____ POV

I awake to the sounds of screams. Disoriented and confused, I'm not sure if what I'm hearing is my imagination or reality, as those tend to blur in my weakest moments.

It was in the next moment before I could consider sitting up that a spray of lead tore through the sheet metal wall above me, and the next moment, I rolled off the bunk in the sleeping area I was allowed to borrow from my contractors.

'Fuck, I knew I should've stayed dressed last night.' I reach up and grab my sidearm and knife from under my pillow. I'm only wearing a decently hand-stitched pair of black cotton pajama pants, and I'm still cursing myself for it.

The screams and cries of battle still sound out, and I have to shake my head to clear the distractions. 'Now is not the time to whine. Get off your ass.' Crawling forward, I push onto my knees and peek out the shack's window.

This farming community I've been staying in for the last couple of weeks is burning. A truck has reversed hard into the fortified gates, driving a wedge between us and the outside. From here, I can only see three aggressors, but there's more fighting elsewhere.

My breathing quickens, and I smash my fist against my chest to trick an adrenaline rush. Feeling awake enough and wired to put my life on the line, I rush outside into the crisp evening air.

Molotovs uselessly scorch against the mostly metal structures, though a greenhouse is already lost. My bare feet kick up dirt, and I step over a person who was proudly showing off carrots to me three days ago.

Ducking around a corner and running up to the edge of a wall, my back is flush against the cold corrugated metal of a storehouse. The fighting is still going, the other survivors doing their best to hold back and drive off the bandits.

I hear chuckling and rummaging in the storehouse. 'These bastards aren't even waiting to start their looting.' My knuckles go white as I clench the grip of my blade. Crouching lower, I launch forward and slip through the carelessly tossed open doorway.

I don't even take the time to look over the beast before me. My foot met the back of his knee as he crumpled with a yelp. However, I don't allow him to fall to the ground, following up as I plunge my blade hard into the side of his neck. He's not dead yet, though, as I use the blade as a point of leverage, my gun arm hooking around his forehead before quickly twisting and releasing him at the declaration of a sickening crunch. His glazed eyes look up at me while the rest of him lays flat on his stomach.

My body is coated with a fresh splash of warmth, though I know it won't stay that way for long as I head out into the fray again. I vault over some crates and make a beeline toward where I hear most of the combat. Nearly tripping over someone's son, I just finished giving him advice on his rifle last week.

Foolishly I let my focus tunnel as I crash into another bandit. We fall to the ground, wrestling with one another before I roll them into a pin as I twist their arm behind their back. However, this one I recognize, and I hear the blood pounding in my ears as I remember her face. "You… You bitch, what are you doing here!?"

Her eyes widened in terror; she had seen what I could do. After all, I saved her ass, along with two of her friends, from a small swarm. It is now that I realize this attack was my fault. They knew we were here because I let the guy I was escorting allow them to tag along to stock up on some supplies.

She immediately starts sputtering, panicking as she shakes her head. "It's not my fault! They made me do it; I didn't want to come back here, I swear."

I narrow my gaze at her, though the moment I'm distracted by the continuous fighting around me, her free arm shoots out to grab my fallen gun. I wrench her shoulder out of its socket as she screams out. "Don't bother; your words are meaningless."

I don't waste time on her, pushing her away as I scoop up my pistol. Even as she tries to crawl away, I fire off a single round and finish her. Barely sparing a glance to make sure my aim was on point.

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I scoop up my blade and keep moving forward, finally rounding near the front of the gate as I come up behind the aggressors. They've got the other survivors pinned inside the mess hall, and thankfully they seem to have managed to get the scrap metal tables barricading up against the main entrance.

The bandits are unwilling to get closer, mainly because they don't have a straightforward way to get inside. They are taking potshots from behind the cover of a tractor and some empty crates meant to be used to deliver the vegetables next week. Bodies are scattered between where I stand and the mess hall. Luckily I don't recognize most of them as I close in on the remaining four bandits. A shot rings out, and there are just three left.

Moving forward with brutal efficiency, I step out and start strafing from the right to the next piece of cover as I bury a round in a woman's back before following up with a shot to the back of her head before she could realize she was already dead. I quickly dive into some tall grass, the sturdy plants scratching against my bare skin. The man next to her panics at how she suddenly went out, recoiling as she crumpled into a heap and taking a step out from cover as one of the other survivors took advantage—the report of a rifle doming the bastard.

The last guy seems to realize he is alone, and he looks at me as I rush out from the grass. Dropping his shotgun, he attempts to hold up his hands, blubbering for surrender. However, I didn't hear his words as I spotted an older woman who had such innovative ideas and taught me a new recipe for napalm. I ended his blubbering and wasted two more rounds because I needed it.

The silence was deafening as I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. Absently I try to wipe the blood off my face, only smearing it some more as I whistle out the all-clear. "Come on, everyone, we got fires to put out, and we need to get ready for the roamers who doubtlessly heard all this shit."

Jack POV/The Next Day

"So, I see it's field trip day, hm?" Jack called out in amusement as he flitted down to land on Basti's back.

Basti huffs with vague annoyance at Jack's arrival and half-heartedly swipes at him with her tail. Jack barely takes a half step to avoid the tail as he whistles a laugh.

The cubs are no longer cubs; they're adolescent elemental prowlers, or teens, as it were. The four look around with more attention and awareness, flashing feline smiles as they seem to murr and chatter to each other.

Jack snickered as he eavesdropped on them, speaking up. "Yeah, milk and honey just fall out of the sky; crazy, I know." He teased mischievously.

The blue-furred teen cat looked very much like she believed what Jack had just told her, but the black-furred teen cat just nudged her and shook his head, much to Jack's delight.

Jack continued as he fluttered his wings for no apparent reason. "You'll get to see what trees look like from the bottom soon enough, and you know what, I'll even get some fruits for you all to try now that you all get to eat some real food." He enthused, being kinder now that he's had some fun.

At that, the red-furred teen cat did excited little tappy taps with his paws while they walked, seeming especially eager about the idea of food out of everyone here. The white-furred teen cat chuffed in response to his eagerness.

The black-furred teen cat hung near the back of the group. He is still eager to be out here with his now more mature and grown-up mental capacity. But to better appreciate the taste of what he got to see before all the others, he decided to take his time and walk mostly at his own pace.

Jack spoke up once again as they descended the mountain. "So, where are you going first?"

Basti hummed in thought before letting out a low mrowl in response.

"What? That's so boring! Take them to that Haven of people, you need them to interact with people, or they're going to be unsociable weirdos to the people they're meant to protect." Jack chastised with uncharacteristic seriousness, pecking at Basti's ear to admonish her first choice.

Basti was somewhat stunned by Jack's sensibility, merely flicking her ear instead of trying to swipe at him for what he did. After another moment, she gave a meow of consideration before relenting to what Jack suggested.

Zasutir POV

Zasutir was enjoying his breakfast; today was some forest fruits, along with some new fruits that Aug had told the foragers about. The fruits, in general, have been gently roasted over the fire and served over some boiled wild grains.

He scooped some of the meal out of the bowl with a hand-carved wooden spoon, just savoring the filling meal quietly until Cinco sat beside him with his bowl.

"Morning, Shepherd." Cinco said pleasantly, tucking into his meal. "If you don't mind my asking, I've been noticing you head up the mountain a couple of days in a row now. Is there something happening?" He asked, being unabashedly inquisitive.

Zasutir tilted his head a bit before flashing his pearly white teeth with a smile. "I've had the honor to train with one of Vitmori's warriors. So far, I've used a sword and shield and a mace. We're supposed to return to the sword again before trying out spears." He explained animatedly, clearly excited about what he's been up to.

Cinco, while initially concerned, now seemed relieved and even delighted by how cheerful the Shepherd was. "I see; that sounds like quite the experience." The rabbitkin said pleasantly with a nod.

Zasutir was about to go on and talk about Dread but was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder as he looked over to see Zanitul. The lizardkin guardswoman flashed her fanged smile. "You've been carrying yourself more confidently, Shepherd; if you're interested, perhaps we could spar together and see how you're coming along?" She offered, her hand still on his shoulder.

Now, Zasutir was undoubtedly a very old man. Looking up at Zanitul, he seemed to realize just how beautiful she is, and he also became very aware of his own practically perfect body as he could feel his heart thumping in his chest. "Ah… Yes, yes, I think I'd quite like that, thank you."

Zanitul smiled a little wider, gently rubbing Zasutir's shoulder once before patting it as she pulled away, her tail swaying more noticeably with each step as she got her food and went elsewhere in the camp. Cinco smirked like a fool as he watched the range of expressions flash across Zasutir's face.

Almost moments after Zanitul was out of sight, Virtisa walked up, clutching her pack to her chest as a form of support, and spoke up. "H-hi, Shepherd. S-sorry to bother you, but I… I was wondering if…"

But she didn't get to finish stammering through her request when a young shriek pierced the morning calm of the camp. The fighters got to their feet in response, looking around for the danger. They then see little Aug running as fast as her little legs can take her from their eating area as she shrieks out again. "Kitties!!"