>>6081630"Now go on back. If anything happens, I'll call you." she says, standing up on her toes to kiss you. Which you reciprocate, debating a moment if simply spending the rest of the afternoon with her instead of going back would be worth the trouble at work. But she then pulls back, giving you a wink with a, "Just a taste of what you'll get later, hun."
"I love you." you tell her, emotions welling up. To which she smiles softly, hugging you for another moment.
"I love you. Now go on, I don't want Kajic calling me up asking where you've gone off to again." Without another word you nod, reluctantly releasing your wife and taking back off into the air. The flight back is uneventful, but the entire time still can't shake that feeling of something being wrong. Landing back at the work site, you get back to it, heading back up the mountain to the next designated target.
But as you move through the forest, easily marching up the incline past other groups felling their own trees, you can't shake the feeling that there's something not right. Something sinister. However, you don't see or sense anything unusual or out of place, and get back to work. Two quick chops and a push topple the next tree, you again catching it and carrying it down the mountain. As you do, the feeling of unease begins to grow. You can't tell why, but get the vague feeling you're being watched. Or, rather, stalked. Like a predator watching your every move, waiting for their chance to strike. As you descend you see the nearest group, the trio of Cur-lei, Ha-Ra, and Mo's saw isn't running. Curious, you watch them as you approach, but they make no moves towards the saw held stuck in the tree. Instead, all three are eerily, unblinkingly, watching you approach.
"Is, uhh, everything o..." you go to ask, the words dying in your throat at the open disgust and hatred in their eyes as they look at you. You've never seen them look that hostile before, even when getting annoyed at and fighting each other on site. This hatred is different, foreign, alien. None of them say a word, no clever quip or snarky remark, just... Staring at you. "What's gotten into you guys?"
But still they say nothing, turning as one from you and back to the job at hand. Wordlessly Mo spins up the power saw once more, meaning it wasn't stuck they'd just left it there. But why? Something's not right with them, their behavior is too... Off.
"Maybe they've been getting into something forbidden on the site again." you mutter as you walk past, feeling their gazes on your back as you descend. "I should probably report them to the foreman, if they're on something out here they could get themselves hurt. Or worse.”
