Feral Magic

Vixin didn’t stop and her pride prevented her from simply sprinting through like the scared little girl she was.
Icy fingers crawled over her skin as Vixin stepped into the blackness and closed her eyes. She took several shallow breaths and her mind spun as she imagined her body stretched and twisted in a way that should have killed her. She simply kept her legs moving, walking without a solid foothold.
Nausea crawled through her stomach and she clenched her teeth. Her hands tingled, but before panic could set in, Vixin’s feet hit solid ground. She stumbled but remained upright and opened her eyes to find Zak’s companions to her front. Zak emerged a second later.
The large pathway before them caught her attention first. It was straight. Completely straight. As if someone had used an eraser to simply delete part of the landscape. Not a single bush or tree sprout. Only dirt and patches of grass. Maybe Zak and his theories weren’t so crazy after all.
Zak raised his voice for everyone to hear. “We’ll move until nightfall. Sam has a new location for us to hit. You all know the drill.”
And just like that, they obeyed. Sam was the new arrival from yesterday who’d slipped up about being confined in a gaming world of some sort. A world supposedly made from virtual influences yet felt as real as the one back home.
Her mind spun just thinking about it. Ten realms total, each different from the last. Those stationed at the front lines currently resided in the fourth realm, waiting for their scouts to find passage to the fifth.
Vixin’s stomach gave a violent toss and she clamped a hand over her mouth. Her gaze darted between people. Zak was an ever-growing thorn in her side and would likely chase—she darted from the group, sprinting far away from the main line before retching behind the nearest tree.
The contents of her breakfast splattered on the ground, but despite its empty state, her stomach heaved again and again. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and it took Vixin several moments to settle herself. So much for a hot meal.
She groaned at the crunching footsteps behind her. Vixin took a few more steadying breaths, wiped her mouth, and leaned against the opposite side of the tree before looking at him.
“It happens to most of us,” Zak said.
“Every time?”
“Just the first time through.” He looked her up and down as if gaging whether she’d be able to go on. She almost snorted. “Ready to go?”
Vixin pushed off the tree and followed. Thankfully, Zak didn’t mention her episode to anyone and he fell back into his leadership role. As they traveled, he passed food to those who needed it and unrolled blankets for those chilled by the early spring air. He went so far to ensure their comfort despite the impossible circumstances.
Vixin furrowed her brow. What made him care so much? She’d never have been that way if people followed her. In fact, she hadn’t babied Anton or Blitz at all. Her philosophy was learn or die. Survival of the fittest. Maybe there was something she could learn from Zak yet.
Dusk fell and Zak veered them from the trail to an area that appeared as though it’d been used before. It was far enough away from the main path that no one would notice them. As long as they didn’t light a fire.
Vixin sighed at the first sign of a spark.
She eyed each member in the group, but her gaze ultimately fell on Zak. He tightened a sword at his side and shoved a knife in his boot. He caught her gaze and a glimmer of a smile appeared on his face before he approached.
“Want to come with?”
“Where to?”
“To scout the perimeter of our next target. See what we’re up against.”
“Why ask me?” He had plenty of capable people.
Zak shrugged. “Why not you? Besides, that little gift of yours could come in handy.”
Vixin crossed her arms. “So you’re using me.”
Zak let out an exasperated sigh. “Would you stop over analyzing everything? I just thought you might enjoy it.” When she didn’t respond, he disappeared through the trees. She took several moments to consider the negatives, then ultimately decided sitting here with these fools would bore her to tears.
Vixin followed the sound of his footsteps through the forest and caught up to him easily. “Don’t you feel guilty?”
Zak glanced back at her, the setting sun illuminating his face. “Not really, we don’t steal from those that need it.”
“You realize that doesn’t make sense.”
“I mean we don’t steal from people who would suffer because of it. That’s why we scout. Most places are supported by larger groups.”
At least he paid attention to details. Some details at least. “Do you keep everything for yourselves?”
He shook his head. “We trade some of it but keep most of the food. There are people who still need weapons and clothes from the first realm so we try to supply them with any extras we can grab.”
“Aren’t you the charitable soul?”
He flashed her a toothy grin. “Not in the slightest. Like I said, we trade most things.”
Vixin scoffed, but Zak seemed to ignore it.
If they did trade items for other supplies, then where were they? What had they gained from traveling back to the first realm?
Zak shifted to a trot and Vixin did the same. He often stopped to offer his hand when they came to a felled tree, but time and time again, Vixin swatted him away. The less contact, the better.
“What made you resort to stealing?” she finally asked.
“You sound as if you disapprove.”
“There are other ways to go about it.”
He raised a brow. “You didn’t seem opposed to it a few days ago.”
Vixin glared at him. She had been stealing, but— “I