Folly & Agendas & Talulah

-[Chapter 45]-

Six Years Ago...
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The months slowly reached June of one more year, but time seemed to fly faster. The harvest of the last was bountiful, feeding many mouths, and carrying us through another winter. And during that time, the Infected have built their own functioning communities, constructing homes and farms, businesses and markets. The "Golden Age", as the bolder ones called it, has begun.

But not everyone was willing to go south. Many of our newest recruits didn't share the same ambitious sentiment as their older counterparts. They were too intimate with the land, and the land was too intimate with them. And so, I let them go, attending one last supper with them, before the rest of us embarked on our journey.

"Three Ursus outposts have fallen. I am not surprised; Kaiser Rye knows how to execute a plan. He should be returning in a few hours. In the meantime, how many people do we have are currently unable to fight?"

The mysterious Feline stood across from me, wearing a large overcoat and trousers. A fur cap rested on his head leaving only his gray ears out. His beard and mustache has turned ashen gray. His lack of involvement in strategic meetings and gatherings only increased my suspicions. Ever since Kaiser Rye returned to my life, Lucas stopped appearing before me - what is he doing?

"We have around forty persons unable to fight," He answered. "Most of them are children, the rest of them are the elderly. We don't have any casualties as of yet."

"We have left behind over fifty Infected back in the tundra. We have less people to feed now, and we are able to mobilize faster," I affirmed.

"I am surprised that you, not only allowed them to stay, but also allowed them to take the city as well," Lucas commented.

"I'm not their ruler. Their lives are not bound by my hand. The land was theirs and they are allowed to keep it, as long as they don't open the communication channels. You should return to your daily activities. The Infected that came from the city still trust you."

"Farewell my leader."

I don't know what irked me more from that cat. The tipping of his cap, or those carefully, crafted words that came out of his senile mouth. If it wasn't for his assistance when I was in labor, I would have kindly asked for him to leave.

--
~FWHOOSH!* -After the flash of the Sun:
--

It was early morning, on a bright, sunny day by the hillsides of Northwestern Tundra. I could see the grassy fields off in the distance, untouched by the frost of winter, growing peacefully beneath the breeze. The air was crisp, and the sky was clear; the weather was warm and welcome.

I turned my head and watched the Infected that followed me. Almost all were of middle to old age, save for the number of children, and many were adept in different skills providing more for the Reunion than me. A Sankta held a little girl by the hand, and then I saw a face I adored.

"Mamee~ Ma~mee!"

"Talulah! Can you come get your daughter please?!"

Haley carried Marzanna in her arms before she gave her to me. My heart was gushing with joy as I cuddled her in my grasp. She grew a lot in just a year, but she still looked incredibly frail. Her horns hardened and her tail was still as thin as a string. Her body was wrapped around in thin clothes; her feet were covered by tiny shoes.

Haley looked around for a seat, and ended up sitting on a few metal crates.

"Your daughter is just an endless bundle of energy huh?" She gave out an exhausted sigh.