Chapter 2

After the downpour finished and the sun came back out I managed to get the energy to slowly walk down the street.

I knew it would be impossible to get back to the herd so I didn't bother trying.

Maybe I could find a new one.

Possible.

Would I be able to keep up with it?

No.

Even if I was able to get a meal I had no idea if it would help me enough to keep hunting after.

But I was desperate.

I didn't have any plans in particular, at some point I knew even from sheer willpower my body wouldn't be able to keep moving.

I wasn't even running on fumes anymore.

A soft clatter made me turn my head towards an alley.

I slowly blinked.

It was very dark down it, but something obviously had made the noise.

Although it could have easily been something breaking from years of neglect.

But my instincts urged me to look, to find food.

A noise could mean food.

And again desperate.

Very.

It took me forever it felt like, to hobble over to the alley and slowly down it.

Easily could have been as well, my mind was very jagged and constantly losing itself.

My milky near blind eyes tried to focus on whatever could be the source of the noise as I reached the end.

A pipe.

A pipe had fallen.

Where?

I started to look up but was pushed down from behind and suddenly I was face first on the ground.

I let out a harsh groan.

I slowly breathed in.

Human.

Humans were out here?

I was a bit shocked and felt a tug on my numb arms and legs.

I tried to move them but was unable.

“Got it tight?” The voice whispered harshly, startling me.

Something lifted my head and I was looking into the face of a blonde man.

My teeth clinked together weakly and he took the opportunity to cover my mouth with something black.

Oh.

I wasn't going to be able to feed like this.

Whatever it was, it was hard and covered my whole mouth and part of my lower jaw.

I wouldn't be able to chew through it, even if I had the energy to.

“It doesn't look very healthy.” One of the humans said behind me.

The blonde man sighed and gently put my head back down.

“The healthy ones all group up in the herds, did you want to go pick one out? This isn't like going to a pet shop and picking the prettiest puppy we are limited on what's safe.”

Ah.

I supposed a nearly starved me was definitely no match for even one of these humans.

So I was *safe*.

I could understand a little of what they said.

But not much.

Herd, pick, safe.

I breathed in through my nose, my hollow stomach aching from the scent of their flesh.

“We will need to feed it or get it in better shape at least before anything.” The same human before sighed.

I was dragged to my feet and suddenly I was looking up at the sky.

One of the humans had picked me up and was carrying me bridal style.

My fingers twitched and even with my numbed nerves I could tell that not only were they tied in place, but something soft was wrapped around them.

They had literally taken all my weapons.

Not that I had much energy to use them.

But I heard them say feed.

Were they going to feed me?

I highly doubted it, it did not seem like there would be any reason to help something that would love to tear into them.

I stared up at the sky, watching the occasional bird fly pass as the humans walked me to a truck and placed me on the floor inside it.

The humans piled in and sat on seats.

I had been carefully placed on cushions of some sort.

One of the humans bent down and reworked my bindings so my hands were in front of me.

I looked down and saw orange mittens covering my hands.

Yay.

I don't think I liked it.

The human placed my head on a cushion, looking down at me in concern.

The female?

I was pretty sure, hard to tell with the coat and short hair, but I could smell the scent making me think it was a she.

I supposed in this world women would have to give up makeup and long hair or pretty nails for survival purposes.

Probably get fit and have muscles or die.

“I don't know if it will live even if we take time to care for it.”

Ah...yes the voice was female.

My milky eyes looked around, trying to see in the darkened truck or I suppose van.

There were several of them, and I couldn't count.

Yeah no, I wouldn't have stood a chance.

I doubt I could hunt even a bug honestly.

I let out a soft wheeze.

All the humans turned towards me, eyeing me warily.

I could tell some of them felt bad for me, I was in a pretty bad state and knew humans felt things far greater than I did.

Anymore.

Anymore?

My thoughts got kinda muddled while the human female was wiping dirt out of my hair with a cloth and examining me.

I was still confused why they were being somewhat civil to me.

They could have been rough and tossed me inside the van, letting me hit the sides of the walls with the bumpy movements.

But the human female was careful to make sure I didn't slide and the cushions helped to.

Not that I would really feel it, but I was sure it would be disorienting and I wouldn't like that.

“The doc has something we can feed it right?” One of the other humans asked.

I slowly turned my head.

It was a young? Male.

I couldn't make out any features or hair color since it was way too dark.

“Yes, they don't seem attracted to cooked food so the doc has gotten some rawish meat available, partially cooked for safety purposes. It will be eating a very rare burger basically.” The blonde chuckled.

I mean…..

I could be fine with that honestly.

Feed, safe.

Being fed and taken care of since I couldn't even move?

Better than starving on the road, I supposed.