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Protocol	By : Need2ScreamNow Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Avenged Sevenfold Views: 1993 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the members of Avenged Sevenfold. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Zack’s POV

He slipped silently through the trees following the faint scent of retreating Koyra. He wrinkled his nose when the breeze kicked up and brought their cloying smell to him in an almost overwhelming quantity. Usually he didn’t mind the Koyra smell; admittedly he liked their crisp, cool smell over the Api’s heavier scent. But this wasn’t a Koyra smell. It wasn’t an Api smell either but there was still a trace of it there. This smelled like sickness, this was a smell of death. It wasn’t a death smell that he recognized though. Command had sent him and Matt to the bloodiest fields and he had never smelled anything like this before. It was cloying, sickly sweet, and rancid. He snorted quietly to clear his nose and paused in his step.

The Koyra in front of him were slowing, their passage was louder, and Zack felt they were letting someone else know of the coming. He decided to wait for the other party to speak before he went ahead.

He jumped slightly when the loud voice rang through the trees, “Well where are they?” the voice was angry and a little higher than his own. He wondered why he hadn’t heard it before from where he was it seemed the man was standing next to him nearly shouting. He wasn’t that far from their camp either. An unsettled feeling came over him as he listened to them. He had spied on a few Koyra camps; they were always well aware of him and kept their voices low and their conversation general.

Unlike he had told the others, even Matt, he hadn’t been truly blacklisted. The Koyra knew where his allegiance was, but they also knew the only reason he hadn’t deflected to their side was because of Matt. They didn’t go out of their way to hurt Matt, not like command did to him, but they were treated with equal malice by the Koyra. He had toyed with the idea of trying to convince Matt to deflect but he knew he wouldn’t.

Much as guilt plagued him in the morning, he often slipped from Matt’s arms in the night to find the Koyra camp. Patrols always let him through and, though he wasn’t completely embraced, he sat with his own people for the night. He knew more about the Koyra than he would ever let anyone know, even Matt. He knew where the home planet was, though he had known that since he was young. His parents had made certain he knew where it was, they had thought that if anything happened to them he would be able to find a way back. Matt didn’t know that, and he made certain he never would.

Still, sitting by the Koyra fire on those nights listening to their ancient stories of heroism he felt closer to the spirits of his parents than he did when he was hiding in the shadows of the Api camp. The Koyra were a social people, it was woven into their very being, and Zack had felt the cold fingers of loneliness twist into his heart more times than he cared to remember. Even with Matt the need to have contact with others was nearly overwhelming at times. The Api hated him, they chased him from their fires like they would a scavenging animal; Matt had his own duties to attend to and could not always be by his side in the night. Though the Koyra were technically his enemy they knew of his loneliness and tolerated his presence.

That was why the attack had been a surprise. He knew the Koyra were in the area and he expected them to do nothing more than scout out the camp. When the white-eyed one attacked Matt he was completely unprepared. Fury surged through him and he fought the urge to find the Koyra and tear his spine out.

“Their little Koyra is strong.” Said a softer, almost inaudible voice.

“They only have one! There are two of you! You let a grunt run you off, pathetic.” The loud voice screamed through the night. Zack was certain of his suspicions now. The screamer was an Api. The Koyra knew he was close and listening but the deaf Api would have no idea. He gave a low warning growl he knew the Koyra would hear and then turned to make his way back to Matt.

On the way back to the camp he tried to find an excuse as to why he hadn’t attacked the Koyra immediately. The others wouldn’t know of his light sleeping habits but Matt was well aware of them. He would also be mad that he had been bitten again; Zack grimaced and slowly circled their camp. He could hear James talking softly to Johnny, Brian was muttering about killing all the Koyra and cursing his luck. Matt was quiet, Zack ached to know if he was awake or not, but he didn’t dare go back without a feasible excuse. He could claim his body was still dragging from the lack of food he had suffered the day before, the others would buy it but again, Matt would know his lie.

He stopped his circling and snapped his teeth together in frustration. He could tell a version of the truth, he had heard them circling but nothing had indicated attack. That may well work. Matt knew and he assumed Brian would know of Koyra attack patterns. And indeed the two hadn’t indicated an attack. He nodded to himself as his decision was made.

James’ POV
The Koyra nearly gave him a heart attack when he ghosted back into camp. He stayed quiet and on the fringe of camp. He seemed tense though and that put James on edge, which made Johnny jumpy, which made Brian pissy.

“What did you find?” he asked more to break the tense silence than anything else. The Koyra was silent for a moment and James thought he wouldn’t answer.

“I think there’s more to this than any of us truly know.” He said quietly. James gently set Matt back on the ground and turned to look at the Koyra, “What do you mean?”

“There are two Koyra, but I think they are fighting for the Api, like me. I followed them back to their camp and got as close as I thought prudent. The smell of Api was strong…but I don’t think all is well.” His quiet voice was troubled.

“What makes you think that?” James asked. He saw Brian out the corner of his eye get up and begin pacing around the fire.

The Koyra’s brow furrowed, “It’s hard to explain…” he murmured, “The Api have such a weak sense of smell…”

“Yes we’re well aware of our handicaps when being compared to the Koyra now tell us what you’ve found.” Brian snapped. The Koyra looked at him for a moment before he sighed, “Their scent is wrong.”

James stared at him for a moment, “What?”

The Koyra made a frustrated sound, “That’s what makes it difficult to explain, your sense of smell isn’t developed enough to pick up on these things.” He said, “But I’ll try to explain.”

“Everyone has their own individual scent.” He began slowly; James kept his focus on him but continued to monitor the captain. Johnny sat next to him in a captivated silence. “Now every individual smells different but groups all have a common underlying scent. Like Brian, he has a smell like hot metal, but also has a heavier almost earthy scent. That hot metal is his own scent but the heavier smell goes with all Api.” He looked at James hopefully and after a moment he nodded slowly, “I think I understand what you’re saying.”

The Koyra relaxed a little, “Okay. The Koyra have a different scent, their scent is…colder, I guess that would be the best way to explain it.” He muttered, “These Koyra didn’t have that cold scent, not really, it was overshadowed by something else.” He paused again and James could see him working through what he wanted to say, “It was the smell of a battlefield. Or a field medic station.” He said at last, “Death and sickness but there was something else,” he started to pace a little, “It’s almost familiar but I can’t think of where I would’ve smelled it.”

James held up a hand, “Do you think these Koyra are sick? Did they have some wound that became infected?” he asked. The Koyra paused and shook his head, “They are sick, but not from an infected wound,” He shuddered, “no, that is a smell I know too well.”

James nodded, that was a smell he too was far too familiar with.

“Alright there’s something not right with the two Koyra, what else did you learn?” Brian snapped impatiently. The Koyra seemed to ignore him and kneeled down next to Matt and pressed his hand against the captain’s forehead. He stood up again and lightly shook himself, “There are only two Koyra, the others in their company are Api.” He said quietly.

James felt hope swell in him. If other Api were close then that meant there was a ship nearby and a ship meant a way home and a way away from the Koyra. Brian shared his thoughts, “Fantastic! That’s our ticket home!” he started pacing around more excitedly.

“If they were willing to give us a ride home do you think they would’ve attacked? That’s one hell of a way to say ‘hello’.” Johnny said quietly. Brian stopped mid-step and James felt his hope deflate.

“Why did they attack?” Brian asked once again searching the woods apprehensively. The Koyra shrugged, “I don’t know. But my instincts tell me that smell has something to do with it.” He looked up sharply and his eyes narrowed as he searched the trees, “Company is coming.” He whispered a low growl rumbled from his chest. Brian drew his weapon and backed closer to the group, “Where are they?” he asked tersely. The Koyra didn’t answer immediately but the growl never ceased, “They say they want to talk.” He finally said, “The two Koyra are there and there are three Api.”

“What do we do?” Johnny asked quietly, James looked down at him but he was surprised to see the scout looking at the Koyra for guidance.

“I think we should talk.” James said a little more sharply than he intended. Johnny looked at him fearfully, “What if they just attack again? There’re five of them, two are Koyra and our captain is helpless. We’re out numbered and much weaker.”

“I agree with Johnny.” The Koyra said quietly, “The only reason I fought them off the first time was sheer surprise. They know my strength now and the two of them can overpower me.”

“So what, you want us to run, they’ll only follow.” Brian growled. The Koyra sighed, “And I agree with that too. They’ve forced our hand.”

“We’re gonna talk?” Johnny asked nervously. The Koyra looked at him and then down at their fallen captain, “It seems we will. But that doesn’t mean we have to be courteous hosts.” He growled.

A/N: Uhhh…I don’t have a zippy one liner so…Thanks for your reviews! ^_^
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