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“Mamma, I wanna come out of here. I want to sleep.” John whined quietly, wiggling a little. Jane shushed him and let his head fall onto her shoulder. She looked at you, her eyes huge with fear, and squeezed your hand a little bit tighter. The only light came from in between the wooden slats that made up your walls. You two were pressed knee to knee with John carefully balanced on Jane’s lap. You could feel the spiderwebs catching on your hair.
Crashes, bangs, and angry curses sounded from the other side of the wall; the sounds of the highbloods invading your hive. You, Jane, and John had gone into the walls through the crawl space; they were hollow and you’d found over time they made an excellent hiding spot. They had never thought to look in the walls. Yet.
“You know, the psychic’s never been here every time we’ve come. If xe doesn’t have friends or magic sight crap, how do you think xe always knows we’re coming?” someone asked. The sound of a cabinet being opened, and your supplies being thrown out onto the ground, followed his words. You barely managed to hold in your growl, and Jane winced slightly when she heard one of the sacks splitting from the impact.
“Who cares? Eventually we’ll get xir. Plus, I want to have a look at the strange troll xe’s supposed to have with xir. Could be we have a mutant on our hands.” another troll said, a thin veil of boredom covering her interest in the ‘strange troll’. Jane’s hand got a little tighter on yours.
“Both of you, shut up. I want to see if we can find any information about where they’ve gone. Plus, taking some of the supplies with us couldn’t hurt, my clutch-mates are hungry and my lusus isn’t doing shit. She’s getting too old for grubs….” That troll’s voice trailed off as they began to leave, apparently bringing some of your hard earned food with them. Someone kicked through one of the cabinet doors as a parting gesture with the sound of splintering wood.
You and Jane waited for a tense twenty minutes after that before crawling out again, John falling asleep again during the wait. You held the crawl space door open for Jane, who still carried John, and brushed her ragged skirt off after she stood up. The kitchen block was absolutely trashed, of course. The cabinet doors hung off the hinges, the thermal hull was wide open, and one of the windows was broken. Flour and a few kinds of vegetables littered the floor.
You drew your knife and pulled Jane behind you as you checked the rest of your thankfully small hive. The damage was similar throughout, with a couple more broken windows in the main room and flour tracked into the other rooms. Your and Jane’s feet made little puffs of white in the air with every step. A lot of your furniture had been knocked over and was slightly damaged, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed.
When you got to your respiteblock, you saw that this group was slightly more intelligent than the norm. Your loom was on the floor, and your yarns were strewn across the floor, along with the rest of your supplies. Your jaw tightened considerably, and you quickly bent to inspect it. Fortunately, it wasn’t broken like it had been last time, just banged up, which meant you didn’t have to lug it to town for an overpriced repair job. The yarn was tangled, but not cut or ripped. And the new carpet you had woven still hung from the rafters, unreachable by most and more importantly, unnoticeable.
You heard Jane gasp behind you, and you jumped up, whipping your knife up in front of you, but lowered it quickly. Jane was on the ground, kneeling on the floor, reaching for something under the dresser. She pulled out the worn, ancient hat, one of the few things she had when she arrived here, and tucked it safely away in her sylladex. When she looked back at you, her lip was wobbling. A tear traced its way through the dirt on her face.
You both made your way out, Jane now holding her giant red spoon-fork instead of your hand. She balanced John on her hip and held him tightly enough to turn her fingers white. He still slept, for which you were grateful. Neither you nor Jane made any sound as you peeked out what was left of the front windows. There was no sign of the bluebloods’ trucks, and you couldn’t sense anyone nearby other than the three of you.
You and Jane taped several garbage bags over the broken window in your respiteblock and fixed it up as best you could before leaving John tucked in securely in Jane’s bed. You barred the door just in case before you set to work cleaning up the rest of the hive. The major repairs, such as the broken windows, would have to wait until you could get someone trustworthy to fix them, but you two could get most of it done yourselves.
The sun was beginning to rise when you finally flopped to the ground. Duct tape and plastic decorated the windows and the hole in the cabinet. The furniture had been righted and what was left of your supplies were put away. The floor was swept clean of glass and dirt until you could eat off of it. The last thing you wanted was for John to step on a shard and get hurt.
Beside you, Jane wiped sweat from her brow with the cyan bandanna you had woven for her as a half-sweep anniversary present, along with new baking supplies and some Troll Sherlock Holmes collections. She rested her head on your shoulder as she looked out at the somewhat presentable hive. You resisted the urge to wrap her in your arms; not now, when you were both grimy and covered in sweat.
You shared the ablution trap and stumbled into the darkened respiteblock still damp and half dressed. Jane let out a weak sound of protest as you curled around her and John in their bed instead of heading to your ‘coon as you normally would. The thing was half empty anyway; that set of highbloods apparently liked to dump sopor slime everywhere as well as break windows.
“You’ll have nightmares...’ she murmured, already half asleep from all the fear and exertion. Her normally sweet voice was rough from stress and breathing in the dirt.
“I don’t want to let you go,” you mumbled, burying your face in her hair. “I’ll deal with it if they happen.”
You drifted off to sleep with Jane in your arms, though your ears were still perked for anyone else who dared to come calling.
***
Of course, she had been right. You did have nightmares, decorated with crushed limbs, filled with cheering highbloods, and dripping with candy red blood. When you woke to the sunset, you needed another trip to the ablution block; it looked like you had just collapsed after cleaning the hive with how much sweat soaked the bed. Jane and John weren’t there, but you smelled the clean smell of Jane’s baked goods, so they should be all right.
You changed into more presentable clothes and stumbled out to the kitchen block, where John sat at the table with some of the flat cakes Jane liked to make for the first meal. Jane herself was at the stove making more of the flat cakes and putting in little fruits she had found on one of your trips to the woods. When you pulled out one of the chairs and sat next to John, Jane turned and looked at you with a tired smile.
“Good morni-I mean, good moonrise, (y/n),” she said quietly, dark circles still prominent under her eyes. You managed to smile yourself.
“Good moonrise, Jane,” you said, then turning to the boy and kissing him on top of the head. “Good moonrise, John.”
John grinned up at you, his eyes clear and bright despite the long night. He must have thought it was a nightmare. Thank the ancestors. “Good moonrise (y/n)!”
You glanced back up at Jane, who then slid a plate of the cakes in front of you. You whispered a thank you before you ate, quickly. Jane gave you a worried look while she ate her own portion. You finished as quickly as you could and stood up to do the dishes, waving Jane’s attempt to help off. When you were finished, you turned to the still seated humans. Jane had tied her bandanna over her head and wiped off John’s face while you cleaned up.
“Since the windows need to be fixed, we’re going to need to head to town so I can sell the carpet, but after that, did you guys want to take another trip to the woods today?” you asked. John’s face lit up, and he started to bounce in his seat.
“I want to go to the woods!” he squealed, getting up and hugging you. You smiled, but then you looked up at Jane and the smile dropped. Her face had gone gray, and she held on to the edge of the counter.
“I don’t think I feel up to going to the woods today, John.” she said softly. John’s face immediately fell, and you jumped to sooth him before he started to cry. You quickly picked John up and placed him on your hip like Jane had taught you to do, silently hoped you weren’t messing up.
“Well, maybe Jane doesn’t feel well enough to go to the woods today,” you said, thinking quickly, “but I think I have some stuff I played with when I was a wrig- a kid up in the attic. Maybe you could look up there, I bet I still have some of my old books, too.”
John instantly brightened, wiggling in your arms and getting to the ground, where he could bounce unhindered. “Yeah, yeah, I want to see your attic! Maybe there’s magic stuff up there!”
You smiled softly. “Go ahead, John. There’s nothing up there that could hurt you, so just look out for the beams and if a box has a lock, don’t try to open it.”
John beamed and hugged you tightly around the legs, before running off, calling over his shoulder, “Don’t worry (y/n), I’ll be careful!”
You watched the boy leave, straining your ears so you could hear his footsteps go up the stairs, and then to the door that led to your tiny attic. Wriggler you hadn’t realized that eventually you would get bigger; the ceiling was so low up there that you and Jane had to crawl through it and John was the only one who could stand upright. Perhaps that would make a good place for him to play.
You looked back over at your matesprit. Jane was sitting at your table, face in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking almost imperceptibly, and the weight in your stomach got bigger. You were so undeniably stupid your ancestor would be ashamed of you. What had you been thinking, to leave the hive right after what had happened?
You pulled up a chair, sat down, and placed a hand on Jane’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Janey...I’m an idiot.”
Jane rolled her eyes and bopped you on the nose gently. “Don’t get all overdramatic again, (y/n). You were only trying to get our minds off of what happened.” She glanced out the window and shuddered slightly. You bit your lip.
“I just get nervous. I mean, with having John to take care of and this being, you know, a whole other planet, and being basically unable to fend off anyone here, it’s a little stressful. Don’t say it’s your fault, because I know you were about to.”
You laughed lightly. “You don’t have to worry about the fending off part, I can do that.” You paused for a moment, trying to think of what to say next.
“...If there’s anything you do want to do, I can try to make it happen,” you said softly. She scoffed and got up, pushing your hand off. Your heart dropped.
“Since you can’t send me and John back to Earth, I doubt I could hold you to that promise,” she snapped, walking over to the window and yanking the shades down a bit more violently than was necessary. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out. The lump in your throat burned.
Jane angrily turned back to you, only to wince at the look on your face.
“Oh gosh, (y/n), I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you,” she murmured, sitting back down and wrapping her arms around you loosely. You hugged her back, gently, being careful not to scratch her with your claws. Humans were so soft. You weren’t even a highblood, but you’d left bruises on her more times than you could count, just by accident.
You both sat there in silence for awhile. Both of you jolted up, however, when you heard a small screech from the direction John had gone in. Jane was up half a second before you were, rushing out the door and up the stairs. You hit your head on one of the beams as you scrambled up the stairs.
“John? John, honey, what’s wrong?” Jane called, her voice half an octave higher than normal. She threw the door open and sprinted up the stairs, mumbling a curse as she also hit her head, and flopped to the ground. You tried to avoid bumping into her as you did the same.
John was arm deep in one of the crates you had packed up your wriggler things in. He was covered in dust and there was a scrape on his arm, but he was grinning from ear to ear. One of your old dress up hats-a black velvet top hat that was worn brown on the side-was placed on his head. It was so big on him that the brim came over his eyes.
Jane exhaled audibly, her head falling down and resting on the attic floor. You shook your head and smiled, then asked John, “Why did you scream, John dear?”
“I found this really cool hat, and then this big box full of stuffed animals! ” John said, bouncing in his place. “And I just got so excited….”
He trailed off, looking at your and Jane’s faces, before he gasped and his face became guilty.
“Did I scare you guys?” he asked quietly, frowning.
You and Jane exchanged a glance, before Jane smiled softly and pulled John toward her, giving him a hug. “You did scare us a little bit, but it’s not a big deal. You’re okay, and that’s all that matters. Though, I think it may be time to come down.” She looked back over at you. “And didn’t (y/n) say we needed to go to town today?”
You got the message, of course. “Yes, indeed I did. In fact, if I can guess the time correctly we should get ready now if we want to avoid the crowds.”
Jane and John both nodded emphatically as you all made your way out of the attic. Crowds at the market were not fun. Just attempting to keep all those trolls away from the three of you was a job in itself. Trying to get enough for your carpets and cloth was even harder, especially to keep your identities secret.
John wrinkled his nose. “Ew...I don’t want to put the ash on my face.”
“I’m sorry, John,” you said, opening the cabinet in which you kept Jane and John’s disguises, “but you have to. It’s important.”
“Why?”
You froze halfway through pulling the long robes down. Jane bit her lip. Of course, you knew John would eventually ask that question, but you hadn’t exactly figured out how to answer it yet.
Okay, (y/n), you can do this. You turned to John and crouched down to his level.
“John, you and Jane have to hide how you look because there are a lot of trolls who don’t like people who are different.” you said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be mistaken, there are plenty of good trolls, but there are lots of bad ones, too. And I don’t want anything to happen to you or Janey.”
John’s eyes were huge. You could feel Jane’s gaze on you, making you nervous. John may have never known human society, but Jane did and you knew just how different they were. After you had found Jane and infant John in a rainstorm two sweeps ago, there had been so many clashes of culture that you had lost count. Humans’ culture made so little sense, and Jane had been horrified at the brutality that was ordinary life for you.
It had taken you so long to be trusted with her heart, and the life of her descendant-her son. And you still made mistakes, even after so long. The last thing that you wanted was to mess up again.
But, Jane didn’t look angry, or disapproving, just resigned. You thankfully hadn’t messed up this time.
John nodded, causing you to look back at him. “Okay, (y/n). I understand.”
You smiled and kissed him on the forehead. “Good. Let’s get you and Jane fixed up.”
It took time for a good disguise. You had learned by trial and error and from a friend who led more of a dangerous life then you did, at least until you met Jane. Ash from the fire made an excellent gray pallor for their soft skin. Their hair was already black, thankfully, which made that part easy. Thick foil over sticks attached to headbands made excellent horns under dark hoods. The rest of them could be covered by dark gray clothes, gloves, and shoes, the shirts marked by an anonymous gray version of your own symbol. The general lie you used was that they were your clutch-mates from a famined area, here to help you and to work.
Jane walked beside you, John clutched tightly in her arms with his face buried in her neck. Her spoon-fork hung from her belt as your knife hung from yours, armed and ready. You carried the carpet on your back-it wasn’t particularly large or heavy, so this one didn’t need to be pushed in front of you. It was a beautiful project, rich reds and oranges born from a day spent staring too long into the fire after one of many attacks, but you were nervous about how much it would fetch. The bluebloods hadn’t found your spare supply cache, thank the ancestors, but most of the important things were still gone and you were pretty sure you would need to call in a favor to feed the three of you.
Jane’s grip on your spare hand was tight as you entered the town, soft whispers following you as the hermetical weaver and her strange companions came for another day. The stall you kept locked there, currently with only a few old bales of cloth plus the carpet, was untouched. Jane let John down in the small back space to play while you cleaned the counter of dust. Your rather intimidating reputation thankfully kept away the vandals.
You opened the shutters and let some of the light in. Jane shushed John and took up her place at the back, guarding the entrance. Trolls streamed by you; all of the shouting, running wrigglers, and animals milling around was almost loud enough to keep you from hearing yourself think. Jane flitted like a ghost between your side and where John played with a few of the things from the attic, her hood pulled low over her face.
Some trolls close to your own caste bought some of the old cloth, which you gladly sold. it was much easier and somewhat faster to weave plain cloth, and it sold much better. It was safer, too; you usually got more money for the carpets, but highbloods were the only ones that could afford them and with highbloods came the chance of culling. It was worth it when you could get small treats or new clothes, but it grated on your nerves with harshly glittering indigoes feet away from your rusty blood and alien matesprit and clutch.
As you waited after the small lull during which you, Jane, and John had eaten the second meal, you spotted a group of highbloods coming through the market. One, a teal female with sweeping hair and the uniform of a legislacerator, scanned the cloth area before her eyes found the carpet hanging from your stall. You moved behind one of the plainer hangings and turned to Jane.
“Janey, please go around to the back. There are some highbloods coming.” you said, doing your best to give her a reassuring smile. Jane’s eyes went slightly wide. She nodded, and went through to John’s play area. You could hear her telling John to be quiet as she sat next to him. You turned back to the open street, plastering a smile to your face as the highbloods’ hoofbeasts came to a stop in front of your stall.
“Lowblood.” said a muscular colbaltblood in the lead of the troop. His voice echoed around the stall, bringing most of the business in the shops around you to a halt. “Are you the one selling the wares here, or do you serve as an assistant?”
“Oh, hush, Durgan, you’re being fussy again.” That voice came from the tealblood you had noticed before, her voice much lighter than his but still carrying highblood weight. She looked down at you and summoned a forced smile to her face. “How much for the carpet?”
You kept your eyes fixed on the counter, resisting the urge to spit a snarky comment at them. You could hear the disgust in their voices at having to deal with someone as low as you. “Thirty gold, highblood.”
“Thirty? That’s an awfully high price for a lowblood to be asking.” someone else said, the scorn dripping from their lips. You weren’t looking up to see who it was anytime soon.
“Pish. It’s presumptuous for xir to be asking, but I’m feeling.” The carpet pulled away from your face, and she threw gold to the counter in front of you. Your face burned as you scrambled to grab all the coins before they rolled away while the highbloods laughed. Your brain burned to punish them, but your powers wouldn’t work on them anyway. It would be giving yourself and your clutch a death sentence.
“I appreciate your business, highbloods. Thank you so kindly.” you whispered, hiding your shaking fists beneath the counter. The cobalt laughed.
“Your gratitude is only appropriate. If only others knew their place as well as you do. Carry on.” They rode away, the hooves of their mounts kicking dust into your face and onto the fabric that remained hanging. You mumbled curses once they were on the other side of the market, taking down the fabrics and packing them into your cart. They would need to be washed before you could try to sell them again.
The money was tucked safely into the pouch under your shirt. It had been a good day, but it still wasn’t enough to replace your lost supplies. Thankfully, you had a friend who was nice enough to share when you were in need, in exchange for you weaving the hangings he loved hanging around his hive. He didn’t know about Jane and John and you hadn’t seen him in two equinoxes, but you did trust him to an extent.
You left Jane and John in the locked stall and darted about to buy flour and grubsauce. You hated leaving them alone, but you didn’t want someone to take too close a look. Plus, you last least had the psychic aura to stave off other lowbloods. Jane and John had nothing, except blood that if it showed, would get them culled immediately, if they were lucky enough for that. You didn’t think about what could happen if it was revealed that they weren’t trolls.
You had been the fastest of your friends as a child, and some of that speed had stayed with you as an adult; it didn’t take you long to finish the shopping you could afford. It also didn’t take long for you, Jane, and John to get the other fabric home and dump it in the ablution block, where you would wash it later. You stowed the groceries in you thermal hull, then turned to them.
“Remember when I mentioned my generous friend? Well, it looks like we’ll be visiting him after all.” you said, leaning against the hull. Jane frowned, but John beat her to the punch.
“I thought you said other trolls couldn’t see us?” he inquired. You grinned.
“I did, but I trust this troll. He’s no friend of highbloods, and he’s known me for a long time. I don’t think he’ll do anything.” You left out the part that he was suspected of hiding a mutant from the highbloods and that you could psych-wipe him if he made any moves you considered dangerous. You did tell Jane after John ran to go get his new hat.
“Are you sure, (y/n)?” Jane asked, her brows furrowed in worry. “I mean, I trust you, but I still don’t know if I feel comfortable with this.”
“Jane, I trusted Occtix with my abilities. If he can be trusted with that, then he can be trusted with you and John. And if he tries anything, I’ll kill him.”
Jane gasped, covering her mouth. “You said he was your friend, though! Are you seriously going to kill….” She didn’t appear to be able to finish the sentence, instead shutting her eyes and shaking her head, as if to dispel the words. You took her hands in your own.
“Janey, you’re my matesprit. John might as well be my clutchmate or my descendant. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
Jane blinked, and then lurched forward and hugged you. “I still don’t like it,” she mumbled in your ear, her throat choking up. “but I’ll go. Just...do me a favor and try not to kill anyone, okay?”
You giggled. “Your wish is my command, my heiress.”
Jane laughed herself, and pressed a soft kiss to your lips. You closed your eyes and leaned into it, only to pull away rather abruptly.
“Ewwww! Gross!” John whined, covering his eyes with your old top hat. You and Jane burst into laughter, Jane leaning on you and you leaning on the counter. John crossed his arms and pouted.
“I wanna go see (y/n)’s friend. Stop doing gross things.”
***
You ran while holding Jane’s hand, the rain tapping against your heads. Occtix lived in the middle of nowhere, so you weren’t particularly worried about Jane and John being spotted with no ash on their faces. However, you weren’t sure any of you really liked getting wet. Jane was already grumbling about her cloak getting muddy, though John was jumping in the mud puddles with a huge grin on his face.
You almost tripped over a set of wagon tracks before catching yourself. The rain was getting heavier; you wiped your eyes clear and scanned the path in front of you. A little farther up ahead, you could make out the dark red shape that was your friend’s house. You smiled and pulled Jane and John along.
The three of you made it to the doorstep and you pushed it open with a slight creak. Jane immediately hung up John’s cloak and hers while you went ahead to explain to Occtix. The pale wooden boards creaked beneath your feet, and you felt a little bit like bouncing, since it had been so long since you had seen him. But, the farther you went through the hive, the more uneasy you felt. Thunder boomed outside and almost shook the hive.
There was so much dust. The jars of paint and blood were still there, and his easel was set up with a canvas and brushes in the tray. The sheer white fabric you had woven for him still hung ‘artfully’ from the ceiling and around his coon. His many loose knives were still lying around, and you picked them up and placed them on the table. You didn’t want anyone to step on them by accident.
When you did, you noticed a pale piece of paper folded up on top of his artist’s handbook. You picked up the paper and unfolded it. A familiar typing quirk assaulted your eyes; you rolled them and smiled, beginning to read the note. The smile quickly left your face.
(hey babe)
(yes y0u (y/n) 1 kn0w y0ure the 0nly 0ne wh0 c0mes here)
(so 1m guess1ng y0u g0t why 1m n0t here anym0re)
(f1nally b1t 0ff a l1ttle m0re than 1 c0uld chew w1th the highbl00d assholes)
(pr0bably sh0uld have pa1d m0re attent10n t0 y0u XD)
(but anyway)
(anyth1ng 1 leave beh1nd y0u use g0t 1t)
(and 1f s0meth1ng ever happens)
(c0ntact these guys)
(yes 1 kn0w them pers0nally and n0 they arent cr1m1nals)
(theyll g1ve y0u a hand)
(s0)
(take care 0f y0urself)
()
(0cct1x)
A list of unfamiliar chumhandles were written below. Your hands tightened on the paper until it began to tear at the edges. Burgundy tears brimmed in your eyes; you folded the paper up, stuck it in your pocket, and rubbed your eyes violently. Brushing past a confused John, who was looking out the window, you closed your eyes, raised your fingers to your temples, and sent out a soft psychic wave. Your mind didn’t pick up any old life signs, including those left by bodies. Occtix had been gone for awhile, so long there were almost no traces left of his mental presence.
But he was there, in the loose fabric hanging from the ceiling, the jars of old blood stacked on the shelves, and of course the carefully obscured slots in the wall where various contraband could be hidden. You could still smell him. The hive still hummed with his laughter and sharp words.
You jumped half a foot in the air when someone’s hand landed on your shoulder. Jane’s eyes were wide in alarm when you whipped around, almost brandishing your knife before you stopped yourself.
“(y/n)...is something wrong?” she asked, flicking her eyes around the room to check for danger. Of course, there was none, so when she looked back at you, you could plainly see the confusion on her face. You swallowed over the lump in your throat.
“Occtix...it looks like he’s been culled.” you mumbled, wiping away tears again. “I knew I should have checked on him before. This is all my fault….”
Jane gasped, quickly sheathing her spoon-fork and hugging you. You wept as quietly as you could, burying your face into her shoulder. Something bumped from outside. You couldn’t believe that you hadn’t been worried. Why else would he not have shown up for so long? Why didn’t you look for him like a good friend? Why hadn’t you realized?
A scared voice echoed through the room “(y/n)? Mamma? What’s wrong with (y/n)?”
You raised your head from Jane’s shoulder, dully noting that you would have to soak her shirt to get your tears out. John was standing in the doorway, holding the top hat in one hand. His eyes were wide and he was shaking, which worried you. Jane pulled away from you and walked over to John, crouching next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
“(y/n) is sad about xir friend right now, John.” she said, wrapping him up in a hug. “Why are you shaking?”
“There are people outside….”
You and Jane shared horrified looks, and the door burst open, rain and wind pouring in from the storm outside. Soldiers stomped in, knocking over the furniture as they went, and John screamed. You pushed Jane and John behind you and drew your knife. The swish sound of Jane’s spoon-fork sounded behind you.
The leader strode up in front of you, his boots clunking against the floor. You looked frantically around for an escape route, but there were no windows in the back room and there were at least five of the bluebloods between you and the exit. You could hear John crying behind you, and a wave of dread washed over you. In the back of your mind, you already knew what you have to do.
“Good thing we finally found you, dirtblood.” the leader said, grinning and showing sharpened teeth. You could smell blood on him.
“Not to mention your mutant freak friends!” another one shouted. They all raised their weapons and started toward you. You turned your head in Jane’s direction. She was obviously terrified, but still held her weapon aloft.
“Look away,” you whispered. She opened her mouth, but then thought better of it and shut her eyes tight, covering John’s with her free hand. Power burned through your veins and crackled along your body. Your fingers flew to your temples, and you screamed.
It was a scream both physical and mental. The soldiers fell to their knees, blood beginning to gush from their eyes and mouths. The leader screamed along with you, dropping his weapon and clutching his head. Your mind pulsed against theirs, bringing their worst nightmares to their sight and causing them as much pain as you possibly could. But even though you were powerful. some of them still lived.
You pushed as much of your power out as you dared, but you could already feel your strength fading. You pushed urgent words towards Jane’s mind, but she made no sign of hearing. Oh right. Your powers didn’t work on humans.
“Please go,” you whispered, the breath struggling to move through your lungs. “They’ll get up soon.”
Jane shook her head violently, tears dripping from her eyes, but she ran forward with John in her arms, jumping over the soldiers. Her skirt dragged. John stretched his arms out toward you, crying himself.
“(y/n)! (y/n)! We have to get (y/n), Mamma!” he screamed. “Don’t leave xir behind!”
One of the soldiers stumbled to his feet, blood still dripping from his face. He glanced around, apparently confused, before he caught sight of Jane and John. His eyes narrowed, and he raised his club while staggering forward. You screamed, a real scream this time, and lurched forward. You would protect your matesprit and clutch or you would die trying.
The soldier fell to the ground, a knife buried in his neck. But it wasn’t yours.
A troll ran forward, a loose vest dragging from one arm, only for Jane to attempt to stab him with her fork. He jumped backward and raised his hands. The other knife he’d been holding fell to the ground.
“Whoa, whoa, baby doll,” he said quickly, backing a few more steps away. “I’m here to help.”
Jane only held her fork higher. She was still shaking. “Yeah fucking right, I know what you guys do-” She happened to glance over at you, and her eyes widened. “(y/n)!”
The other troll looked over, and swore violently, immediately starting toward you, but the rather violent display had been too much. Your vision dimmed as you fell to the ground, blood dripping from your nose and eyes. The last thing you heard before the blackness was Jane screaming.
***
It was her breath that woke you, though. Pale light through your eyelids, the sound of two sets of lungs filling and emptying, and your horns picking up their life vibrations. There were bandages wrapped around your nose and you could feel heavy blankets covering your body. You were alive, they were alive, and no matter how comfortable you were, you needed to get up and get out. You opened your eyes, and attempted to sit up.
Only to remember why a psychic should not overexert themselves to the point of fainting unless they want to feel like being hungover and exhausted at the same time.
You immediately fell backwards, taking a sharp breath. Just about every part of your body hurt, and you knew from experience that it would be that way for a while. Jane’s head lifted from its position on the back of her chair, John in her lap, and her eyes flew wide open. She almost lurched forward and threw herself on your before she remembered the sleeping child in her lap. She settled for grabbing your hand as tightly as she could manage.
“I thought you were dead,” she whispered, her eyes wide and her face whiter than the sheets on her bed. You managed to smile through the burning in your skull and brain.
“Don’t worry about that, I have a few sweeps left in me,” you joked weakly. Jane shook her head emphatically, and attempted to lean forward. This was enough to wake John, who blinked slowly before catching sight of you and flying off of Jane’s lap. He wrapped his little arms around you tightly, crying his clear tears.
“(y/n)! (y/n)” His voice was muffled since his face was buried in your neck, but you could make out the general meaning. Burgundy tears brimmed in your eyes while you hugged him back. Then, Jane joined in the cuddle pile on your other side. You laughed wetly.
The door that you hadn’t noticed until that moment flew open, and the troll from before strode in, now actually wearing the worn vest instead of having only one arm in. He gave you a look and clicked his tongue, shaking his head at you.
“Really, (y/n), I thought you knew better than to exert that much pressure.” he scolded, but then a grin lit up his face. “Though I have to admit that was a great show.”
“You jackass,” you mumbled, which made Jane raise her head from your left shoulder and give you a sharp look. You were grinning yourself, though. “You could have stepped in a bit earlier.”
Occtix raised his hands, attempting to look innocent. “Hey, don’t blame me for not realizing you had dependents with you.” He looked at Jane for a moment, an eyebrow raised. She matched him slight glare for slight glare. “I figured you could take them until they started yelling about mutants. Tell me the next time you find two humans in your backyard, baby pop, and then I can help out a bit sooner.”
Your eyes widened. Jane was on her feet the next moment, holding Occtix by the shirt collar. John looked wide eyed between the two, shrinking a bit closer to you.
“There are other humans here?” Jane demanded, shaking Occtix slightly. “Who? What are their names? Do you know how we got here?”
“If you’ll let me go for a second, Miss Mutant,” Occtix said, pushing Jane away and brushing off his shirt while glaring at Jane like she had just committed a criminal offense. “I’ll tell you all that I know so far. Damn, when the fishbitch looks for new places to conquer, you’d think she’d look for places with less gutsy natives.”