Page 9 of Danny's Dance

I heard Regan angrily inhale as he shielded me with his body from any more incoming projectiles. Another shuriken and a knife made their way towards our little group and I managed to duck both of them.Mostly.

“You bastard! You cut my hair!” I disturbed the calm morning as I tried to grasp strands of my red hair falling through my fingers. Before, I was annoyed. Now, I wasangry.

Chesca already took a big chunk and now this stranger was aiming at it as well? No. Fucking.Way.

“Danny,don’t.”

I heard Regan warn me, but it was already too late. Fire and ice burst through my veins as an all-consuming pain exploded from within my stomach. The air in my chest suddenly gone as I felt my lungs collapse and my vision blurred as I filled the air with one, endless scream that would terrify the Devilherself.

“Danny.” Regan’s warm hand found my shoulder once more. And all of a sudden, the fire and ice disappeared. Gone like dust in the wind. I could breatheagain.

“It’s not worth it.” Regan’s soothing voice was the only thing that ever broke through the excruciating pain that my shifting broughtalong.

The crescent moons that appeared underneath my fingertips slowly faded away as I caught my breath. It felt like coming up for air after being submerged underwater for far toolong.

“W-W-Watch out!” JP yelled, snapping me out of mymoment.

I didn’t have the luxury or time to stall after my almost shift. I needed to regain my composure quick and fast. I had no otherchoice.

Damn wolf. Why couldn’t I control heryet?

Oddly agile for his clumsy demeanor, JP sprinted from behind us, dodged the next incoming dagger, and with the swiftness of a jungle cat, he dove into the bushes. That was JP for you. That guy was just filled with endlesssurprises.

Another loud scream pierced the morning and judging from the panic in his voice, I knew this could’ve only been due to JP’s expertchokehold.

My hands briefly flinched around my neck as I remembered the one time he demonstrated it on me. He had refused and refused, and I, as the idiot, I had begged and begged him to show it to me. That event definitely counted as one of my bigregrets.

In less than five seconds flat, I had gone from a happy, talking and walking person, to pinned on the ground, gasping for air as I found myself slowly suffocating to death. That was the last time I teased JP about his Craft Maga skills. Krav Maga? Whatever it’s calledreally.

But now they sure came inhandy.

Regan and I dusted ourselves off as we sprinted towards our attacker and sure enough, he was grumbling into the leaves with a rather smug JP sitting on top of him. How I loved thatman.

“Why are you attacking us?” Regan’s deep voice boomed through the dark night as we looked at the rather shaggy guy in front ofus.

Was this really the guy giving us a hard time? He was just aboy.

“T-Tell him,” JP added as he poked our attacker in the ribs, earning him a meanglare.

But with every prod and snarl, it quickly became clear that the man wasn’t about to talk. Regardless of his looks, he was easily one of the most composed attackers we had come across in awhile.

“He isn’t going to talk,” I sighed, my hands placed on both their shoulders. “Let’s just tie him up so we can figure out what to do withhim.”

JP nodded and twisted the arms of our assailant behind his back. With a double knot, I strapped his arms down and Regan threw him against atree.

“What should we do with him?” I whispered, eyeing the boy who was still refusing totalk.

“W-We can’t kill him, c-canwe?”

That was JP for you. During all my travels and all the people I had met, JP was still by far the kindest soul I had come across. He was shy and sometimes, a little awkward, but by far, his best and most outstanding quality, was his kindness. There wasn’t a bird too small or a person too damaged that didn’t deserve hissympathy.

I grinned. He had definitely rubbed off on me over the years we’d been together and I certainly didn’t mind. Everyone should take a page out of hisbook.

But as much as he was right, what else could we do. “But what if attacks us again? He almost got me...” I muttered, holding up a lock of hair that was noticeably shorter than therest.

Regan nodded, glaring at him as well. “He’sskillful.”

“Could we just leave him behind?” I proposed, hesitantly looking athim.

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