Ruins A.G.A. 2nd Novel in the Ruinsaga series

Chapter 19 .

Lily

We tried to be quiet at first as we crept along the streets. Except Gunnor didn't have to try, he just was quiet. And the weres could have been silent if they had wanted to, but Mason was purposely walking loudly. He even broke out into song.

Before any of us could tell him to shut up, groaning started from the side streets all around us. Zombies rushed at us from different connecting streets, ran through yards, burst out of windows. We were surrounded by snarling, groaning zombies in a matter of mere moments.

All of the weres shifted easily. It was our first glance to see the werefelines in their feline forms. Their fur was short. Zoe's fur was a deep black with spots of gold similar in size to a jaguar's. Callie's fur was a dark brown also with the spots of gold. The shapes of their faces were also similar to jaguars, but their canines were longer. Somewhere in between a jaguar's and a saber-toothed tiger's.

Gunnor disappeared first amid the mass of zombies that was running towards us. The weres broke off in different directions. The werecats took on the group coming at us from the left. Alex went to the group on the right while Mason and Elsie took the group behind us.

The chorus of groaning zombies, the flash of their teeth and the green in their pupils made a shiver go down my spine. As fast as Gunnor and the weres were, some zombies still broke through. Hunter and Grace used their bows and arrows to take out a few of them. Arthur's arrows soon joined them. His arrows hit their mark every time. I had to admit he was good and not just for a kid. He was good compared to anyone.

The weres didn't simply break the necks of the oncoming zombies. There would be a pause in the blurs as the weres momentarily became visible. They ripped off zombie heads and let the heads and bodies tumble to the ground in a bloody mess. Occasionally a zombie limb would go flying in the air followed by a head.

The brief moments when Gunnor would appear, his fingers were bloody, his fingernails extended like sharpened claws. He didn't bite into the zombies, but his canines were extended as they were when he killed those humans. His eyes glowed red. He would sever the spinal column at the back of the neck with one quick swipe of his hand. Sometimes he would tear their heads off completely. Other times his fist would crash into the skulls.

More zombies broke through as Dr. Higgins and Darren joined the others with their bows and arrows. I stood shoulder to shoulder to Tanner. He had his bat ready in case any zombies got too close. I had my ax ready. Richard took out his knife and watched the crowd of zombies carefully in case any got too close. Monica at first took out her gun. She looked at it for a moment then at the blur of the weres before she put the gun away. She took out her knife instead.

Zombies died, but more zombie groans from other streets joined the chorus. Soon more zombies were running on our street drawn by the noise and the zombie groans.

The others continued to shoot with their bows and arrows. I worried that we would run out of arrows. That store Hunter first brought us to was nearby. It might be a good time to restock either before or after we confronted the venefici. It might have to be after as the store was directly across from the RU in? cafe. The venefici might know we are there by the time we get there. I also wondered if all the zombie groans were drawing the attention of the venfici. We were still far enough away from their cafe that I hoped not.

Several zombies got through from Alex's side. He howled either in warning or frustration I wasn't sure. I wasn't up to date on my werewolf howls. Hunter, Grace and Arthur shot one each while Darren and Dr. Higgins continued to fire into the other groups of zombies.