Page 12 of Heart of the Hunted
"I don't give a shit, it's the truth."
"It doesn't matter if it's the truth, there's still no need to say it like that," Amberly said. "Tell him, Natalia. He should be nicer."
"To be honest, Amberly, I'm starting to feel the same way."
"Really?" They asked in unison.
"Well, yeah. It's the same argument every time someone from a previous group doesn't return, and I'm tired of being the bad guy when I refuse to either wait for them to return, or to go looking for them." Natalia rubbed her head. "Sometimes I wish it was just the three of us. It would be so much easier that way."
"Yeah, but it wouldn't be easier when it comes to scavenging."
"Why wouldn't it?" she asked. "We go out in twos anyway so the only difference I see, is the fact there would only be one person left looking after the camp while the others are gone."
"Yeah, I suppose so," Amberly agreed.
"So why don't we?" Donovan asked.
"Because we have a responsibility to the others in the group. I know not everyone causes as much hassle as Bella, so it's not fair to just abandon them," Natalia said. "To be honest, I don't think they would last very long without us either."
"Why is that our problem?" Donovan asked.
"Because it would be like handing them over to the monsters. At least, some of them anyway," Natalia told him.
"I wouldn't mind handing Bella over to the monsters," Donovan said.
"Donovan!" Natalia and Amberly both snapped.
"What?" he said innocently. "You can't say she isn't fucking annoying. Constantly whining all the time and bitching about everyone."
"Are you sure?” Natalia asked. “Because I've not heard her bitching about anyone."
"Me neither," Amberly added.
"Well, yeah. She's not exactly quiet about it," Donovan said.
"Who does she bitch about?" Natalia asked him.
"Everyone," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "But mostly you two."
"Why us?" Amberly asked. "We haven't done anything."
"I know you haven't, and so does everyone else,” Donovan said. “But that doesn't stop her from finding something to bitch about. Mostly it because she thinks she could do a better job at leading the group."
“I don’t lead the group,” Amberly pointed out.
“I know, but you’re Natalia’s best friend,” he told her.
“So are you,” Natalia said.
“Don’t worry,” Donovan said. “She likes to bitch about me too. She seems to think the three of us have special treatment over everyone else.”
“That’s not true,” Natalia said. “Everyone is treated the same, including us.”
“I know,” he said. “And so does everyone else.”
"Do you know what? I really don't give a shit," Natalia said. "If she wants to bitch about me, then so be it. I'm not interested in making friends with her. I'm more concerned about keeping everyone safe."
Making friends had never been her priority, keeping everyone safe was. If that meant pissing off a few people along the way, then so be it.
