Small Little Pup; Hunter Love Story

Chapter Ten

The Hunter just sits, staring at the stuffed toy. Poking it and every now and then. It had scared the shit out of him, asking to play before going completely still. And since when do cheetahs come in rainbow? 'Wait..' He paused. 'What's a cheetah?' He shook his head, and poked at the cheetah again.

"Hi!" Came the voice again. He was so fucking confused. "I'm Voodoo!(Voodoocookie)" Then suddenly the toy was inanimate. He shook his head, grabbing it anyways for Alice. Her games must be wearing off onto him? He has no idea.

He quickly gets moving, hearing unfamiliar voices and avoiding them just in case. He quickly got out of there, his backpack semi full of supplies to care for Alice. He sighed, moving quickly through the rooftops, hearing gunshots in the distance. He quickly got moving to get back to his pup, feeling off, instead of going to his last two stops on the way home.

Things got quiet after that.

As soon as he landed on the balcony, he felt better. He was exhausted and quickly went inside, seeing Alice asleep in the Witch's arms. He sat the stuff down gently, pulling out the Cheetah to let Alice cuddle with. He gently picked her up, and placed her on the bed, curling up around her, leaving the Witch to do as she pleases.

He took a deep breath, knowing he had Alice safely in his arms. He was tired, but he just couldn't sleep. He occupied himself with watching a fly buzz around the room. He was tempted to get it. But doing that would mean leaving the warmth of the bed and the sleeping child in it alone, so he just settled for watching it.

He watched it for a few minutes before Alice stirred a bit, moving to get comfy. He gently wrapped her in the blankets, getting up and stretching.

"Now where did that damn fly go?" He wondered in his head, eyes darting for it. "There!" He prepped his back legs and pounced for it, quietly. He felt it but he didn't close his hand in time.

He got ready to pounce once more, unaware of the Witches eyes watching him, amused. He jumped for it again, barely catching it. He took it outside instead of killing it, letting it loose. He turned back in, closing the sliding door as Alice had taught him. She'd been sleeping a lot lately, he'd noticed. Perhaps she was sick? He hoped not.  He didn't know how to care for her if she was. Perhaps the survivors could help? The girl's name he blanked on for a moment, before it hit him. Perhaps he could look for her? There is a safe room nearby, maybe they are staying there for a bit.

But he can't leave again, he just got back a little while ago. Speaking of the survivors though, he swore he saw four more wandering the city. A couch? He'd remembered hearing that. Keith, the one name he got out of the eavesdrop session was a story about a man named Keith. He'd have the be careful while looking for Zoey then, if there was a second group.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Alice calling for him. "You're back!" Her happiness was expected but always welcome. Her smile was big, she was looking at the Cheetah plush now, he motioned to it.

"Voo.. Doo.." he spoke. Barely. His vocal cords were torn up from the Green Flu, perhaps he could learn to talk again but most likely not fluently.

"Voodoo! It's so nice to meet you!" Her smile grew and he felt a warmth grow in his chest. He smiled himself, letting his teeth show just a bit. He watched her walk around, not as energetic as normal. He really needed to find Zoey. She would know how to help Alice.

He watched her show the Witch her new friend. Wait, the Smoker. Maybe he could locate them so the Hunter could go after help tomorrow? It was late, and traveling at night has gotten to dangerous even for some of the special infected. The Tanks are more active and with the new ones on the prowl, he preferred avoiding some of them, like he did the Boomer.

He'd have to wait sadly, for the Smoker to return from wherever he went. But he did hear something in the hall, the Witch did too clearly based off her elevated tension.

Then it hit.

Laughing. There was inhuman laughing in the hall. And it wasn't stopping. The Witch quickly hid Alice in the closet as the Hunter got ready to deal with the threat.