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Brie glanced at Renee again as they walked. Perhaps it was because Renee wasn’t marching so much as strolling. It could be because as much as she tried, Renee couldn’t help but smile when she mused about the morning.

“Don’t think your head’s in the game today,” Brie commented as she finished the braid at the side of her own head.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m hungry, but I still don’t like the idea of hunting, even if it’s animals.” She’d insisted on going with Brie today to hunt, even when Zane told her she didn’t have to. That he would make sure she never had to hunt anything, animals or humans, considering violence bothered her so much. Still, she’d pushed back and told him she needed to know how to feed herself if things got tough.

“Not so much what I meant.”

“What?”

“Fuck, this is weird for a lot of reasons.” Brie’s lips pinched as she pointed to Renee’s neck. “I think… I don’t want to ask but it’s killing me.”

“What?” Renee touched her neck where the bite was. Did it look weird?

“No. Not that side. Do you have a hickey?”

Heat rose in her cheeks. Shit. Could zombies get hickeys? She cleared her throat. Flashes of Zane sucking on her neck as he thrust into her clouded her thoughts.

“Oh, my fucking god, it is. You made up by making out? What the hell? We don’t even have those urges anymore.” Brie stopped. Her face caught between anger, shock, and curiosity.

“I, we, um…” Renee’s eyes darted around her to see if any of the others were paying attention. Much to her relief, they were too busy focusing on finding food. “It’s not what it looks like,” she finished weakly.

“It looks like you fucked him, but I know that doesn’t happen, which only leaves you two having made out.”

Renee wanted to correct her but didn’t. She’d ask Zane later why Brie didn’t think it was possible, the draw between them, the very clear and strong, lustful urges.

“Did he make you do that?” Brie’s tone changed to the same one she’d used when she vowed, she’d beat him if he got pervy, and it made Renee smile.

“No. It’s okay. We talked and things just-” Renee floundered, unsure of what to say.

“Oh god. Stop. I don’t want to hear how you two made out.”

“He agreed not to attack the city. We’re supposed to get food to feed the horde and go somewhere different. He’s going to talk to you when we get back.”

“Did you only make out with him to get him to agree?” Brie’s tone was accusatory as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

“No! It wasn’t like that.”

“So, you are a thing now?” Brie’s tone was clipped.

“Yeah, I think so. Are you mad at me because I said I wanted to get away from him?” Renee stepped closer to Brie.

“No. As long as he isn’t forcing you then, whatever. We need to go. We’re falling behind.” Brie turned and peered at the horde.

Something wasn’t right. Renee wasn’t sure why, but Brie didn’t like that she and Zane were together. She hoped Brie didn’t think she was a threat to her being the Knight Commander, because she wasn’t. Especially since she had zero interest in battle planning or strategizing a city takeover. But even if she had a desire to take on that role, she’d never take it from her friend. Renee doubted anyone could beat Brie in combat, anyway. She was amazing.

The rest of the day, Brie was in a foul mood, but she still taught Renee how to stalk and hide. Renee was awesome at hiding but not so much at stalking something. She’d spent most of the apocalypse running away, so hiding was almost second nature to her now.

They hunted deer, wild pigs, and other feral animals. Unsuccessful at catching any of them, Renee carried several carcasses for the horde. Initially, she thought she wouldn’t be able to handle it, that the dead animals would make her sick to her stomach. Instead, it made her hungry, which she ignored because she couldn’t deal with it.

They stopped on their way back so some of the chosen could eat. Brie explained that several of them had gone without and needed to eat immediately. It had been exactly as Brie had described, although they ate, it was a normal human portion, and sure they were a bit food aggressive, it was nothing like she’d witnessed in the past with the horde or during the culling. Renee wondered if she could suggest they try to be a bit more civilized and sit at a table or use cutlery but then felt dumb and figured they’d be offended.

However, staring at the scene before her, it would be a long time before even the chosen would be ready for sitting at tables with cutlery. Mace smacked Toad on the back of the head. His huge palm was as large as Toad’s head. Brie cleared her throat and stared at the young chosen, Toad.

Renee remained quiet but studied Toad’s features. He looked nothing like a toad but he could leap great distances, as she witnessed during one of the hunts. He also had an abnormally long tongue, which he was using to nervously lick the corners of his mouth, removing all traces of blood. His shoulders were slumped and his expression was contrite. If Renee had to guess, she would say Toad was just barely eighteen when he turned and his demeanor still seemed very childlike.

The reason Toad was in trouble was for taking another’s meal and eating it himself. From the way it went down she was scared they were going to turn on Toad and eat him.

“It’s good, it’s j-just us… his punishments are more… hardcore,” Nail whispered beside her and twitched.

Nail had surprised Renee during the hunts because he was far scarier than she thought he might be. As soon as Toad swiped the piece from Rabbit, known for her speed and acute hearing, everyone got angry; Nail shut down. He reverted into the uneasy, shy person she’d met back in the lobby. It was interesting to Renee that as predatory and fierce as Nail could be, as soon as the need to consume was gone, he seemed conflict-avoidant and didn’t seem drawn to any violence.

“You are a chosen, so you understand how things work. What happens if you don’t fall in line…” Brie began and crossed her arms over her chest. “What do all horde members do?”

“Serve the horde,” Toad said in a subdued voice.

Brie drummed her fingers on her arms. “And the chosen?”

“Protect the horde. Above all, the horde and he must survive.” Toad lowered his chin.

“Do you take from yourself?” Brie snapped.

Renee froze at Brie’s tone. Again, it sounded too harsh. Not as it had when she first met Brie and Renee’s very presence irritated her. It was that odd tone that was almost… disconnected? Toad shook his head.

“Then why did you?” Brie dropped her arms and stepped closer.

Toad flinched. “I… was hungry.” His lips trembled.

Brie moved closer until their faces were inches apart. “We’re always hungry. We always want to feed. But we are chosen . We must control our cravings because we are more . Do you understand?”

It was hard for Renee not to speak, but it was also the first instance she’d even seen the chosen interact like this or seen how Brie interacted with them in a disciplinary way. It was troubling to hear how single-minded they seemed to be on Zane’s survival. Of course, she wanted him to live but the way it was worded sounded a bit cult-like to Renee. They feared him but almost worshiped him at the same time. That couldn’t be healthy but then technically he was their creator.

Toad nodded enthusiastically but kept his head tilted down.

“Good. Apologize now.” To her relief Brie’s tone sounded like her again.

“Sorry, Mace,” Toad mumbled.

“It’s alright kid, don’t do it again or we’ll be having you for dinner.” Mace chuckled and rubbed Toad’s back. When his large hand touched Toad’s back he leaned into it until Mace gave him a side hug.

Renee’s eyes bulged from the sight. Brie had told her they didn’t hug like she did. Granted it was a side hug, but it was still friendly contact and Toad seemed to be looking for it. Perhaps they were part of a family grouping? Or were the chosen evolving before her eyes?

Brie retrieved another feeding portion for Mace and had a few words with both of them as he ate. Renee turned away because part of her still didn’t like seeing raw meat being eaten. She peered at Nail who still stood beside her. He was twisting one of his bracelets around, careful not to cut the leather with his claws.

“What’s the standard punishment if someone takes your… food?” she asked in a low voice.

“The punishment for taking others’ food… is death,” Nail responded, letting his bracelet go. “Or worse, depending on whose it was and when it happened.”

“Always?”

“Yeah, you can’t take from yourself.” He lifted a shoulder.

“Is that why it’s bad if some families take more than they should?” she whispered.

Rabbit turned her head toward them but didn’t make a sound. She blinked her large moss-green eyes as she studied them.

Nail nodded. “We all s-serve the horde to keep us s-strong,” he managed and chewed on the side of his mouth.

Renee slowly reached out, so Nail could see her movement and it wouldn’t scare him until her fingers brushed against his arm. She gently squeezed.

“We have to stay strong,” she whispered in the most reassuring tone she could muster, sensing that was the correct response.

He visibly relaxed. After her conversation with Hatchet earlier, she had to be sure she didn’t draw attention and make herself seem too different from them. She wasn’t even sure why she was different, at least not yet.

Brie strutted over to them. Her gaze dropped to Renee’s hand still on Nail. Renee pulled her fingers off his arm and balled her hand.

“Let’s get moving. The horde’s waiting on us.” She picked up a carcass and started walking.

Brie was so good at hunting and leading the various packs within the horde, regardless of if they were chosen or just regular horde members. When they made a coordinated attack, they caught almost everything they targeted. It only reinforced Renee’s faith in Brie as the horde’s Knight Commander.

While Zane told them what to do, Brie solicited their input and then chose the best option for success. They followed her orders as well as his, but the difference was they weren’t hers and didn’t have to listen to her, they chose to.

Renee couldn’t fathom how Brie thought she had nothing to offer. She hadn’t known Brie when she was alive. Although if she was this awesome dead, she absolutely had more to offer than her good looks when she breathed. She tried to compliment her, but Brie brushed her off.

Unsurprisingly, as soon as they made it to camp, Brie said her farewells and left. Disheartened, Renee went to the tiny cabin and waited for Zane. They had made up, at least in part, but they still needed to talk about things. He’d mentioned he had to check on a few things in the horde, which usually took a few hours since the horde was so large, but she thought he’d be back by the time they returned from hunting.