Path of the Hunters [PART 4] (NSFW)

She nodded, "He's with Yue and Crescent."


---

Damien nodded as he looked over the equipment.

Nova scoffed. "Figures Yue would get away from Sol."

*

"Well, I guess that could-" Her ears perked, and she turned to face the kit fully. "Y-You mean you'd go exploring with us?"

*

Sol moved around in the new equipment, smirked. "Not bad at all, Cross. With my support arm covered, I feel a lot more comfortable handling a rifle."

"Speaking of which, I have another gift for you, but it'll wait until you have you rifle in hand."

The hedgecat grinned. "Finally finished the scope and homing rounds, huh?"

"Maybe... C'mon, let's move. Damien, who's the next closest?"

Damien rounded a corner, spotting the others. "Nova and company. Hey everyone, anything interesting happen?"

Sunny laughed. "Yeah. You can't blame 'im. She's a wild kid."

*

"Um... Well... Sure?"

Nova laughed as well. "Ain't that the truth." He looked at the three that arrived, namely Cross. "And good, we don't gotta hunt you down, and pull you away from whatever tech craze you were in."

Cross scoffed. "I had it all under control, okay?"

"Yeah, that super soldier getup says it all."

"Well Sor-ry, but my body isn't strong as steel, like yours."

*

She smiled widely, but decided to keep her reaction low-key. "Looking forward to it."

Sunny snickered. "Come on. We're meeting up with Crescent."

"She 'as Trip and Yue with 'er."

"Then can we get the hell outta here?"

*

He smiled shyly.

"Sounds good to me," Sol said, rotating his shoulder. "My trigger finger's itchin' like crazy."

"Mani should be waiting for us at the helipad," Cross said. "Once we drop the kids off and grab our stuff, we can head right out."

*

She gave him a thumbs-up, trying to hide her blush behind a wide grin. "Just stick with me, and you'll be A-OK!"

"I will," he promised and his ears twitched. He turned, blinking. "Cross!"

Cross turned to the voice. "Trip?" He turned back to the group, noticing Trip wasn't with Sunny, as he last saw. He turned back to the voice, rounded a corner, and smiled at the three in front of them. "Well, that takes care of the rest of the group."

"Uncle Cross!" Yue ran up to him, hugged him, as per her normal greeting with familiar adults.

Trip smiled, then shrank back slightly. "Um... I didn't mean to run off..."

Sunny scratched him behind the ear, grinning. "No problem, squirt. Least you're safe."

"Of course he was safe!" Yue said, smiling brightly. "He was with me!"

"That's what worries me the most," Sol said, running a hand through his quills.

"Ya gotta admit, though," Nova said. "She been in quite a few restricted or otherwise dangerous places, came out unscathed every time; whoever she brings with her might have similar luck."

"We just walked down the hall. I didn't know where we were going."

Aurélie smiled softly. "I wouldn't make a bet against it, that is for sure."

"Yeah, and that would be the day Yue actually decides to get hurt, along with whoever she's with. No thanks! That's one bet I'm not willing to take my chances on."

Nova smirked. "Damn, why so high-strung, all of a sudden? Ain't that usually Mani's job?"

"You can go there, if you want to, Nova..."

"It's a bitch when the tables're turned, ain't it Sol?"

Trip smiled and scooted close to Cross. He wouldn't let Yue get hurt, but he decided to keep that to himself. He'd tell Mom later; she wouldn't tease him about their promise.

Aurélie shook her head, amused. "You are all silly."

Crescent smiled, standing. "That they are. But we love them, all the same."

"Anyway," Nova said. "If the reunion's over, can we get a move on? I want all this mess to be over by the end of the day-this day."

Trip nodded. "I want Mom," he said quietly.

Cross nodded as well. "Nova's right. Let's get back to the barracks, and drop the kids off with Elesis. And this time, we have a map. Just follow me." His helmet polarized, hiding his face and showing him a map of the base. "This way." He led the group down the halls.

"I'll be waiting at pad ten." Stated Damien as he turned to leave.

Trip trailed after him, staying close. "How come you're wearin' all that stuff?"

"Well, I needed some new gear to help me rescue Star. And I guess I went a little overboard."

"You guess?" Sol and Nova said simultaneously.

Cross sighed. "Okay, yeah, I went overboard, okay?" After calming down some, he turned back to Trip. "That's why I took so long getting ready."

"So that's for Mom?" He smiled. "Okay."

"I think it looks cool!" Yue said, striding alongside them. "Can I get some gear like that?"

Cross chuckled, turning to the girl. "Maybe I'll make you a little Halloween suit that looks something like this, but you won't get a chance to weak the real thing until you're older."

She sighed. "Oh, well. It's still cool to look at."

"Yo, why don't we just get to where we need to go to get outta here, and have Elesis meet us?" Sunny suggested. She was really getting impatient...

"She's watching the two kids by herself. It's not like she has a stroller to cart them to the pad to meet us. Besides, I tried calling her-she's asleep, out cold, her and the babies."

Nova huffed. "That just figures. Gotta make everything so complicated, if it means she get some shut-eye. Damn!"

"Also, Mani and Kane are at the pad already, and that's a longer trek to the barracks than we are."

"Hell," the dog muttered.