✞ - 𝕴𝖙 𝕯𝖔𝖊𝖘𝖓'𝖙 𝕰𝖓𝖉 𝕳𝖊𝖗𝖊 O/A

[hxenir]

22. 𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒄𝒚 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒐𝒑 . 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏

The wind whistled past the rooftops becoming harsher and colder with each each blow. Grayson stood in a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt, over it the male had on a dark green hoodie with the word Gap stitched on across his chest. Luckily for Grayson he had packed a decent amount of clothes when he left his small apartment. The male looked over at Jackson as he explained his plan to use dog as a distraction. He knew Jackson cared about his Jackal so he wouldn't let the canine do something too risky. Considering how selfless all three of them where Grayson knew it would take ages for them to agree on a plan.

Deep in thought Grayson never saw the small bat flying past him till it landed on Jackson chest. In shock Grayson took a step backing wanting to make sure what he was seeing was real. Animals where hard to trust now since most of them where mutated and would often kill or harm people. Swiftly Grayson pulled out his knife, until realization set in. "This is the strangers animal, I remember sensing it in the strangers pocket. It would make sense on why it was hidden most bats don't do well under the sun for long periods of time." In response Grayson slowly put his knife away. "Could it be a signal?" As if on cue a loud explosion went off a few blocks away the sound was loud enough to make Grayson cover his ears as they rang. Flames, and smoke started covering the area. Ashes falling everywhere. "This was there way out" Grayson quickly grabbed his backpack taking out his gun and throwing his crossbow over his shoulder.

"This is our way out! Jackson take the front, take the fastest route to your camp! Silver and me will cover you. Try to avoid using any weapons that make loud noise! Keep gun fire to a minimum!" Graysons natural instincts kicked in, he wanted nothing more but for everyone to make it safely to Jackson's camp. "Stay in a triangular formation try not to stray away! We need to stay close it's gonna be dark. Avoided fighting as much as you can our priority is getting to camp all in one piece!" Grayson knew barking orders at everyone could go wrong if someone didn't want to follow them but he hoped the two new people would trust him enough to follow the orders. Grayson made his way to the door that lead back down to the pharmacy. Grayson quickly made his way down the stairs as he reached the Pharmacy exit he stopped waiting for Jackson and Silver to catch up and get in formation. "I have to meet Mazu, I'll help you guys get to the building the camp is at. From there I'll go." Grayson paused. "Please trust me to do this." The male looked Silver directly in the eyes then shifted over to Jacksons. Grayson's eyes had nothing but determination in them. "Whatever happens stay alive."

Grayson quickly opened the door. He waited for the other to leave the pharmacy before he left. Zombies crawled all over the streets, most of them distracted by the flames. A few lunged at the group, Grayson stabbed any that came in his range. Staying close to Silver and Jackson. Adrenaline pumped all through out the males body, heat from the fire made Grayson warm. Small trickles of sweat ran down his forehead as he continued to fight and kill the dead. It only took the group a few minutes to get to the building where the camp was but to Grayson it felt like hours. The male looked over at Jackson and Silver as they reached the base of the building. "Stay safe guys I'll see you in a bit." Grayson looked at his new friends a warm smile spread across his face. He'd make it back alive, he had to for them.

Grayson began running in the direction he planned to meet up with Mazu. He was able to avoid most of the dead, only having to kill about six or eight of them. Grayson snuck into a dark alleyway and let out a quiet whistle. "Mazu are you here?" The males voice was soft barley a whisper. The small sound of footsteps approached him, as the males eyes adjusted he began to see Mazu's figure appear from the dark a large deer in her mouth. "I'm happy you made it back girl. Now let's head back to camp it's only a few blocks away. I'll carry one half you take the other It'll be faster." Grayson grabbed the back half of the deer by it's leg. Mazu held the front half in her mouth. A full grown deer could weigh 300 pounds but lucky for him this one didn't weigh much more then 220. It was plenty of food for everyone.

The next move Grayson made was reckless. The streak of good luck had gotten to his head as dashed out of the alley only to be greeted by a heard of walker. It was nowhere as large as the first one but it was too big for Grayson and Mazu to handle alone. Fear. The feeling of it paralyzed the male in his tracks. His hands beginning to shake and his adrenaline left his body. He knew he could never take them down with just Mazu. "Mazu needs to make it out." The thought of Mazu dying was worse then the thought of him passing. But he knew the loyal feline would never leave his side. "THINK GRAYSON THINK!" His brain screamed as him as he thought of any possible solution. The moans and groans from the zombies became louder and louder as their footsteps dragged over to the male that just stood on the vacant street. Grayson put his half of the deer down. Mazu soon followed knowing exactly what Grayson planned. The male turned his body then looked down at his best friend. "Rage." The word came out as a whisper barely audible to anyone with normal hearing.

Mazu's body tensed along with Garysons. The felines eyes became red, every muscle in her body tensing. Mazu felt her blood boil as she bared her teeth and a loud growl left her lungs. The feline lunged at them attacking every one of them, her body moved with so much speed it became hard for the naked eye to see. Her movements where swift and clean nothing had a chance to stop her. This went on for minuets until every zombies from the small heard laid dead on the ground, Mazu's claws teeth and fur had blood over them. The feline panted out of exhaustion and looked over at Grayson. The male fell to his knees, holding his head in his hands. His head throbbing in pain, slowly everything around him began to spin, his vision fading in and out until it went completely black. Blindness consumed Grayson. "Mazu..are they gone." The male he laid on the floor weakly said as his feline companion padded over to him. Exhaustion also consumed the feline but she knew she had to get Grayson to the camp. After using rage Graysons strength died down to the bare minimum and led to temporary blindness and throbbing headaches that would make even the strongest person fall to there knees in agony. Grayson began to stand up, his legs shaking under the weight of his body. "Mazu where's the deer we need to make sure we get it to the rest." Slowly Grayson tried too look for the body of the deer that laid somewhere on the ground. The male was able to find the animal with the help of Mazu but as soon as he picked it up he fell back down. He was no longer sure he had the strength to make it back to camp.

[kalo.]

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𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 ── 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑
[ word count; 959 ] [ mood; oh,,uh,, ] [ tags; grayson+silver+bug] [ location; pharmacy rooftop -> camp]
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yuck
indentJackson had his mind elsewhere when a bat came flying at him and latched onto his chest. Jackson let out a small yelp before sighing in relief to see it was the stranger's bat. "It is. The bat did the same thing when I first met the stranger. Scared me," Jackson let out a soft chuckle but it was short-lived as an explosion sent Jackson to cover his head and kneel down in surprise. It wasn't until Grayson spoke up did Jackson stand up in surprise. "Oh! We're alive!" The joke slipped from his lips subconsciously and he almost felt bad for saying it. Almost. While jokes about being dead were untasteful before everything, they were incredibly untasteful now that everything was basically out to kill you.

indentJackson adjusted the bat on his chest, letting him crawl up to rest on his shoulders where it was a little more comfortable for both of them. Once he finished Grayson started barking orders, telling them what they would be doing in order to stay alive. Jackson nodded before looking at Silver. "It's not that far, maybe a block and a half over. But the door might be barricaded, so we might have to phase through one last time. Unless you are willing to climb up the fire escape in the back. Which is a little messed up. Don't ask." He let out a sly grin before watching Grayson hurridly make his way over to the staircase. Jackson knew he wanted to reunite with his animal companion but it worried Jackson. He was going to go out at night with no real idea where the feline was. With a hoard of zombies. It wasn't going to be pretty.

indentAs Jackson made his way down the staircase he couldn't help but want to reach out and tell Grayson they should go with him-keep him company. They were safer that way. But he didn't. He kept his hand at his side as they made their way out of the pharmacy. "I trust you to come back in one piece Grayson. If you need help try and whistle or something. Someone will hear it." He let out a soft smile before looking at Silver. "Ready? Let's go." When the trio exited the pharmacy it was clear that someone had set off an explosion several blocks away from where they were. It was most likely used as a distraction so the group could get back to their camp. Well, Jackson's camp. Jackson now taking the role as the leader, felt his nerves kick in. He knew the way to his camp like the back of his hand-but with zombies roaming around and an exhausted Silver he felt, well, responsible. He hated it. But he a job to fulfill. So he was going to fulfill it.

indent"Follow me!" Jackson started to move forward, watching for stragglers, towards the direction of his camp. It wasn't far off-maybe a block or two-but the threat of zombies was always an issue. Jackson didn't have anything on him to begin with-he came towards the strangers with nothing but himself. It was stupid. He was reckless and he knew it. But he had to focus. Focus on the mission at hand. If a zombie came towards him he'd simply put forth a kick or an elbow and stun the thing. He had the skill set to do so, the only problem was direct contact with a walker was never smart. You ran the risk of getting bit or scratched while attacking. Which could lead to infection. But luckily they made it back to the record shop without having to take down any walkers. They were still distracted by the inferno of what used to be a car.

indentBut once the group made it to the doors Grayson was already getting ready to leave. Jackson watched him and the urge to reach out and stop him arose again. Jackson wanted him to stay. To be safe. He'd say the feline was smart and would make it back on her own. But he knew nothing he could say would stop him. So he didn't say anything. He simply watched his go off with a blank expression. But he was scared for him. But right now he had to worry about Silver. He turned his attention towards the door of the record shop and tried to open it. The door was able to budge forward just enough to slip them through. "Alright! I'll worry about fixing this tomorrow as Grayson will come in this way. But home sweet home!" Jackson let out a large and cheeky grin before making his way towards the staircase.

indentAs Jackson made it to the rooftop he was met with an angry bark from Dog. He put his hands up in defense before walking over and scratching the Jackal behind his ear. "I know I'm sorry. I'm back Dog." Jackson looked around his camp as Silver came up from the stairs. "Sorry about it not being the best. But it will work for a little while." He let out an apologetic smile before sitting down on the concrete in exhaustion. But his mind wandered back to Grayson and he quickly felt himself move to sit on the ledge and lookout. Trying to desperately find the dark-haired individual. He didn't even mind the cold. He let it nip at his skin and cover him. He worried that he'd never see him again-that it would just be Silver and the stranger from this point forward. He cast his gaze down before letting out a short sigh and turning back to look at his camp. He'd have to start making beds from the materials he had on hand. Which wasn't a lot.

[☪ℓυηαя∂яσρ☪]

Tagged: Jackson (Briefly)
Bug chirred happily on their new friend’s shoulder as the man acknowledged him. The big-eared bat sat quietly as the people figured out what to do, then tucked in as Jackson made a break for it. He clicked or beat his wings against Jackson's shoulder whenever he saw a bad thing, but for the most part stayed still and silent. Once the group- or the two of them that remained- reached where his person had wanted them to, Bug chirped particularly loudly and plopped himself off the new boy’s shoulder. Spreading his wings, Bug lifted up from the momentum of the dive and took off the roof into the night.
Flying towards the lingering flames, Bug averted his eyes from the fire that was too bright for his eyes and scanned the outskirts. He couldn’t hear Rikimaru’s heartbeat over the burning fire and shambling of bad things. But after a few minutes a familiar blue-gray hat caught his eyes. Circling around, Bug swooped down low into the alleyway and touched down on top of the hat that was laying on the rock.
His little body landing on the tough fabric, Bug chirred and lifted his head in the air to look around. The alley was empty- anything that had been here had gone straight for the big boom that had just happened. Bug’s ears rotated on a swivel, but he couldn’t discern much over the sounds of burning flesh and smoldering fumes just a little bit away. It wasn’t until his sharp eyes caught the smallest of movement that his attention was caught. It was a shoe jutting out from beside a big metal box-thing. He recognized that shoe. Devolving into a rapid series of happy clicks, Bug scurried under the hat and walked towards Rikimaru, pulling the hat with him from underneath. Once he reached Riki, he popped his head out from under the hat and looked up at them with a loud and joyous chirp.
Rikimaru was holding their head in their hands, eyes squeezed shut and face scrunched up in pain. Their hair was wild- long brown locks twisting and sticking out without a hat to hold it in place. They distinctly smelled of smoke, and their skin was pink from heat. Upon hearing Bug’s chirp, they blearily opened their blue eyes.
“Bug? Ahh, hey Buggie boy… Gimme a sec, babe… I gotta head-ah… headache…” Riki was breathless, disoriented, and had a splitting headache, but they were alright. Bug tilted his head at them and let them recover in peace for a moment.
“-issat my hat? Atta boy, good boy.” Rikimaru let go of their head with one hand, picked the hat off of Bug, and put it on their head. Then, with the same hand, they reached back and picked up Bug. “I love you buddy, know that?”
And from the sounds of the little bat’s clicking, it seemed like he did.

[FluffyBirdie]

Kiren Stewart | Lead Doctor | Location: Streets | Tags: Greyson

Kiren ducked instinctively on hearing an explosion, placing a hand on Aria's neck as the mare flinched as well. He glanced in the direction of the blazing flames, thick smoke already pouring into the air, and covered his nose, hating the smell of gasoline and smoke. Having a good sense of smell was great at times, but not during moments like these. With the smell of fire in the air, there was no way he could tell if zombies are coming. But the one good thing was that it meant there were definitely people around, and more than one. A loner with a gun in the alley perhaps, and then the one he saw earlier, perhaps the same person who set the car on fire. They must be working together; who else would make such a zombie-attracting wreck? So that meant the gun-toting stranger was in trouble, for someone else to set a distraction here. Deciding to take a risk, he jumped on top of the hood of a nearby car, and Aria, knowing what he wanted, moved to stand next to the abandoned vehicle. Getting on top of a horse without any kind of stirrup or stool was the slowest part, and though it had not put them in danger yet, it will eventually. He climbed on top of the rags he placed over her back, and looked around, now with a much higher vantage point. Wind was swirling around, thanks to the fire putting out so much heat, and the smell of blood and rot well and truly smacked Kiren in the face. He spurred Aria to head towards the source, anxiously hoping it was the blood of a group of zombies and not survivors. Yet a group of the undead also signaled very bad news.

Kiren saw the bodies of many dead - truly dead - walkers first, and tensed, eyes darting around in search of more of them that had somehow escaped whatever killed them. Then he saw the most confusing scene: a person, clearly human, collapsed besides a deer, and a large cat (jaguar? cougar?) crouched besides both. Was the cat trying to steal the deer? But why would a person have an intact deer here in a town? Did the cat hunt the deer, and...brought it here? He eyed the cougar cautiously, glancing often at the person besides her. He was clearly weak, and needed help. Kiren could tell Aria was anxious, being so close to a predator, and he didn't have the heart to make her chase the cat away, knowing she would do it if he told her to. So he slid off the mare, deciding to do something about this himself. She snorted on feeling his weight disappear from her back, giving him the most incredulous look a horse could manage. He did his best to ignore her glare, and slowly pulled one of the rags off her back, thinking to throw it at the cougar to hopefully scare it away. He held the cloth slightly in front of his chest and to the side, like one of those people at the bull riding shows. It briefly struck him that he had no idea how to deal with big cats, and that she was much larger that it seemed now that he was on the same ground as her, but it was too late to doubt now. "You okay man?" He asked, hoping the guy was still conscious and could maybe move away. He didn't want to start anything with the cat unless she attacked.

[lynettetan1]

Aisha Innez
Location: Next to a flaming car, shifting to an alleyway
Feeling: Panicked
Tagged: Riki

In a way, Aisha shouldn't have expected an uneventful day. It had been an unusually charged day, with the sounds of fighting permeating the usual groaning shuffling of the zombies roaming round the town, and she'd been contemplating leaving her makeshift base in a hardware shop to go and check it out. Of course, there was the possibility that they weren't friendly, or that by the time she had gotten there she would have been too late-most had not survived this far with pure luck alone, after all. If Aisha didn't have the power she had, she would probably not have made it to this day.

And then, there had been the popping sound in the air that would definitely draw some zombies towards it, and Aisha had found herself burrowing even deeper into her fort, wondering if that was what a gun sounded like. She had a gun, so it wasn't like she'd never had the chance to find out, but every time she clicked off the safety, something seemed to stop her from eventually pulling the trigger. A bullet just had an edge of finality to it that her darts didn't.

Which was a little ironic, seeing as her darts were just as, if not more deadly, courtesy of Eve's venom. But she had always been an oddly muddled person.

At the end of it all, Aisha had decided to scout the area a little later, when the commotion had died down. Perhaps she'd find a straggler, and there would be someone out there that wasn't dead or trying to kill her. Aisha had sat in her makeshift bed of blankets, trying to calm down and muster the nerve by humming softly, before pulling at the sounds around her, making them like waves crashing unto a cliff's edge. Having grown up by the ocean, it was a sound that greatly comforted her, and she liked sharing it with Eve, letting the snake experience some of the happiness she'd been able to grasp at before. An ocean's roar, the chaotic bustle of a big city... Softly, of course. Sometimes she wondered what would happen if she ever tried to make the sounds loud, but she'd always been too timid to try.

Except... The commotion did not die down. First it seemed like it was about to, but then there was the sound of smashing that came closer, that made Aisha grow still and hide. Sure, it was one thing to want to meet others, but reality was often a lot more nerve wrecking than one's imagination. Especially when said reality sounded aggressive.

Then, a pause, but then there was a huge sound wave. Aisha felt the sound before she heard it, the way one saw shockwaves traveling rapidly across a plain. Reflexively, she threw out her power with her hands, attempting to nullify the sound as it crashed round her, but it still sounded deafening. As she did, her hands felt hot, as if she'd touched a radiator, and she winced at the sensation.

Fear struck a heavy blow down Aisha's spine, and it took all she had to force herself to stand. Grabbing one of the blankets and stuffing it into many of her emergency duffels, Aisha grabbed one, covering the rest with the other blankets and hoping against hope that they'd still be there when she got back. She had stayed a long time in this town, collecting random bits and trinkets she'd thought would be useful, and she was loathe to leave it all behind.

However, it was better to lose things than her own life. Aisha couldn't help the trembling and pain in her fingers, the jerkiness of her movements. Through every beat of her heart, the same thought raced through her mind. The zombies are coming. Eve slithered, shifting from where she wrapped round Aisha's arm to instead hide under her leather jacket. Aisha wished she could do the same.

The blast came from the front of the shop, so she would have to leave through the back. Cursing mentally, Aisha tore herself away from the place she'd holed up in, moving out the door before she slid the lock back in place. It took the lock clinking for her to realise that she was way too frazzled for her power to work. Gritting her teeth, Aisha tried to take deep breaths, weaving the long way around the shop as quietly as she could as she attempted to get herself under control, a hand on the gun just to feel a little safer, even as the touch of the metal bit at her now tender palms.

When she neared the front, the broken glass littering the floor made her pause. With the sound of the flames, there was a possibility that the zombies wouldn't hear if she went slowly, but she'd feel most secure with her power. The zombies were gathered round the front of the store, grabbing at a flaming car that crackled and sputtered, not seeming to notice as their flesh burned. Aisha hid a shudder.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around her as she tried to calm, Eve gently squeezing her body just to remind her that she wasn't alone. The company helped, and Aisha finally managed to gather some sort of calm about her that she could feel the sounds around her once more, an almost tangible feeling that surrounded her. Wrapping them round her body and dulling the sounds, Aisha stole her way across the store, slipping into another alleyway. Perhaps she could find another shop to hide in for a little bit until the flames died down and she could return once more.

Letting out a silent sigh of relief, Aisha thanked her lucky stars, before turning and pausing. There was someone crouched in the alleyway, body contorted in obvious pain, and for a second Aisha wondered if it was just a trick of the light. Eve shifted, unsure. The snake was able to sense heat signatures, but with everything as hot as it was, Eve was more blind that Aisha herself. Aisha'd never quite doubted her senses before, but something about the person before her seemed hard to place, as if they were blending into the environment somehow. But then, they shifted, and Aisha was then sure of what she saw before her. Another person!

They looked injured, however, pressed into a ball as if they were trying to make themselves as small as possible. Knowing that some people weren't exactly friendly, Aisha approached cautiously, crouching first to tap the ground soundlessly so the other could feel the vibration and know that someone was there. With the zombies this close, she wasn't going to make sounds that they could hear, after all.

Coming closer, their skin seemed raw from the heat, but Aisha didn't smell any blood. From how they clutched at their head, it was possible that their ears were ringing and they were shocked from the explosion. That made two of them, but at least she could help with that. Aisha remembered seeing a victim from a car crash before, how they had stared vacantly into the space in front of them, unsure of what was going on.

Drawing closer to an arm's length away with her burned hands up in surrender, Aisha slowly crouched down to the other's level. If she knew the other, it would be a lot easier on her if she were able to touch them, but with how they looked, Aisha wasn't sure if they would lash out. Making sure the other could see how her hands weren't holding anything-though she wasn't very sure if the other was paying attention-, Aisha closed her eyes, picturing the sound round them, before she slowly tamped it down. She didn't want the sound completely gone, as that might disorient the other more, but she made it slightly less overwhelming, the effect like if she'd placed a muffler over the other's ears.

Giving the other a small smile and trying to wave a little whilst keeping her concentration, Aisha tried to look them over, see if they had any wounds she wasn't able to see from further away. If she was healthy, it would be safer for them to move a little further away.Now that her power encompassed the both of them, the other should be able to hear her normally. "Hey," she said softly, trying her best not to provoke any violent reactions, "Can you stand?"

[`silver]

Silver | pharmacy > rooftop oasis | mentions: Grayson, Jackson

Silver grinned at the yelp that left Jackson when the little bat had plopped onto him but they had only a heartbeat of comic relief before the opposite side of the road was engulfed in flames that highlighted the rotted bodies that groaned and dragged themselves towards the noise. Grayson had taken initiative to begin directing their next moves now that the light of day had been replaced with that of kindled flame. She tensed immediately upon being given certain orders as she stuck close to them both, casting aside the dull roaring in her head and stomach in order to focus on the task at hand. Grayson and Jackson’s lives’ were top priority. They deftly dodged stray zombies that had yet to be caught like moths to the mechanical flame that now lapped at their backsides as they raced through the mostly clear street in order to get to Jackson’s camp. “The fire escape might be a better plan so that the barricade can keep the ghouls out,” she blurted as they reached the proper block, her eyes darkening as she realized that Grayson would now have to leave to find Mazu.

No matter what, they had to have faith in Grayson. He and Mazu had survived this long without them and Silver was sure he’d return to them all in one piece, even if she wanted to go after him as much as Jackson did. He shouldn’t be going off alone despite it all—in fact—the whole point of the stranger’s convenient distraction was to help keep them together, but they couldn’t force Grayson to stay apart from Mazu even if they’d wanted to. All three of them were hardheaded, selfless and committed to the companions that they each shared their unrequited bonds with. Reluctantly, Silver glanced back at the flickering street that stared back at her with more menace than when she had first arrived, as if now that there was more to lose, everything she did could cost more than just awful churning in her stomach and the taste of blood in her mouth. This world no longer consisted of just her and Kiba moving nomadically through forest and overgrown cities.

Jackson’s chirpy tone only reflected just how much Silver could tell he was worried about Grayson being outside while the ghouls were still ambling around the streets, more active than ever provided by the fire and nightfall. He was handling it better than she expected at least. Soft fur sifted between her fingers as she followed Jackson to the staircase in the eerie first floor of the record shop. Shadows danced against the walls at the newfound inferno outside which only made things feel even colder, causing the canine that had now matched her somewhat slower gait to press closer to her for support as they ascended.

Silver shook her head at the apologetic brunette, watching him go from sitting in the middle of his camp to the ledge that faced the street. His distress was obvious as he couldn’t focus his attention between looking for Grayson and what to do with the scant shelter that he was offering for three, potentially four people. Silver rubbed the back of her neck in a bit of embarrassment as she looked down at the seemingly sulking Jackson before sighing quietly, squatting down next to him. “You know..”, she murmured, staring at the illuminated street. “I’m sure once Grayson comes back, he’ll be happy to take up your offer to be your sleeping buddy. Might as well take advantage of the fact that he’s bringing you dinner and treat him to a place where he can rest his head.” Silver glanced to Jackson towards the end of her words, meaning to try and lighten the mood as she spoke matter-of-factly to bring back the goofy disposition he’d shown from the beginning. “I’m sure you’d want to impress him with how hospitable you can be. First impressions are important after all.” As if to emphasize their importance, Kiba took advantage of Jackson taking a perch on the ledge and sat his head right on top of his, barking gruffly just as Dog had taught him while wagging his tail. Silver scoffed in amusement, unable to hide her smile as she looked to them both now. “See? Even Kiba doesn’t want you being all somber.”

[hxenir]

22. 𝑨𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝑴𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕 . 𝑲𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒏. 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓.

A numb fuzzy cold feeling surrounded Grayson's body, his hearing distorted by the sound of the flames along with the distance sound of walkers. Somewhere in Grayson's mind he heard the hooves of a horse approaching me. "Have I lost it that bad that I'm hallucinating?" The thoughts rang through the exhausted males brain. The urge to fall asleep right then and there started overpowering the male. The sound of hooves only getting closer, but then they faded into footsteps. A muffled voice began to talk. "Jackson?" Disoriented and blind Grayson had no way of knowing who was talking to him, or even if they where talking. For all Grayson knew it could've been all in his head. The amount of power it took from him to use 'rage' on Mazu was enough to knock someone out for days. If it wasn't for the fact that Grayson had grown accustomed to losing that much energy he'd be passed out in the middle of the street with no possible way of him making it out alive. The familiar sound of Mazu's growl came into his head. "Mazu? Whats wrong?" Grayson slowly lifted his arm to pat around the area he was at. He felt the soft sensation of Mazu's paw and began petting the feline. "Calm down girl." A soft, innocent, almost child-like voice came from Grayson. His body began to shake from the temperature drop along with the cold breeze that came along with night fall. A feeling in his gut told Grayson he wasn't alone, could it be paranoia? No, Grayson knew it wasn't it. There was someone here, with how vulnerable the male was at this moment anyone with malicious intentions could've easily taken him out within seconds. So the person standing behind him had to be good. That's when the males voice appeared again. The strangers voice was fearful but a hint of concern laid within it. The voice sounded male, it asked if Grayson was ok. "If you plan on killing me don't expect me to go down without a fight." Even at Grayson's state, he had no intention of breaking his promise to Silver or Jackson. The males wanted nothing more but to get back to them, he knew the second he saw Jackson he would take his offer and be his sleeping buddy. "I have friends here, if they find out you killed me I know they won't hesitate to find you and return the favor." The males trembling hands reached for his gun, a single gunshot would be enough to alert the group he was in danger. Grayson had full intentions to keep his promise so he thought of an offer. "Help me get back to my friends and you can join us. Were having deer tonight and if you've been out here as long as we have you know that's not a common offer." Grayson's spare hand held tightly onto Mazu's paw. With no intentions of admitting it Grayson was scared for his life. "My friend here is Mazu she won't hurt you unless you try something. I'm assuming you have a horse? I heard the hooves." A small smirk washed over Grayson's face. "If you have an animal that means you have powers. Well see all these dead guys here? I killed them with mine." Even though Grayson was in no state to make threats he knew he had to keep the stranger on his toes. For someone to make it out here you had to take risks. If the stranger made the choice to take Grayson's offer he would know he had the skills to survive and be part of his small group. "I barely have the strength to move right now. So I'm hoping your a good person and that you'll help me. I promise if you do I'll protect you. I just need to get back to my friends please." Grayson clutched his jeans, his hands making a fist as desperation started to take over. "I can't see anything right now I'm temporarily blind due to my over-usage of power. The camp is by the record shop. It's straight ahead you can't miss it. My friends should be scanning from the rooftops for me. If they see us they'll help." Raspy breaths started leaving Grayson's lungs, his body shaking even more. These where the warning signs of Grayson's blood sugar being low. As a diabetic if Grayson didn't regulate his insulin levels he could die. The insulin was in the males bag but he had no way of administering it. Silver was the one with the needles. "Please help me get back. I need to see Jackson." The last few words came out as a mumble as Grayson didn't want to admit he needed help. But he would do anything to get back even if that meant showing he was vulnerable.

[FluffyBirdie]

Kiren Stewart | Lead Doctor | Location: Streets | Tags: Greyson

Kiren glanced back and forth between the cat and the human, stuck in a stalemate as he waited for either one to respond. His knuckles were white around the cloth, and he tried to relax his grip on it in case he really did have to throw the fabric towards the cougar. There wasn't much he could do about his nerves though, and how tense his entire body was. He had only ever seen large predators in zoos and in nature documentaries, and thinking of that brought up how fiercely they hunted. And thinking of that came with the imagery of sharp claws and a swift, agile hunt. The person finally spoke, to Kiren's great relief. Jackson? Maybe that was the dark-clothed stranger he met earlier. He was about to reply that unfortunately, he was not Jackson, when the man reached out a hand to pat the feline's paw, speaking soothing words to her. He was initially confused, before he put two and two together and lowered the cloth, another wave of relief passing through him. So this guy was like him and Aria then, and that meant the cougar was tame. Aria blew a warm breath on his neck, and he glanced back, giving her a smile to reassure her that the cougar was friendly. At least for now. He was still tense, as they were right out here in the open, and he might just lose his sense of smell from this horrible mixture of smoke, gasoline, blood and rot. He turned back to look more carefully at the stranger, his mind deep in thought as he did a quick once-over for any visual injuries. A human and animal that somehow shared a bond. If this were the normal world, pre-apocalypse, he would have loved to investigate the strange powers they got and their animal companions. There must be some kind of biological reasoning behind this. He quietly shelved those thoughts however, as investing the current world wasn't the main concern, not by a long shot.

Kiren started to crouch besides the stranger, planning to check more carefully before deciding what to do, before the person spoke again, with quite a commanding tone despite the situation. "What?" was Kiren's immediate reply to the stranger's statement, halting his decent down to the ground and instead looking at the person in front of him. The man continued to talk, and Kiren listened carefully, wanting to reassure him on every point he made once he finished. He was probably panicked, or at least in an worried state from pain, and brushing off a patient's concerns would only increase their stress. Especially now, in this world where a stranger's intentions were more dangerous than ever. At the mention of the mess of dead walkers besides them, Kiren turned to look, now noting that the wounds looked like the cat, Mazu, had inflicted them. What kind of power did this person and his animal have? It was strong, but he also mentioned being temporarily blind, which was such a dangerous drawback. The stranger's voice wavered towards the end of his spiel, and Kiren softened, a slight smile on his face. He must care for Jackson a lot, to go from threats to a plea. "Hey, we'll get you to that Jackson, yeah?" He started, fully crouching now and tentatively touching the stranger's shoulder to show he was friendly. "I was going to help you anyways, but a group sounds amazing, and I haven't had meat since this whole thing started since I can't hunt." He glanced up at the deer, before his eyes wandered over to the cougar. "Your Mazu can kill me faster than I can do basically anything, so relax and don't worry about fighting for now. Yes, I do have a horse, named Aria. If you can't move, would you be comfortable with me carrying you up to sit on her back? I don't think I'll be able to carry you all the way to that record shop, unless you can stand. I'll help you get to those friends, you can bet on that." He affirmed, adding more strength to his voice since the stranger couldn't see his expression. Well, the good thing about all the talk was that the man was likely not seriously injured, and only over-exerted his strength. That was one less concern on his mind. He looked at the deer, not to sure on how they were going to bring that back. Aria would be uncomfortable having a dead herbivore on her, and the animal looked heavy. Maybe if he hefted it and ran to the shop so he wasn't carrying it for a longer period of time? A raspy breath interrupted his thoughts, and Kiren looked down, seeing the stranger's body trembling violently. "What is it?" He asked urgently, alarmed. It was most certainly not because of the cold, though he draped the cloth regardless over the stranger's body, hoping it would help, however slightly. Shaking was a sign of a great many health concerns, and without more details he couldn't identify what. The man might not like sharing his medical details with another stranger, but this was important. Kiren stood, beginning to look through his bags for something that might at least help relieve the symptoms. "I was training to be a doctor and have a great variety of medical equipment and pills. I'm here to help. I can swear on it." Saying 'trust me' felt inappropriate, so he went for another tactic. "Mazu can take a chunk out of me if I pull out a weapon on you. You trust her judgement, right? So tell me what you need." It was his turn to put a sense of authority behind his voice, though it was a subconscious act. There was no way he was letting someone in his care get worse. And not because he was worried about the man's threats. Kiren couldn't care less if Mazu or the stranger's friends came to kill him in retribution; this was a matter of his pride as a medic. He had prepped so carefully for anything, including medical events, so to fail here at the first crisis would be quite the soul-crushing feat.

[☪ℓυηαя∂яσρ☪]

Rikimaru's head was pounding, their ears were ringing, and they could feel their heartbeat across their skull and in their temples. Bug was cuddled up in the crook of their neck, being supportive and affectionate. Riki dully appreciated that, but couldn't focus on it, couldn't focus on anything. They just needed a minute for everything to stop spinning, for the residual noise to die down so that they could try to think straight. Any attempts to lift their head were met with a wave of nausea, so they shut their eyes for a minute to have less sensory input- Bug would let them know if any undead were coming.
Then, all too late, Riki felt something shift. The sound of the world died down. It was still there, but dampened, as if a blanket had been draped over it all. They still had a splitting headache, but the androgyne had had frequent headaches all their life, so they were sort of used to it. Rikimaru's eyes opened a fraction and they reached up towards their ears- when they were younger they had gotten a concussion that made their hearing dull for a moment. It had felt like their hat had been pulled down over their ears, even though it hadn't been. It felt the same here- but they hadn't hit their head, had they? That would definitely contribute to the pressure pounding against their skull.
Faintly able to recognize that Bug was stirring with excitement, Rikimaru blearily opened their eyes and blinked to focus their slightly blurred vision. Looking up, they quickly jumped in alarm to find a person right in front of them. Bug began clicking excitedly at the new person, and Riki would have given him a stern talking to if they weren't already busy. (They were going to have to add living people to the list of things Bug was supposed to look out for, apparently.) But, for the situation at hand, Rikimaru wobbled slightly from the sudden vertigo and slipped out from where they were cornered against the dumpster. Now with the rest of the alley behind them, offering an escape route, Rikimaru wrapped a hand around the knife in their pocket, not drawing it out, but ready to at a moment's notice. "G-get back!" Their slightly accented voice wavered a small bit at the start, still not fully recovered, but they weren't going to let that show. Riki didn't recognize this person from the bandit group from before, but that didn't mean that she wasn't alone. Her hands were up in a placating gesture, but that didn't mean anything nowadays with people possessing animal companions and strange powers. Rikimaru's eyes narrowed, their eyes flitting to the side to check for others. They saw nothing.

[kalo.]

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𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 ── 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑
[ word count; 922 ] [ mood; flustered ] [ tags; silver] [ location; rooftop camp]
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yuck
indentJackson kept his gaze out on the street, but even with the help of the fire it was still hard to see. What could be a walker stumbling along could easily be mistaken for a person. So if Grayson was injured and was stumbling along he would never know. It pained him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was fine. Grayson was smart and would get back easily. He had nothing to worry about. He trusted Grayson to stick by his word and come back in one piece. He shifted his gaze to look at Silver as she sat down next to sit. Funny how these two strangers earned Jackson's trust [even if that wasn't hard to gain] in less than an hour and now were living with him. It was for the best though. Jackson needed people to keep him in line.

indentWhen Silver spoke up Grayson felt his face flush-he was thankful for the darkness of the night. It hid how red his face would probably be at the moment. He simply let out a nervous chuckle before shrugging, "who wouldn't want to be my sleeping buddy?" He let out a smile before turning to look back at his camp. He watched as the large wolf trotted over and rested her head on his lap. Jackson let out a genuine smile before running his hands over the wolf's neck and head. He was still soft. Dog on the other hand was sitting and watching not too far away, his golden eyes narrow. He turned his head to look at Silver before he slowly made his way over and plopped down next to the female.

indent"You're not wrong. First impressions are important. I don't have a lot here, to be honest. It's only ever been me and Dog-" Jackson ran his hands over his face in steel his nerves. He really wasn't prepared to have three extra people sleeping at his camp. If the stranger still showed up. He had a feeling they would. He had maybe, what, three blankets tops? Not enough that was. "-but I can figure something out." Jackson abruptly stood up, quickly apologizing to Kiba before making his way over towards the corner that housed most of his stuff. He put his hands on his hips before first grabbing the green army jacket he had stolen from a store when this first started. The jacket was cold but still managed to warm him up rather quickly. Get his exposed arms out of the cold. The cold. That was going to be an issue. How would they manage with the wind nipping at their skin all night? It was bound to end in disaster. Especially since Jackson didn't have a lot of blankets. He had three tops, and there were four of them. Eight if you counted all of their animals. But Dog didn't need a blanket-the dog was basically a heat magnet and would warm Jackson up. "Do you think we should stay inside for the night? The second floor isn't terrible but it's still a little cold. Would protect us from the wind. Unless you guys wanna star gaze."

indentHe let out a chuckle as he glanced up at the stars. It was only partially cloudly so some of the stars were visible. It was definitely more stars than he'd ever seen before. It was beautiful. Stunning. You name it. He tore his eyes from the sight before kneeling down and grabbing the blankets he had with him. Total he had three blankets and two sleeping bags. The sleeping bags were rather worn and had some holes in them, but it was better than nothing. "Alright we can unzip the sleeping bags and lay them out and put the blankets on top? We would have to all double up and sleep with a partner but that doesn't seem terrible. It would provide some warmth after all." Jackson threw the stuff on the floor behind him before rummaging through his pile of items. Nothing else would really work. He didn't even have any pillows. Just blankets and the tarp that was up to provide some shade in the daytime. It was useful and taking it down, while easy, was just a long process. The knots he tied were basic but he did them so many times to secure it. And with not really being able to see, it wasn't going to be fun.

indentJackson ran his hands through his hair in frustration before looking back at Silver. "Not much else I can offer up. It was kind of stupid of me to not think this through and grab more blankets and supplies." He made his way back over to where Silver was and sat down next to her. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it. Opting to look back out at the town. His eyes searching for Grayson again. He really hoped he was okay.

indent"If he's not back anytime soon do you think we should go looking for him?" Jackson cursed himself to saying that. It was stupid. To go out in the darkness and try and find someone you didn't know where they would even be. But he couldn't help himself. He just wanted him, and the stranger, to be safe. Speaking of the stranger Jackson didn't even realize that the little bat was gone. It sort of just, happened. At least the bat could fly and come back if the stranger was in trouble.