Malia pushed through the tall grass with Sunny on her heels, her mind set on nothing more than finding Carson. She had to, she was nothing without him. Luke told Malia that he had been taken by a Huntsmen, and that the war with the Vanguard was raging when he had left. They were will a one day walk from where Carson had stationed, but she knew they had to first find the Huntsmen’s camp. He would be there.<br/><br/>Malia and Sunny walked through the night, ignoring the howling of the wolves, or the pounding of the feet of a mutant. She wasn’t tired, she didn’t need to stop, and she didn’t. Not until morning, the sun rising over the hills. Even then, the pair only stopped for maybe ten minutes to eat and drink, to gain the energy they would need for the fight they were soon to encounter. They moved on, then, taking the same path Carson had undoubtably taken his squads on.<br/><br/>Malia and Sunny walked for hours before they stumbled across the forgotten mess of what was once the battlefield. Vanguard bodies lay around, as well as a couple Runners. “Jesus..”<br/>Malia exchanges glades with Sunny, who had her eyebrows furrowed, her posture stiff. It seemed that more Vanguard than Runners had been slain, and Malia had high hopes that they had made it out. That, and the fact that there were dozens of sets of footprints leading away from the site. “Look, I think they made it out.”<br/><br/>Sunny hummed in agreement, scouring the area, before she stumbled on a couple prints that lead in the opposite direction. “Malia.” She called over the Runner, pointing to the prints. She crouched, examining them as she looked in the direction the headed. “This has to be them, let’s go.”<br/><br/>They started in the direction of the prints, Malia remaining in high alert as Sunny directed them through the fields and the trees. She trusted Sunny—the woman knew what she was doing, there was no one better the have with her at this moment. Eventually, after hours and hours of walking, tracking, and hiding, they saw the Huntsmen camp from a distance. Malia and Sunny crouched behind a rock, watching the activity. “There are three outside guards.” Malia pointed, gesturing to them by the gate. “I’d bet there are no more than 30. But we’ve got to get in, get Carson, and get out. I think I’ve got an idea.”<br/><br/>Malia strode up to the first guard, wrapping her arm around his neck from behind as she dragged him a few steps away. She compressed his airway as he kicked and clawed at her arm, but the way she had him positioned made his defenses helpless. She looked up, seeing Sunny had done the same with the other two. The pair dragged the bodies into the woods before the stripped, switching their gear for what the Huntsmen wore, skull helmet and all. After they had gotten themselves settled, the walked up to the gates, before being promptly let inside by the gate guarded. They paid them no minds, simply nodding before going back to his post. Malia nodded to Sunny. Sun t walked behind the man before taking out her knife, pressing the blade into the side of his neck. As he fell to the floor, she rolled the body away before returning to Malia.<br/><br/>Malia looked around, unsure of where to go next. There were maybe twenty left that she could see, and they all seemed to be minding their own business. Malia didn’t want to pick a large fight with twenty Huntsmen, that may be stuicide for all she knew. She navigated through the camp, peeking inside the different tents without seeming too suspicious. However, Sunny had different plans.<br/><br/>“Malia, let’s just end this, let’s take them out, we’ve got this.” Before Malia could protest, Sunny was walking up to the nearest Huntsmen, dragging her dagger across their throat, before they fell in a heap. Malia cursed under her breath before running to join Sunny, other Huntsmen beginning to take notice.<br/><br/>Malia pulled her longblade from her waist and began to cut down their enemies the best she could. She grunted as one hit her in the side with something resembling a bat, though she grabbed their collar and pulled them into her blade.<br/><br/>“Malia!” Sunny snapped to her, gaining her attention. “Find Carson!” She then turned in time to catch a Huntsmen’s stick, sending her boot into his chest.<br/><br/>Malia knew better than to argue as she took off in a sprint. She feverishly checked each tent, feeling disheartened when she couldn’t find him, before she came to the very last one. It was guarded. Bingo. They had been alerted of the quarrel, and were about to intervene before Malia came up behind them, slicing her blade across the throat of one before turning to the other. He has his blade posed, and just as he brought his down, she blocked it with her own. They continued to block the blade of the other, before Malia rolled to the side and swung low, swiping across his knees. He cried out and fell the the ground, before Malia stood and put her blade through his chest. She put her foot in his torso to pull the blade out, before she pushed the tent open.<br/><br/>Her identity was still obscured by the mask, and she immediately recognized the man tied to the wooden chair. She also recognized how he was guarded by yet another Huntsmen. They immediately seized their weapon, making a move for Malia, though she easily dodged. She kicked the man away with her boot to his chest, sending him off balance. Then, she kicked him to the floor, holding up her blade to swing, but he swiped her feet from under her. She fell to the ground with a grunt, and the Huntsmen was then on top of her, ready to pushed his blade into her chest. However, she caught it with her hands. Unfortunately, she caught the blade. Malia cried out as she held the blade right with her bare hands, the blood running down her wrists. But, she was able to bring a knee between his legs, sending him to the ground before she lost her grip. She then pinned him and took her blade, sinking it into his chest.<br/><br/>Her chest heaved as she panted, crawling off of the body. She then stood and walked over to where Carson sat, bending down so she was eye level with him. Ignoring the blood on her hands, she carefully pulled the helmet from her head, her raven hair falling in waves over her shoulder. She smiled, wiping the blood from her hands before she curled his cheek, even though her still-bleeding hand smeared some blood across his skin. “Hey, baby. We’ve got a lot to talk about.” Her tone was light and teasing, and she pressed a full kiss to his lips as she cut away the ropes from him.<br/><br/>She went to open her mouth again when the tent flap opened. She turned her head, but her eyes widened as a familiar face walked in. Max. His eyes widened, and they stared at one another. “...Max?”<br/><br/>Max glanced around, his breathing beginning to grow rapid. “No, no you need to go, Malia. Are you out of your mind? Go!”<br/><br/>Malia glanced to Carson, her eyebrows furrowed. Though, when Carson explained to her what he had done with venom in his voice, Malia looked to Max in disbelief. She stood, pulling her gun from her belt, and aiming it at Max. “Why.” Max didn’t say anything, he simply glanced down, shaking his head. “I trusted you, I vouched for you, protected you. And...” She adjusted her grip on her gun, her finger over the trigger. She was hurt, hurt that he’d betray her. She just wanted to know why. She ignored Carson’s encouragement, ignoring the tears in her eyes, before she pulled the trigger.<br/><br/>The bullet hit the wall just above Max’s left shoulder, before she lowered her gun. “Guess I missed.” She watched as Max released a breath in relief, before turning to Carson. “Come on, we’ve gotta get Sunny and get out of here.” She put her hands on either side of his neck. “Are you alright?”