“Feel that?” Jaeden asked once her core rang out, turning slightly to see Ariné nod as well. “We’re close, then.”

“Dad is here?” Acacia smiled, glancing around since she had not actually seen him yet. She was not able to feel him like her sisters could, but she still trusted that they knew what they were talking about.

“Shh. I sense more than just Father,” Jaeden explained, though Ariné would not be able to confirm that. Jaeden knew how to use her mother’s sensing abilities as well, so she knew there were other beings nearby.

“Where are they, Jae?” Ariné slowed down since Jaeden did, taking Acacia’s hand to pull her closer. Ariné and Acacia both stayed cautiously close to Jaeden in case something flew out at them, expecting Jaeden to take care of everything.

Jaeden did not dispute that assumption. It had always been this way, even when Erid was their only ‘enemy’ to face back at home. She did not stop walking, though, still moving in the direction she sensed her father. She did not even draw her weapons, hoping to avoid the enemy. As such, she did not bother answering Ariné’s question, just reminding her to stay silent instead.

Out from behind a setting of rocks, a man sprung into view. He was dressed like a typical ninja, a sai in each wrapped hand. “Three little girls, all alone,” he noted, raising an eyebrow. “And Jumi, at that. Quite the catch.”

Jaeden glared, but she was not very happy that she had just run into a Human enemy. She could feel Ariné pressed up against her back, and Acacia might as well have been. She wondered how they thought she could fight without moving, but she was not about to say anything, and she hoped Ariné and Acacia knew to stay quiet.

The man smiled at their lack of responses, assuming they were all frightened. They looked like little kids to him, though, so of course they should be. “What should I do with you? Keep you or sell you?” he mused, stepping closer to them casually, slipping one of his weapons into his belt. He saw no weapons on the girls, so he doubted they would do anything, and if they did, then he would just have to hurt them.

“Jae, do something!” Ariné whispered loudly, but Jaeden did not respond to her. The man obviously heard her since he chuckled, but Ariné was not reassured by that.

The man’s hand roughly held Jaeden’s chin a few seconds later, and it was clear he was trying to prove he was a threat. Jaeden just continued to glare at him, though, not responding to the pressure he put on her. He glared, too, purposely shoving her back a bit. “You’re not going to be any fun. I’ll just make a profit out of you,” he told her, not finding her to be that cute anyways, and her lack of reaction would not give him much enjoyment.

Jaeden stumbled back from his force, but he had not actually hurt her. Ariné and Acacia had to move because of it, though, and the man whistled when he saw them. “Now that’s more like it,” he said, checking Ariné out up and down several times.

Ariné stuck her tongue out at him. “Loser,” she said defiantly, though when he glared, she immediately got back behind Jaeden.

“Little bitch,” the man muttered, lunging at her and Jaeden since he did not like the girl making fun of him. Since he could not reach Ariné, he at least hoped to teach her a lesson by cutting up Jaeden.

The man would not get his wish, though. Even if he was only a few steps away from them, Jaeden managed to call one of her daggers to her hand, the weapon easily catching the man’s sai by one of its prongs. “Do not call my sister that,” Jaeden told him, clearly catching the man off guard.

He glared even more, withdrawing his weapon from the hold. Jaeden, however, now viewed him as a threat since he had actually attacked, so she could no longer stand there waiting on him to leave. She swung her dagger forward at the man’s shoulder right after he pulled away. He simply ducked, and before Jaeden knew it, his sai was in her shoulder.

Acacia cried out for her sister, but Ariné just pulled her back, knowing better than to stay right there when she or Acacia could be the next targets. “Jae, are you okay?” Ariné asked worriedly, but again Jaeden did not bother to answer her.

Jaeden winced, but other than that, she gave the wound no attention. She was not happy about it, though, as she had clearly seen the attack coming, but something had held her back, and the only one she could blame for that was herself even though she did not understand why she hesitated. Instead of worrying so much about it, she just formed a dagger in her other hand, managing to stab the man in his side since he had not expected her to bring something out of nowhere again to hurt him.

He cursed and pulled back from her. “Damn you, little girl,” he said to her, but the wound did not seem to hinder his movements any, so she had not cut him too badly. He quickly drew his second weapon, running towards her. Jaeden prepared to counter, but he jumped right before he reached her. As he landed, she turned, and he struck out with both weapons. Jaeden quickly moved back to avoid the strikes, but for some reason she felt herself flinch again, and at least one of the sais grazed her core. She fell back this time in pain, not able to ignore something like that.

The man grinned, immediately thrusting his boot down on Jaeden’s ribcage, which made her wince again. “Stupid Jumi girl. Now your core is mine,” he said to her, leaning down to grab for it. However, he did not manage to touch it before Ariné suddenly launched herself at him, grabbing on to his back and clawing at him however she could to get him off of Jaeden. He shouted at her and swung his arms, trying to get the girl off of him, and he eventually did succeed. “Bitch!” he shouted again.

Ariné fell to the ground on her rear, frowning since she did not like that feeling so much. However, she stuck her tongue out at the man again when he called her a name. “I won’t let you take her core,” she threatened, standing up and brushing herself off. She could not back up her words, of course, but it was enough.

“Oh yeah?” the man replied, but then he shrugged. “Then I’ll just have to take yours!” he decided, immediately running at her.