"I think that we could all use a good home cooked meal. And maybe a real shelter over our heads? I was thinking about maybe getting one of the old buildings or houses up and running again. There are still items in the stores and I'm sure a few would have generators. Would anybody be willing to go out on an expedition with me soon?" I say to everyone.

I was pretty sure that everyone would agree. A building would be safer than out in the open in a camp. And with us vampires around to keep watch, the humans would be safe from other infected creatures.

I hear what Eli suggests, but i put my hand on her shoulder.
"Sweetheart, the convoy that pulled up while you were away is from a unit not too far away. They are in a warehouse that has been reinforced really really well. It's safer than the base that we started out in. and they have plenty of room. I'm actually thinking about making a trip out there to check it out." I kiss her on the shoulder and wrap my arm around her. It was nice having her back,

I turn a little so that I could see Ken.
"Does a warehouse have a kitchen?" I argue with him.
"All I want is a kitchen to cook in again. You know how I love to cook. And I'm pretty sure that all the men and women would like real food more than what the military is giving them for rations."

I pause and sigh before continuing.
"And you have to think about us." I motion to Gemini, Felix, and Kaleb. "Do you really think that another unit would take in a group of infected when they have built a place to keep them out? It's too big of a risk for them and you know that."

I sigh. She always had to be a brat.
"So what about everyone else here sweetheart? Some people don't like living out here. I'll look around when I go up there. Maybe we can get a separate place that is actually a house for us all that's not too far from the compound. How does that work?" I waited, I had a feeling that she would have some kind of bratty response to this as well. But that was part of why I loved her so much.

"I think that everyone should have a say in this. If worse comes to worse, then I'll..."
I honestly didn't know what to do. I knew that everyone else wouldn't be so accepting of the others and me as Ken and His general were. We were considered the threat to them.

"We'll figure something out baby. Don't worry. I will find something and we will follow through with it." I always try to keep her happy. I hated seeing her upset. I started trying to figure something out in my head.

"We might just have to leave and find a place for ourselves it it comes to that..." I say to no one in particular.
I kept thinking about going out on my own, if nobody would go with me, to find a suitible place to set up residence. I made a list in my head of things I would need if I were to go.

Later that night, after everyone was asleep, I snuck out into the camp and into the abandoned city. I was careful to stay hidden from stray creatures. Since the city had become abandoned most of the infected didn't bother entering since there usually weren't humans here.
I broke into an old general store and looked around. There wasn't much here but I did manage to find canned food and a few boxes of cookies and other sweets. Canned and packaged foods usually had long shelf-lives which made them perfect for times like these. It seemed like the general store had been pretty cleared out by the other humans on their expeditions so I grabbed what I could and left.
I snuck through the stores and buildings collecting what I could and ended up with a few bags full of stuff. I still had yet to find a suitable building or generator.

Right before I was about to give up for the night I came across a small hotel. It seemed perfect to me. There would be a large kitchen and plenty of room. I studied the buildings around and nearby so that I could find it again If I needed to. After that I turned and headed back to the camp. I walked in the water when I could, in order to keep my scent from being followed.

I arrived back at the camp an hour before daybreak. I hid the bags of supplies and sat down on top of one of the trucks to watch the sun rise.

As I walked on, I could no longer tell the difference between minutes and hours. My mind seemed to be blacking out during my journey, as did my body. I no longer felt my legs, but whenever I broke away from my vacancy and I found myself still walking. It was as if inertia had kept me going towards my destination. Sleepwalking my way toward the Virus City, as I called it, I was awaken by the echo of a gunshot that ricocheted off of the trees. I stopped in my tracks for the first time in God knows how long, and only then did I begin to feel the pain of walking so far and so long. Whirling my body around, I scanned the area to see where the source of the noise was. I couldn't tell how long I stood there, to fearful to move anything. My skin leaped off of my bones at the sounding of another gunshot and a ear-splitting screech, that resembled the streaking of a tire. Someone shouted something... and there was a reply.
I was convinced that all of the noises were in my head until I saw something below my feet. Kneeling down to it, I brushed some grasses, roots, branches off of it. I soon saw the glimmer of yellow. Elsa stirred in her sleep and tightened her grasp around my chest. I let out a surprised grunt and raised myself. What I was standing on was a road. A man made road. Excitement and anxiety set my heart off and I began running forward, into the road. The weakness of my legs was no match against my adrenaline rush as I sprinted through the trees and bushes.
It wasn't long before I burst through the Godforsaken woods and found myself in the outskirts of Virus City. What I saw before me was a completely ironic contradiction; the merging of the forest and city. The roads had a blanket of green covering it thus far, and plants and roots growing through the cracks in the roads. Various automobiles were scattered haphazardly around the outer city, some capsized and beat up. The majority were abandoned on the roads in rows of traffic. I could see the images in my head of people anxiously waiting in their cars to get their families and possessions so that they could get the hell out of there. Of course, a pandemic would obviously cause reckless driving.
As I walked, my eyes scanned upward I saw that several tall skyscrapers had a the upper part of their bodies disintegrating. In several areas, the suburb houses were diminished to ash by fires. The images of people fleeing from the conflagrations consuming their homes was burning into my mind as I continued on through the city. Seeing this as a safe haven was a foolish hope. It was a Virus City, so it was no safer than out in the wilderness. At least here, Elsa and I would have something to hide behind.
"Elsa," I whispered, nudging her face with my shoulder. "We're here."

I awoke and decided to keep going. I had heard of a city full of infected creatures. I'd be welcome there. I started running through the forest towards my destination.

i waited with kaleb for eli to come back.i was anxious,because no one else knew she left. "kaleb,im tired." then go to sleep. "but,what if eli comes back? i want to make sure she's ok..." dont worry,im sure she's fine.and ill wake you up if i see her. "well...i guess-yawn-i guess i-" and i was asleep in kaleb's lap before the sentece was finished.

((sorry for posting so late, or early... just got home from working and watching 2 movies. lol. the princess and the frog might scare little sids, but avatar in 3D is AWESOME!!!))

The golden glow of the Sun rose above the horizon turning the sky pastel colors. The orange of the sun gave way to pinks and purples that faded into the dark blue of the waning night sky.
I used to sit and watch the sun rise when I was still human, I always loved the colors of the morning over the colors of the comming night. But that was before the outbreak happened and I was usually sitting beside Ken, sipping on a mug of hot tea. Now I was lucky to even catch a glimpse of the morning. I would have to go inside soon or the bright sun would hurt my sensitive eyes.

I had fallen asleep not long after talking to Eli. I had went back to the tent, closed the flap that lead to where I was, and laid down on the cot. It felt good to get a decent nights sleep. I woke up, not wanting to get out of the covers that I had. I slowly dragged myself out of the cot and I shook myself awake. I got dressed, and then opened up the window flaps and the door flap of the office. Sky came in and wished me a good morning and then left again. She was doing a good job with this understudy position. She would go out and walk around the camp, checking on everything that needed to be done, and then she would report it to me before the end of the day, or at least thats how we wanted it to work out. I had to get after her a few times though, for having her weapon on semi or bust instead of safe. The first time i caught her doing that she said that it would be alright becuase she never put her finger on the trigger. After a 15 min session on what could happen with a weapon on semi or bust, she didn't use that excuse again. I decided that I would bring Eli in the office later, I wanted to talk to her, face to face, just her and I.

The colors had faded and I decided that it was about time to go inside. I stood up, jumped down from the top of the truck I had been sitting on, and went inside the tent.
The first thing I saw was Gemini asleep on Kaleb's lap. It looked like she had planned on waiting for me to get back once she noticed that I was gone. Kaled had dozed off as well so I snuck around them.
I lay down on one of the beds and quickly fell asleep. The whole night out scavenging for supplies and staying up to watch the sunrise had really worn me out.

After Running for awhile I made it to the outskirts of town. It was morning so no one was around. It seemed deserted, but I knew better then to expect that. Looking around I noticed something moving in the basment of a house. I ignored it and raced on.

Cat went to investigate the strange smell and found the trail of a female vampiric humanoid. The woman had passed by not too long ago, heading out of the woods. Curious, she dithered over whether to follow her or not. Vampires and werecreatures had always been enemies in stories, but this was real and not exactly like as story. They were creations of a new virus, not all-seeing creatures of the night that had existed for decades.

To kill time while she made her decision, Cat stalked a deer. She kept downwind of it so as not to alert it to her presence with her scent. A few moments later and she was within pouncing distance. Three... two... one...

Cat pounced, full of primal instincts as she let her wolf personality take over to dispatch the deer. Later, she became aware of herself again. The deer had vanished and she felt rather full and satisfied. Looking down at her top, she saw how bloodstained it was, growled in disgust and changed it for a new one that was exactly the same. She then washed the bloodied one in a nearby stream while she had the opportunity before storing it in her bag.

Picking up her things once more, Cat made up her mind to follow the woman and to talk to her if possible.

when i woke up,the sun was directly in my eyes."aaahhh! my eyes! im blind!" i jumped up,stepping on kaleb as i did. hn? ak! gemini,gem,calm down! here,let me see... he grabbed my hands and gently pulled them down,,then kissed my eyelids."ah...that feels better.thank you." i hugged him. not a problem,love.now,how about we go see about breakfast? "that sounds great.i wonder if eli's back yet..." i wonder if they have anything to cator twords a vampiric diet. i giggle,even though i know hes partly serious.

(Holy crap... i missed like 5 pages, sorry)

Eli had woken up. But Ember was gone. I exited the medic camp without a glance. My eyes had darkened, I doubted that they would ever be the same again. I couldnt find Ember's scent. It was impossible. I lost it. I went to the bench, that was in the middle of the camp. I sat down. I stayed there.

I did nothing but think. My father had told me to hold on to the ones I loved, but I didnt have anyone like that now. My eyes darkened even more, at the thought. What would I do...

I would protect her, I would kill off the zombies. The Lycans... The humans...

((does she want to be found? cause i kind of want to see where this leads,and even see whatever town everyone seems to keep ending up in))
i suddenly felt the presence of dark thoughts.i went twords them,paying no attention to kaleb,who was following me and trying to find out where i was going.i came across the hybrid man sitting on a bench."excuse me? are you ok? you're ember's friend,right? look,dont be upset.i think she was upset about something,something that happened while she was with the lycans,and she got scared and ran.she didnt leave you,ok? what you need to do is find her and assure her that whatever it is,its ok.ill even go with you,if you want." kaleb caught up to me,and heard what i said. i agree.ill help,too.i know what its like to think you've lost someone close to you.

Two of the vampires, one by the name of Gemini and the other Kaled, tryed to comfort me. They stood in front of me for five minutes. "I know exactly why she left. I know what I'm going to do. No I dont want my help, and you dont want to help me." At least, when you figure out my plans, you wont want to.

"ok,thats fine if you dont want my help,but i hope you know that i came here because i heard your thoughts.i can read minds,wether i want to or not,and your dark thoughts all but screamed out to me.im warning you,you had better not harm anyone here.i dont particularly care about the zombies or lycans,but you will leave the humans alone!" gemini,enough.let him be,and if he doesnt heed your warning,you can show him how serious we are. "hmph.fine,but he doesnt stand a chance against a pureblood like you.and besides,i dont want to hurt him,i want to help im.you say you know why she left,but do you really? tell me,why is it you think shes gone?"

Shouting outside the tent woke me and I went out to see what the comotion was all about.
"What's going on you guys?"
I came up just as Gemini asked Felix why he tought Ember left. I lower my head and take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. I look back up at Felix, Gemini, and Kaleb.

"Ember had her own reasons for leaving. When I got her back from the lycan camp it seemed like she didn't even want to be around me, or any other vampires for that matter. If something happened while she was there then there is nothing we can do about it."

I lay a hand on Felix's shoulder and smile gently to him. I knew how much he cared for Ember.

"She had a lot on her mind ever since she came back. The lycans told her that we had given up looking for her and she lost her hope in us. Everybody deals with their problems differently. Ember seems to be the type to run from them instead of facing them head on and taking care of them once and for all. She'll come back when she's ready."
I felt a little unsure about the last part but I kept that small bit of hope in my heart that she would.

Sky had been walking around camp for a while when she found Eli talking to Gemini, Kaleb, and Felix. She walked up and tapped Eli on the shoulder.
"Sergeant Hemora needs to see you later. He didn't say when he just said later today." She nodded to the others, and walked away.

i looked slightly annoyed."eli,you dont know what he was thinking.i cant let him do the things he thought of!" easy,gemini.though,i would like to knw exactly what it is he was going to do that made you so upset. "trust me,no you dont.but mabey sergeant hemora would." i looked around."eli,when you go see him,could you pass on a message?"

After Sky walks away I look over my shoulder to the medical tent, towards where Ken was and then back to everyone.

"I wanted to talk to you about something... I was thinking about finding a building in the abandoned town a few miles away and making it into a living space for all of us, us and the humans here as well, but Ken didn't agree with me. He plans on moving the medical camp to a safer base set up not to far away from here. I don't think the humans there will welcome or accept us like the people here did. I would like to know if you would be willing to take the risk and go to the base with Ken or move into the abandoned town."

this shocked me into silence.another base? "theres no way they would accept us anywhere but here.but,the sound of an abandoned town...it sounds kind of adventurous.i like it.we could make a life of our own,live in peace away from others.and,if everyone chips in,we could farm our own food and everything.im really good at growing things!" i agree,t sounds fun.sure,there will be dangers at first,but as long as we all work together,its nothing we cant handle.ah,to have a house to live in,even raise a family. he looked at me.i blushe a color i didnt even know vampires could turn."w-well,its a yes for us."