Blood's Run Stale (Voltron:LD Fanfic Klance)

Chap 1, The Search for Water

Keith scratched uselessly at the metal collar around his neck. On days when the sun was at its highest and it was hot as hell, his skin grew irritated from the metal chafing his neck. He sighed as he assessed the situation in front of him. He really wished that zombie herd hadn't found his dad's old shack a year ago. It made his life horrible. What was worse was when he was in heat. It seemed that his pheromones still affected the alpha zombies. Even with his scent blocking collar around his neck, his scent was pungent during his heat.

    Oddly enough, just as it affected the Alpha zombies, it affected the omega ones as well. It seemed that when Keith was at his peak and sneaking around, the omega zombies flanked him and seemed to try to protect him. It was odd but also a bit comforting in a weird sort of way. Though the zombies couldn't talk and tried to eat Keith most of the time, during his heats, the omega ones and even the betas sometimes would protect him from the alpha zombies. It didn't happen often enough in Keith's opinion.

    At least he had Kosmo, his trusty wild coyote, for company. Kosmo was a lifesaver. Keith had found him as a puppy, the last of his litter still alive after a zombie herd came through. Keith had been looking for any canned goods he could find in a run down motor home when he saw Kosmo cowering in a corner. All that was let of his mother and siblings was blood and a few dismembered body parts. Keith had immediately taken Kosmo in, seeing that all he kept finding was dog food anyway. Dog food was easier to come by these days than canned beans. Keith would get his protein any way he could. But with another mouth to feed, Keith often just hunted for some squirrel or rabbit that had managed to survive. Or, he'd find some edible berries according to the book he had taken from an abandoned library a few weeks back. It hadn't steered him wrong yet.

    Anyways, back to the task at hand. He had seen a small gas station that could have some water in it. Only problem...there were alpha zombies around and Keith was nearing the end of his heat. He had tried to last until it was over, but both he and Kosmo were parched. They had run out of water just yesterday but in the summer heat, it felt like it had been days since they last drank anything. So, here Keith was, staking out the gas station. Kosmo had whimpered a bit beside him upon seeing all the zombies, but was otherwise pretty quiet. He usually did whatever Keith needed him to, most of the time just following him into a building for supplies and having his back if needed. The first time Kosmo had bitten a zombie, Keith was afraid that it would change him. But it didn't affect Kosmo at all, thankfully. Keith didn't know what he'd do if he lost Kosmo. Kosmo made things easier, especially when Keith was in heat. Sometimes, Kosmo would go out and hunt for small game, sharing his kill with Keith. It was the only way Keith stayed fed during his heats.

    Keith lightly rubbed the top of Kosmo's head in comfort before pulling out both his mother's knife and sword. It was a set she had gotten from his dad for her birthday one year. As she laid dying, she begged Keith to take them to defend himself. He became an orphan a few years later.

    Keith inhaled shakily at the memory, gripping onto the sword tightly. He did have a gun but it only had three bullets left. He usually used his sword over a loud gun anyway. Only an idiot would use a gun to kill a zombie.

    As Keith stood, his heat hit him full force and he wobbled before crouching back down again. Kosmo whined beside him.

    "Kosmo, we have no other choice," Keith hissed, trying not to gain the zombies' attention. "I at least need some clean water. You're lucky, you can drink out of a stream or dirty puddle. My immune system doesn't work that way." Kosmo's ears drooped. Keith sighed, scratching behind one of his ears. "It'll be okay. You have my back anyway, right?" Kosmo let out a soft woof. "Good, then we'll be fine. Let's go."

    Keith turned back to the gas station, thinking. There were a few zombies surrounding it. It usually wouldn't be a big deal, but like Keith realized before, they were all alphas. Even with the stupid collar, they'd still be able to smell his slick. At least the worst of his heat was over. He could probably take the zombies one by one, but not all at once.