The crisp forest air vibrated with a newfound energy, a palpable shift in the game as the wolves began to understand a crucial, previously overlooked truth: talent knows no bounds, and hidden abilities can outshine conventional strength. This realization, born from unexpected turns and surprising displays, would forever alter how they viewed the so-called "defectives" among them.
Mona grumbled, a pained wince twisting her lips, and the sound drew the immediate attention of Team One. She leaned against a thick oak, one hand pressed to her side, the other clutching her leg.
Timothy, who had been huddled low behind a sycamore with his lone guard, Victor, heard her cry of pain. He peered through the leaves, spotting Mona, and without a second thought, stepped out into the open. "Are you okay?" he called, concern etched on his face as he noticed her wincing.
Mona sighed, her gaze lifting to the fractured sunlight filtering through the canopy, before a tentative smile touched her lips. "Team Five's a bit aggressive. I got shot in the foot. Just making my way out of the zone now."
Timothy looked to Victor. "I'm going to help her to the edge."
Victor's jaw tightened. He was irritated by Timothy's recklessness. Allowing their prize to be exposed like this was unthinkable. Shaking his head, Victor bypassed Timothy and moved directly to Mona. "I'll carry you," he stated gruffly, already bending to lift her.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Toby had made their way to the center of the forest. It was a no man's land, a neutral zone where no team had any strategic reason to linger, each group typically sticking to their own quadrant.
"Tell me what you hear," Ryan commanded, his voice edged with an almost patronizing tone that grated on Toby. Toby felt his leadership diminished with every word Ryan spoke to him in this manner. For now, though, his pride was his only ammunition, and he held down the growing resentment, knowing he could vent it at a later time.
Toby pointed in the direction from which he could hear the distinctive, pain-filled goans of the defective known as Mona. They moved slowly, weaving through the trees, making sure to keep their presence to a minimum.
Ryan watched Mona lift her leg pitifully. He assumed someone must have shot her by accident; there was no benefit in shooting any of the prizes. The point of the game was to capture, not eliminate. He observed as Victor, Timothy's guard, approached Mona.
Just as Victor was a few feet away, Mona, with a sudden, deceptive swiftness, whipped out her gun and fired, the shot echoing through the trees as Victor crumpled. Then, she aimed wildly at Timothy, unleashing a flurry of rounds.
"Stop, stop, stop! You got me!" Timothy yelled in pain, scrambling to avoid her vicious onslaught.
A proud smile stretched across Mona's face as she looked over her shoulder to her teammate, who now emerged from the tree line, coming to stand beside her. "Told you so," she said, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
"I can't believe you would trick me!" Timothy exclaimed, a laugh bubbling up despite the pain, even as his guard lay on the ground, groaning and cursing. He'd honestly never thought Mona had it in her.
Timothy made his way over to Victor, who was more than a little furious, and helped him up. Now, Timothy was the one guiding his incapacitated guard to the edge of the forest, out of the game.
Ryan wasted no time. He moved with predatory speed, firing two quick shots into the back of the wolf who had joined Mona. Simultaneously, Toby was quick to grab Mona's arms, expertly disarming her.
"Damn it!" Mona cursed, though a genuine smile lit up her face as she saw Ryan.
"You're more dangerous than you look," Ryan grinned, adoration and respect in his voice.
Mona simply offered him a bright, unconcerned smile. There was no point in putting up a fight; she was the last one from her team still in the game anyway.
Ryan and Toby easily guided Mona back to their home base. Luckily, everyone on their team was still together and intact. They quickly relayed the story of the unexpected exchange with Team one, highlighting Mona's surprising trickery.
With their team reassembled, it was time to choose a new leader. Toby, unable to speak or offer his opinion due to the game's rules, seethed internally. He longed for a chance to redeem himself, but for now, he could do nothing but follow the next leader.
Bradley was the next to take charge, immediately declaring his intention to scout Team Five. "Toby and Ryan can stay behind with chad," Bradley announced in an assured fashion, already turning to leave.
Ryan, however, didn't think it was a good idea to approach Team Five so recklessly. Jess was on that team, and while she might not be the strongest or the fastest, she was undeniably the best shot.
"You're going to need this," Ryan interjected, pressing Mona's discarded gun into Bradley's chest.
Bradley, with a self-assured smirk, looked at Ryan with pity and disdain. "We don't need cheap tricks," he scoffed, passing the gun off to another team member.
"Jess is on Team Five. I'm telling you, you're going to need it," Ryan insisted, refusing to let Bradley leave without taking the threat seriously.
Bradley, ignoring Ryan's warning, simply passed the gun off to someone else as they left their base to approach Team Five.
"She's going to snipe every last one of them," Ryan said, barely suppressing a laugh. It was going to be hilarious to watch them burn with embarrassment, taken out so easily not only by a defective, but by a female.
Toby wanted to respond, to bite back against Ryan's disrespectful words. But he knew if he opened his mouth, if he uttered a single word, they would be disqualified. He couldn't even speak into the mind link, knowing that Thomas would know.
"What happened to the rest of your team?" Ryan asked Mona, cutting through the tension.
Mona smirked lightly, another zing of exhilaration shooting through her system as she recalled what she did to Devin. It was so worth it.
Lucas glided through the dense forest, the scent of pine and damp earth filling his nostrils with every breath. Johnny was a blur of motion to his right, Simon a silent, focused presence to his left. Trinity, surprisingly agile, kept pace in the middle, while Dylan brought up the rear, his footsteps barely audible behind them. Their target: Team Two's home base. They ran with a unified purpose, swords held ready, muscles burning.
When they burst into Team Two's clearing, an unsettling silence met them. The small area was empty, only scattered supplies and a discarded bandana remaining. No one. A frown creased Lucas's brow. Had they gone to attack another team, or had they all been taken out of the game? The uncertainty gnawed at him.
Suddenly, Thomas's amplified voice boomed through the trees, cutting through the quiet.
"Time! Choose a new leader! Previous leaders, you are not allowed to speak. If you speak to your team, you will be disqualified. New team leaders, define your strategy to win!"
Lucas bristled, a frustrated growl rumbling in his chest. His moment of leadership was over, just as the real action was about to begin. Johnny, however, stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over their group with quiet confidence. He immediately took charge, his eyes meeting each of theirs.
"Alright," Johnny stated, his voice firm. "Let's move. We'll head towards Team Five."
Trinity's brow furrowed. "Team Five has Jess," she said, her voice holding a note of caution. "She's an amazing shot. We might be walking into a trap."
Johnny paused, considering. He didn't know Jess's skills with a gun. "Good point," he conceded. As they surveyed Team Two's abandoned base, Trinity spotted an extra gun and a coil of silver wire lying near a supply crate. She quickly scooped up the wire, tucking it into her pocket, while Johnny grabbed the gun. "I'll hold onto this for you," he offered, not knowing how many pellets were left in her gun.
Their new destination set, they moved deeper into the forest, veering away from Team Five's likely position and heading instead towards Team Four, Ryan's territory.
They moved with renewed stealth, Johnny leading the way, his senses heightened. As they approached Team Four's designated home base, they saw movement. Ryan's team—now only three strong—was bringing in a captive. He noticed it was Mona, flanked by two of Ryan's teammates, clearly a prize they had acquired. It seemed as if Team Four was currently in the lead. They had their own prize, plus one.
"Blitz attack?" Johnny whispered, already tensing, sword poised.
Trinity's mind, however, raced ahead.
"Whoever collects the most prizes at the end wins, right?" she breathed, her eyes fixed on Mona, a dangerous gleam entering them.
"Yeah, why?"
"Just checking," she mused. The game, it seemed, was just beginning to get interesting.