An Impervious Few // KateLena Apocalypse AU

Highway Anxiety

On the first day, both women were too tense to speak.

Not two miles out from Kate's camp did they spot a group of heavily armed Widows on patrol. Frightened, Kate and Yelena hunkered down in the brush until the group passed with their web tattoos and their assault rifles. Despite the scare, the Widows seemed to be on a typical sweep instead of a targeted manhunt, but seeing the faces of her former comrades only made Yelena more determined.

After that, Kate wordlessly demonstrated how to move more inconspicuously through the trees, stepping more sideways and on her toes. Yelena followed the advice, moving more adeptly and quietly than before. As a Widow, she hardly ever bothered with stealth outside of certain missions. Being part of a group, a notorious and feared group at that, she had the luxury of walking tall and proud, chest puffed out and patches showing the world how dangerous she really was. She could barge in, gunsling and showboat, knowing she had tens of sister behind her.

Now, on the other side of the wolf pack, as the prey instead of a member, it was terrifying. Any crunching misstep in the forest may be enough to tip the Widows off; any heavy footfall may leave an incriminating print. She wished she could have travelled all night, but that would be testing fate, begging for a broken ankle whilst stumbling through the shrouded wood.

Yelena only reluctantly halted travel to set up camp at sundown. Finding a relatively well hidden place with low shrubbery and a boulder at their backs, Yelena set out her blanket to cover up in only to hand it over to her companion, who looked more like a lost puppy than a girl. Shivering and droopy eyed, Kate unconvincingly promised to take first watch, though fell asleep a half hour in. It was no matter, though, as Yelena sat sleepless for the entire night, pistol drawn and finger on the trigger.

On the second day of travel, Kate roused slowly, not used to being on anyone's schedule but her own. She fumbled around, gathering her jacket as the sun peaked above the horizon, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes as they resumed their path in the tree line nearest the highway.

"How's your head?" Kate asked softly after a few silent miles of walking. "I'm not asking that to be a dick."

Yelena glanced back at the woman trudging a few paces behind her. Normally, she would never let anyone have a clear strike at her back like this, but with Kate...

"It's fine," she responded, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "Like I said, good form."

Kate only hummed, and at the distanced look in her eye, Yelena dropped back to walk in step with her. Always evaluating, calculating, assessing, Yelena eyed the girl next to her. Kate Bishop was a good four or five inches taller, but much skinnier. She had not had the privilege of eating hearty Widow cafeteria meals, nor the gym facilities to build muscle. Still, though, she was strong in her own right, in the wiry sort of way that thin people often were.

Her clothes were expectedly tattered from years in the forest, though she was overall well kept. Her brown leather jacket was worn, with both elbows rubbed threadbare. Underneath, she sported a red and black flannel and a white undershirt which she had probably not removed for years. Her pants, which looked to be a sort of khaki painter's pant, were ripped in one knee. The only respectable part out her outfit were her sturdy brown work boots, which Yelena was sure had left a print on the side of her face.

"How long were you out there?" Yelena asked, eyes returning to the road, constantly flitting back and forth on the lookout for Widows. "In the woods, I mean."

Kate took a while to respond. Her gaze was solely on the ground, focus honed in to keep her bad leg from dragging and tripping her. "Three years, give or take. You know how time moves now."