Canid Undead: A Dog's Story

8 - Zombie Trek

Tom and the others had awoken by dawn, entering a small forest. The smell of pine and mildew entranced Tom. Tez mentioned there was a hilltop as they trekked - below should be a mix of a small "town", a few... "neighborhoods", more forest and a city-like area, a "township" among it. All were such strange human words, and Tez knew them all.

Tez predicted it has also been infected with Ferals. Nervously, she added, "We should...we should be more careful. There will be more there."

Tom, Merli, and Tez's eyes followed Kyan as she drifted through the air. She slammed down to the ground and from the sky with some birds in her mouth, allowing Tom and Tez to fill up.

Merli stood back. "I'll eat... later."

After they finished eating, Kyan mentioned her determination to find but another shelter to settle into, beaming. She hoped aloud that her littermate, Zeck, was somehow nearby, telling Bella that she'd been missing for awhile now.

Tom could relate to her worries, but found that he did not relate to Kyan entirely. Tom couldn't care less for his littermates. He simply had no memory of them, no attachment. How would he know, if he ever even met one or more of his siblings? He would not know. He... would not care. Though, deep down, he felt as if a part of him should care. The thought left an uneasiness in Tom's stomach.

Regardless of this, they finished up and moved forth.

They emerged from the forest, standing atop a hill, a decaying landscape that revealed many buildings, some forest and many roads laying before them. Most of the buildings have fallen apart, are falling apart, and countless still stand.

They moved towards the city, thinking there must be some more dogs out there or maybe a pack to help them. Perhaps a Clan of cats, if they were lucky.

Tom knew it wasn't impossible for a nice dog or two to help them out, but he knew also that it wouldn't be so easy to find one willing to help. He forced himself to think positively as he trekked onward; thinking negatively won't help the situation, he admitted to himself.

They arrived below the hill. Carefully, they moved forward. The group stuck more near the forest, stalking in the shadows, as to not draw so much attention to themselves.

"We should go a bit farther into the forest." Kyan scented the air.

Kyan's group walked closely behind her, their paws right on her tail.

Her nose was greeted by a multitude of scents. Pausing, she tasted the air. She hushed the group.

Squirrel!

The corner of her eye caught the squirrel; she crouched in a hunter's stance, her hind legs forcing her off the ground as she leaped forward. She barely had the squirrel in her claws when she'd landed, a wire tightening around one of her hind legs. She was flung into the air. Her clumsy paws had tripped a wire!

Merli and Tez looked to Kyan from below, Kyan still upside-down, bound to the tree branch that kept her airborne. A branch snapped.

Merli's paws shuffled. She echoed. "Oh no. Are you okay?"

"Well, besides the prey I lost and the fact that I tripped a wire, I'm just dandy." Kyan flapped her wings not-so effortlessly. "I'll be down...in a minute!"

She flew up to the branch and gnawed it off, struggling to fly at first, as she was, indeed, upside-down. She landed on the ground, her paws briefly set off balance from the landing, re-acquainted with Tom, Tez and Merli. The group was quickly relieved from their anxieties when Kyan landed.

Merli sighed.

"Let's get moving, we will find prey elsewhere." Tom stretched. Kyan gave a curt nod.

***

About to set off, they found themselves cornered by the undead (how did they not hear those jugheads? Coming? To? Them? Approaching them? Moaning and groaning? Time to panic. This is how it ends). Tez was paralyzed with fear.

(Goodbye, cruel, world!!!)

In a whirr, Kyan killed three of them, struggling to exterminate the third zombie-dog. Tom and Merli took care of the other two. Tez's ears folded back. Terrified and struck with horror, she reared up, hitting a tree. Cowering down, she whimpered.

I'm going to die.

Is this how it ends?

Tom and Sadie thanked Kyan, impressed by her moves. "Where did you learn to do that?"

(Merli approached Tez, helping her up. "Look, they're gone...they're dead.")

"One of my littermates taught me." Kyan gloated.

Tez regained the ability to both speak and stand. Her eyes darted to and fro. Sharply, she exhaled.

Sighing, then gasping, she pointed with her tail, "Look, shelter."

Tom's eyes revealed a very small cave, where forestation had taken over. It was still apart of the forest they'd come from. It was hidden in plain sight.

Rain pelted the dogs, their backs immediately wet. Kyan's eyes flickered. The raindrops bounced off from Tom's snout. The four ventured inside the temporary shelter. For a time too long to count, it was silent.

Merli, who'd sat at the back of the cramped cave, trotted up to Tez, who was laying on the cave ground by Kyan. The twisty-tailed dog sat, peering out as the rain dripping from the outer part of the cave slapped onto her nose. It grew fat, plonking onto her snout.

Leaves that clung onto the cave were seen peeking in from cracks in the cave, raindrops gathering on the green, thin yet fairly large leaves, the drops gradually escaping the leaf's hold. These almost mutated leaves, along with thick, twisty vines that hugged onto the cave, from both the outside and the inside.

Tez had her front legs tucked under her chest like a cat, her tail hugging her left side. Her hind legs were tightly situated, hugging both her sides. She closed her eyes. Her back slowly rose and fell as she breathed.

Finally, some rest...

***

Merli talked with Tez, sitting by her. Tom could not make out the words they shared.

Tom sat to the far left of Kyan, isolated. His eyes closed, he created short fantasies of him and his owner, the human throwing a stick as Tom sped after the flying twig... returning to his lovely custodian after. She'd pet his head and his chest, hugging him. She'd exhale weakly, embracing him, tightening her arms that tied around Tom. Tom could sense... that she was troubled somehow.

Yes, it was the human's caretaker that troubled the girl. Maybe some other things caused this human to be so troubled.

Kyan's bark cut through Tom's thoughts. "The rain has stopped."

They trudged on.