Life After the Cataclysm - Chapter 3

Kade walked silently putting back to them his hand on the hilt of the dagger trying to hide the pain he was in Zack was trying to surface forcefully and it was having a go at the barrier between them. Straining to pull the dagger out Kade decided it was fair enough he could have his body back he had a moments fun but Kade was getting thirsty in that little head of Zack’s as he withdrew. The red leaking away from his eyes turning back to thier normal grey he walked over to the two giving a weak smile to them both. “Sorry about that Sin.” Laughing genuinely at the thought of the position they had been in together there...he seriously hoped this wasn’t just an extension onto a dream with Kade playing the puppeteer of his dreams as always.

Sin turned and looked at Zack.....she peered into his eyes, making sure that Kade had retreated and this was indeed Zack. A tear streaked down her cheek and she raised her hand to his cheek, having to stretch as he was so tall. Behind her, Kaelan got to her feet and gave Zack an apologetic smile before walking away from them to give them some privacy or as much as one could in the small room.

Sin continued to look at Zack, another tear streaking down her other cheek, her amber eyes now soft, "I've been tracking you for weeks....after I healed somewhat of course. I would get close to your scent and then you'd be gone. But, I found you...I found you." The last coming out a whisper, before she collapsed from exhaustion from her body still healing itself as well as pushing herself to find him. She wasn't unconscious per-say, just needed to rest.

Smiling slightly as she collapsed into him he wrapped his arms round her and gently hugged her as he looked down at her in her semi-conscious state. “Yes you found me.” Kissing her lightly on the forehead and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Sorry to ruin our reunion but I think we should move out the back door.” Which Kaelan had already found and was peaking out of looking left and right. Zack picked up Sin much like he had on many occasions back then and walked towards the exit he could hear the strangers walking along the street they had taken for the front entrance...so close they were practically on the doorstep.

Sin snuggled in close to Zack, remembering how he'd done this so many times before.....in the past. She couldn't wait until she was back at full strength, but until then, she would enjoy just being back in his arms. She eyed the blue eyed girl and whispered to Zack, "Who is she, Zack and why is she with you?", her amber eyes looked up into his as they left the building, the outlanders too close for comfort.

He didn’t look down to her but he did speak in a slightly lowered voice. “She is Kaelan a rather curious traveller I met only a little after I lost you at the dam...you can ask her yourself about her past I am sure it will be an intriguing fire story for you.” They exited into the backyard he moved to another house with its door Kaelan standing next to it...it had been locked.... “Use a knife to cut along the lock place it’s probably made of wood and not metal.”...talk about house jumping they were moving from one to another.

Kaelan did as Zack instructed in order to unlock the door and smiled when it popped open. She turned around and looked at Zack, Sin in his arms. She had a feeling that she knew Sin from somewhere but couldn't place her.

"We should split up. You get her back to to the circle or wherever. I'll meet up with the two of you. Don't worry, I can smell almost as well as she can.....chuckles......I'll find the two of you."

She turned and disappeared into the shadows.

Zack suddenly felt very awkward with Kaelan suddenly leaving...but he smiled as he slipped into the building finding some security in the four walls. He looked around finding a chair he walked over to it placing her down into it planting another kiss on her cheek as he walked to one of the windows peering through a tiny gap in the shutters. “Just Sin and I like the old days.” This brought a rather sad smile to his face but he was happy to be back but would it be like it had been then? He looked over to her and slowly walked beside the chair kneeling next to her to check she was only exhausted and not hurt.

Sin was hurt, but she was exhausted more than she was hurt. She'd never fully healed from the 'sand crabs' before she was on the move, tracking Zack. She'd had to defend herself along the way and between that and the pace she'd set for herself, her body..although healing quicker than a normal person...still needed rest in order to do so. That was not something she'd allowed herself a whole lot of on her search for Zack. But, the wounds were partially healed, especially the ones on her face which were mostly healed, leaving only pale, thin scars. He hadn't seen her stomach where the creatures had tried to eat her insides. It was a mass of partially healed bites and still pained her, although she'd never let on. The wound at her shoulder was still seeping blood, and it dripped to the floor from her fingertips. She saw the worried expression on Zack's face when he turned from the window, smiling as she still felt his lips on her cheek.

"I'll be okay, Zack. I always was before and I will be now. Just let me have time to rest a little bit and I'll be as good as new."

He gently smiled to her lifting a hand to her cheek his hand defiantly not soft from all his travels but neither less he stroked at it gently as he tore his gaze from the blood seeping from her shoulder and looked to her eyes. “Yeah good as new that’s how it always was we can rest here or find somewhere a little bit safer than here?” Asking whether or not she wanted to get further away from the newcomers to another location.

Sin smiled at Zack as he touched her cheek. "I think we'd better keep moving. What is this 'circle' Kaelan mentioned?"

Sin wasn't sure exactly what had happened the past few days, but she knew that Zack did and knew that she needed a place to rest. If this circle could provide that, then she was game.

"I need to rest, Zack..I do know that much. Now that I've found you, maybe you can tell me what has been happening to the world around us. Everything has changed, even my wolf sensed it and for three days she and I went through an immense about of pain. Right now, I just want to be with you as much as possible....so long as it's safe for us."

“The circle…is a barrier made for preventing demons and allows the people to hide their presence behind it to demons till they come in view point, but as I know the barrier ain’t made for stopping bullets which these strangers possess.” He looked to the front door seeing a simple bolt as the only thing holding it shut… “And the world changing….is due to some collisions with some dimensions and time warps as some Demon Lords duke it out on top of the castle changing our whole world.” He carefully picked her up walking to the door he carefully removed his arm balancing Sin in his other as he lifted the bolt out the way and opened the door he poked his head out looking left and right.

Both ends of the street seemed clear so he moved from the small house and headed of in the direction that Kade told him he felt tetchy about. The two moved down the street Zack keeping an eye open looking left and right he stopped and turned into a doorway just as a person stepped onto the street…Kade was doing his work at least as Zack moved out the rear of this building it had been unlocked luckily. Zack after much dodging and diverting off his path he got to the hill without an incident walking up it she could feel him beginning to sweat and shiver slightly the circle having its toll on him again.

Feeling the change in Zack, Sin watched his face...hers filled with concerned. "Zack?", she asked him. When she realized it was the circle, she cupped his cheek with her hand, "If it causes you pain, we can find somewhere else....somewhere close by if need be." She'd seen the monk and the man with the feathered hat inside and wondered about them.



Kaelan was dodging in and out of shadows, staying ahead of the newcomers, following Zack and Sin's scent through the streets and alleys. She used the tigress' night vision, making everything look like it was dusk instead of nighttime. She was at the edge of the village and saw the hill, grinning as she picked up the pace.

“Don’t worry it is just a little discomfort.” Reaching the edge of the ring he turned back knowing full well that Kaelan was at the bottom of it he gave a slight smile as he waited for her to catch up after all he was unable to break the circle and the two seeing him look back had no idea what he was looking at for all they knew it was probably safer to keep the circle closed. So he waited for Kaelan who had dramatically increased pace up the hill towards them.

Kaelan was at their side a few minutes later, smiling at Zack and Sin. No one would have guessed that the two women had tried to kill each other earlier, the way the smiled at each other as if they'd been friends for some time.

"Glad you made it, Kae...are the newcomers heading this way?"

Kaelan looked back, seemingly not bothered by Sin calling her Kae, lifted her nose up and sniffed.

"Right now, they seem to be looking for something or someone, but I'm sure they'll head this way eventually."