I stand when it’s over and simply all the zombies were or too far to hear or already deep down inside the lagoon.

Thank God none of the most troublesome zombies were nearby, they certainly wouldn’t fall for that. As I ask about my wrench or any weapon I could bring, the wolf went to the side to watch out for the entrance, shaking his head negatively.

I could always go back and try to find something on that pile of miscellaneous on the back, but as the idea came to mind so does the sound of the horde coming back, probably attracted by the weird behavior of their fellow zombies, something that they were very alert to; that’s why it was so dangerous to engage with one of them, you may see only one, but any zombie hidden would be able to tell that something was off by the mere speeded up pace that other undead would have.

It was a real nightmare if a group find you out, and no weapon would be able to help me out by then.

Shit.

There was no easy nor good choice to be made here, but as far as the war and apocalypse started these options were no news to me; though that did not make them less difficult or troublesome.

So without waiting for the undead to caught up with us we get out of the cave, having to open up a path over all the snow stuck at the entrance thanks to the horde as I put Kira’s body close to mine and start to make a type of bag with a cloth that I manage to grab before leaving the cave, tightening her against my chest.

It wasn’t the best, but at least like this I had my hands free to help me climb out or try to defend myself.

Yeah, like that worked out well last time.

A gush of wind strikes me in the face at the same time we step out of the cave, a strong distinctly human waste smell filling my nostrils, making me frown and condemn the putrid contained air that I could not avoid.

We stop wasting our time there, going towards the woods as I try to keep up with the werewolf beside me that, beyond having paws made to walk over snow, wasn’t carrying a dog, but at least he could keep an eye out better for going around us.

“Hey, let’s go this way.” I say, pointing at the opposite side that the horde went to, leaving a path of overturned snow that would easily cover our tracks; even though our smell was another story…

My already dirty boot was getting even more soaked with the mixture of ice, water and mud that the storm from last night left behind, plus because of the overturned soil and pieces of zombie here and there.

Only one word could describe all of this.

Disgusting.

Or a more simplistic ugh would do too.

“Sorry for making you lose your cave.” I suddenly say to the mutt following to the side, but he only puffs and brushes it aside; though I doubt it was a simple matter, since that the amount of fur and trash indicated that he had lived there for a very long time.

Nobody would be ok to give up their home and safe place out of nowhere like this, even more in the apocalypse, but if he said it didn’t matter than I won’t be adding more problems to my already long list that’s for sure.

As we were walking forward I couldn't shake off the feeling of being followed, of being watched, and as we advance through the ice-cold woods, dodging the many broken branches left from the storm, I could almost feel a pair of eyes staring down my back, bringing very vivid memories from my last encounter with the group back to life.

I could almost feel his rough touch on my skin, and how his disgusting hot breath brushed against the back of my neck, of how his sharp fangs could easily pierce my skin, how I feel like a paper doll, too easy to crumble under the force of his claws.

I have been strong for so long, been on edge for so long that's one would think I should have some resistance to it, or at least got used to it at some point, that once you had enough you stop feeling anything anymore.

And that was totally bullshit.

A deer won't stop fearing it's predator only because it got hunted too many times, on the contrary, after knowing what they were capable they would be even more aware.

Even more afraid.

So knowing that these creatures don't give a shit about me, that they would rather see me rot than have even a little pity for me, that they would use me as they please and discard me; or worse, continue to use me; only made me even more afraid of being caught.

And the mind is a tricky thing, I may try to control it, to avoid thinking about it, but still my mind wanders, to the terror that awaits me if I get caught.

And that almost freezes me on the spot.

Almost.

Because I was done playing the weak.

I was done playing the prey.

If I'm going to be a werewolf, then I'm going to be fucking good at it.

"Tell me. " I ask as we keep moving forward, only looking beside me long enough to know that the mutt had heard me." How do you lose a werewolf? How can we make them lose our track?"

The mutt seems to be thinking, scratching his chin and flapping his ears in an almost cute way if the movement wasn’t done, well, by him with his sharp snout and clever eyes.

But I guess it wouldn't be able to answer me anyway, so he's almost like I'm thinking out loud. Indeed, how can we get out of this difficult situation? I've tried the zombies before, and they managed to open up a path as easily as pushing branches out of the way, though I don't know how effective it would be to cover our smell.

Worth the try, but hardly enough to get us a free pass.

Only if... we find stronger zombies, or rather... Even better; we will use the best defense against them, we will attack.

And that is something I can ask the mutt about.

"So... How do you kill a werewolf?" I casually ask, making him stop on his tracks and look at me, raising an eyebrow as if asking if I was crazy. I only shrug as I continued:" You never know until you try, after all we are fucked anyway, might as well go down with a boom."

Not that I intended to " go down" any time soon. But I was done running.

And I finally could see now, a light on the horizon, an option that may work which does not include running for our lives forever.

We could end this.

Here and now.

But as always... I prove once more that I have never been the luckiest guy.

And the world likes to shove it on my face at every damn opportunity.

That's why, in that exact moment, a shadow jumpes out of nowhere straight up at my face.

I could barely make out the shape of a wolf as, the next second I was down on the floor, an arm up to my face and another trying to protect Kira from being crushed down by the weight of that enormous creature.

As the wolf bites the air around me I can see deep inside his throat as I put my arm in between my face from his rows of sharp teeth, his growling resonating over my skin and his saliva dripped all over my face, making me clench my teeth hard to avoid at least swallowing it.

The situation is getting worse and worse, and I can catch a glimpse of the mutt fighting on the side against another two wolves that were circulating him as he tries to approach and help me out, pulling at his tail and hind legs with ferocity, even though, against the odds, he kept trying to approach me.

But this wouldn't be another one of his saves.

And I soon realized that when a strong paw manages to hold my hand out of the way and bite me right on the shoulder, the same place that has been hurt before, this excruciating pain coming back once more, not in the slightest weaker.

And as the same as before I can feel my consciousness drifting away, but this time I knew that only hell awaits me once I wake up.

And even though something deep inside me was ready to give up my mind could not cope with the pain and the blood loss, it was beyond me and my selfish desires to hold for my dear consciousness; Because some things are simply natural and immutable, beyond our wishes and desires.

Such as being weak, or weaker rather.

And even though the situation seemed rather bad, even though I was bound to lose, was already losing, something inside me growled.

Something inside me was really, really angry, and as I lose consciousness I could only think one last thing:

That we may have many things we cannot change, but being prey... Being their prey, is something that I will definitely change.

That we will change.

Or die trying.

****

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