[spoiler]I'm back! In black! (Sorta, not really. Red and black for life). Anyways, after a month or so of working on other projects, I decided to make my birthday (and anyone else's who was born on 7/9) the day [i][u]Strength of the Pack: Shattered Suns[/u][/i] should be officially announced. So, without further ado, here marks the new season of [i][u]Strength of the Pack[/u][/i][/spoiler] A steady shower was pouring down on an old Crucible arena on Venus that was "bought" from the Crucible. I pushed branches out of the way and sneaked through the bushes. Gunshots echoed under the canopy, followed by a series of "Guardian down!" I kept my Ace of Spades close in case my radar lit up, there was no telling who all lurked in these woods. I kept my head low and continued to scout out the large area, Colt flying right beside me. I felt static in the air, a tell-tale sign that a Bladedancer was near. I looked around, but no one attacked. Odd. Suddenly, a swarm grenade split around a tree and began tracking me! My eyes grew wide as I thought about my options, then I quickly looked up. A strong branch stretched just over my head, an okay place to hide. I jumped up and watched the swarm grenade hop across the ground. I crouched on the branch, waiting for my invisibility to activate. Just as I turned invisible, a sniper bullet pierced through my right shoulder, "S***!" I screamed as I stumbled off of the branch and hit the ground. "Yeah... You're bleeding..." Colt said apathetically. I stopped my squirming from trying to patch up the wound and looked at him, "Really?" I continued to tie a bandage around my arm. I hopped up and pulled the hammer back on the Ace. I looked around me, but nothing on my radar... Of course not, I was in an arena with a bunch of Bladedancers. Out of nowhere, a hand covered my visor. I reached behind and grabbed the arm, but another hand wrapped around with a knife... "Guardian down!" After the five second delay, Colt respawned me, "Assassination!" He yelled in a bada** voice. "What?" I simply asked as I looked at him. He gave a deep sigh of frustration, "Oh, nothing..." I continued my "leisurely" hike through the woods. As of yet, Colt wasn't too pleased by my combat skills. "You're about to enter the Kill Zone!" Colt yelled as I pushed leaves out of the way. I saw the glare from a sniper scope and quickly ducked. The bullet skimmed over, barely missing me. "D***it!" Colt yelled. "Quiet! I need to focus!" I pulled out my sniper and looked around. I saw the sun gleam off the glass one last time. I pulled the trigger and watched the scope shatter. A gory sight, that I won't touch up on. I put the sniper on my back and looked around, "Come on, Colt. Let's go". "Ahem..." "What?" I looked at my shoulder, he wasn't there, "Colt?" I kicked the leaves around wondering if he got burried. "I.. f***ing hate you..." The voice was coming from above. I looked up to see Colt stuck in the bark of a tree. All of his paint was blown off from the impact. "You were so concerned by the Kill Zone, but you didn't bother saving yourself," I snickered. Colt gave me a disgusted look, "Shut up!... And get me down!" "Uh, you got to say the word". Colt stared at me angrily, "Please..." "'Please', what?" "Please get me down!" "Well, not with that attitude!" "Please, get me down from here..." "What?" I acted like I was cupping my ear, "I didn't hear that". "You better get me down right now!" "Is that.. sas I hear?" "Alan! You son of a-" BANG! From my state of limbo, I could see Colt look at my limp body. I could also hear him chuckle. "You, good fella that shot this a**hole! Could you get me down from here?!" I heard Colt yell. "Of course.." The voice was familiar. The huntress walked up to Colt and plucked him from the tree. There was a perfect mold of his shell left in the bark. The huntress knelt down by my body, "Remember Alan, 'See the unseen, but don't be seen'," The huntress in pristine white armor, and a cloak once worn by the huntress, Ana Bray, patted Colt then walked away. Colt flew over my body, "Hah! Karma b****!!" [i]"Yeah, I deserved that..."[/i] I thought to myself. Colt respawned me beside the huntress that last killed me. I materialized, and quickly checked to make sure my armor was still on, which it was. I looked up and smiled, which was pointless since I was wearing a freakin' helmet, "Great shot, Kourtney. Oh, and that, poetic justice..." "It [i]is[/i] a Bladedancer code," Kourtney said as she led me through the trees. "Yes, but I remember you telling me that the first time we met, during my initiation. Just before I was kicked from the club," I said as I thought about my wording. "Oh, yeah that's right... A lot has changed in three months," Kourtney said with a small sigh, "So, the League of Blades let you back in?" She asked. "Yeah. I got my tattoo of allegiance reapplied. They had to put it on my right shoulder though". Kourtney stopped and looked at me, "They always place it on the left shoulder," Kourtney raised up her left sleeve, showing her tattoo. "The ink wouldn't have shown up on this," I willed my gauntlet away, revealing my bionic arm. "Alan? What the h*** happened this time?!" "A most unfortunate incident during one of his 'private times'!" Colt shouted. Kourtney gasped from his comment. "Colt!" I shouted as I spun around. "I'm sorry. Was it the right arm?!" Colt rebuked. "COLT!!" I shouted again. I grabbed my poor excuse of a ghost and threw him across the field. I looked back to Kourtney, "I'm sorry about that. I doubt I can say anything at this point that could..." "Well, you could start by saying that Colton made that up," Kourtney crossed her arms. "Yes! Yeah, he made that up... I lost my arm from a shotgun at point blank," I rubbed my left wrist. Metal against metal. "Who was trying to kill you?" She asked. It was the warlock that took her brother. Not someone I was going to bring up, "A rogue guardian," I looked around. We were deep in the forests, but more and more Vex structures were visible, "Where are you leading us?" I asked. "My little hideout. I camp here every time I play these games. No one ever finds it," Kourtney said as she looked back at us, "Unless I want them to". Colt made a quiet and sick laugh then popped into my helmet, "She's taking you to her private hideout. It's gonna be dark soon. And, there's no major age difference between you two," I paused for a moment without saying a word, then continued to walk. Kourtney was right. This fortress, laboratory, temple, whatever it was, was hidden with the cover of the trees. Which is ashame, it is was a beautiful structure. She unlocked the door and let us in. I wandered and looked around. The place had been turned into some sort of gymnasium. I guess for entertainment during the nights. Even as the sun set in the east, gunshots echoed in trees. Kourtney willed her helmet off and looked around, "So, who's keeping watch tonight?!" "Come again?" I said, a little shocked, "I can. I'll let you get some rest," I said. "What?" Kourtney looked at me, "One, you need your rest too," Colt elbowed my shoulder, "Two, I was talking to Echo Squad," All of the sudden, two hunters came into the entrance hall. One jumped and slid down a pole from the second floor. The other, blandly walked down the stairs. "Who's the newbie?" One of the hunters asked. "Oh, great. You two won't be alone..." Colt mumbled. "Shut up before I rip you in two," I said as I stared at the group.