STAY (Completed)

Chapter 11

KEITH

As we walked Cosmo returned following my scent no doubt.

I had tackled Kinkade to the ground blade drawn when he tried to shoot him.

Griffin and his group aimed their guns at me, while my friends aimed their weapons at them. Cosmo seeing this lunged to protect me.

I spoke his command word for cease and he stopped just before his gnashing teeth could rip off Kinkade's face.

He stood over him with his fur standing on end, a deep growl barrelled in his chest waiting for my next command.

I explained breathless to Griffin that Cosmo was mine, and that if he or his team hurt him they would answer to me.

Pidge, Hunk, and Lance all added their agreement.

"He can stay if he doesn't give away our position or hold us back." Griffin muttered.

I got off of Kinkade and brushed dirt from my knees as I patted my thigh. Cosmo trotted to my side and sat at my feet.

Kinkade begrudgingly wiped the dirt from his back and rubbed his jaw where I had punched him to knock him down.

I showed no signs of remorse. I would do it again if necessary.

Not gonna lie it felt good to hit him after all of these years.

After that incident the walk had been rather quiet. Even Hunk and Lance trailed along silently.

We had arrived at Griffin's camp site at last. It was on the outskirts of the city in an abandoned hospital.

"There were no survivors here?" Hunk asked.

"No, all of the living patients had been evacuated along with the staff. It wasn't safe here." The small blond girl shook her head.

"Living?" Pidge muttered with a raised brow.

"The ones that were dead or close to it- they were put down." The brunette girl spoke solemnly as she adjusted her glasses.

That's horrible. They could have made it. They could have had a chance-

My eyes drifted to Griffin. His brown orbs stared back at me, daring me to say something, anything to set him off.

Unwilling to give him the satisfaction I changed the subject.

"So what's the plan of action for us?" I asked clearing my throat.

"Check this out." Griffin gestured us to join him.

We followed him into some sort of office space that had been rearranged into a bunker of sorts.

The windows were barricaded, there were sleeping bags strewn about in the corner of the room. There were supply closets stacked with rations and medical supplies.

Against one wall was a table with a map. We followed Griffin to the table as he explained the different routes they had tried to take to get to Garrison.

"This one seems less traveled, but the hoards move everyday with no real pattern. It's like they are searching for food, but aren't sure where to find it." The blond pointed to a marked route on the map.

"We've tried posting, but we've only managed to get a few blocks in before being chased out." The brunette chimed in.

"How many would you say are there?" Allura asked.

"Hundreds." Kinkade shrugged.

Pidge's brows pinched together in thought.

"Could we maybe draw them away somehow? If we make enough noise to attract most of them then it could give us a big enough opening to slip through unnoticed." Pidge held a finger in the air.