Chapter 13 - K

"More people?"

She doubts, afraid. She has told him about her group meeting others, before. Some were nice, she said before going quiet. Kurama can guess what happened though. He's seen what humans can do when they're scared. It doesn't bring out the best of them. When humans have fallen to the true depth of hopelessness is when their real personality surfaces. When a human doesn't have anything to lose, things they have hidden before because of frail rules and morals come to light.

And it'll get worse as desperation sets in. When they realize their only option is to survive, they will become the real monsters.

"I want to go forward. They probably don't know there are walkers ahead. We should… we should warn them."

Kurama gives her an incredulous look but she's already moving towards where he pointed. He shouldn't have pointed. He bites the back of her shirt and stops her. She scowls and is ready to protest, he can see it on her face.

"It's too late, kid."

Letting her go, he turns towards the clearing in time to hear someone gasp, followed by the sound of hitting. Then a woman comes from some bushes to find the walkers. She uses the shovel in her hands to stop the one near her right but it's a futile attempt, the others already noticed them.

"We should help them!" Sophia whispers when two men come forwards, followed by an older woman and a teenager.

"And then what?" Her body is ready to spring forwards but his words stop her. "You've some food, water, and other supplies in that bag. Not to mention a weapon. What do you think they'll do once they know this?"

She bits her lower lip, an action that makes her look younger.

"They're in a group…"

"And you're searching yours. Just because they're together doesn't mean they'll care for others outside their group. You don't need them."

The boy falls to the floor and he tries to kick the one crawling toward him. The others are busy themselves but one man uses his own weapon to open a path and move towards him.

"Ben!"

"They need us, Nine," she repeats, and saying the words aloud seem to have helped her make her decision. She puts her bag on the ground and shoves a hand inside to pull a couple of fireworks they found in a house. Grabbing a lighter from her pockets, she runs to some trees near the action.

Should he feel offended she hasn't asked what he wants? Considering he's the one who's guiding her, he should get a say.

Too late to protest though, she's already throwing the fireworks into another bush and runs towards the other side.

He should leave her. He's been trying to teach her but she's ignoring her words easily now. Kurama doesn't even exactly know why he's helping her.

"Come on, Nine!"

He looks at her and remembers why.

The next time he sees Naruto, he's going to kick him so hard in the face.

Damn blond-haired, blue eyes brats.

-

The fireworks only work on the closest to them. The others are more distracted by the humans near to pay attention. Even so, it still distracts them enough and the girl uses that skewer they found inside a grill of one house to strike the one on top of the teenager in the head.

Though this place doesn't have enough chakra for him to use his surroundings to reform his reserves (he'll have to wait for Naruto to do that), Kurama has spent enough days resting and meditating so he has enough energy to run and attack. He's not close to his actual speed but it's plenty to fight these weaklings, even if they need their heads out of their shoulders to go down. They're seven against eighteen walkers. Hard but not impossible considering they've him.

"Are you okay, Tyreese?" asks the younger woman once the clearing is free of walkers. He lost the handle of his hammer momentarily and she had to step in to help him.

"I'm fine. Though we wouldn't have made it without you," he trails off, looking at the girl who's slightly panting near him.

"Sophia. My name's Sophia."

The woman steps forward. "Name's Sasha. This is my brother Tyreese."

"I'm Adam. My wife, Donna, and Ben, our son."

The woman goes to thank her for saving her son, while the boy does the same in a subdued way. Kurama can sense his shame and unease at being saved by someone so young in the same way he can feel the accomplishment coming from Sophia.