Small Little Pup; Hunter Love Story

Chapter Eleven

That laughing, it was making Alice shake. The Smoker stepped out through another room, going to investigate, he heard news of newer specials mutating, but he had to see it for himself, as his own mutations had been getting worse over the past few days. He'd noticed he Hunter had been getting worse too, his skin more and more sensitive and irritated, to the point his clothes had started coming with his skin as he scratched. The Witch seemed to be unaffected, maybe just skinnier, in more pain. 

As the Smoker stepped into the hall, there it was. A creature barely half his height, with a severe hunchback, biting at and picking off what was left of it's lips, which he assumed would soon be gone. It was unnerving, to say the least about it. It wouldn't stop laughing and twitching, like something in it's head was forcing it's body to emit these reactions to nothing. When it turned to look at him, it twisted it's ugly head in a tilt, creeping closer in an odd way. It was a he, from the looks of it. 

"Who are you?" The Smoker questioned, he was quite a strange little thing.

"Hehehhheehe." He laughed, like he understood and thought it was funny. 

"Who are you?" The Smoker asked, firmer. 

"Heehhaaaaaaaaa?" It sounded like a question, as the little creature began scratching at his eyelids and mouth, like he couldn't respond, like he couldn't talk through the laugh. Like he remember who he was. Perhaps though, that was a stretch as it quickly returned it's attention to the Smoker, "Jooooooo.." He said, slurred and in pain, fighting the constant urge to laugh. "Kkkkeeeeey. Saaaaaaaay.. I... Jooookkkkkeeyyy." He spoke before breaking in a stream of pained laughter. 

"Jockey? They call you a Jockey? Interesting. Well, there is a Hunter here, be wary. Do not attack his Pup, a girl smaller than you, or he will come after you, and he won't be alone. Run along, you look starved, and unsure. It'll take time to get used to your body, and I should be here should you need something." 

"Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup? Giiirrrllll? Ssiissttoooorrrr..?" That one surprised the Smoker, the way he asked. The way it seemed like the Jockey was looking for his own sister. It was interesting. The Smoker only turned and walked away, leaving the Jockey to it's own thing as it suddenly spasms off somewhere.

"It was one of the new ones, it said it was called a Jockey." He said as he walked back into the room. "He sounded like he was in so much pain when he spoke." 

"As long as he stays away from me, he will live." The Witch snarled. "That laughing of his is a great annoyance." 

"Yeah, looks like my Pup has grown, I need to go scout better fitting clothing for her. She is.. uncomfortable in these clothes." Gently patting Alice's head, the Hunter nodded to the other two, ready to leave.

"Wouldn't it be easier if you took her? How will you know the clothes will fit her if she stays here?" Though he knew the dangers it posed, as Alice is not infected, the Smoker did have a fair point. The Hunter sighed, grabbing Alice and putting her on his back, and left. 

It took him a while to find a nearby place with children's clothing. He had to be more careful because Alice couldn't hold on super well, and he would never forgive himself if he dropped her. He carefully set her down, and walked with her through the store, waiting for her to find things she likes and things that could fit her. He was also wary of the safe house nearby, no longer having the comfort that the survivors inside knew he wouldn't hurt his little Pup. 

While looking through things, the Hunter found a.. carrier of sorts. He couldn't place with it was, but it looked like it could fit Alice in it, and somehow let him carry her on his back. Perhaps the girl, Zoey, knew what to do with it? He stored it away to find out, keeping an ear out for gunshots or anything that could signal danger. He quickly caught back up to Alice, seeing her putting on a blue shirt with a deep purple hoodie that was soft and fuzzy inside. She'd already found pants to wear and even new shoes. 

"We can find more clothes, right Daddy?" She beamed up at him, and he nodded. He helped her more clothes and put them into a bag for her to carry, spotting another bag that looked like it could hold a child while holding other things, so he grabbed it as well. He figured he'd try this one out, since he'd have to carry it. Alice was excited, and quickly figured out how to strap herself in, to which the Hunter looked at the other straps and realized it would also secure the bag to him. So he tried his best, getting it after a few minutes, but pausing as he heard gunshots. Gunshots and voices he didn't recognize. He moved quickly to get Alice to safety, but he stopped when he felt a searing pain going through his left leg, and fell to the ground, holding his arm and hoping that Alice wasn't hurt. 

"Holy shit! That thing has a kid attached to it! How the hell are we supposed to kill it without hurting the kid?!" The man in the white suit yelled. Alice squirmed.

"I want to get going now." She was scared, but the Hunter was stunned, trying to get up. It hurt so bad. "Daddy I want to get going now, they don't seem nice." Growling, the Hunter pushed himself wobbly up to his feet, he couldn't abandon his Pup, he had to stay strong. He ignored the searing pain to pounce off to a rooftop where they could be safe, and he could take a short rest. He struggled to make the remaining climb and heard a few more shots fire at him. He pulled himself onto the roof and pulled the bag off, collapsing as he checked on Alice, he knew now that he was on the ground he was safe, but he wasn't while he stood and he scolded himself for pulling Alice off his back while they could still see him, because she wasn't safe in that moment. "Are you okay dad?" Alice's voice pulled him out of his thoughts as he clutched his bloodied leg. He nodded and sat quietly, he couldn't move meaning he couldn't get back to the safety of the hotel room, which means Alice is stuck out in the open while a protector that's already injured.