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This Forsaken World

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode Five: Lasting Impressions

Aching feet march along the old, broken road. The squeaking of the wagon wheels is ever present in the ears of the caravanners. For weeks they've walked southward, heading to some mysterious land that April hopes to find. She never speaks in details about where or why, and she never stops. They never stay anywhere for more than a day, even when they encounter other settlements, or the odd, roaming wanderer. Most often they join the group. To the shock of all who've known her from before, April never orders their robbery and execution; she spares every life that isn't holding a gun in her general direction.

For the few who are new, like Roger, the human whom April spared a lynching, she seems to be a competent and reserved leader, unafraid to dirty her dainty hands. They don't know the devastation she's caused in the past, or could cause in the future, and don't understand what the others are so afraid of when they look at her gorgeous figure. Roger, nicknamed 'Rodge Rock' by the other men, has one of the toughest personas in the camp. Deathly loyal to April for saving his life, he's proven his worth several times over already, however, he doesn't just act for April's and the group's benefit.

“Hey, April, we should stop and make camp." Rodge says, walking beside her wagon.

“But it's not even evening!" She gasps.

“I know, but..." He steps closer, speaking softer. “We've been pushing awfully hard since we've been on these roads. We could really use the rest."

“... Just one more mile." She replies, staring into the horizon. “Then we can rest." She adds, turning her head and looking at him.

“Whatever you say, boss." He smiles.

Stepping back and allowing her wagon to move ahead, Rodge stares at April's back, admiring the curvature of her ribcage, waist and hips. The swishing of her tail almost hypnotizes the dreadlocked human, his eyes quickly focusing on her perfect buttocks.

“Don't drool on yourself, Rodge Rock!" A man quips.

“What?!" He turns to the man. “I don't know what're you talking about, Kane."

“Every time she turns around, your eyes are on her like a fly on shit." Kane laughs.

“I'm just watching the horizon... And a great ass..." Rodge smirks.

“Hey, it's your funeral. You know she never fucks anyone, and she's not looking to."

Kane isn't the first to call him out; many have noticed Rodge's stares. The human has had a strong attraction to April since the day she saved his life, and that fact only contributes to how highly he thinks of her. What he wouldn't give to have her in his life, or at least in his bed. However, April never gives him the time of day, but he cannot understand why. Does she perceive him as weak because of how she first encountered him? First impressions are often the ones that last. That wasn't his fault, however. Caught by roaming Voeldahn, he was beaten and robbed solely because he wasn't Voeldahn, and without a gun, he was quite defenseless.

Knowing that he started off on the wrong foot only eased him into adopting his new persona. With every group they encounter and every deal they make, he was the most vocal, the most willing to fight, and he's the quickest to use violence in April's defense. Even so, none of this has impressed her; that's the only reason he's done it. What is he doing wrong? As he spends his time pondering what ways he can employ to win her heart, or at the very least seduce her, they turn a corner to find a small group resting alongside the road.

“Hello!" April shouts, cupper her hands around her snout.

The group rise to their feet, but they hesitate to answer. Taking binoculars, April focuses on the quartet as they stand in silence. To her shock, she recognizes them. They're the four Travelers whom she encountered with Grey and Monica. Closing her eyes, she thinks of the words Grey spoke.

“Uh, privyet, Pooteshestvenyki!" She shouts.

The Travelers seem to relax and answer back, though they don't approach the oncoming caravan. Reaching the group, they are surprised to see April, riding in the first wagon beside a barely teenage Voeldahn who is obviously her spawn.

“Well! It's nice to see you again!" She chirps.

“You know them, mom?" Augustine turns to her.

“Sure, I do. I met them on the road, before I came back."

“Right, you were with that girl and the guy who knew Roosk." Kindle begins.

“Grey." Havana chirps, a little smile spreading across her face.

“... Yeah." April narrows her eyes.

“Anyway, this is my caravan and we're heading south."

“Oh, so are we!" Maya remarks.

“Would you care to join us?" April asks.

“What do you think, Quaid?" Maya turns to her stallion husband.

“I don't know. We were doing alright on our own, and we don't know how long they've been on these roads." He says to his feline wife.

“At least as long as us." Kindle remarks.

“But still..." Quaid hesitates.

“Hey, this is April! April of Coalton! If anyone can keep you safe, it's her!" Rodge boasts, suddenly injecting himself into the conversation.

April closes her eyes, sighing in irritation by the human's fervent attempts to be helpful. The Traveler's eyes grow wide. They now understand why Monica invented a name for her when they met several weeks previous. Few have walked the roads near Coalton without hearing about her; her brutality is legendary. Opening her eyes, she turns them toward Rodge, her head unmoving. Shifting her sapphires back in the Traveler's direction, she awaits a response. They glance nervously between each other, before looking to Quaid and nodding their heads vigorously.

“Uh, you know what? That'd be great! We could definitely benefit from traveling with you and your group!" Quaid exclaims.

April can't help but smirk. For as spontaneous as he can be, Rodge Rock does bring her interesting results. Climbing down from the wagon, she passes her infatuated goon. Looking up at the horse Voeldahn who dwarfs her, she stares into his eyes without an ounce of fear. Her head turns down, looking over his body as she scans for something she'd seen in their previous encounter. Her eyes light up as she gazes upon a deer hide messenger bag, the flap barely concealing a stack of old road maps that the Traveler's carry. Reaching out her clawed hand, she lifts the maps from Quaid, who puts up zero resistance.

“The price of admission." She innocently remarks, holding the maps before her face like currency.

Returning to the wagon, she climbs aboard and sits beside her daughter.

“We're making camp in about a mile. Don't stray too far; I don't want to waste time looking for you if you get lost."

“Understood!" They all reply.

April takes the reigns, flicking them and bringing the donkeys to a steady walk. Augustine watches the Travelers as they stand in place for a moment before merging with the other citizens of the caravan. Turning around in her seat, she looks toward her mother, who consistently surprises her. April examines the maps, a wide grin on her face. Noticing her daughter's stares, she turns her eyes toward her before stowing the maps and focusing on driving the slow-moving wagon. They never speak a word to each other. After moving about a mile, they encounter a moderately large field by chance.

“Here we are!" April exclaims.

“Alright! Make camp!" Rodge Rock exclaims, moving down the line.

Turning her wagon, she parks near the front of the future campsite, closest to the road. It takes her crew only an hour to group together, line up wagons, begin feeding and watering the animals and setting up their tents and a central campfire. With April's tent raised first, the leader of the caravan takes her leave of her crew. Sitting inside of her tent, alone and examining the stolen maps, she's suddenly disturbed by Augustine. Her daughter has her own tent, a smaller version of her mothers and placed directly beside hers. Augustine approaches her mother, looking up at her with a strange expression.

“Is something wrong, sweetheart?" April rises from her folding chair.

“Are you okay, mom?"

“I'm fine! The wound's scarred over and my fur will cover it soon enough." She grins.

“That's not what I meant." Augustine shakes her head.

“Then what do you mean?" April raises a brow.

“You seem different. Ever since you came back, when Marcus tried to have you killed, you've been... Nicer. You saved Rodge Rock for no reason and now he's one of the best guards, you've brought in dozens of new people and never once robbed them, and now you met these people, and you only took their maps." She clarifies.

Augustine approaches her mom's oversized cot, only for April to rise from her folding chair and join her. She drapes an arm over her daughter, leaning into her and resting her cheek against the girl's head.

“It's because of Grey..." April begins, speaking softly. “I want to be good for him and show him that I can change."

“Grey was the human who got away with Ruth, right?"

“Yeah." April nods.

“The same one that brought you back to save me?"

“Yeah."

“Oh... He was very nice." Augustine remarks.

“Yeah... He's the best man I ever knew... And I miss him."

With a little sniffle, the somber April kisses her daughter's head.

“Anyway, it'll be dark soon. You should eat some dinner and get ready for bed. If you need me-"

“I know, mom. You'll be right here." Augustine smiles.

“Right." April smiles back.

Hearing the soft footfalls approaching, the eavesdropping Rodge quickly moves away from the flap. Augustine emerges, never seeing him around the corner. Humming April's now trademarked tune, the song she learned from Grey, Augustine heads for her own tent, quickly slipping inside. Stepping out from his hiding spot, Rodge's chest burns with jealousy. From the tone of her voice, he can tell that April has feelings for this “Grey", whoever he is. However, he's discovered something else. April saw him as the best; a good and kind man, worth of her. If he can be as good as Grey, maybe he can steer her away from him and claim her for himself? Anything's worth a shot, if April is the prize.

After watching over the caravan's campsite for the night, he returns to a small tent and rests. Awakening early the next morning, he eats breakfast with his crew and forms a plan of action. This area is relatively well known by some, and it does have places of interest. Rumor speaks of a small town that was off the beaten path but should be nearby. This town might have unmolested stores worth exploring, and any supplies are better than none. Taking six of the best men from his group, including Kane and Damian, the next most experienced and both former raiders, Rodge leads his men into the woods and heading east.

They walk for over an hour, keeping a swift but steady pace. Climbing a ridge, Rodge and his men are quick to drop to the ground, lying prone in the grass and dirt. They look to each other, their lips curling into twisted smiles. There, and to their amazement, is a beautiful Voeldahn woman about fifty meters away. Covered in a shorty, glossy coat of silvery-white fur, her long, flowing hair is platinum blonde, as is the fur covering her long tail. The mink girl rises from a squat behind a tree. Using a leaf to wipe her loins, the men see a tuft of blonde fur over her groin and the sheen on her flat belly. Rodge looks to his men; they're all thinking the same thing.

Rodge himself can feel a swelling in his pants. Tossing the leaf, she lifts her head and the men can see her features. The mink woman is in her late teens or early twenties; it can often be hard to tell a Voeldahn's age, as the fur conceals much. She has a wonderful figure, with ample breasts and wide hips, but a tapering waist that'd be perfect for holding on to. Her face is exceptionally pretty as well, which is always a plus. Using binoculars, Rodge and Kane see her vivid, blue eyes looking at the landscape. She doesn't notice them at all, as they hide in the tall grass a distance away.

“Carol? You done?" A male voice calls out.

“Yeah!" The mink woman replies.

Emerging from behind the tree, she looks to two men who reveal themselves. These men are nearly identical, and from their distance and with their backs facing them, it's hard to tell who is who. With long, flowing blonde hair and matching tails, the trio are clearly related. The men are visibly younger, but far too old to be her children. Siblings, perhaps? Rodge looks over to Kane, but to his surprise, Kane is gone. Looking around, Damian and the other scouts have vanished as well. He turns his head to watch the gorgeous woman, only to see his half-dozen men preparing to pounce.

He knows what'll happen if they do. Carol will be held down and gang raped, while the two men will be forced to watch and probably be beaten to death during and certainly afterward. Considering the lives that many of these men have lived, this would be just another day to them. Suddenly, however, a thought crosses Rodge's mind.

“He's the best man I ever knew... And I miss him." April's voice echoes in his head.

Perhaps this is his chance to be even better than this mysterious Grey who has such a hold on April's heart?

“The fuck?! AHHH!" Carol screams.

“Let her go!" One boy yells.

“Get your damn hands off our sister!" The other shouts, trying to draw a machete from a sheath on his belt.

“Bad idea!" Kane laughs, knocking the blade from his hands and pushing him over.

“Come here, bitch!" Damian growls.

“We're gonna fuck you raw!" One of the scouts cackles.

“NOO! PLEEEASSEE!" Carol cries out.

Bang. The men jump, swiftly turning toward Rodge as he casually approaches them. With arm outstretched and reaching for the sky, the barrel of his battered Browning Hi-Power smokes.

“STOP!"

“Uh, okay." Damian climbs off of Carol.

“Now let them go." He instructs, pointing his gun at Kane.

“Yeah, sure, Rock! Whatever you say!" Kane jumps to his feet.

The men look toward the dark-skinned, dreadlocked human with considerable fear as he waves his pistol around. The teenage mink brothers crawl toward their sister, comforting her as she softly cries. The elastic waistband of her pants has been stretched out from a hard yank, and there's a new hole in her panties from Damian's clawed fingers, but she's otherwise untouched. Rodge Rock approaches them, holstering his pistol and extending a hand.

“Take my hand. It's time to go." He offers.

“Uh..." The trio stare back at him.

“They're not going to hurt you. I'll make sure of that." Rodge adds.

“Thanks for saving us, but could we just go? On our own, I mean?" A brother asks.

“I'm afraid I must insist..." Rodge's eyes narrow, staring coldly at them.

“Y-yeah, okay. W-we should go with them!" Carol nods her head vigorously.

“Good!" Rodge grins.

Taking Carol's hand, he pulls her to her feet. To her surprise, and the shock of everyone around them, Rodge Rock, the most violent among them, softly apologizes to her. She looks the human over with her sapphire eyes, nodding her head and flashing a little smile. Her brothers are less optimistic, or at least not as good at acting as Carol is. Keeping them surrounded by his men, Rodge directs them to continue their journey toward the rumored abandoned town. Kane keeps the fallen machete for himself.

“What're we doing, man?" Damian asks, leaning closer to his boss.

“April might want them... We're bringing them back, undamaged... Understood?!" Rodge speaks loudly, so that all may hear him.

“Er, sure! Sounds good, doesn't it guys?" Kane looks at the others.

“Right!" The others chirp.

There are no more disagreements. Rodge leads his men, and the mink siblings, deeper and deeper into the woods. With a spring in his step and a smile on his face, he hopes that this will make April happy, and show her that he's just as good as her beloved Grey.

“So, what're you three even doing out here? What's your names anyway." He suddenly asks, glancing back at Carol and her brothers.

“Well, I'm Carol, and this is Sam and Max."

“Why does that sound familiar?" Rodge Rock thinks aloud.

“We were heading for some rumored town; supposed to be abandoned but loaded with stuff." Max interjects.

“I thought those rumors were full of shit." Sam remarks.

“They usually are." Rodge sighs. “But, we're part of a larger group. A caravan heading south, actually. We're just the scouts; there's damn near forty of us back at camp."

“Really?!" Carol gasps, her eyes lighting up.

“Really." Kane nods. “Our leader is a girl named April."

“You follow a girl?" Sam raises a brow.

Carol smacks his chest, giving him an offended glare.

“April's a woman. She ain't no girl." Rodge corrects.

“He wants that pussy." Kane snickers.

“Yeah, like you don't?" Rodge laughs.

“We all do. We just don't want to get shot over it." Kane retorts.

Carol and her brothers seem bothered by the way the men speak of their own female leader. Most of them clearly see her as just a sexual object, but April's power and iron grip on the caravan is what keeps them in line. Damian suddenly leans closer. Carol sees him out of the corner of her eye and leans away, a fearful look on her face.

“Hey... No hard feelings, okay? You're with us now, and we never target our own." He speaks softly, even tenderly.

His tone is jarring, especially when compared to the conversation around them. Walking for about another hour, they exit a patch of forest shrubbery, finding themselves standing alongside an old road. Before them sits a town, just as they'd hoped. However, it's nothing like they were told it would be. Carol, Sam and Max appear heartbroken, while Rodge and his crew were almost expecting the shattered windows and empty buildings that stare back at them. Walking through a parking lot, they view many burned down and crumbling homes, while stores seem to have been looted.

Surprisingly, however, a strip mall alongside the road has a few objects sitting in the windows, as if still on display. With a motion of his hand, Rodge and his crew pick up their pace. Carol and her brothers join them, jogging alongside the men as if they were all part of the same faction; they're just as curious about the stores. Stopping before a building, the sign is faded and several of them cannot read anyway. However, peering through a window they know that it once sold clothes. A female Voeldahn mannequin wears a bizarre looking body suit, as do several others. All of the clothes look futuristic.

Entering the shattered door of “Retro Explosion" they scan the shelves and walls. While most of the clothes have been stolen and the cash register is missing, there are still plenty of clothes on display, much of them for women. Taking a collection of brightly colored, yellow, pink and teal backpacks, they begin indiscriminately stuffing the clothes into them. Carol, Sam and Max all are given packs to carry, and Carol finds a new pair of pants and a pack of panties that she claims for herself. She'll wear them later; she doesn't dare change anywhere near these men. Kane looks around the store, looking for Rodge.

“Rock? Hey, Rodge Rock! Where you at, man?!"

“Over here!"

Kane spins around, finding Rodge standing by the storefront window. With his human feet planted firmly on the platform, he stands before the mannequin, looking it over and tapping a tennis shoe on the felt covered floor. His eyes drink in the statues figure, with ample breasts and a slender waist. The suit covers from ankles to neck, with the majority being an odd and rarely seen blackish-brown color. It looks like the discarded wrappers of old Hershey's candy bars, but with a sheen that hides the brown, depending on the angle with which you look upon it. The belly and breasts of the suit are sheet white, and just as shiny as the rest of it.

The short-cut sleeves are also white, offsetting more of the dark fabric that sits above the breasts, covering the upper chest and clavicle. A cutout, like a wide but short pie wedge, with the point facing toward the feet, reveals considerable cleavage. Matching dark gloves made of the same fabric cover the hands and accommodate well-manicured claws, reaching beyond the elbow. The woman's furry upper arms will be fully exposed, to further offset the suit's colors. A special cutout fits a tail of considerable thickness, allowing a Voeldahn woman of nearly any breed to wear it.

The fact that the mannequin appears to be a kangaroo, a race of Voeldahn with the thickest tail and sturdiest legs, reveals that they designed the suit for any female with a matching body shape. By chance, April's body seems to be a perfect fit; it's similar to the mannequin, but with an even bigger bust and a thinner waist. The bodysuit is made out of a strong but stretchy material that a hanging tag calls a “skin-tight bodysuit; spandex-polyester hybrid". Rodge rests his hands on the shoulders, looking it over intently.

“Uh... What're you doing?" Kane asks, raising a brow.

“I like this..."

“I don't think it's your size, man." Kane chuckles.

“Not for me." Rodge furls his brow. “April would look good in this."

“She'd look good in anything." Kane retorts. “Or nothing." He speaks under his breath.

“Yeah, but especially this... I'm takin' it!"

Without hesitation, he turns the plastic woman, knocks off her head and kicks off her tail, before very carefully peeling her lightweight body out of the suit. He folds it and places it gently into his pack, guarding the garment himself. After looting the store of every article of clothing left behind, they collect Carol, Sam and Max and head back into the parking lot. With cracking asphalt and tall weeds growing randomly, like grotesque, modernist art, they look at the other nearby stores. Opting to stay together, they head into the next, finding a thoroughly looted gun shop.

Unsurprisingly, the store has been thoroughly picked clean, as most of its kind were in the early days after The Ending. Checking the back rooms, Rodge, Kane and Damian examine the destroyed cabinets while the others look for anything of value among the shelves; tools, knives, a loose cartridge or two. The two Voeldahn are disappointed, but Rodge seems quite pleased as he looks to the bare cabinets in the storage area.

“Gotta love pleasant surprises." He remarks,

“You love being disappointed?" Damian raises a brow.

“Nah. We're not leaving empty handed."

“Could've fooled me." Kane murmurs.

“You pricks just aren't looking hard enough!" Rodge chirps.

Heading for the broken cabinet, he begins to push. Attached to a hinge, the cabinet swings away, revealing a small, secret room.

“See?!" Rodge grins from cheek to cheek.

“How'd you know this was here?!"

“About a year ago, I found one of these rare gun stores. Gun stores are few and far between; I guess they didn't like guns before The Ending. Anyway, the room was already open. It was empty, but it got me thinking. These seem pretty common in places like this, so now I'm always looking." Rodge explains.

Stepping into the room, it's merely a small closet. However, in it they find a wealth of ammunition, still in cases and ready for sale, alongside spare parts and semi-automatic firearm magazines. There are no firearms stored inside, however, but the ammunition is easily worth its weight in gold. Without the means to lug it all back, they decide to close the secret door, inform April, and return to the site on their way south.

“Finally, something good!" Kane exclaims with delight.

“Hey... What do you think April's going to do when we get back?" Damian asks.

The men look amongst each other for a moment.

“God damn that fucking idiot!" April growls. “This is why I don't want people leaving! ... Now we're going to be delayed!" She stomps a foot. “Those assholes better have a damn good reason for leaving without telling me..."

A smirking Rodge carries on, heading out of the back room of the gun store and returning to the others.

“I'm sure she'll be pleased. Let's check out the other stores and get back!"

Pacing back and forth before her tent, April's remaining men and the citizens of her little tribe sit and wait. With seven of her men missing, one of them being her best, the caravan is stalled. Seven men is a considerable force for them, and they can't risk leaving without them. Looking into the sky, the sun reaches its zenith.

“Stupid motherfuckers better get back her soon, or I swear I'll-"

“THEY'RE BACK!" A woman shouts, interrupting April's train of villainous thoughts.

Emerging from the woods with new backpacks laden with goods, the seven men return, led by Rodge. Alongside them are three new faces, a trio of mink Voeldahn who share an appearance. Carol watches in shock as Damian, that man who almost raped her, takes a woman into his arms, kisses her and tells her how glad he is to see her again. She scolds him for leaving, but he assures her that they have good news. The fact that Damian has a woman already boggles Carol's mind. April storms up to Rodge, the angriest of looks on her face. From the way he looks to her, Carol knows who she is without anyone having to tell her.

“Where the fuck did you assholes go?! I never gave you permission to leave!" April growls, drawing her Micro-Uzi.

“I'm sorry, but we found you something!" Rodge chirps, wholly unafraid.

“Yeah, I see that. Who're they, and what's in the packs?"

Motioning with a hand, Rodge leads April away, slipping off his pack. Setting it down on a nearby wagon, he unzips the dated backpack, very briefly explaining to her how they discovered Carol and her brothers, as well as the old strip mall. He's careful to omit the part where Carol was nearly brutalized, hoping that April will learn of his deeds some other way and consider him more humble because of it. It's a cunning ploy to win her affection. April is wholly uninterested in the three new mouths to feed, but as soon as he reveals the hidden cache of ammunition and gun parts, her tune changes.

“Ammo, you say?" She speaks in a rather sweet tone, holstering her machine pistol.

“I thought you'd like that. And then there's this!" He says, unfolding the body suit and presenting it to her.

“Oooohh!" Her sapphire eyes light up.

“Well?" He asks, a little grin on his face.

April eyes the bodysuit, drawn to it like a moth to a flame. She turns her eyes toward Rodge, who's clearly trying hard to please her. He's already done much to prove his worth, since she saved him; when they collect the ammo from the hidden cache, he'll have done as much for her tribe as she herself. With her thin lips pressed firmly together, they scrunch before breaking into a faint, amused grin. Her clawed hands take hold of the bodysuit.

“Am I still in trouble?" He asks, giving her an innocent look.

“No... But don't ever run off without telling me again, or I'll skin you alive." She says with a smile.

“Okay. Let me know when you want to mobilize. We should get that ammo as soon as possible."

“I will... Now get out of my sight." She softly chuckles.

Turning and darting off, April holds up the bodysuit, admiring the texture and colors. It'll look wonderful clinging to her splendid body, and it'll even cover the little scar on her right side, though her fur is already beginning to cover it. With a frustrated sigh, she drapes the outfit over her forearm, turning to walk toward her tent.

“Pardon me..." A voice calls out.

Pausing, she turns around. April looks at the speaker, a smile crossing her lips as she eyes their form.

“You're the leader, April?" Carol sheepishly approaches.

“I am, and aren't you a pretty thing!" April gushes.

“Thank you... I... You should know about your men..."

“Yes?" April steps closer.

“They should be better controlled." The woman nervously speaks.

“Oh, I think they're fine." April quickly dismisses her.

“Fi-?... They tried to rape me! ... In front of my little brothers!" The mink's blue eyes well with tears.

“Oh, you poor thing."

April steps closer, resting her free hand on Carol's cheek.

“But who hasn't been raped?" She asks in a sweet voice.

“... Me! Thank God that human stopped them." A shocked Carol replies.

“Really?!" April steps back, a stunned look on her face. “Well, you still haven't been! Lucky..."

“But they still tried..."

“And they still didn't. Find a tent and get some rest. We've got a long road ahead of us, and we'll be leaving soon! Run along now..." April chirps, waving a hand to dismiss the woman.

Returning to her own tent, April enters the canvas structure, setting her new bodysuit aside. Looking at a tall, old mirror with a faded frame, she begins to strip. She slips off her special holster that bears her Micro-Uzi machine pistol, then her Voeldahn boots, vest, blue sweater and then her pants. She stands in only her old black panties, stockings and bra, admiring her own figure. It's exceptional, even for a Voeldahn woman in her very early thirties. Her hands grip her breasts, giving them a squeeze. Peeling off her bra, she then removes her panties as well before suddenly feeling a sadness overwhelming her.

She sits on the cot in her tent, wearing only her stockings and looking into the mirror. From her distance and angle, she can see the empty space beside her, a space that she desperately wishes Grey was occupying. She's certain that Rodge would love to occupy that space, but she's entirely disinterested in him. There's only one man she wants in the world, and she'll keep looking for him. Lying on her oversized cot and ruffling the off-white sheets with her body, she turns her sapphire eyes toward the tent's ceiling, several of her weapons laying strewn about her.

“I wonder where you are, Grey... I really hope you're alright. We're supposed to meet again; you promised." She speaks softly to herself.

Running through the streets of another small town, Monica and Grey turn their firearms on their pursuers. Shell casings smack Grey's side as he fires underneath his raised right arm, while Monica hops backward, shooting her Cobray CM-11 from the hip. The men chasing after them duck down, taking cover as the bullets fly by, looking for a body to burrow into. Her rifle clicking empty, Monica swirls around and picks up her pace.

“Come on! We're almost to the docks!" She says to her lover.

“We're just too popular these days." Grey laughs, swapping his empty magazine for a fresh one.

“Of course, we're a hot couple! ... And you keep budding into people's business." Monica scolds him.

“I don't like Slavers..." Grey grumbles.

“I don't either, but try not to lose your head like that!"

“I'm sorry... You aren't the only one who keeps telling me that." He says, turning his eyes toward the sky.

“Well, start listening. I need you!"

Grey turns his eyes toward Monica, who looks terrified over the prospect of losing him. They've grown so close these past few weeks; he's never had such a close connection to anyone before.

“I'll try, Precious. I need you too."

Monica grins. With their pursuers cowering behind their cover, the human and Voeldahn couple head directly for the docks on the outskirts of town. They've learned that a boatman will take them downriver, cutting the time in their journey by days, or even weeks.