In silent agreement with your motions, Ted nodded his head and tiptoed away from the corner. You twisted the chain tighter against your already constricted arm.

Letting the chain jingle would only succeed in making this problem worse.

Slinking back the way you came was working perfectly for your rag-tag group. The huffing and puffing grew more and more distant the farther you slunk back, until finally, you safely made it two streets over.

Ted was panicked looking, hell, you were probably panicked too. The thing that was back there could crush you in a single smash of its arm, you and your hunter if it wanted.

"What was that thing...?" Was the first thing you muttered. True, you'd read on a wall about these types of things before, but it was blurry in you mind, and in all honesty you had only remembered the smoker and hunter.

"An infected- obviously." the bitterness in his tone clamped down violently to the air around you, making you flinch.

What was his problem.

Huffing, you brushed the comment off your shoulder, commenting on his sore sounding statement, "...Obviously."

Your hunter brushed your legs with his shoulder, snarling out a sound you had never heard from him. Warily eyeing him, he glanced to you, lips pursed and nails clicking on the pavement below him. The group kept walking, working on traveling a route around the massive bulk of an infected that was huffing around on that street.

"So where are we heading." Ted mumbled, scratching his arm and walking more to the right to avoid the hunter's gaze.

"Ah- just another grocery store. Food's a priority." The hunter brushed your leg again, shoulder slightly stumbling you. Grunting, you shoved him farther away, tired of him constantly pushing into you.

"Right- right. Smart." Ted says rather mumbly again, more to himself than to you.

The urge to ask what was bothering him rose, but you shoved it back down your throat from where it came, instead watching your hunter lumber next to you.

Letting off a huff, you speed walked ahead in order to lead, ignoring the glance Ted gave you. Your sure you were just overreacting, but it kinda messed with your head when people made remarks like that. Twisted your gut up and made you wonder if they actually enjoyed your company or not.

The fact that he's a stranger made that suspicion boil deep within you. Why'd he come along. Why would he join you and your misfit hunter.

The rest of the walk passed like this, both of you buried in your own thoughts and mind's. Not one word was exchanged as you fought and traveled. Ted, sternly keeping an eye on your hunter, and you charging forward like a leader, when really, you felt jumbled up inside.

The first time your stomach growled, you had ignored it. As you did the next couple times. But when the sun glistened at half mast above you, the decision was made to settle down for a break inside one of the offhand shoe stores.

Splitting up, and clearing the store, the both of you settled down on the registers counter, Ted hunched over far more then you were as he waited for you to do what was needed.

It irked you, that after just suddenly meeting you had to share your already dwindling resources. Even more so when Ted hadn't made the offer to share whatever it was that he had.

Making a small clicking sound with your mouth, you beckoned the hunter over. The backpack he was wearing too new looking to belong in this apocalypse.

With a quick zip, you opened the backpack, grabbing three granola bars from it. Throwing one to Ted, you turned back to the hunter, zipping the bag back up.

You didn't look at Ted as he ate, you simply continued on with what you were doing. Unwrapping a bar and shoving it in the hunter's direction. He sniffed it, before taking a nibble of it. You waited until he actually took a full bite to take the rest of the wrapper off and give it to him.

Focusing back on your own bar, you opened it, slowly munching into it as you watched your companion swallow part of the bar whole and start choking.

His fault really, for trying that stunt with everything he eats.

He spit it up, before eating it again. Animalistic, and disgusting, were the only things you could use to describe the sight.

Ted gagged next to you, "Gross. Why's he do that."

You huffed, "He's infected, get over it."

Taking another bite of your granola bar, you took a deep breath. Ted being here is making you rather stressed.

Finishing off your bar, you stood up, walking over to your companion- mind you he's finished eating his bar as well- and forced him upright. He stood with your pulling without resistance, towering over you and simply staring at you curiously.

You messed with the harness around his chest, making sure straps were tight and the clips wouldn't come off.

"Go catch some mice or something." You stated, patting his shoulder before sitting back down.

Your companion didn't take much thought on your words, wondering around restlessly and sniffing around the floor.

Ted looked to you, "Why do you speak to him?"

Putting on a bitter face, you shrugged, keeping your mouth shut.

"It's kinda weird. Talking to him. He's infected."

Ignoring his comment, you continued sitting there, "I think we should get a move on. Rest up a few, and then I'm leaving."

The tension between the two of you was almost tangible, thick and full no matter which direction you turned.

Ted stood up, "I can keep going- no worries."

Nodding to him, you began your trek to the exit, pulling on the chain once, before feeling your hunter bump into your knee. It made you feel more reassured with the situation. A dangerous familiar over the strange dangerous if you would.

Stepping out of the doorway, a small bell jingled from above, signaling your exit.

Ted stepped out a few paces behind you, shuffling with his messenger bag and whatever questionable supplies he had in it. You just huffed, and continued to walk.

Walking all the way to the food mart, only to have to turn around at the hulking mass of grunts and muscles really wasted your day. You really needed to be gathering supplies at every moment in order to replace the ones you used, and with things going like this, the odds of surviving dropped farther and farther.

The hunter nudged you, puffing a small breath through his teeth and continuing to saunter next to you. The urge to push him away was strong. So very strong.

But so was the urge to grab him violently into an embrace of stress worry and comfort. Your emotions were conflicted, very simply put, and the safest thing to do was go with the small medium between both of the almost hysterical feelings.

You let him walk next to you. Claw after padded claw he ambled ever beside you.

Flicking your eyes past your hunter, you glanced behind you to see Ted still there. His gaze was focused on predator beside you rather intently.

Scoffing, you turned back around and kept at it glancing at the street name.

Veramont Street.

If memory serves, you'd need to just keep walking down this street until you hit a corner, and then turn left. The market should be home free, but let's be real.

It's gonna take awhile to walk all the way down Veramont Street- by the time you get there, the sun will be getting dangerously close to setting.

Sighing, you kept trudging along, occasionally glancing to either Ted or the hunter.

The walk took just as long as you expected. The sun was beginning to find it's way ever so close to the horizon, and the grumble in your stomach that had previously only eaten a granola bar for each of its meals was begging for more, rumbling a consistent gurgle. Your companion was beginning to grow restless, pressing his jaw into you more often.

You knew what he was doing. Contemplating if you would be a good snack. He didn't get to eat a lot today, and the sniffing he was doing wasn't the most reassuring.

You turned your head to Ted and pointed at a building to the left of you, "Hey- it's getting late. We should settle for the night."

Ted nodded, following you as you veered off the street and over to the building. A quaint looking clothing store, which would hopefully be good shelter during the night.

Pushing the glass door open, the little bell at the top jingled.

"Let's split up." You said, turning to the right and wondering down the side. Ted took the left.

Again, your hunter pressed his jaw into your leg, following you with his chain dragging on the polished wood floors.

You tried your best to ignore it, wandering and glancing down the aisle's to see if any infected were there. The pressing became more incessant the more you ignored it, to the point that when you moved he would step on your heel and trip you.

When you felt his mouth begin to open, you had had enough, whipping around, and pushing him back with your leg.

He stared, the shadow over his face becoming darker and darker with the sun fading out over the horizon. The chill you felt when he lowly growled at you was a sharp one- prickling your neck hair with fear.

You needed to feed your companion, and fast.

First- you needed to clear the store though.

Making your way down the rest of the aisles at a faster pace, you confirmed that there wasn't anything in the room, hunter on your heel as before.

Without farther ado, you stopped and turned to your companion, reaching for his backpack and taking out another granola bar. It didn't matter that it was the last one- all that mattered was that your boi got fed before you got bit.

Unwrapping the bar, you tossed it to him, watching as he snatched it with his claws. A few sniffs, and it was down his gullet. Surprisingly he chewed it this time, swallowing with no problem before looking to you with a tilt.

"Sorry- no more granola bars boy." He walked closer, nuzzling your leg as he tread past you. If you didn't know any better- you'd say it was him thanking you, but you knew that he wasn't capable of those types of thoughts.

Rolling your eyes with a sudden bitterness, you tugged the chain and walked towards Ted's side of the store. You could hear him clanging around, footsteps rather heavy.

Turning the corner, you leaned against the wall and waited for Ted to walk up to you.

"It's clear on my side." You said, Ted nodding his head in confirmation.

"Same." Was all he said back, sighing as he stood in front of you, "What do we do now?"

You shrugged, almost jumping when your hunter leaned the side of his head on your leg, "Sleep. Hopefully make it through the night."

Ted nodded, "I'll keep lookout first."

"We should barricade the doors before anything though. I'll get the back door."

Without much more to say, the both of you split up again, doing your respective doors with anything you could find.

When you finally settled down for the night- laying down next to the counter and Ted standing near the moonlit window, you felt more tired then usual. The growling in your stomach had yet to cease- but you needed to ration things. The two granola bars you'd eaten earlier today would have to do.

Your hunter sat at your feet, looming over you with a blank stare. All things considered, you wished he wouldn't do that. It gave you a spook that you would rather not have.

Brushing it off, you pulled your tarp closer to yourself and rubbed your head farther onto your backpack. It was a sucky substitute for a pillow.

Falling asleep was easier then you thought it'd be.

______________

A small tugging feeling was what awoke you not on your clothes, and not your legs or arms, but your hair.

Something was tugging at your hair- and it bothered you. You didn't like whatever was touching your head and waking your body up from its sleep.

Cracking an eye open, something was looming over you- one of its hands holding your head up, while the other tugged at what was below you. The strands of your greasy hair tickled your face with the movement.

Chills? Fear? You weren't sure what it was, but the shadowed face the figure above you had made you want to run- run and never look back. Adrenaline began to work it's way through your body- you struggled to remain as though you were asleep.

Eyes now wide, you gazed at it, blurry and sleep filled vision becoming more and more focused until you finally realized what the figure actually was.

Ted. That's who it was.

Ted was trying to take your backpack.

That scoundrel-

Jerking forward with the only thing you could have thought to do- your head hit him with all the force of your anger behind it.

He stumbled backwards, hand releasing the backpack he was trying to steal.

You knew you shouldn't have trusted that cheat. You knew that there was something fishy about him. And you fucking knew that you should've steered clear of people.

Getting up as fast you could- tarp being tossed to the side- you reared your fist back for a punch, chained arm snapping forward and slamming into his jaw.

You'll admit, it hurt your knuckles to hit him that hard- but you bet he hurt more then you after being hit with the cold metal chain around your hand.

Recovering from your punch, Ted gave his own, haphazardly pummeling your shoulder.

Not backing down to his strike, you shoved him into the counter, reeling your arm back and releasing for another punch. His back made a popping noise when it hit the edge.

Your hunter was watching the both of you throw punches intensely. Another hard shove, his head would flick to watch. A punch from one to another, he focused on the one who stumbled.

Like waving a string in front of a cat, he prowled closer to the action, growling with every push and shove and yanking of hair.

You gave a huge push to Ted, watching blearily as he fell backwards to the tiled floor. His head hit the ground, with a harsh thud.

Blood ran from where he had punched you in the nose just a few seconds ago, your thumb absentmindedly wiping it off as you watched from above him.

Ted looked scared. Downright cowardly- and for once- you felt like you were the predator.

Waiting above him, staring down with a gaze so cold and hard- it was a question as to if you ever truly felt anything else.

A ghost of a feeling brushed past your leg as the hunter crawled next to you.

The aggressive growling from beside you didn't do much to faze you, neither did the movement of the chain as your hunter grew closer and closer to the cowering lamb on the floor.

Your chin tilted upward and eyes wide, smeared blood on your lips and thumb- you weren't sure which scared him more. The hunter, or your intimidating stance.

Ted scrambled to his feet, stumbling to get up and run to the barricaded door.

Too late.

Too slow.

Too weakly.

You squinted, feeling the chain tighten as a deathly scream rang out through the store.

The grotesque squelch of blood and screaming was all you could process- and you didn't bother to stop the action that was set into course. The moment your mind pieced things together- you didn't care.

Chain jingling with each long stride and tear of his claws, you stood, stock staring and faceless breathing as a body was ripped strip by strip in front of you. The rib cage was the first bone to collapse.

Never again. You thought.

No more grouping with survivors-

It was just your boy, and you.

The blood was making you sick.