They had been walking for a while, setting up shop for the nights and then walking the day away. They repeated that cycle everyday, scavenging whatever little remains they could in small store on the way. It was winter, they hadnt showered for a week since they last found a place with running water. Cassie had gone back to her usual self, so had Ellie.
They where still mourning but they understood that this was life, they where going to loose people. All three of them dressed in winter coats took shelter in an old couples cbain, Ellie and Cassie instructed to stay upstairs while Joel did the talking.
"he didnt hurt me by the way" The lady said, still unmoving from the chair she was sat in
"yeah i got eyes" The man replied, sitting down "you made him soup?"
"yeah, i did" and it was bloody brilliant soup too, Cassie and Ellie greddily ate while camping out upstairs "its cold out"
"im looking for my brother" Joel stated
"well i aint seen him"
"i havent told you what he looks like" The two conversed back and forth a bit before the woman told her husband that Joel had two girls with him
"can we come down" Ellie called, the two girls now standing up to peer over the balcony. They didnt, obviously, listen to Joel's 'no' and instead ran down the stairs. Both with their guns in their hands.
"what did i just say" Joel scolded the girls
"Joel, come on, theyre like a thousand" Ellie scoffed
"yeah i could outrun them" Cassie squinted her eyes as she looked over the couple
"who are these little psychos" the older man asked Joel who dismissed him and placed down the map "if youve got a map then why are ya lost?"
"mustve missed all the street signs in the enormous fucking forest" Ellie quipped back
"ho-ly" The man joked with his wife, Joel then interrogated the man, Cassie zoning them out and looking over the small cabin the couple called home. Home, it even felt like one which was rare in the apocalyptic world they were in. Small artifacts from their lives together littered on any empty space. Cozy and warm despite the snow surrounding it. Cassie craved a place she could call home.
"anywhere people used to be, you cant go there no more" Cassie caught the man saying as she zoned back into the conversation, taking a seat beside ellie on the small sofa
"so you havent heard the name tommy" Joel questioned
"nope" The man shook his head
"the fireflies? have you heard about them?" Cassie asked the man, crossing her arms
"we get those in the summer" The wife states
"not the bugs, the people" Ellie confirmed sarcastically
"there are firefly people?" The couple then laughed between themselves
"you got any advice on the best way west?" Joel turned towards the man
"yeah" The man nodded, leaning towards the map "go east but never go past the river here. Ever"
"whats past the river" Ellie asked curiously
"death" The lady spoke, both girls turning to her with wide eyes "we never seen whos out there but we see the bodies they leave behind. Some infected, some not. If your brothers west of the river, hes gone"
"well, thats reassuring isnt it" Cassie comments making Ellie gently smack her shoulder in warning
"your not gonna scare us" Ellie adds
"scared him" The lady signalled to Joel, the two just laughed urging Joel to pack up and rush out of the cabin, the two girls quickly following him
"you dont seriously belive them" Ellie asked joel as they shut the door
"theyve lived here a long time" Joel told the girls, Ellie grabbing a dead rabbit from the hooks beside the door "put that back
"they dont know anythign" Ellie exclaimed, the girls jogging to catch up to Joel. Cassie hugging her coat closer to herslef, trying to block out the cold
"i mean, how havent they heard of the fireflies" Cassie adds. Suddenly Joel grabs onto a wooden pole, clutching at his chest and his breathing heavy. Ellie started panicking, starting to rush towards the man but cassie held her back, she knew a panic attack when she saw it. Having experienced many of her own back in the QZ, she knew it was best to let Joel be and speak to his quietly. At least, thats what worked on her.
"joel are you okay?" Ellie freaked, slowly walking closer. Cassie shushed her whilst joel let out a quiet 'shut up' "holy shit are you dying?"
"ellie" Cassie said quietly, holding her shoulder as Joel shook his head and let the girl know hes okay.
"no, no but are you because just a reminder that if your dead me and Cass are fucked" Ellie worried, Cassie just let out a groan
"els, hes okay, give hima minute yeah" Cassie told the girl, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the man, giving him a minute to breath. She urged the girl to walk before turning to joel "we'll walk ahead, catch up to us when your ready okay?"
"okay" Joel nodded, the two girls walking a bit away from him, it wasnt long before the man caught up to them."
"i dont know if i love or hate snow" cassie commented, kicking at the powdery material under her feet as they walked "i mean, its so pretty and everything looks so bright but its cold and i feel like i might die of hypothermia"
"your mental Cass" Ellie laughed, rolling her eyes playfully at the girl. In retaliation, Cassie shoved ellie making the girl tumble into the deep snow. "cassie! oh my god im going to murder you"
"sure you are els" Cassie laughed at the girl who was now covered head to toe in snow
"help me up dick" Ellie groaned, holding her hand out. Cassie rolled her eyes and grabbed Ellies hand, a big mistake on the blondes behalf as the next thing she knew, she was tumbling into the snow beside the girl
"your such a bitch Ellie" the girl screamed, Ellie knew it was a playful insult. What she didn't know, nor expect, was the pile of snow being smushed into her face curtesy of Cassie.
"you two will be the death off me" Joel mumbled under his breath
"you love us" Cassie joked, jumping up from the snow and shaking the remnants off, Ellie doing the same as they continued on their treck to find Joel's Brother,
sorry for going MIA college and work has been stressful lmao but im going to try to upload more!!
Below is what im picturing for Cassie's winter outfit