Wild Tribe by Crystal Chen (novels to read txt) 📕

The two angry girls circled each other. Fear flickered in Amber's eyes. But it quickly vanished, replaced by a smirk. "I'll give you a deal." sneered Amber. "We fight. If I win, you go home with us. If I lose, you can stay." With a sideways glance at Pepper and Chive, she added, "With Willow's permission."

Mica snarled, "Fine, It's a deal. Prepare to be crushed." Amber just tucked her fists close to her chest, saying nothing.

Mica screamed all the misery and rage she had bottled up inside her for so long, arms flailing as she sprang at Amber. At first Amber's eyes were wide with terror, but it was soon replaced by furious determination. She shoved her mother backwards. "Stay behind me. Stay out of this, unless I need help."

Amber raised her arms to meet Mica's fists. Mica cried out in pain, a burning jolt slicing up her arm. She retreated a few steps, the fire dimming in her eyes. But she kept a confident sneer on her face. "Is that all you got?"

Amber didn't reply. They circled each other like gladiators in a ring. Mica's eyes darted franticly around her enemy, searching for an opening to attack.

"Yahh!" shouted Amber as she launched herself at Mica. But Mica was ready. All those years of Taekwondo finally paid off. She yelled "Hi yah!" and flexed her arm up to block Amber's blow.

Amber leapt back and circled again. Mica narrowed her eyes as she studied her sister. She is stronger then me, she thought, but I am faster.

Mica attacked without warning. She flew at her enemy, darting from side to side. Amber raised her arms to block the blow, but at the same time Mica lashed out with her leg and swept her feet out from under her. With a yell, Amber tumbled to the ground.

Mica leapt out of striking range and stood, gasping for breath. Amber staggered to her feet. Her eyes blazed with anger and disbelief. "How dare you, you little worm?" she growled. Mica simply smiled, a sweet, devilish smile. "Dear sister," she crooned mockingly, "Did you get a boo-boo?"

Amber snarled viciously and flew at her sister, arms outstretched. "This is what you get, moron!"

Mica sidestepped easily, leaving Amber to claw the air. "Too slow!" she jeered.

But the sister retaliated, also trained from her years of learning karate. She quickly recovered and balled up her fists, tucked them close to her body, and shifted her weight to her left leg. In a flash her leg came up in a bone-shattering kick, connecting with Mica's chin. She screamed in pain and tried to balance, but stumbled back, eyes rolling. Amber let out a triumphant shout, and pounced for her sister. Her hands grabbed Mica's shoulders, and they went down into the grass.

Mica struggled helplessly in her sister's relentless grip. She's too strong! She's too heavy! she thought in dismay.

Amber shoved her knee into Mica's chin. A strangled gurgle escaped her throat. Mica's mouth filled with dust as her sister's foot pushed her face into the earth. "Stupid, stupid girl." Amber smirked in a voice that dripped with honey. Her rank breath billowed in Mica's face. "Do you surrender now?"

Mica gasped for air, her eyesight darkening. Argh! she screamed in her head. You can't be beaten by your sister! Mica swung her fading gaze around the clearing, her eyes locking on Pepper's. The little warrior's face was etched with worry. When she caught Mica's eyes, she forced a confident smile and a thumbs-up.

Strength flooded throughout Mica's body. With a heaving shove, she pushed Amber off her. Amber yelped in suprise and rolled once on the ground before coming up to her feet. Mica stumbled and stood shakily, breath coming in short gasps. "You got lucky that time." Amber spat. "But you only get lucky once." She stalked toward Mica, fists balled, eyes burning with no mercy. I can't do this! Mica wailed. She blinked hard against the approaching tide of tears. I can't go back. Please don't make me! Her heart felt heavy as a stone. Her limbs hung from her body like lead. I'm so tired...

Amber lashed out with her fists. Somehow Mica managed to jump back just in time. But her sister's right fist caught her cheek, and there was a burst of pain as she staggered on one leg. Amber circled again, panting from the effort. She saw her chance as Mica wavered, almost regaining her balance. No! Please! Mica pleaded, heart filling with dread. Quick as a viper, the sister darted into striking range and landed a teeth-rattling blow to the side of Mica's head. Pain exploded from where Amber had hit her. Her eyesight blacked out. Mica crumbled to the ground. She was unconcious.

I had watched it all. My heart pounded as the battle wore on, and I felt as if I'd been struck everytime Mica was hit. Mouse bile rose in my throat as I watched, helpless, as she fell to the floor. Amber had won.

Willow glanced at me, treating the wolf pup. "What's going on out there?" she asked.

I tore myself away from the scene and tried to talk. But my voice came out as a rasp, "Mi-Mica got in a fight with her sister." I croaked. "Her sister--she beat her into the ground. Mica blacked out."

"What?" Willow asked in disbelief. She rubbed the last bit of ointment into the wolf's wound and stood. "I always thought that girl was a fighter. Come. Let us go out and see what happened."

I followed her out into the clearing. Mica's sister was standing over Mica's unmoving body, eyes bright with truimph. Her mother was grinning nearby, applauding quietly. When she saw us, she straightened and tucked her hands behind her back.

"What's on here?" Willow demanded in a voice that meant buisness.

Pepper scrambled to her feet and bounded over from the opposite side. "Amber hurt Mica!" she cried. "They made a deal, and Amber won! Mica has to go home now!" She burst into tears.

Willow reached down and rubbed Pepper's back comfortingly. "Who is Amber?" she asked gently.

"Mica's stupid sister!" Pepper sobbed into Willow's cloak.

I cleared my throat and turned to Amber. She was dirt-smeared, dried blood caking her hands and legs. Her lips curved in a small smile, and I couldn't help but admire her appearance. She really was a beautiful girl, and with all the muddy smearings, she looked just like a zombie hunter straight from the woods.

"So, Amber." I said, getting used to the way her name felt on my tongue. It sounds just like ember. "What was this deal you made with Mica?"

She straigtened and answered clearly, "We agreed on a bet. If she wins, she can stay. If she loses, she leaves with us."

I nodded thoughtfully. "Seems reasonable. Though you would need special permission if Mica intended to stay." I glanced at Willow. "So I take it you won, correct?"

Amber lifted her chin. "That's right." she replied.

I felt a stir of irritation. "No more fighting, understood?" I said. "And Mica shall leave with you tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Maple." Amber answered. "And, what shall we do with Mica?"

"Let her rest in a nice soft patch of moss. Fetch me if she awakes."

I turned away before she could anwer and went back to the recover teepee. Willow was in there already, leaning over the wolf cub. "He's awaking!" she said excitedly. I shook off my grief and anger and jumped over, heart pounding with anxiety.

The cub's eyes blinked open to reveal large intelligent pools. His eyes were a startling shade of midnight blue, swirling with the fiery blaze of a sunset. His ear twitched as he sniffed our smell. I reached out and stroked his soft mane, murmuring soothingly. A soft rumble of pleasure vibrated in his throat, and his eyes closed again. Don't. I longed for his bright, mesmerizing eyes. I barely heard Willow say, "He's all yours," and then whisk out of the tent.

I stared at his beauty for a while; perfect stature, sleek, muscalar body, lithe legs that were built for speed and accuracy. His pads were hardened from the forest, but also tender for a silent step. Razor claws peeked out from his paws, and snow white fangs barely showed in his powerful jaws. But the thing I loved most about him was his feather-soft pelt, eerily jet black with splashes of silver moonlight splattering his back. White-tipped ears, river-gray paws, and a silky tail with streaks of red entangled. He was a natural born hunter.

My heart immediately fell in love with my new wild friend. "Twilight." I whispered, naming him after the beautiful skies of the evening. "The noble wolf of the night."

*****

 Soft moss tickled Mica's nose as she slowly blinked her eyes open. A big, ugly bruise throbbed painfully on her left temple. Moaning, she tried to sit up, but jolts of pain flashed in her chin and she fell back again, struggling to breath. Her throat ached as if she had been close to suffocation, and suddenly her memories flooded back into her mind like a tide of rushing water. No, no, no, no. Mica gasped, It can't be! She beat me...I can't! I can't go back! In her panic she tried to get up, but waves of pain shoved her back down onto her back. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she gritted her teeth, fighting the blackness that edged her vision.

"Are you okay?" It was Pepper's soft voice, anxious and wary.

"Y-yeah." Mica barely got out, breathing again as the pain ebbed.

"You-you fought well." said Pepper haltingly.

Mica shut her eyes, resenting her sister more than ever. After a moment of silence she opened them again. "No." she whispered. "Amber beat me. And I-I just can't go back! You don't know what they'll do to me!" She squeezed her eyes tight again. "Please...tell Willow, I'll do anything not to go back!"

Pepper fell silent. Finally she spoke, her voice low and grave. "I'll tell her. But there is no guarantee that she will agree."

Mica cried that night, dreading the day ahead. She sobbed softly into her bed, heart clenched with misery and panic. No, no no. I don't want to leave. Please don't make me!

She hoped to loose conciousness and fall into sleep, never waking up, but her mind refused to rest. Her weary heart longed for the darkness, the black blanket that could envelope her up and never open to the sunlight. Waves of sorrow coursed along her arms, her legs, all the way to her chilled heart. She ran out of tears and drifted into the blackness.

Sunlight broke through the dark