Down Time
#6 of Lycans and Zombies
I was being hunted. I could feel eyes on me, watching my every movement. Every so often, I would pause, and I could hear shuffling coming from the forest around me. Twigs cracked and branches snapped, I made my way down to the creek. I knelt to take a drink and was met with a furred mass driving into me from behind, pushing me into the water.
"Caleb! That's cheating, we said that the creek was the safe zone!" I shrieked, laughing as I sat drenched in the very cold water. Caleb splashed in next to me, in human form again, laughing at me and making a snide remark at how I look like an indignant wet cat. I splashed him with water and called him a wet dog in reply. I struggled to my feet and sloshed out of the water, trying to get away from him. It honestly felt good to laugh. I hadn't done it in so long, even before the epidemic hit. Life was just too serious for any actual fun. When I turned around to yell at him about getting my last set of clean clothes wet, but he was gone. My heart lurched momentarily and I looked around frantically for where he could have gone.
"Caleb?" I called out. There was no response except for the irritated chitter of the nearby songbirds. The bird's song ended all too abruptly for my tastes and I pulled out the dagger I always kept hidden in my boot. The blade was barely six inches long, but it was wicked sharp and had a hand-carved bone handle. A twig snapped behind me and I whirled around, raising my arm so the blade in my hand pointed outward. More twigs, to my right, and then it sounded like something ripped a branch off a tree. I followed the noise while lowering my center of gravity, just in case whatever was lurking around was there to hunt me.
But when Caleb stepped through the thicket with a large deer- maybe an elk- draped over his shoulder, I was completely caught off guard. What was even more absurd is that he was in human form, one-arming the elk as if it weighed nothing. The entire front of his body, from his mouth down was covered in blood, and I guessed he had attacked the elk in wolf form and the blood remaining was from the animal's torn throat. He dropped it beside the dammed creek and began washing the blood from himself.
"I'm sorry I didn't give warning, I couldn't pass up a kill like this. I'll gut it on the other side of the creek and bring it back to camp. This will feed everyone for about a week if we preserve it enough." I couldn't help but get excited by the happy energy he was displaying.
"I'll go tell camp to get fires started!" I said, bounding away. This was probably the best meal we were going to have, and I couldn't wait to share the news. I approached camp and saw that a fire had already been started and everyone was in good spirits.
"Hey girl, where you and Caleb been off to?" Willa said, spotting me as I emerge from the trees.
"Caleb's caught an elk. He's cleaning it now and will bring it shortly," I said and could see Willa gawk.
"By himself?"
"Yup, he went all wolf boy when I wasn't looking. Scared me shitless in the process," I said, laughing.
"Hang on a minute, why are you wet? You much be freezing, come on, come by the fire and warm up." Willa took my hand and forcibly dragged me to the fire's side. Everyone was sharing their life stories, which was surprising. Most everyone kept to themselves for the most part, but we'd been together so long, I was more surprised this hadn't happened sooner.
"Hey guys, Caleb will be back soon with food, he's downed an huge bull elk," I said as we approached. Smiles broke out across numerous faces and I saw frowns on our more vegetarian comrades.
"Well, at least he has that use. Will he need help bringing it over here?"
"No, I'm fine, I've got it," said a voice from the trees. Caleb strode easily from the trees, shouldering the cleaned carcass. Many of our group gaped at his immense strength, meanwhile I couldn't help but admire his toned body. Willa had the same idea and I could see her mouth hanging open slightly. I laughed a little and reached over to close it.
"Don't leave your mouth open, Darlin', birds will nest in it," I told her. She shoved my shoulder and blushed an incredibly deep shade of crimson. Most everyone laughed at our little tiff. Marco went to help Caleb put the elk down on the table. He turned and clapped Caleb on the back and smiled at him, actually smiled a broad smile that showed teeth. It was quite amazing, since Marco was a hard man that seemed to hold no emotion. Caleb took a seat next to me and I had to admit that his radiating heat felt good. I shivered and then he put his arm across my shoulder.
"I have to take the blame for Lily being wet, I pushed her into the creek by accident," he said with a bright smile.
"Accident my ass, the creek was supposed to be the safe zone you cheater," I muttered. He chuckled at my indignation.
"So, Caleb, Lily, your stories are the only ones that haven't been told," Willa said.
"Not much to tell of my past. I come from one of the ancient Lycan clans. We had a big family, and I am the last. It's sad, really, but nothing to be done now. I was the youngest, so I had no chance in hell to become the alpha. I decided to travel the world, and my last destination would've been Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico, but my train wrecked when the epidemic was at its height. I survived, because next to nothing can kill me. I found myself wandering these woods and was surprised by the Hunter. The man that took glory in killing my kind, and it had taken him ages to track me down. He knew one shot would be enough, but he didn't count on me being found by wonderful people. By people that accept my dual nature, even though I know it must be hard on you all," Caleb said, his tone sombre. He looked at me. "I believe it's your turn, my dear."
"That it is," Marco said, sitting next to Caleb. I hadn't noticed, but he had been sectioning the meat from Caleb's kill and was cleaning off his bowie knife now. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Where to begin. Lets see. I was born in Denver to drug dealer parents. When I was three, I watched my father murder someone, and when he realized I was there, he turned his knife on me. My mom managed to convince him that I wouldn't remember, and for a while, I didn't. A week later, the stranger's death was avenged and our house was set on fire. My parents saved themselves and left me behind. Well, I managed to get out on my own, and then my parents were arrested, so I was custody of the state after that. I went through eight sets of foster parents before I turned twelve, and after that, my foster home gave up on me. I left when I was eighteen and reached for my medical degree. Eight years later, here I am with a PhD in medical science that's pretty much useless."
Note: Reuploaded because the other one is a corrupted upload and doesn't work. Also, i'll be uploading three chapters today to make up for the time lost due to the My SQL errors the site's been having....