The rotten smell hits them rather quickly as they near the fallen sniper. His body is bloated as black birds watch them carefully, guarding their prize with loud angry caws. It strikes Alfred as a little odd that at such an important border the body would still be lying here undiscovered by any other scout or sniper in the area. "What's wrong with this picture…?" He calmly asks holding Crina tight to his chest not wanting to let her smell much less see the bloody mangled remains that are left.
All the other Alphas can feel it in the stagnant air around them that something is very wrong. "Alfred, stay close." The oldest commands not wanting his mate out of his sight and out of the corner of his eye he can see the rest of the little group reach for their weapons.
There's an eerie calm that lingers with them and while they can hear the sound of birds flying ahead or a squirrel rustling through the leaves far off in the distance the rest of the world is quiet. What's worse is since the moment they've seen the sniper Alfred's felt a sickening feeling deep in his stomach that won't go away. It's not like him and he hopes he's not getting sick as he looks down at the kitten sleeping in his arms.
While Alfred had hoped that the lingering nauseous feeling would subside after the first week it shows no signs of leaving. His only thought on it is a kind of Neko premonition saying something that might happen or perhaps it's his Omega insight telling him to leave this wicked forest. Either way it grows worse once they reach an open field, "Shit…" he whispers looking to Matthew, "What did you two do last time?"
"We crossed it but…I think we should go around this time." The Canadian says looking down at the kitten, "Just to be on the safe side…" Her ears perk up feeling that they're talking about her so when Alfred agrees and says her name she looks up at the two men above her. She gives Matthew a light mew as he pats her head lovingly, "She reminds me a little bit of Ava…"
"Ava?"
Both men turn to Gilbert and Matthias watching them, "Yeah my pup's name is Ava." The young father smiles thinking of the little blonde pup with shinning emerald eyes like her mother. "She's maybe a little younger than Crina…"
Gilbert nods with a warm smile, "You're little bird."
"Yeah she is." It doesn't dawn on Matthew for a moment how Gilbert knows that until he remembers his mate is from a German speaking Country too.
Matthias scans the area as his ears move slightly, "I don't want to interrupt but we should go before we're spotted." He knows while they still have cover they've stayed in this spot for way to long and the rest quickly agree. So the Fox leads the way into the dark forest beside the meadow.
He regrets it almost instantly as he quickly grips his rifle tightly as the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up and he's not the only one. "Gilbert….what is that smell?" Matthew covers his nose with his hand.
"It…I don't know…" Gilbert almost gags on the smell of decay and death. He's never smelled anything like this before but he has an idea what it is but he's only sure once they reach a large metal fence, "Oh dear god…" It's only a whisper but it's all he can think to say never once imagining that he'd actually find one of these camps.
They all stare at the fenced in area not sure what they're looking at but it's Alfred that speaks up first, "Where are the guards?" His gaze turns to the gate that appears to be unlocked yet the last thing he wants to do is open it, "Is it…abandoned?"
"We can only hope…" Gilbert says quietly pulling out his pistol, "Alfred stay out here with Crina."
While he doesn't want to go in and Gilbert maybe his mate doesn't mean the Neko wants to always do what he's told, "No I think I should come along too."
"Alfred..." Gilbert says with a warning tone, "I von't let Crina see what's inside this place."
"Then I'll take her and stay out here." All turn to Matthias as he takes the small kitten, he's not afraid of what might be beyond but every inch of his being is screaming for him not to go inside. "We'll keep watch." He says with a smile as the others nod before venturing in.
The moment the trio enter the scene before them stops them cold. Bodies lay all over the muddy earth, most of the Neko corpses seem to be nothing more than bones under grey skin. Their tails and ears have been shaved as well as most of their heads, "Those bastards…" Alfred is practically shaking with rage at the disrespect for his fellow kind. "It's not bad enough to starve them; they had to destroy their spirits too!" He kneels down to a small kitten whose eyes now dull, sunken in and lifeless and slowly closes them before saying a small meowed prayer. It might be to late to save the child left to die possibly alone and afraid but it's what he feels is right.
Gilbert watches for a moment before slowly turning back towards the blood stained ground before something catches his eye in the dirt below, "Birdie…follow me."
"Birdie?" Matthew questions before slowly following him seeing the same thing the older does and quickly he raises his gun as they reach one of the many metal bunkers dotted around the massive compound now stained with brown, red and bullet holes.
"Get ready…" Gilbert whispers as he grabs the handle getting ready to open it at the count of three, "One…two…three."
"Don't shoot!"