Harsh wind battered against Jasper's back, the grasses surrounding them whipping to and fro. The sky was darkened, unpleasant. Rain pattered against the ground, making the biting chill in the air even worse. He hoped the weather would start to warm up soon--but first, he hoped the storm would calm down a bit. Dealing with biters at their border was hard enough without rain making it harder to see and the ground easier to slip on. Already he could feel mud filling in the gaps of his combat boots, becoming more and more difficult to pick up some sort of traction. Gripping his tire iron harder in his hand, Jasper made sure to keep a tight hold on it.
Thankfully, Jasper hadn't been put in charge of the patrol this time. Maybe it was for his lack of willingness to leave the house. He was bound to be at least a bit distracted, thinking of Killian as always. His mind wouldn't rest until Cohen gave him a definite confirmation for the younger man's recovery. "Think he'll be alright?" Jasper was surprised to hear Casimir asking. The man had been walking beside Jasper for the majority of the patrol, almost as if he was working up the courage to ask.
Tilting his head to the side Jasper replied carefully, "Well, why do you ask?" He turned back to peer through the onslaught of heavy rain. Thunder rolled in the distance, sending a rippling shudder up his spine. Jasper definitely did not appreciate that sound, or the flashes of lightning across the dull sky. "You and Killian aren't particularly fond of one another, last time I checked." Jasper was careful to keep his tone neutral. He didn't want to start an argument with Casimir, but at the same time he couldn't see why the hunter would care.
"The group is getting hard to feed." Casimir retorted sharply. "Samantha and I can feed the group for only so long. We were short of people since Dominick died, now with that asshole injured we can barely keep up." Jasper's jaw clenched when Casimir described Killian in a not-so-favorable use of words, but to be fair, Killian wasn't exactly the nicest person. It would only make sense for his rival to think negatively about him. "What Samantha and I need is a good hunter who can help us track down a deer. That'll keep us fed for a few days so we can catch up with hunting."
What Casimir said made at least some bit of sense. Jasper hadn't known was to expect when Killian's rival started asking about him. He scorned himself for feeling so defensive, even when he didn't think Casimir was being particularly aggressive. Deep down he knew part of his reluctance to that question had been the question of why Casimir was asking about Killian. Why anybody would be asking about Killian in the first place. Possessiveness was something Jasper had struggled with in the past and it looked like it was creeping up on him yet again. "I'm not sure I'd be a good candidate," Jasper replied, "I'm not exactly the most graceful. Maybe take Harley with you, he seems like the quiet type."
Nodding curtly, Casimir ran a hand through his hair. The boy's nose wrinkled, "I'm not exactly fond of new people," You don't say, Jasper thought. "But I suppose if I brought anybody along, Harley might be one of the best choices."
Somebody like Casimir didn't strike Jasper as a hunter. Of course, not judging a book by its cover would have probably been the best thing to do, but there was just something about the other man that didn't fit into place. He seemed to rely more on his smarts than his strength--Killian did the same, but Killian was much slighter in size and build than Casimir. When the man had first showed up, he looked more than reluctant to eat the food he'd been given as well, while everybody else had scarfed it down without a second thought. "So," Jasper inquired, "How did you become a hunter anyways?"
There was a strange sort of twitch in Casimir's left eye as he heard the question. It wasn't a tic that happened often, but Jasper had learned to recognize it as a sign of immense annoyance. "That's none of your business," He muttered under his breath. There was an awkward silence where Jasper debated whether or not he should have asked, until Casimir continued, "But if you must know, my father used to take me on these trophy hunting trips. It'd usually be the wilder type of animals. Lions, tigers. Things like that."
Deciding that it was better to keep silence judgement to himself, Jasper just tightened his grip around the cold metal of his tire iron. Of course he hadn't thought of Casimir being one of the rich types, but at the same time it didn't surprise him. The man was a bit of a snob, Jasper had long decided. But that didn't mean he was completely bad. Jasper had a sneaking suspicion that Casimir wasn't the one who decided what kind of vacation trips he would take with his father, but it still made him less fond of the man than he already was. "I've never been a hunter per se," Jasper offered, "But I'd wager I could take something down if I had to. Would still feel a bit guilty about it though."
"You were in the military though. Don't they sort of train that kind of stuff out of you?" Casimir snorted.
Biting back a more aggressive reply, Jasper managed a curt but tense response. "Shooting a person who'd trying to kill you and your brothers in arms is a lot different than shooting an innocent animal that's done you no harm," He muttered. "Just because it was part of my job didn't mean I enjoyed it either," He added bitterly. "But when you've got weapons pointed at you, all you're thinking is for you to live at the end of the day, the other guy can't."
Casimir parted his lips to respond, but thought better of what he was going to say. Instead of adding on to the conversation, he closed his mouth and continued to glare ahead. Jasper could feel the cold silence growing between them, suggesting an end to their mild attempt at polite conversation.
Not being able to take the uncomfortable silence, Jasper carefully made his way around Casimir. Passing Keagan and Wilson, he reached Darren at the head of the small group. The silence was now much more comfortable. Keagan and Wilson were exchanging soft words, while Casimir seemed content on keeping an eye on their surroundings. Darren was almost eerily casual, walking through the fog with no weapon at the immediate ready. "So," Darren began, "Ever since Killian wound up injured, you two have been spending a lot of time together." A sly smile crept across Darren's lips, "Is there something you're not telling me, my dear Jasper?"
Jasper cleared his throat, feeling a gradual warmth on his cheeks. It was strange, how nobody else managed to embarrass him except for his own best friend, only in private conversation. "There's nothing to tell." He managed. Already he knew there was no use lying to Darren. The man could sniff out lies like a bloodhound with a fresh trail.
"Bullshit," Darren replied bluntly. still with a smile. "Look man, I'm your best friend. Honestly still don't know how, but anything people have noticed has only been them joking about a serious bromance going on between the two of you. Nothing more." He shrugged, "Not going to butt in on your personal life. Just wondering--how do you get along so well?"
There was a very long pause as Jasper took the time to think Darren's question over. Just how did they get along so well, exactly? After contemplating his answer for a while he began, "I think I just ran into him at the right time." He admitted. "When I found him, he'd been stabbed in the gut. He would have died if I didn't save him." No matter how hard he tried, Jasper couldn't hold back a chuckle before he continued. "When he woke up, the first thing he did was punch me. Then he tried to stab me." Then, his voice became more solemn again. "He was vulnerable I think. Malnourished, for one. Could barely walk without help, needed assistance with his wound. So it built up some trust. We didn't have a choice but to depend on one another to be there, no matter how reluctant he was."
The conversation ended with a satisfied silence, although Darren had shot Jasper a suggestive glance. Jasper knew his tone--the warmth in his voice as he talked about Killian--would be easily picked up by his best friend. Running a hand through the tuft of hair on his head, Jasper couldn't help but be anxious to return home, hopefully with chamomile in hand. The herb was the only thing keeping Killian's fever down. Jasper wasn't sure exactly if the younger man's leg was infected with something or if the fever was from actual sickness. Regardless, it was a relief that Killian was still snappy with just about anybody who talked with him. The day the abrasive young man mellowed out was the day Jasper would be seriously concerned.
A soft growl from the tall grass immediately stopped the patrol in their tracks. Jasper could feel his pulse immediately quicken, tightening in his chest uncomfortably. The growl was so low that he'd barely heard it, but it was a deep bass that shook his bones. He could almost feel it. Casimir was the first to take action, knocking an arrow onto the string of his bow. He didn't pull back yet, but he was prepared. Jasper could see Darren's hand immediately moved towards his waist, where the holster of a handgun was. Keagan and Wilson moved closer to one another, preparing their weapons as well. Why Tom had let Keagan come along on the patrol was beyond Jasper. She wasn't exactly known for handling stressful situations well.
It was tempting for Jasper to prompt, 'Did anybody hear that?' But as he glanced at the others, they were already prepared for a fight. There would be no use in asking when it was such an obvious answer--not to mention the possibility of putting everybody in danger. Another growl, this one more gurgle-y, rippled from behind the group. From the fog, Jasper could make out the shape of a biter stumbling towards them. Its head was raised, sniffing the air, blind eyes glossed over and unblinking. The creature's head jerked in different directions, almost birdlike in its movements. Every single sound prompted a new twitch as it tried to pinpoint where its next victim was.
The biter from behind the group was much stranger than anticipated. It was gangly, almost skeletal. Long limbs crept it across the ground with jerky and swift pounces. He'd never seen such a horrific biter before. Its eyes were sunken into its skull, almost completely hidden. The creature's lower lip twitched unnaturally, head cocking to the side as it listened. A rippling growl traveled through its throat, the tone reaching up and down like a roller coaster. Whatever this thing was, it was beyond dangerous. As soon as Darren moved his hand to grasp his gun, the biter's head snapped towards him, a more aggressive, high-pitched squeal leaving its broken jaw. It immediately leapt towards Darren, stopping right in front of him. The creature crept slowly, barely an inch away from the man's foot.
With another rumbling growl, the other biter dropped to the ground as well. It wasn't as skinny in shape, not moving as quickly as the other. It's limbs were stiff and slow, face half rotted away. Jasper barely resisted the urge to gag as he saw flesh peeled away from its face, dangling away from the bone. Muscle and sinew strung away from its lower jaw, where its lips were ripped to shreds and its mouth exposed. Part of its nose had torn off, even the bone shaved down. The creature's face was grotesque and distorted, as if it had been hit with a blunt object but hadn't died completely. It could have been the reason for its clumsy, poor attempts at navigating its way around, almost rabidly unstable.
With his breath caught in his throat, Jasper could feel his lungs slowly running out of air. There had never been any other biters he'd encountered like this. Whatever these things were, they were much deadlier than anything he'd seen. His heart hammered in his chest, muscles stiffened so tense that it hurt. His knees locked him in place, eyes widened and shifting from one biter to the next. Darren's whole body remained still, staring straight ahead, not daring to look down at the creature so close to him. The monster's jaw opened and snapped shut several times, as if tasting the air for any sign of prey. It must have picked something up, because before he could react, it screeched and launched itself towards Darren.
Casimir pulled back the arrow in his bow and immediately let it fly. Darren's breathing was hard, his face contorted into an expression of sheer terror. The arrow flashed past Jasper, barely missing his legs. Lodging itself through the bottom jaw of the creature, it whipped its head around towards the person who dared to have injured it. With its attention now locked on a new target, it forgot all about Darren and bolted straight towards its moving prey without hesitation. Casimir pulled back another arrow into the bow faster than Jasper had seen a trained soldier reload a gun. This time, he didn't miss. The arrow lodged itself right into its skull. The impact knocked the creature backwards, landing on its back, almost hidden by the tall grass.
"Everybody-" Wilson's call was cut off with a terrified scream as another creature leapt out from the fog, tackling him to the ground. Before anybody could help, it bit down and ripped into his stomach. A shriek of unbridled agony pierced the air, so loud it hurt Jasper's ears. A ripple of chills ran down his spine as Jasper froze in place, staring in complete shock and horror as he watched this creature rip Wilson limb from limb, tearing into his body with no remorse. The other biter immediately reacted, clumsily scrambling over and chomping down on Wilson's throat. A sickening bubble of gushing blood leaked from the young man's mouth, his teeth baring with the absolute horror of the situation. A sickening crunch ended the man's life as the creature crushed his windpipe.
"Holy shit," Casimir said shakily, his stomach clenching and heaving as he vomited. Keagan let out a hysterical scream, immediately latching onto Jasper's arm. Tears streamed down from her eyes, body shaking.
Darren was frozen in place, eyes glazed over, lips parted with shock. Jasper could see more biters leaping onto the corpse. He watched as the gangly one suddenly turned on the clumsy biter, grabbing onto its head and violently slamming it against the ground, ripping into the flesh on its face. The clumsy one fell to the side, limps flailing. A few others joined in on the extra meal, scratching ravenously at its eyes. Crushing its skull, the gangly biter began to strip the remaining flesh from its face. Two biters backed away from the fresh kill, almost as if they were aware of the sudden danger, and turned back to Wilson's corpse.
Not waiting another second, Jasper reached towards Darren's side and retrieved the gun, clicking a bullet into place and aiming. To his surprise, Casimir recovered and unsteadily straightened his posture, knocking another arrow into his bow and shooting the biters crowded around Wilson's disemboweled body. As he quickly found his targets, Jasper managed to take out the four monsters swarming over the fresh kill. He didn't blame Keagan and Darren for freezing in place. Part of him wanted to as well. Another biter broke through the fog towards Jasper. He swiftly used his tire iron, swinging as hard as possible. Catching the creature in the temple, he watched its skull cave in and the creature drop dead. Casimir's aim was efficient, taking out one more that was headed towards Darren.
Heaving for breath, Jasper's body shook from the adrenaline in his veins. "We need to get out of here. Now."
"I'll carry Keagan," Casimir said as he strapped his bow to his back, lifting the young woman off of her feet and securing her firmly against his chest. Keagan shut her eyes tight, pressing her face against the man's neck with a terrified and shaky, pitiful whimper. Nodding towards Darren, Casimir quickly added, "You've got-"
"Run," Darren said shakily, taking a single step backwards. He shook his eyes, blinking a few times. "Jasper, help me. I can't...I can't think."
"Grab my hand, I'll get us out of here." Jasper wrapped his hand around Darren's wrist, holstering the gun on his own hip, not wanting to risk the chance of Darren doing something drastically idiotic out of sheer terror and desperation. Gripping his tire iron hard in his hand, Jasper started towards the vague direction of the farmhouse.
Jasper half-guided half-dragged Darren as swiftly as he could. Casimir stayed just ahead, eyes narrowed and focused. Jasper forced himself to move faster. He could have sworn he heard the rapid thumping of quick steps behind them. His mouth felt dry, throat burning and lungs begging for air. His stomach jolted, churning sickeningly, urging him to keel over and vomit. Forcing his legs to move faster, Jasper hauled his best friend behind him, dragging him violently through the long grass. Soon, they broke through the rough terrain and emerged into a shorter yard.
Through the silent air Casimir yelled out, "Get the fucking door open!" Alarmed faces emerged from the house. Aubrey pulled open the door to the farmhouse, and Jasper could see the flash of fear on her face. Casimir stumbled on the steps, panting hard. To his surprise, Killian limped out of the house and grabbed Casimir by the back of the shirt, hauling him inside with the help of Tom. Jasper threw Darren into the house, tossing himself in a split second later as a heavy thump landed right next to him. A hand grabbed onto his ankle, and he jerked his foot back, slamming it into the biters face. Scrambling into the farmhouse on his hands and knees, he laid on the floor as Aubrey slammed the door behind them.