Caged No More: Chapter 40

Instructions

:CW//TW- Weap0ns, curs1ng, mentions of hom0ph0bia | POV- Onyx: The kn1fe falls to the floor with a clatter. I sigh, starting to give up. My aim is really crappy, I think to myself as I pick it up again. A young kid approaches me. She looks around fourteen, with short brown hair and icy-blue eyes that scan me like they're trying to find something special about me. "Train with me," she orders after a while. "You look strong, I think you'd be useful in my alliance." Alliance? We're all on the same side. I feel my blood boiling. Does she really have the nerve to order me around like that? Then I remember a trick I used to scare away antis while I was public gearing. Slowly, I unzip my bag and pull out my tail. "Look, I'm a furry. Bark bark." I clip on the tail, drop onto all fours, and scramble around. "Woof. I eat dog food for breakfast." She stares at me for a long moment, then absolutely loses it. She's curled up on the floor, laughing so hard she chokes. I stand up, confused. That was not the reaction I expected. Maybe a disgusted shout of 'Furry!' or something. When she stops, I can see her chest heaving. "My God," she gasps, "you really think that'll fool me? I'm a godd4mn therian." Oh. Great, I'm stuck with her. At least she's not trying to order me around anymore. I hold out my hand. "I'm Onyx," I tell her, deciding to give her my nickname. "You?" She shakes it. "I'm Sky. Nice to meet you, really. I guess we were both trying to intimidate each other." So that's what was happening. I throw knives, missing almost every time, while Sky launches them and sinks them into targets with ease. She teaches me some grips until I finally hit a dummy square in the chest. "I've really never met someone with such a similar personality to me," I admit as we sit down to rest. "God, when you were first talking to me, I thought you were actually that stuck-up." Sky chuckles. "My strategy every time. I choose people to be friends with based on their reactions." I nod, impressed. "Mind if I steal that strategy?" I ask her. She shrugs. "Sure. It's always funny to see people squirm." I think of all the people who'd run away or look uncomfortable if I told them something and stifle a laugh. ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ Sable comes running up to Sky and me, two others following him. 'I met some new people!' he writes. The taller person waves, green eyes sparkling. "Hi, my name's Kai. Fae/star pronouns. Or if that's too confusing, then she/her." The short boy, looking around eleven, with silvery-blonde hair and eyes the color of cornflowers, waves timidly. "He's mute," Kai explains. He signs some things to Kai and fae translate for us. "He wants you to know his name's Paris, he uses he/they pronouns, and loves your guys' tails." I stroke my fluffy badger tail. "Thanks, Paris," I tell him. "You guys can call me Onyx. She/her." "And I'm Sky," Sky announces. "She/her, but I don't mind any other pronouns." Sable goes last. 'My name's Sable, and I'm also a (mute) demiboy that uses he/they pronouns.' He winks at Paris. "And not a femboy," I remark, remembering what happened with the flowers on the Den. Sable shoots me a friendly glare.