The crow exits the carriage raising his pale arm towards her shooting a fireball from his fingertips leaving the carriage on fire. Her face turns into the darkness of the forest, seeing the girl run without looking back. The boy adjusts his mask and turns around, but what he witnessed seemed surreal.
The magic flames had gone out, his companions fallen, the masks broken to the ground covered in ash and the last one standing was the boy in the wolf mask who tried in vain to hit a hooded being who disappeared and reappeared at his will. The crow was stunned by surprise for a few seconds the young man looks at each of his companions, they did not look dead, but obviously injured, those who still persisted in keeping consciousness looked at him from under the remains of their masks asking him for help and falling on the grass. The crow turns to the hare and the rabbit, the rabbit had fainted, however, it did not appear to be injured, on the other hand, the hare already without the mask revealed his young face and his red hair falling over his eyes, his body covered with blisters. burns to which he seemed ashamed of having acquired them in battle, when looking at his leader he frowns and directs his gaze showing that the hooded being who had done that to them.
The few seconds that the crow faced the situation in shock seemed like ages, but a noise brought him to reality, the noise of something being punched and the familiar voice of his friend, the crow quickly turns its gourd and its blood starts to boil in half that slowness that seemed to surround him. The wolf looks directly at him, his mask will fall from his face revealing his expression of incredulity to be defeated so easily, his yellow eyes were fading back to natural black. He falls on the shoulders of the creature that throws him to the side hitting him in a tree, the wolf is awakened by the pain and tries to get up but he couldn't, his failed attempt to get up seemed to have shocked the crow that turns its face in the middle to the violet glow that ignited inside her mask. The image of the hooded being was decorated by the crow when looking at it.
His body had seemed small, his face hidden under the white hood, the only thing the crow could see was the hair that came out of the hood, flying in the calm wind, hair that for the crow resembled the fire that surrounded them.
His fury over the creature had grown spreading in his body erasing his mind forcing him to act on pure instinct. The crow removes its cloak to move more easily, revealing the small, albino body, with a burnt phoenix mark on its left shoulder, its nails growing like claws.
Its movements were quick and sure, but for some reason, the creature seemed to read them shrewdly.
—An A-human from Felix?!- A female voice comes out from under the hood giving the crow's laugh.—There's no way I can lose this fight!-She laughs.
The crow soon realizes he couldn't do anything with the impulsiveness, the young man jumps back taking space between him and the girl, taking a deep breath, the crow calms down. Lifting his body in a balanced way, putting aside his impulsiveness and focusing on the fight, he draws his dagger ready to return. The girl aims for the dagger, a badly made dagger obviously made of some bone.
—Where did you get that?-his mocking tone from before disappeared.
She looks at him and the crow can see her eyes glowing like flames under her hood, she draws two daggers from behind her cloak and attacks him, looking now, determined to win that fight, it has become personal for some reason, she tries to hit him by running with the two daggers but he defends himself by hitting with a kick, however, the girl was an illusion that dissolves in smoke, the real one appears behind him, however, he dodges her blow that would certainly land in a vital point, the balance of battle was agonizing for all who could not move.
The girl starts to summon red flames and shoot like they were bullets, the boy gets up amidst the fire bullets that didn't hurt him, she is impressed but tries to keep calm.
—What's up, little bird? Were they your friends?-She asks trying to provoke him.
The crow attacks it again, after a while it starts to identify where the real one was which resulted in a clash of blades, where the crow could see the face under the hood. He hesitated.
She takes advantage and pushes him with the daggers, he stops attacking and just backs away, staring at her face under the hood, the girl appears behind him putting the dagger to his neck. He went still and looked to the side to look into her face.
—Don't move!-She says with a dagger in her neck and another in her rib.
Crow manages to break free of the girl's trap easily and takes distance.
—impressive!-She says angry and breathless.
—Cherry?-He asks watching her.
She stops when she hears that name.
—Rex, beware!-Screams the hare, forcing himself to stand up with the sword as support
The recruit had survived he created a magic symbol on the ground with his blood, a black light comes out of the symbol towards the crow. The girl throws herself taking the boy out of sight of the lightning that flies into the sky without a target. She sends the dagger hitting the recruit's head which combusts.
—… thanks.
The girl had protected him, was protecting him with her body. Making all the boys stare confused, she on the other hand didn't seem to mind the judging looks, she stands up and helps the crow up.
—"Rex" it is not? -She says a little ironic.
—Cherry...-Says Rex not seeming to believe he saw her, it didn't seem to be real to him.
Rex hugs her leaving her without reaction, he needed to know she was real, that she wasn't a dream. Cherry smiles and ends up returning the hug with an affectionate smile.
—I'm relieved you're alive.-Says Rex hugging her tightly.
She tries to keep smiling, but the tears were stronger, she starts to cry too, hugging him tightly.
—II thought...I had lost you!-She says, unable to maintain the pose as before, her hood comes out with the wind revealing a young redhead who now had a red and swollen face.
Rex releases her and takes off the mask revealing her face, the scar from a scratch on her right eye, her eyes now natural red watching her through her tears, the girl touches the scars in her eyes in surprise, she pushes back her friend's hair and kisses your forehead.
—It's strange, don't you think it's too high?-She says smiling trying to make him smile.
—You're short!-He retorts.
Cherry touches her forehead to his with a sigh as if she's relieved.
—I confess that I never believed in his death, but I'm sorry for what you hear…I understand if you want revenge. -She says heavily.
—Revenge?-Question Rex without understanding.
Cherry walks away.
—You know what I'm talking about.-Her smile was sad and painful as he stared into Rex's eyes that seemed to deny what she was saying.
—It's just rumored, isn't it? It can't be true, Ikke... The Flora would never do that... Isn't it?-Rex didn't want to accept, he didn't want to accept what she was saying.
The boys watched them, trying to get up, still confused by what was going on and what they were talking about.
—You look so different, you became a leader of these savages who knows how, led them masterfully, and managed to kill a hybrid without mercy in your eyes, but I can still see your innocent heart that still persists, isn't it?-She says playing his face.
—Isn't that just a rumor?-His eyes show his distinct disappointment and shock.
—I'm sorry. Flora joined them, I have no doubts.
—They could have forced them!-He says with hope.—I see it all the time!
She smiles, but Rex understands that it was a sad smile.
—Cherry…
She walks away and turns around.
—I came to get something. -She goes to the cart.
—You can take whatever you want…We don't care about the gold.-Says Rex a little desolate, throwing his hair back in shock.
She takes a necklace and puts it in her pocket and goes to Rex.
—Do you still have what Feles gave you?-She asks, approaching.
Rex quickly removes the necklace from under his shirt, a necklace with a red stone.
—The Feles?! He-
—Be careful. -She interrupts and giving him a kiss on his cheek making him blush.
The girl runs into the forest, in a leap, her body turns into a burning panther and disappears into the dark woods. Rex watches her leave, when reality comes back he tries to run after her.
—CHERRY!-He yells but she was already far away.—I WILL FIND THEM! I PROMISE THAT I WILL AVENGE ALL OF US! THEY WILL PAY!
Rex watches the light go out in the darkness of the forest. He frowns and looks at the necklace in his hand, clasps it back around his neck, and turns back to his friends, looking shaken.
Rex helps his friends up, giving them potions to recover. Everyone goes to their masks taking them and putting them back on.
—Mine is gone.-Says the hare sighing.
—Here, leave it to me, Caerula.-Says the rabbit raising his staff making her return to normal.
—Thanks, Lepus.- He thanks him putting the mask back on his face.
On the way home, the boys didn't miss the opportunity to make fun of their friend.
—HUUUU Rex has a girlfriend!-Says a white-haired boy putting on the coyote mask.
—What did I miss? One time she was killing us and the next she kissed you?!-Says eagle laughing.
Rex blushes at the teasing.
—He's red!-Said Caerula surprised making Lepus laugh.