[041] teeth

                                                                    A month after Javi had been discovered, it grew painfully obvious that things within the group had changed. Whether it was for the better or the worst had yet to be determined. Suki still harbored doubt towards the Wilderness but she definitely couldn't voice it out loud, now that Mari, Van, and Courtney pretty much convinced the others that she and Lottie knew that Javi had been alive all along thanks to their abilities. And Van was especially convinced that Taissa was gifted too - she had been the one to find him.

                                                                    More and more, most of the girls believed in the Wilderness and everything that it was capable of. Of course, there were a few outsiders still questioning everything. But all in all, the tides were beginning to turn.

                                                                    The morning prayers had quickly become a staple routine for the group. With Lottie leading them, the group would meditate and pray to the wilderness. Courtney enjoyed it, feeling connected to the Wilderness in a way that she never had been before. Yeah, Suki was basically her cheat sheet. But nonetheless, they were all a part of something bigger. Something that could potentially keep them alive through this harsh winter... as long as they did what they were told, of course.

                                                                  "Don't you have something important going on out there?" Shauna asked, making Suki snap out of her thoughts.

                                                                   Suki nods, now looking over at Shauna who sat beside her. "Yeah, but... I just wanted to see how you were doing. I'm not really a doctor but you're due any day now so."

                                                                   "Besides feeling like I need to pee all the time, I'm fine," Shauna teasingly responded, holding onto the necklace Suki had made her once again.

                                                                   "I'm glad you're still wearing it," Suki points out with a small smile.

                                                                   "I forgot to take it off," Shauna quickly responds as she sets the necklace back down.

                                                                    But deep down, Shauna didn't really feel a need to take the necklace off. She didn't believe in any of the wilderness or the fact that the necklace was able to bring her protection. But it brought her a strange sense of comfort that she didn't really want to give up so soon.

                                                                 "Oh. Well, that's fine too," Suki reasoned. "Um, this is gonna sound weird but I was wondering if... I could feel your belly? I've never done it before and I've seen it on TV and stuff but -."

                                                                 "As long as it gets you to stop rambling, fine," Shauna relented.

                                                                  Suki looks up at Shauna once more before she presses her hand up against her stomach. For a moment, Suki didn't really feel anything. But just as suddenly, she closes her eyes and felt the baby kick her hand. Then, Suki saw blood staining the floor of the cabin along with screaming noises in the background. Suki recoiled back in an instant, her breath shaky as she opened her eyes and tried to process everything that she saw.

                                                                 "What is it?" Shauna frowned, confused by Suki's sudden change in mood.

                                                                 Suki plasters a small smile onto her face. "Nothing. I... I felt it kick, that's all. It startled me."

                                                                 "Try actually having to be pregnant. You'll be startled a lot," Shauna remarked.

                                                                 "I'll let you have that one, but thanks anyway," Suki responded.

                                                                   A soft chuckle leaves Shauna's lips. Just then, Courtney walked into the room and took one look at the pair before she made her way towards the front door.

                                                                  "I hate to interrupt your bonding moment but we have to get ready," Courtney reminded Suki.

                                                                  "Your warden's calling," Taissa teased from behind her.

                                                                  "Fuck off," Courtney says over her shoulder but Taissa just laughs some more.

                                                                    Suki just follows behind Courtney without complaint, feeling Shauna's eyes on her in the process. The two quickly joined the others in the circle, Suki sitting right next to Lottie with Courtney next to her. Lottie smiles over at Suki, but her smile faltered when she saw Courtney. Obviously, Courtney was still pissed at Lottie over Suki taking her place and nearly getting herself killed. She quickly looks away from her and down at her own lap instead.

                                                                   Soon enough, the ceremony started with Lottie taking the lead. Suki took deep breaths to try and forget about the horrifying vision she had seen. But such a thing was easier said than done.

                                                                  "Take a breath," Lottie begins, closing her eyes.

                                                                   Everyone did as they were told, even with the cold wind slapping them harshly on the cheek. Ironically enough, the freezing cold temperature kept them all alert and more focused than ever.

                                                                  "What do we feel?" Lottie asked next.

                                                                  "The cold," Mari answers first, "It makes my cheeks burn. But it also makes me feel... awake, like really awake."

                                                                  "It makes me feel... alive," Van chimed in, taking a deep and calming breath.

                                                                  "Good. Now what do we hear?" Lottie continued with a small, pleased smile on her lips.

                                                                  "The wind," Travis responds, just as a breeze rolls right past them all. It was as if the Wilderness was responding to them, corresponding with his words.

                                                                  "I can hear it in the pines. It's peaceful," Van agreed, her fiery colored hair blowing in the cool breeze as she spoke.

                                                                  "It sounds like a whisper?" Akilah offered, sounding uncertain.

                                                                  "It sounds like singing," Misty and Crystal said in unison before they looked at each other, smiling the whole time.

                                                                  "It sounds more like chanting," Suki says with a shake of her head. "But I can't make out what its saying."

                                                                   It was faint yet onimous, making all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. One could attribute it to the fact that it was freezing cold. But this felt like much more than that.

                                                                 "That's okay. Good. We're tuning into nature. Into each other," Lottie assured them all as she opened her eyes, studying their features intently. "That protection is what's gonna protect us and we need to nurture it. Especially now. A new life is coming and we can't wait to meet him."

                                                                "We can't wait to meet him," the others respond back.

                                                                 After the group disbanded, only Lottie and Suki remained. The chanting had gone away and yet, Suki still played the sound back over and over again in her mind.

                                                                "Were you able to figure out what the chanting was?" Lottie inquired.

                                                                 Suki shakes her head. "No. But... I can tell that it wasn't good. The feeling it gave me, it had to be some sort of warning or omen or whatever. Something's going to happen. Something bad."

                                                                "Are you sure?" Lottie questioned, her heart sinking when Suki met her gaze with the scariest look she had ever seen on her.

                                                                "As sure as death itself," Suki replied. It was something her mom used to say, and something Suki had never really understood when she was little. Now she did, of course, but a part of her still wished she didn't.

( 🌲🔪🦌 )

                                                             Javi was still mute, much to the frustration of the others. He wasn't telling anyone how he had managed to survive for so long or where he had been hiding all this time. Suki felt pretty guilty, seeing as the events of the doomcoming party had been the reason why Javi had run off in the first place. Now, all they could do was wait for Javi to hopefully talk to them and say exactly what had happened to him.

                                                            Tensions were already high on account of Natalie and Travis getting into a fight. Well, it was a lot more like Travis releasing his anger out onto Natalie for basically making him believe that Javi was dead. Admittedly, Courtney had enjoyed the show just a little too much. But soon enough, she'd be getting into a fight of her own.

                                                            It all started when Suki had pulled her over to the bathroom so they could talk privately. Initially, Courtney thought it was just code for them to hook up again. But she quickly realized that Suki meant that they were actually supposed to talk once Suki rebuffed her advances. Although a little disappointed (and more than a little needy for some sort of affection), Courtney figured that the least she could do was hear her girlfriend out.

                                                             "What's going on?" Courtney asked. "Wait, don't tell me that hanging around Shauna's suddenly given you baby fever? Because if you want one, I don't think I can give you for obvious reasons."

                                                                Suki rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

                                                              "Mm, you're the only one bold enough to say it to my face," Courtney teased with a small grin.

                                                              "Seriously though," Suki sighs, resting her hands in her pockets, "I've been thinking a lot about my gift ever since the day I almost..."

                                                              "Go on," Courtney nodded, ushering for her to continue.

                                                              "When I nearly died, I was back home. I was back home with my mom. She was there. And... she told me... not to listen to the voices. I shouldn't have given in to the wilderness. And maybe she's right. I've been getting these really bad feelings lately," Suki began to explain.

                                                              "Wait a minute. What are you saying exactly?" Courtney frowned, already fearing the worst.

                                                                    "I've been thinking... maybe it's time I step down from this leadership role. Leave it all up to Lottie. She's better at it than I could ever be," Suki reasoned.

                                                                    "What?" Courtney's heart sinks at the news.

                                                                    "I... I'm scared. I don't know what to think anymore and I think this was all a mistake. I was never meant to be a leader. That's you, okay?" Suki shakes her head.

                                                                    "You're the one with the power. And now that you're figuring out what it is, you want to be a coward and just run from it. For all you know, it wasn't even your mom. It was just... a delusion or something. We need you, Suki. I need you," Courtney persisted.

                                                                   "Did you hear what I just said?" Suki scoffed.

                                                                   "Believe it or not, I did. And it sounds like total bullshit. You can't back down now. I won't let you," Courtney denied.

                                                                    Suki scoffs. "Why not? Are you scared that you won't have any more control over the others if I do? I know that's the only reason you care so much. You don't care about me."

                                                                   "After everything I've done for you, you think I don't care about you? I've been there for you when those other girls weren't. They look up to you now but they were the same ones calling you crazy back home. Not me. I fucking saved you from freezing to death! How fucking dare you turn on me when I'm the only one that's been there for you?" Courtney argued.

                                                                    "You fucking poisoned me! Did you really expect me to just forget about that?" Suki shot back.

                                                                  "I made one mistake, Suki. One! Besides, I thought it was for your own good anyway," Courtney shrugged.

                                                                  "My own good?" Suki bitterly laughs. "I could've died because of you."

                                                                  "What's gotten into you? Did Natalie get into your head again or something?" Courtney frowned.

                                                                  "Why does it always have to be about Natalie? I'm capable of having my own opinion, thank you very much!" Suki argued.

                                                                  "Keep your voice down," Courtney scolded her.

                                                                  "Or what? Are you gonna poison me again so I do whatever it is you want me to?" Suki challenged. She wasn't sure where this sudden rebellion was coming from. It even shocked Courtney. But Suki wasn't willing to back down so easily this time.

                                                                  "Suki, I don't want to do this right now. Let's talk about this later," Courtney offered, feeling herself growing upset.

                                                                  "No. I made my decision and that's final," Suki declared, now beginning to leave the bathroom.

                                                                    Courtney grabs Suki's arm, shoving her up against the wall in an effort to hold her back. "You're not thinking rationally, Suki. Now just calm down and -."

                                                                  "Let go of me!" Suki exclaimed.

                                                                   She shoved Courtney away, making her way outside. But Courtney chased after her, continuing to grab after Suki and begin dragging her back. The others now watched as the two started fighting each other.

                                                                  "I'm not finished talking with you," Courtney argued as she continued trying to pull Suki back.

                                                                    Desperate, Suki decided to bite Courtney's hand as hard as she could to finally get her to let go. Never had Suki acted so animalistic before (not since that night anyway) but her anger managed to bring out another side of her which had long since been suppressed. Outraged, Courtney pulled her hand free before slapping Suki hard enough for her to fall. But it wouldn't be nearly a simple fall. Suki landed on the ground face first, hitting her nose hard. She could feel the blood gushing down her nose and lips as she lied there, her vision growing blurry with tears. Mari rushed over to Suki's rescue, bending down and holding onto her while the others sat there, stunned.

                                                                 Courtney was known to be violent against the others. But never against Suki. In that moment, Courtney looked pretty terrifying. Her eyes were red and her feaures were stoic, making her look even scarier than she did before. Suki looked up at her and that's when Courtney faltered, realizing what she had done.

                                                               "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," Courtney immediately apologized, beginning to make her way towards Suki.

                                                               "Courtney," Natalie warned, rushing in front of her and pushing Courtney back.

                                                               "You know I didn't mean it, right? I love you, Suki. I wouldn't -," Courtney began to say.

                                                               "Courtney, get the fuck out!" Natalie exclaimed.

                                                                Courtney glares at Natalie before she looks at the other girls, realizing that she wasn't going to be winning this one. She looks at Suki one more time before she storms off, going outside to properly cool off. Mari continued to hold onto Suki and while Suki could hear Mari asking for some sort of wipe or something to clean Suki's face off, the girl still looked at the front door Courtney walked out of.

                                                                Suki could still taste Courtney's skin, lingering far longer than it should've.

( 🌲🔪🦌 )

word count: 2419
notes: this chapter ended wilder than planned.