“We are going to have to push hard, not enough to do much else.” Rick scanned the backpacks each had assembled.

“You need more food when you move.” Mr. Gabriel shook his head. “So assume we have even less.”

“Here’s hoping we don’t take too long, then.” Rick grimaced. Intellectually, it would become a losing battle. Time was against them. He glanced at Mr. Gabriel again, speculating how fast the group would be able to move with him coming along.

They had to find civilization if there were any to be had.

There was a teeny voice in the back of Rick’s head, warning him, toying with him as it whispered that maybe, just maybe, there was no one to be found. That there was nothing other than wilderness and monsters. He crushed the idea before it could take root. There was little sense in taking things in that direction. It wasn’t as if they had a better chance of surviving by sticking around and waiting for a miracle.

“Double check everything. I’m going to attempt persuading… her to come along. Hopefully, we don’t need to worry too much over things on that end.” Tossing his backpack at Tomas, he kept the bag of chocolates in his pocket, moving on to approach the white-haired woman.

Said woman was rubbing her paws against the dirt, claws sinking into the soil and splitting it with ease, long thin strips marking the passing of where her natural daggers had opted to aggravate the earth. She was vexed, swiping once or twice, checking her hand, smelling, grimacing, and doing it some more. She’d yet to fully get rid of the grease.

Rick leaned into wisdom and caution. He kept himself well away from the range of her claws by a good extra five meters, instead opting to put himself where she could see him, but not approaching further. As expected, she noticed him. A quick glance was as much as she needed to confirm he was there, but she did nothing about it. Her focus remained on wanting to remove the smell of car grease from her skin and fur.

A minute, then two, then three. Her clawing was unearthing everything around her, throwing little bits of dirt, dust, and rocks all around. She’d sunk herself a good foot in her insistence of being thorough. It had been only after her fur had been dyed and caked in light clumpy brown soil that she appeared marginally satisfied. Enough to stop, at least.

“Tough day, huh,” Rick commented with a wistful smirk, arms crossed, leaning against the tree and presenting a chunk of chocolate he’d broken off. He was doing his level best to appear relaxed, though he certainly didn’t feel it. Another part of him was just grimacing at his attempt to look in control.

The woman pouted, scoffing and shaking her head all in one fluid motion. The glare she shot at the bus was one that would have ignited it… if only she had been gifted with anything other than incredible power and speed. Since the totaled vehicle appeared intent on remaining inert, she huffed.

Rick forced his shoulders to slump, nodding with only the barest bob of his head, gesturing at the others to get slightly closer. He stepped towards her with measured steps, swallowing the lump in his throat and getting within range of her paws while trying to avoid falling down from the new tripping hazard she’d dug out.

He touched his chest, right above where she’d left the stain. “Rick,” he said, then pointed at the sweet he was holding onto. “Chocolate.” He pointed at her, taking a long second to push out the idea he’d formed earlier. “Monica.”

She cocked a brow, reaching out and snagging the chocolate from his fingers with her lips, popping it into her mouth and savoring it with a purr. “Meow,” she declared, patting her chest. “Mriw.” She pointed at him. “Chuoc.” She pointed at his pocket.

Good enough, he guessed. “Monica it is.” Rick smiled.

She looked at his face for a moment, tilting her head before she returned the smile.

“This feels like a movie. ‘Me girl-Tarzan, you ugly-male-Jane’,” Kat commented under her breath, giggling. “Should I get popcorn? Bet she’d love it.”

Rick made sure to ignore the comment and keep his eyes on the newly named Monica. He reached out a hand, empty, but gesturing slowly for her to follow. “Let’s… go? Come?” He turned towards the forest, in the direction she’d come from originally. Her ears perked up. “Come? Please?”

“You should ‘pspspsps’ her, but pretty sure she’d rip you to shreds.”

The young teacher sighed, stepping through the threshold between the clearing and the forest. A chill ran down his spine, all the way to his toes. He took another step, and then one more, glancing over his shoulder at the feline woman. She was looking at him with her head tilted to the side, ears perked and tail lashing behind her. So Rick had to take a slow second to breathe in and continue walking.

He couldn’t make her come, not if she didn’t follow on her own, but… were there alternatives? His mind drew blanks. “Let’s go.”

“And if she doesn’t follow?” Tomas asked with a whisper.

“We can’t force her even if we wanted to,” Rick replied, pulling out the half-full bag of chocolate from his pocket and shaking it over his head, praying it’d do the trick. He moved forward another step.

“She’s, like, not following,” Kat commented with a nudge of nervousness.

It was enough for everyone to stop.

Pausing, Rick glanced at the other three. “What are your thoughts of our chances of survival without her collaboration?”

“Nill,” Mr. Gabriel said with a growl. “If we encounter anything like that spider again, we’re dead. All of us.”

“I… have to agree with Mr. Gabriel.”

“I don’t wanna be monster food.” Kat scowled. The words brought the image from last night through his mind. He blinked slowly as the student looked at him intently. “You… have an idea.”

“Maybe, but it’s a terrible one. Stay put.”

There was a heartbeat of hesitation as he turned towards the feline that had turned away. Turning his way back towards her, he took every step with a growing sense of dread. His back was becoming colder. His fists clenched in determination, and his thoughts returned to last night, to how she’d behaved when caressed and scratched, to the curiosity and eagerness for the sweet treat. His gut was telling him this was the way to go, and he could sense every other part of him telling him it was a horrible, horrible idea.

In his mind’s eye, Rick saw the scene unfolding again. Charlie, the spider, and how it might happen to others. Help was sorely needed, and the wild woman, Monica, was the only way he could see their future success. Rick couldn’t afford to stop.

The young teacher stood firm, the feline turning to look his way once more. With a frown, he patted his chest. “Rick.” He stepped forward, hesitating for a heartbeat, his hand moving towards her. She looked at his palm with a slight frown, for a split second she appeared to observe it rather closely. But she did not move to stop him.

Rick stepped closer still, and patted her shoulder. “Monica.” The gesture had come out with a lot less hesitation than he thought it would have.

The feline barely reacted, arching a brow as he pulled out the chocolate, took out a piece, and moved it closer to her. Her eyes focused on it with lasers precision, licking her lips. Rick moved it away from her and threw it into his mouth, crunching and chewing in defiance, meeting her gaze with a scowl.

The growl she let out made his stomach do a somersault. But it was too late to lose his nerve. Rick met her gaze, pretending his whole body wasn’t about to shake like a leaf. She leaned closer as he chewed. He ignored his racing heart and waited until her snarl had come close enough he could feel her breath against his face, baring her fangs at him.

It was then that he leaned forward and licked her lips, smearing the chocolate against them. Once, and pulling back to give some space, meeting her eyes and watching closely how she’d react.

It had caught her by surprise, the anger vanished instantly. Confusion followed. She blinked, licking her lips slowly, looking at the human with wide eyes. Monica took an endless moment of silence as she kept her eyes on his own. Rick took the risk, leaning a second time and smearing the rest of the chocolate that remained in his mouth against her lips again. He waited a heartbeat and leaned away, but only managing a single step back before her clawed hand fell onto his hip.

He hesitated as she looked at him more seriously, licking her lips more slowly, frowning. A heartbeat, then another, she let go. The human took another step back and put his hands on his hips, nodded. His heart was racing inside his chest, he turned to leave back into the forest, not waiting for any further reaction.

He was a second away from losing the ability to stop trembling. His hands stuffed into his pockets and hands clenched as he tightened himself, moving, moving because if he stayed still the adrenaline would have him shaking like a leaf.

His thundering heart was trying to creep up his throat, his blood was a racing roller-coaster. But he kept his ears sharp, his attention only focused on his hearing. It was the only thing that matter.

He was waiting, praying.

When he heard Monica yowl and follow close behind, he all but collapsed in relief.

There was hope. Time to go find help.