CHAPTER 262: 262-THE LITTLE JEALOUS FRIEND.

Clementine:

I began to run toward the area Troy had sped off to. However, after a few more steps, I noticed there were several paths ahead, and I didn’t know which one to take.

"Troy!" I shouted, standing in the middle of three paths, one forward, one to the left, and one to the right. My voice echoed loudly, and then I heard faint grunting from afar.

"Don’t come here! Ah, there are two of them!" I heard Troy yell, warning me to stay back. I guessed he realized I was going after him, but it didn’t matter what he said. I wasn’t going to stay behind.

When he shouted at me, I had already figured out where his voice was coming from, it was straight ahead. So I started running that way, the spear held high in my hand.

After a few more steps, I came upon a devastating sight. Troy and Yorick were pressed against a wall, trying to hold the creatures back by jabbing at their eyes and skin with their spears.

But every time they struck at their eyes, the earth eaters were quick to close them, and their eyelids seemed so thick that the spears couldn’t pierce through.

That’s when I rushed forward and jumped onto the back of one of the earth eaters. I saw the fear and worry in Troy’s eyes.

"What the fuck, Clementine? Get off it!" he yelled.

As I started stabbing the creature to get its attention, it went completely wild. It swung its head around furiously. It reminded me more of a crocodile than anything else, though its face looked a bit like a snake’s.

I held on tightly until I noticed the other earth eater charging toward me. It rushed forward on its six legs, then leapt to attack. I rolled off the first creature just in time, and the second one sank its teeth into its own kind.

Both creatures screamed loudly, and as they did, Troy seized the chance to drive his spear straight through the mouth of the first one, the one I had been on top of.

The one that had accidentally bitten its own kind squealed and stepped back, watching his friend die. Then it rushed at me, charging over from its fallen friend.

I watched the other one squeal and collapse when Troy struck it. I was ready to spear this one, but the moment I tried, it kept moving around. My heart was pounding hard. The whole scene was chaos.

The others jumped around it, trying to draw its attention away from me, but its focus stayed fixed on me. The earth eater took a few steps back before lunging. I had seen it coming from the way it stepped back and tilted its head. I knew what was about to happen.

So when it charged, I let it come close enough to the point that it opened its mouth wide apart for me.

"Clementine, now!" Yorick shouted, and I drove the spear deep into its throat. Its mouth never closed after that, and I was glad it didn’t. Half my body would’ve been inside it if it had managed to bite down. That’s how close I’d let it get before fighting back.

Yorick and Troy grabbed its tail and pulled it away from me. My back had been pressed against the wall, and once they dragged it off, I could finally step forward again. I looked at them and gave an awkward smile.

Troy was the first to rush toward me. He grabbed my arms and leaned in to kiss me. Honestly, that comfort meant a lot in the moment.

Then came Yorick. He smiled, gently lifted my chin with his fingers, and gave me a small peck on the lips.

"You’re such a badass. If it were anyone else, they never would’ve come to rescue us," Yorick said.

As he spoke, I heard Troy grunt. I followed his gaze and saw Oriana standing there. The moment felt painfully awkward. She walked closer and looked at Troy.

"I’m so sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose, I was just scared," she said, apologizing directly to him.

"I mean, it’s alright. I wasn’t expecting anything from you anyway, so I guess it’s okay," Troy replied.

His words made me glance at Oriana. She didn’t look pleased with what he said, but she shouldn’t have expected anything else from him. She did try to lock him out.

"I’m actually glad you locked me out, " However, Troy continued, and I noticed a faint smile forming on Oriana’s face.

"Because I want you to keep Clementine as your first priority. Even if you protect her unintentionally, I’ll be happy. Clementine tends to think more about others than herself."

But as he went on and made it about me, her smile started to fade again. It was subtle, but I saw it.

Even so, I was still upset with her. I couldn’t ignore the things she’d told me before. My mates didn’t know what she had said to me, so they didn’t see her actions as too aggressive. That was all.

"I guess I’ve just never seen people who truly care for each other. That’s why I..." Oriana stopped, taking a deep breath.

"I just want to finish this task and go home so I can attend my father’s funeral," she said.

I noticed Troy and Yorick staring awkwardly at each other. I understood what she was saying. I felt empathy for her, but I didn’t believe her excuse. From the conversation we’d had, nothing she said seemed to include her father at all.

She had been trying to form a group with me, clearly speaking as if she wanted us to sacrifice others if it came to that point, or at least refuse to help them while expecting help for ourselves.

"Anyway, don’t worry. We won’t let anything happen to you," Yorick said, his voice low but carrying a hint of comfort.

"Really? You wouldn’t?" she asked, almost surprised.

"Of course not. You’re Clementine’s friend. If we didn’t help you, she’d be upset, and we can’t stand to see her upset," Troy replied.

Still, every time Troy or Yorick made something about me, her smile began to fade. And that made me very cautious of her.