Jonah sat, listening as Render sang along with a song on an iPod he had pulled out. Render's voice sounded…almost fully human to Jonah, whereas before, his voice had a gruff and husky quality to it. He noticed that most of the songs were the kind you would listen to if your life were to be somewhat…hectic. As the song ended, they both heard shuffling and someone yawning. They both turned to see Ellie, who was rubbing her eyes as she woke up, freezing when seeing Render. "Who's that?" she asked Jonah, shaking a little.

"This is Render," Jonah replied. "He…um…likes my pancakes." He looked at the plate in his hand, offering it to her. "Want some?" She accepted the plate, eating her pancakes and watching Render. She stopped when she saw his claws.

"You're…a male witch?" she asked, her tone one of surprise and disbelief.

"Only half," Render replied. He pulled his hood down, grinning, showing off his sharpened teeth. "Can you guess the other half?" Jonah shook his head, putting the pan to the side as he poked at the fire's embers with a stick. Render glanced over at Jonah. "So…what do we do now? I'm bored already, considering I've been fighting for a week straight with no rest."

Jonah thought about that statement for a bit before replying. "How about you tell us your story? The full thing," he added, a little firmer than he had intended. He looked over to see that Ellie's eyes were showing some interest in the statement, though her facial expression still showed she was a little wary of Render still.

Render sighed. "My friends and I, at the beginning, fortified our houses and held out for weeks. Eventually a CEDA evac was created in town, and in the ensuing battle, I was – by my own will – left behind. I was infected by some damn Hunter, and CEDA found me by what was left of the Tank that attacked me. They ran tests on me for weeks, agility, strength...endurance..." Render shuddered and a look of terror was painted on his features. "I-I'm sorry, I just...don't want to talk about it, the...the surgeries and...the scalpels...Anyway, I escaped afterward, and went back to my town. I met a soldier, two female infected, and an infected dog there (the dog long before the other three). We traveled north based off of what the girls said. Along the way, we saved my old buddies from town who had a helicopter crash. All nine of us finally reached Cherrygrove after encountering some guards and taking down a Haggard. In town, an outraged Spiker decided to attack us and I kicked his ass. Right now, we're staying in a hotel run by a Tank named Clark. And that's just the short version." Jonah and Ellie were, to say the very least, speechless. Both were having some trouble taking it in, though both could relate somewhat. A short silence followed afterwards, soon broken by Ellie.

"So…what about the t-town?" Ellie asked. "C-can we…stay there?" Render looked at her, his expression conveying some confusion at the statement.

"Uhhh…yeah, probably," he replied. Jonah laughed.

"Ryan's going to be really angry when he finds out he went into town for nothing," he said, Render nodding his head, sighing with exaggerated sadness.

"I know how that feels," he said. He then cracked a smile at Jonah. "So, how much are we betting that Ryan is pissed when he gets back?"

"You're on!" Jonah smiled.

"Fucking town," Ryan muttered as he swiped at a plant. He stopped upon reaching the campsite. He stared at Render, who was in a game of rock-paper-scissors with Jonah. He glanced at the score sheet to see that Render was winning 21-17. He then looked around for Mr. Nine-Iron before realizing Jonah had hidden away the golf club and decided that he'd deal with that little detail later in private with Jonah, Fred, and Geoff. Render turned to grin up at him as Jonah said something about Render winning.

"It is apparently very hard to play rock-paper-scissors when I have kitchen knives for fingers," he commented. Ryan glanced over at Jonah, his eyes asking the question Jonah already knew was on his mind.

"He liked my pancakes, too," Jonah said. If not for the fact that he may very well gouge out his own eyes, Ryan would have facepalmed at that comment. Instead, he turned his attention to Render's appearance and sniffed the air. His eyes widened in understanding.

"You're that hybrid Fred told us about, aren't you?" he asked. Render rolled his eyes, suggesting to Ryan that Render heard that question often.

"We already went over this," Render said. "And no," he continued, "I will not repeat my story again. Ask Jonah later."

"Where are F-Fred and Geoff?" Ellie asked from behind Jonah, Ryan looking at the Witch and shrugging.

"They ran off," he said with a huff, "and I couldn't find them, so I came back. Don't worry, they're smart, they'll find their way back."

"Did you happen to meet a pissed off Spiker in Cherrygrove?" Render asked suddenly.

Ryan thought a bit before answering. "Yeah, we saw some Spiker grumbling about a psycho Hunter or something." Render nodded, looking at Jonah.

"Yup, that sounds like him. He's angry 'cause I kicked his ass yesterday. 'I don't think you should stay here'," Render said, his voice mimicking what Jonah assumed to be the Spiker. "I beat the crap out of him for that." Ryan glanced at Render, shaking his head.

This is going to be a long trip, Ryan thought.

Geoff looked around the section of town he was in, scratching his head. "Hm. I seem to have become separated from my companions," he said to himself. He looked across the street to the hotel that Fred had been in no more than ten minutes ago and he headed right in. Clark was no longer at the counter, but there was one of the Survivors that he had mentioned to Fred looking around the lobby. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and was currently looking through some old magazines, tossing them back on the table. Geoff walked up behind him just as he turned, accidentally knocking the young teenager down. "Apologies," Geoff replied, picking the boy up by the back of his collar.

"S-sorry," the boy stuttered, shaking a little, though this didn't surprise Geoff. He was used to this reaction with even fellow infected. It was then that Geoff realized he was talking to a Survivor in a town full of infected. Geoff shook his head.

"Perhaps you could give me some help," Geoff said, the boy nodding, laughing nervously. Geoff began to regret his decision already. "Okay. What can you tell me about your…situation here?"

"Um," the boy said. "…We're stuck in a h-hotel," he offered, again laughing nervously.

I do not like where this is going, Geoff thought to himself. "Perhaps a little more elaboration?" he prompted.

"Elaboration?"

"…Yes. Elaboration."

"Oh! Um…" The boy grew silent and Geoff shook his head.

"On second thought, never mind," he said. "Have a nice day," he said as he left the hotel just as Clark came back in.

"Eric, who was that?" Clark asked as he saw Geoff leaving, aiming the question at the Survivor.

"That's some story," Ryan said as Jonah finished explaining Render's background, Render currently listening to songs again, oblivious to the conversation. Well, as far as Ryan could tell, he was oblivious to the conversation. "Makes me wonder what they learned about his unique appearance." Jonah just shrugged.

"I wonder what's taking Geoff and Fred so long to get back," Ellie said. Ryan and Jonah shrugged together.

"They should be alright," Ryan said. "They can be pretty intimidating if someone tries to mess with them." They then heard someone calling out a name.

"Connor!" the voice called. The group of four, Render included in that group, looked to see a boy with brown hair and blue eyes carrying a Mini-14. He saw them, waving to Render.

"Thom," Render replied, waving back. As Thom walked up, Render nodded to him. Thom looked at Ryan suspiciously, but didn't bring the weapon up. "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you," Thom replied. "You didn't come back last night and we all started to worry a little bit."

"Who's that?" Ellie asked, having not heard Render the first time he had called the boy's name. Thom turned to look at Ellie and had what Jonah heard his friends once refer to as a freak out. Unlike most freak outs that Jonah had seen, this one involved a scream from Thom, which pretty much put Ellie into a frozen terror, followed by the gun swinging up towards Ellie. But before the gun was even halfway, Ryan was already tackling the boy, knocking him to the ground, followed by his forehead smacking Thom's, knocking Thom into unconsciousness. Ryan stood up, shaking his head.

"Okay, ow," he said. "Your buddy's got a hard head." Jonah walked over, propping Thom up against a stump, while Ryan picked up the gun, placing it by Render. He then walked over to Ellie, putting the blanket over her and rubbing her back as she began to move again.

Jonah walked over and sat by Render. "Well, that could have gone better," Render said, Jonah nodding his agreement.

Okay, I won't lie, I'm grasping at straws right now. But it's something, at least. So, if this story isn't updated for two weeks, then do not be surprised. When I get a block of any kind, I take a break until it leaves instead of forcing myself to write. I get less stressed out and ideas tend to flow after a week anyways. Please Review.