100-Days-in-Deadland(59)

He reached into his pocket, smiled, and handed me a candy bar. “See you three days from now.”

****

Three days later



Clutch was crankier than usual while we scouted the woods. “I don’t trust them to not take control of us or our resources.”

“I don’t either,” I said. “But Tyler offered to bring us supplies.”

“Feels like bribery.” He shook his head. “We can’t count on them for help. We take care of ourselves.”

“But we can’t turn down any food or supplies,” I said.

“He’s working with the Dogs.”

“But he doesn’t trust them.” I shrugged. “Not completely, anyway.”

“He was flirting with you.”

I stopped and looked at Clutch. After a moment, I put a hand dramatically over my heart. “My, oh my. Is big bad Clutch jealous?”

He scowled.

I laughed. “Tyler’s too pretty and not nearly grumpy enough to hold my attention.”

Clutch narrowed his eyes. “What—”

A pained howl sounded beyond the trees, yanking our attention back to the woods.

“That sounds close,” I said.

Clutch took the lead and jogged us through the trees, keeping our weapons ready for any zeds that could be skulking around.

More cries followed, and we closed in on the pitiful sounds.

At the edge of the woods, three zeds tore at a fallen tree trunk. A fourth zed, several feet away, chewed on something with golden fur.

A tiny shriek shot out from inside the log, and I gave Clutch a quick glance. He gave a nod, and we moved in. One of the zeds saw us right away. It came to its feet with a moan, bringing the attention of the other two at the log.

Clutch swung first. He took the zed’s head clean off. My swing went wide and landed in the shoulder of the second. I stepped back and swung again, this time my machete lodged into the skull. I kicked up, planting my boot against its chest, and yanked the blade free. I pulled my weapon up just as the third zed reached for me, but Clutch decapitated it, just like he’d done the first, before slamming his machete through both heads on the ground.

The fourth zed looked up and snarled, its mouth covered in fresh blood. Bites and scratches covered its face, chest, and arms, enough that would have caused serious injuries in a human. It went after Clutch, and I stepped around it and took off half its head from behind. It fell, dropping the carcass it’d been feeding on.

I edged closer to the hollow tree trunk and got down on my knees. I rested my weapon against the trunk, and Clutch stood guard.

I leaned down to find the source of the whimpering inside.

Pups.

They were much smaller than the animal the zeds had been feeding on. She’d likely been their mother and had sacrificed herself defending her den. Two pups were already dead, one struggled to breathe. Without obvious injuries, I suspected they’d been crushed when the zeds dug at them in a frenzy. The fourth pup in the far back corner continued to whimper. I reached in. It cried louder and nipped at my gloved fingers.

I gently blanketed the pup with my hand. It was cornered and began to wiggle fervently. Wrapping my fingers around it, I picked it up as gently as possible and pulled it free. She screeched in my hand as I examined her, and then I pulled her against my chest. “Shh. It’s going to be okay, sweetie,” I murmured.

She couldn’t have weighed more than a couple pounds. After a moment, the pup’s shrieks turned into whimpers before it finally quieted but continued to shake.

Clutch came up behind me.

“There’s another one in there, but he’s hurt pretty bad,” I said, while stroking the pup’s fur with my thumb.

He took a deep breath, bent down, and reached in with both his hands. When he stood, his hands were empty. “It’s taken care of.”

I gave him a tight smile and held up the pup. “She’s definitely a mutt, but she’s cute in a mutty sort of way.”

He chuckled. “It’s not a mutt. It’s a mangy coyote.”

A coyote? “Oh. Well, it’s a she.”

He shook his head. “Coyote are wild. They’re not domesticated like dogs.”

“But she’ll die if we leave her behind.”

“That’s nature, Cash.”

“There’s been enough death already,” I said quietly.

After a moment, he scowled. “Let me see it.”