.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The next morning, Analeah smiled at the sight of the Sky Devil soldiers relaxing under the bright sun with Mason taking photos of them. She leaned against the pillar and laughed as the shirtless soldiers posed flexing their muscles however, her focus was lost on the young soldier who was grinning. "You should introduce yourself," Jack's voice pulled her from admiring the soldier. "Why is that, Major?" Analeah asked him with a smirk. "Because he's single and everyone deserves someone," Jack encouraged with a shrug. "I don't know, it's amusing watching from afar," Analeah told him with a slight chuckle.

"C'mon," Jack spoke before grabbing her arm gently and leading her over to the others just as Mason walked off to photograph a different group. The soldiers stood tall and saluted Jack before they settled again. "Miss Conrad, I assume," One of the soldiers asked with a raised brow and a smirk directed at the younger soldier. "Leah works just fine. And you are?" Analeah questioned him with her arms across her chest. "I'm Reles, this is Cole, Mills, and the little man, that's Slivko," Reles introduced as he pointed out each soldier. "You gonna be okay?" Jack asked her. "I'll be fine, it's these guys you should worry about," Analeah told him making the others laugh before Jack walked away.

"So why did you tag along?" Cole asked as Analeah moved to sit down on one of the chairs. "I specialize in animal behavior and have experience in high-risk environments such as Savannahs, Jungles, and Forests," Analeah answered him truthfully. "How old are you?" Mills asked as he sat down next to her. "I'm seventeen, I'll be eighteen in two months," Analeah answered him causing the guys to smirk. "Got yourself a boy back home?" Reles asked with a look that screamed he wanted gossip. "No, I don't," Analeah answered him causing the guys to whine in protest.

"You shouldn't lie," Cole teased making Analeah roll her eyes. "I'm not. Back home, I'm just the crazy girl who prefers the comfort of animals over people," Analeah told him with a shrug. "What's with the same last name as the former Captain?" Mills asked with raised brows. "He's my older brother," Analeah answered him as she glanced at Slivko who had been quiet the whole time though his eyes never left her. "Any of you got girls back home?" Analeah asked them and Mills went into detail about his girl back home and it was clear how much he loved the woman, Analeah just hoped that he survive the Island to get home.

She laughed along as Cole teased Reles about his 'break' with his girl while Reles taunted Cole about his lack of a girl back home, but Analeah noticed Slivko's silence. "What about you, Slivko?" Analeah asked causing the other three to stop laughing and turn to the younger soldier whose eyes widened at the acknowledgment that she was talking to him. "Uh, no one," Slivko replied making Analeah smirk. "Leah!" James' voice pulled her attention, she turned to see him waving her over and Mills, Reles, and Cole used that opportunity to pull faces and tease Slivko who glared at them. "I better see what my brother wants," Analeah spoke before turning to the others, the three stopping immediately.

Analeah stood up and moved to walk away, she stopped and leaned closer to Slivko who was still standing. "No one... for now," Analeah whispered to him causing Slivko to swallow slowly as Analeah waved to others before walking towards her brother. "Dude!" Reles shouted as he slapped Slivko in the back. "She will eat you up, kid," Cole told Slivko with a taunting grin on his face. "Hey, give Slivko a chance," Mills said with a smirk, "She might be just what he needs." Reles laughed at Mills' words, "You better step up your game if you want a chance with her, Slivko." The three laughed but Slivko simply looked over at Analeah with a small smile.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Analeah had changed into a black tank top with some high-waisted brown shorts, slipping on some army combat boots before tying her hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of her face. She checked her bag and ensured she had some food supplies, water bottles, and a small med kit that she took with her everywhere. She put her own personal camera into the bag followed by her spare clothes and once she had everything ready, she pulled the bag strap over her shoulder and made her way out of the room and down to the pads where everyone was preparing to get in the helicopters to head into the storm clouds ahead.

"You're staying with me," James spoke as he grabbed onto Analeah's loose strap and led her over to a helicopter that was piloted by Slivko and another soldier. Analeah slipped into the middle seat, clipped her bag down safely, and looked at her brother to see him already watching her. "What's wrong?" Analeah asked him. "I just don't have a good feeling about this expedition nor do I like you being a part of it," James answered her, she could see that he didn't mean to belittle her capability; it was the fact that they only had each other. "Well, you aren't going alone and we'll protect each other," Analeah told him with a reassuring smile.

Mason joined them in the helicopter and smiled at Analeah before she looked out at the other helicopters. Analeah smirked as she looked between Mason and James, immediately noticing the initial attraction between them. "I look forward to being impressed by the end of this," Analeah told Slivko who looked back at her, she smiled at him. "Leave the boy alone, Leah," James told her with an amused expression. "I'm not doing anything wrong," Analeah replied before sighing, "Just tell me to stop if it becomes annoying." Slivko took a breath before shrugging, "Trust me, I really don't mind." Analeah smiled widely at that.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Analeah felt anxious. The storm clouds ahead with lightning flashes occasionally was a perfectly normal anxiety-inducing sight. She didn't doubt the pilots of the helicopters but even she knew how unpredictable a storm could be so when the wind picked up and they told everyone to buckle up, Analeah gripped her brother's hand so tight, she was certain he'd be feeling it for the rest of the day. The helicopter began to shake severely due to the winds as they entered the clouds surrounding the Island, Analeah closed her eyes as she took steady breaths trusting in the soldiers' abilities to handle the helicopters.

"Leah, open your eyes," James spoke once the helicopter had settled. Analeah opened her eyes and gasped quietly at the sight in front of her, she was astounded by the sight of the island of green layers with the sun shining over it. "It's beautiful," Analeah spoke as Mason took photos of the environment. Analeah looked toward Slivko who was admiring the sight, she blushed slightly as she enjoyed the way the sunlight shined on him. A sudden boom startled Analeah, she turned to see the explosion from the seismic charges and frowned at the environment being damaged; she tried to not think about that.

Out of nowhere, a tree came soaring through the sky into one of the helicopters sending it crashing to the ground. "Holy--" One of the soldiers spoke before Analeah did, "--Ape." James looked at Analeah who was staring wide-eyed at the large ape shadow that stood in front of the sunset. The radio between the soldiers was going wild in questioning what they were all seeing but Analeah felt frozen by the sight in front of her. Following their Colonel's orders, they all began firing at the large ape but it only seemed to anger the titan further. One by one, helicopters went down in blazes and explosions leaving Analeah feeling sick.

"Pull out now! Pull out!" James ordered Slivko as he glanced between his sister, the titan ape, and Slivko himself. "I don't take orders from you!" Slivko replied to James but Analeah could hear the fear and hesitance in his voice, she understood a soldier's mentality and he would only follow his Colonel's orders. "Watch out!" Analeah screamed as a body came flying at the windscreen, sliding up from the wind into the propeller getting torn apart. "Prepare to crash!" Slivko told them as his eyes locked on Analeah's, her heart pounding in her ears as she looked at her brother just as they hit the ground and everything went black.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Rosemary Speaks

How terrifying would that moment be?
I don't care if you're the most macho person around, that whole scene is horrifying!

See you in the next chapter!