might be no telling where he'd gone.

The group packed up what little they brought with them and began to head out towards the rocky plains. The forest grew dark quickly, but they were accustomed to moving in darkness. When Sterling woke up he felt himself moving. He couldn't tell where he was due to the darkness, but he could tell his wrists had been tied behind his back. It also felt like he was being carried over someone's shoulder.
Instinctively he kicked out his his feet and squirmed. The man carrying him grunted and in his surprise dropped him. The wind was knocked out of his as he hit the ground, but he tried to get to his feet. It didn't do him much good. The man grabbed him by the front of his shirt and punched him. He let him drop.
"Look, I don't have time for this," he snarled, "You'd better cooperate, or there's more where that came from. I'm sure no one here would care much if I killed you. You're useless anyhow."
Sterling spat blood in the grass and looked back up at the man.
"You're funny when you assume I care," he said.
The man grabbed him and hauled him to his feet. He gave him a shove forward.
"March," he said.

[Puppy_Paws]

Xiah stopped for a moment when Sterling's house came into view. "There's no lights on. He must've already left." Xiah said. "But we should check just in case." She said, walking through the garden and up to the house. She knocked on the door. "Sterling? Sterling, it's Xiah. If you're in there, open up." Xiah said. After a minute of silence she backed up. "HIYA!" She yelled as she kicked the door of it's hinges. "I told him to open up.." She mumbled as she walked over the door that lay in splinters.

((Sounds good.))

[amithethird]

"Xiah!" Cassius said, "I still have to live here to you know!"
He sighed in frustration and walked into the house. Well when this was all over, looks like they'd have to replace the door.
"I'll check upstairs," he said. He turned and walked up the stairs.
"Sterling?" he called, but he got no reply.

[Puppy_Paws]

"Well, sorry .." Xiah mumbled. Xiah checked through the rooms on the first floor but returned to the front room when she didn't find him.
"Cassius, he isn't here. He's already left." Xiah calls up the stairs.

[amithethird]

"Yeah I noticed," Cassius said, coming down the stairs, "He must have left already. Or...they came for him early."
He didn't like to think about that. Hopefully he just made a run for it and he was safe somewhere. Checking the ridge would determine which had happened. If the Embers were still there, Sterling was probably safe but if they were gone...
"We should head for the ridge now," he said.

The forest started to thin and more moonlight began to leak through the branches, lighting up their path. As they walked, Sterling wondered what they would do to him, It probably wouldn't be anything good. At least Xiah and Cassius left before this started. Hopefully they'd stay away and not get involved. They seemed to hate him enough.
The trees began to disappear entirely, replaced by huge rocks and steep hollows that pitted the ground. The group trudged on until they reached a particularly deep hollow, surrounded by tall boulders.
"We'll camp here for the night," Psych said.
The group began pitching compacted tents they carried in their backpacks. They went up quickly and soon dim light from small lanterns could be seen inside. Enough light to function by, but hopefully not enough to attract unwanted attention. Psych came over to Sterling and grabbed his arm.
"Come on," he growled. He half pulled, half dragged him over to a smaller tent with no lantern inside and pushed him inside. He zipped up the flap and barked orders at someone to guard the entrance. Sterling had half a mind to get up and see if there was a way out, but he knew already that there wasn't. He sighed and laid his head against the lumpy ground, taking a moment to accept the fact that he couldn't do anything. He was going nowhere.

[Puppy_Paws]

"I can go ahead to see if they're still up on the ridge. It will save time." Maeko said.
"That's probably the best option. Maeko can reach the ridge faster than we can. If we spend the time to go ourselves and it turns out that they're still waiting it will mean that Sterling has had more time to get away which lowers our chances of finding him before the Embers. It also won't give away our connection to Sterling or let them know that someone is searching for him." Xiah said.
"Be back in a few." Maeko said, closing her eyes. Her hair and skin slowly turned into feathers and her arms became wings. A yellow beak formed where her nose and mouth used to be. She began shrink as her legs grew skinnier and her feet morphed into three talons. Her eyes opened into beady black circles. She shrieked as she spread her wings and took off towards the ridge.

((Two things. One, Maeko is an animal shapeshifter which means she can only shift into animals she's seen. I dont want to make her too powerful. Two, Im going swimming with my mom now so I will be back around 2:00))