A/N: Hey guys! Found this chapter. Enjoy. I don't own glee or anything that belongs or is tied to it.
"YOU ASSHOLE!"
Puck's head snapped to the left when Santana's fist made contact with his cheek. Before she could swing again Finn grabbed her by the waist lifting her off the ground and away from a bleeding Puck.
"CRAZY BITCH!" Puck snarled taking a step forward only for Sam to stop him.
"Chill, dude."
"CHILL?! THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO FUCKING SAY?! CHILL?! HE LEFT THEM THERE TO DIE!" Santana screeched in wild incredulous anger.
"I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF YOU COMING TO THEIR RESCUE!" Puck fired back.
"I HAVE MY FAMILY TO PROTECT! YOU LEFT YOURS TO DIE, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Santana fumed back.
"It's true, Puck! Any of us could have gone back but it was your family, they were your responsibility that you left behind by choice! Finn saw you! He was the last one of us to make it to the tree but didn't get to cross. He had to hide behind another tree when one of those things ran passed. You left them he saw you!" Mercedes spoke with attitude and anger. A complete contrast to the tears flowing down her cheeks.
The entire group was out of breath, tired and freezing. It was night fall once more. They have been running non stop with only a three to five minute break in between.
The only light they had was shining from the full moon. They didn't hear the whirring sounds anymore so they knew for now they were safe.
"You know what?! Fuck you guys alright! You know damn well if it were any of you, you would have left whoever behind!"
"Bullshit! I'd rather die with my family than live in this shit world another day without them and that's the difference Puck!" Britney growled with hot tears running down her face.
Puck swallowed thickly and turned his back to them. Silence engulfed the group. Every one mourning the loss of Quinn and Beth.
The snow fell around them silently. It wasn't the worst part of the winter yet but they knew it was only a matter of time before it was. The last they remembered it was the end of May than some how it began to snow not long after what the group referred to as the 'Dogs' from hell descended upon them.
They were shaking from the chill in the silent air. Santana had given her sun her sweater and Britney gave hers to a two year old blonde girl. She didn't want to think about what would happen if either of them got sick.
When the weather began changing almost over night, people were confused.
Quinn had broken into a store that had looked unscathed by the dogs. She looted it for her daughter and found some extra sweaters. It was decided the women and children should have them.
The only problem was Santana's son and the little girl were too small for them but Santana had used a knife she had stumbled across by luck to cut the fabric to a wearable size.
She used the extra strips, tying them into a sort of hats the best she could with two other strips as scarves but unfortunately the weather wasn't as easy to bundle from as the temperature over time was beginning to creep toward an unbearable level. Now the two women were beginning to show signs of sickness.
"We need to find a place to sleep." Santana spoke to Mike who was next to her.
"Yeah, who do we take?" It was decided when this all started by Quinn, that Santana and Britney were never allowed to go searching for food or shelter because their son needed them.
"It's your call. I can't think straight right now. Q, usually made the decisions." Mike replied sadly.
Santana nodded she couldn't shake the sadness within her that her captain along with her god daughter were actually dead.
Quinn was a hero and everyone knows they wouldn't have made it this far with out her quick decision making and strong will to keep them alive.
She was a true leader and now.. Now they had to figure out how to survive without her.
"So, what are we going to do? It's going to take a while for the woman to heal." Caspian spoke softly.
"I know." Rachel replied.
The two were out in the woods having decided it wiser to speak where they couldn't be heard by Beth just in case she woke up and went looking for them. They didn't want the blonde to assume anything or learn somethings about them that she shouldn't know.
"Are we still leaving?"
"Of course we are. You know the rules. We can't stay here during this time."
"But are we going to leave them like this? Because they will die if we do."
"I know that Caspian. I'm not leaving them, not yet at least. I will nurse the mother back to health and teach Beth what she needs to know. Then we may part ways."
"I agree. I wouldn't be able to live we myself if we abandoned them during this time. Not like that man had."
"Her own father." Rachel replied with a shake of her head in disgust.
They had watched the entire thing unfold. From the moment the group was startled from there mid afternoon nap to their desperate escape for their life.
They had watched on sadly as Quinn lost steam and began to lag behind. The gap between she and the group growing exponentially until there was more than 40 feet between she and Beth.
The rest of the group had a good distance ahead from Beth and her father.
Rachel, Caspian, and Bailey watched on sadly as Beth fought her father to run straight back to her mother with desperation and fear in her eyes.
They watched as she begged her father for help to free her mother than he left them to die.
They watched more in amazement as Quinn released the bear trap slamming it back into her calve and bit in her cries of agony to pull her daughter on top of her to try and hide them from sight the best she could.
They watched with indecision whether to help or not considering they were on their own journey in the opposite direction.
Rachel felt it the entire time. The moment her eyes caught the blonde's at the restaurant just before all this began to her watching the blonde practically dying.
She could feel the pull to the woman unlike anything she had ever felt before. She could also feel a pull to Beth.
The young blonde's cries for her mother nearly ripped Rachel's heart to shreds. It was undeniable she had to help them.
Which is what brings them to now and now even though she knew if they waited any longer they were putting themselves in jeopardy.
She and now Caspian couldn't leave until the two blonde's were at least physically well and prepared with the essentials they would need to make their way back to their group.
Santana grunted as she tripped over a log almost falling on her face but being caught by Mike.
"Thanks."
"Your welcome."
It was she, Mike and Steve out looking for a place to sleep in the dark.
Something that would have enough room for all of them. It would have to give them enough camouflage and time to wake up and high tail out of there without being seen, should the dogs come breezing through at whatever hour but that's if they could find a spot.
The rest of the group were huddled low behind some fallen large oak trees in the dark waiting for their return. Santana was paranoid that while she was out scouting for a place to sleep. Her family were being killed.
She shook it off and continued on. The faster they found the spot they needed. The faster they could get back to their families.
They had come across Steve and his group a while back. All of them were leaving the mall when all this had gone down.
They had stuck together and made it barely but they made it. The two groups had been wary of each other at first but thanks the Quinn that wariness had dissipate quickly.
"Hey, Mike what about there?" Santana pointed as she spotted a almost rotted through with a gaping hole large oak tree laying on it's side that gave a good shadow.
The three approached the tree quietly with caution as they began to enter it using their hands to touch the walls and feel how deep it went.
"This isn't deep enough to hold everyone but it will have to do. Some of us will still have to sleep outside of it."
"As long as the kids are covered from the snow I don't care about where I sleep." Santana replied.
"Same." Steve added.
They had two children with them. Santana and Britney's son Brandon and a 2 year old little girl who Steve and his family had come across who was crying in the middle of the street.
She had been glued to Brandon's side refusing to part with him and would cry if she was, so now she became part of Britney and Santana's group.
"Alright well, let's go get the group. Someone should stay here and watch the tree in case anyone else might be looking for a place like we are. I'll stay." Steve suggested.
"Okay but we can's leave you alone just in case there's a group. At least if something happens you guys can split up and hopefully someone could warn our group." Santana replied.
The two men nodded their understanding. They had walked a good distance from the group and now Santana was basically saying without saying she was going to make the trek back alone though this was her first scouting.
"I don't Santana, I don't feel right letting you go alone." Mike replied.
"Yeah, what if-" Steve tried.
"I'll be fine. I need to see my family now. I wouldn't be able to stand here and wait for you guys."
"Okay, if your sure but if Britney maims me for this you'll have to tell Tina why." Mike smirked.
Santana chuckled at the boys shot at humor.
"Well, then lets make sure we don't waste anymore time so I can get back safely."
"Okay." The two hugged tightly.
You never knew what could happen and now goodbyes meant more to them than anything. They released each other than Steve and Santana hugged. The two pulled back.
"Good luck, Tana." Steve said.
"You too."
"Be careful and quiet." Mike instructed.
"I will and you guys do the same."
The brunette took one more good look at the two men before turning on her heel ducking and beginning her trek back.
"Have you spoken to Magnus?" Caspian asked.
"Yes, he sent word. They're still waiting for my response but in actuality I can't give them one. Time has run out. We'll have to forfeit."
Silence engulfed them. Rachel could tell Caspian had something he wanted to say but couldn't.
"Maybe we don't have to. The transition isn't complete. There's still time.." Caspian trailed off with a look at the brunette that spoke so many things but Rachel couldn't read it for what it was.
"There isn't any more time. Look around you, Casp, there's nothing left. It's over."
"You look around You! Rachel, with all due respect it isn't over until it's over. The transition has only being going on four months now. The complete seal is a year."
"So?"
"So. Maybe we can figure something out. You are the first and honestly the greatest. If you don't try than I don't want to be here when it's over and I know when it's over you'll feel the weight of your too early defeat."
Rachel swallowed thickly. Her eyes taking in the cold snow covered dying trees and dark sky. As she felt sadness begin to fill within her.
"Think about it.. Six months that's all you need." Caspian spoke softly as he squeezed her shoulder in silent support than turned on his heel to head back to the cave.
"How am I suppose to do it in six months? I would need longer." Rachel spoke with her eyes on his back.
Caspian chuckled and turned slightly while still walking away. "My dear you are Rachel Berry our first. You'll figure it out. You've already done half the job."
The brunette furrowed her brow at him in annoyance but affection shined in her eyes. It was his natural born nature to speak in riddles or half answers and she hated riddles and half answers even though she's said them herself.
'Half the battle? What the hell is he talking about?' The brunette thought to herself.
She knew she wasn't allowed to ask him because he was forbidden by rule and nature but she could tell he was purposely hinting at something that he wasn't allowed to say. It frustrated her to no end.
Santana sighed with some peace of mind, albeit a very small peace but a peace of mind nonetheless, that she was able to make it back to the group than guide them back to the hollow tree to Mike and Steve.
She had been terrified something would go wrong but for once nothing bad happened.
The brunette watched her wife guide their son and the little blonde two year old into the hallow tree.
Britney was worn down by all of this. Between fear and dread she never sleep always jolting awake to make sure both children were still there with her along with her wife.
Not that everyone else wasn't having the same problem but in all honesty Santana only had one care, goal and one purpose.
Keeping her family safe and alive. Her wife and son were her purpose, keeping them alive was her goal and that's all she cared about but she'd be lying if she said that little blonde two year old with eyes just as blue as her wife's didn't weasel her way in to her heart and though she didn't ask for it.
The little girl was now a part of her family making them a family of four instead of three in Santana's mind. So she was also apart of the care, purpose, and goal.
She hadn't spoken to Britney about how she feels about it because she already knows that if something happened to that little girl. She herself would lose it like she would her son.
She could only imagine how much worse it would be for her wife if she put the idea in her wife's head that she considered the girl her daughter now.
When Quinn went down with that guttural scream Santana froze with the little blonde in her arms as her wife froze with their son.
They saw Quinn's head thrown back with her mouth open in agony but couldn't make out her features because she was that far away from them.
They don't even know how she died but they couldn't stopped because the crying children in their arms needed them to protect them and though Santana felt like the worst, disgusting fucking human being on earth for turning her back on whom she considers her sister and niece.
She had to protect her children. She felt some semblance of peace when she saw Puck run after Beth and at what she assumed at the time for Quinn.
It wasn't until Finn cursed him out in anger about leaving his family behind to die, did she lose her shit.
She still couldn't believe it. Quinn and Beth were dead. The two blonde's that she watched grow their entire lives are dead and she still hated her self for not turning back to help save them.
"San?" Britney whispered pulling the brunette from her thoughts.
"Yes, baby?"
"Come to bed, babe."
It was then that Santana realized everyone else were already settled in and out of the oak tree asleep.
The brunette shook her head as her tears began to fall and instantly Britney began to cry too because she knew! She just knew exactly who Santana was thinking about.
Britney pulled her wife into a hug and they cried together for the loss of the two blonde's they would never see again.
Beth groaned as she slowly began to wake. She felt warm and comfy. Her eyes fluttered open and the cave ceiling began to become clear in her vision.
She gasped in surprise and bolted up right. She glanced to her left and there her mother was, looking pale and lifeless but the light rise and fall of her chest gave the clear sign she was breathing.
Beth's eyes welled with tears. It was real. All of it. She began to silently cry. She had thought she had dreamed for those few short glorious moments of warm comfort supplied by the quilts and cot.
A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump out of her skin.
"Good afternoon, Brave one." Rachel smiled so beautifully, it was like watching a rose bloom.
Beth licked her lips and croaked back. "Good morning." The blonde blushed at her voice and Rachel's smile widened.
"Here, this is for you." The brunette spoke in a motherly tone.
Beth's eyes widened as she was bestowed hard boiled eggs and a side of some form of meat but she couldn't tell what kind with it being shredded but she didn't care.
Her eyes shined and her tears came again only this time in gratefulness.
She unexpectedly leaned forward and pulled a surprised Rachel in a hug of pure unadulterated gratitude.
"Thank you.. Thank you so much, Rachel."
"It's alright, Beth. Everything is going to be alright." Rachel spoke softly as she gently rubbed the emotional teenagers back. "Now, eat up. I also made you a tea with some of my herbs and here is an extra bottle of water just in case.
"I.." Beth trailed off in awe, looking at all that was being offered to her and she couldn't believe it. She felt like a princess.
"Don't worry right now Beth. Just enjoy your meal. There's plenty of time to talk later. We'll do it then, okay?"
Beth nodded and smiled at the brunette. Rachel smiled back, rubbed her shoulder and stood up.
The brunette went to Quinn and Beth watched with worried eyes as Rachel knelt at the foot of the cot.
She began setting up some herb ointments she made earlier and began unwrapping Quinn's foot.
Beth noticed she had knew leaves freshly peeled and waiting to be used as a wrap.
The brunette took a cloth with steaming water and 'Is that soap?! Where the hell did she get soap?!' Beth thought but stood silent, watching as Rachel began to delicately wash her mothers now dark purple, blue, greenish bruised swollen calve and foot.
It looked twice the size it did yesterday. Her toes looked like Italian sausages.
Beth swallowed thickly and though it churned her stomach to see. She wanted to make sure her mother wasn't being hurt.
She watched as Rachel dried her mothers foot than began lathering it with her concoction of the day before followed by wrapping her mothers foot once again with the leaves than gently laying it back down.
She then pulled a medical ice pack from her pack, popped it than laid it on the blonde's calve gently.
The brunette stood up and began changing the IV bag than took out a medical bag from behind the cot. Beth's eyes bulged not remembering seeing that there the night before.
Rachel took out the thermometer and took her mothers temperature. The brunette nodded then pulled a small note pad out and began writing something down.
She then took out her stethoscope and listened to her mothers heart beat again jotting something down on her note pad.
She took her pen light and opened each of her mothers eyes checking the pupils and again wrote on the pad.
She then put everything back and pulled a small medicine jar with a dropper.
She squeezed the amount she wanted then put it to her mothers lips. Lightly tugging her chin down to drip the drops in.
She closed the glass jar and placed it back in the bag than turned to cup of water and used a straw to hold the water in with her finger then put it to her mothers lips and released the end her finger was on, to allow it to flow in her mothers mouth massaging her mothers throat as she did all this.
The brunette put the rest of the items away and stood up. She turned to Beth with a small smile. "Finish up, Brave one. You and have a lot to discuss today."
Rachel than turned on her heel and walked back to the other side of the cave where the fire was surprisingly still going.
The brunette took a seat and was handed a plastic plate by Caspian.
The three ate in silence and Beth ate while her eyes cast from her mother to the three people who just saved their lives the day before and not for the first time is she wondering why they had or would go through the trouble that could have gotten them killed?
She couldn't stop the loyalty she felt building within her. Her gratitude beyond words and her reverence for Rachel solid in its waking.
Not even her own father would have done what Rachel had did and is still doing and Beth couldn't believe she and her mother were blessed to have come across them.
"I don't understand?"
"What is there to not understand?" Rachel asked with an amused smile aimed at a wide eyed Beth as she held a tomahawk in her hand.
"What am I suppose to do with it?"
"Your suppose to throw it."
"Why?"
"To perfect it."
"But why?"
"To protect yourself."
"How can I protect myself when this thing is half the length of my arm and it's heavy? If anything wouldn't this just slow me down?"
"Beth, in this new world there is no room for doubt. You say your a cheerleading captain, yes?"
Beth nodded.
"Well, as a captain you have to be strong and confident but also sure in every step you take, every move you make and every command that leaves your lips must have power without coming off as bravado. Well, you need those skills in this world just as you needed them in the old world. Your mother is healing but when she wakes and trust me Beth she will wake, she won't be able to protect you with her leg being damaged. She will need you to protect her, understood?"
Rachel had watched as Beth's eyes went from doubt to realization to determination and settle on fierce. The mention of her mother set a blaze to the blonde's eyes that weren't there before.
"Now we don't know how long it will take for your mother to wake. So in the mean time, I'd like to take you as my apprentice, if you will. Caspian will also join in here and there with a few things but I've trained him and everything I've taught him I'd like to teach you to know that'll help prepare you. However; it's only if you'd like to? We can forget the entire thing and I'll let y-"
"No! I want to learn."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay but Beth this won't be easy and I'm not only teaching you how to do things. I want to physically get you in shape so your body can handle the pressure it will go under should whatever I teach you need to be used."
"Okay."
"Your sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Okay than let's get you geared up." Rachel replied with a smile.
Beth furrowed her brow. "Geared up?"
"Yes. Because we're going out."
"What? Wait, what about mom?"
"That's what Caspian and Bailey are here for. Now chop, chop Brave one." Rachel said as she tossed a small duffle back to Beth.
2 HOURS LATER.
Beth looked down at herself and couldn't believe that she was in fresh new clothing.
Soft thick cotton turtle neck, Thick warm cargo pants, tall new steel toe boots that went up to her ankle, allowing her to tuck the pants into it so she wouldn't wear out the ankle cut of the material.
Black, she was dressed in pure black down to the tall black boots. Why black? She had no clue but Rachel assured her in time she would know.
"Alright, here you go." Rachel said dressed in the exact same clothing as Beth, both with their hair in mid ponytails with the tails braided. She handed the tomahawk to the young blonde.
Beth felt amazing. Rachel had heated a large pale of water over the fire and sent Caspian along with Bailey down to the first level of the cave.
She gave Beth a cloth, soap and a new set of clothing that Beth had burst into tears over. Than she left Beth to bathe.
The fire had kept Beth warm as she stood over the pale and she moaned when she felt warm medium hot water soak her dirty cold skin.
Those minutes of cleaning herself had been life at it's best. She never thought she would ever get to experience such a thing again and damn did it feel good.
Rachel had a second pale over the fire and when Beth was done washing up she sat the blonde down to help wash her hair of the built up grime over the next pale of water than removed the teenagers knots with a brush and comb.
When she had finished washing the blonde's hair. Rachel took the liberty to do her hair and Beth lost it some more at the gesture and over enthusiastically, depending on who you ask, engulfed the surprised brunette in a bone crushing hug.
She doesn't give a damn where the brunette was getting all these essentials. All she knows is last night they didn't have any of those things then that morning they were just there but Beth isn't going to complain because for the love of bacon she's Clean!
She also thought it'd be incredibly rude and seen as ungrateful if she asked.
"Caspian we're headed out for training. Remember in two hours to give Beth's mother her drops." Rachel instructed as she passed Beth a thick NorthFace coat that had Beth's jaw on the floor.
The young blonde reached out with trembling hands and wide eyes as if it were a mirage of some sort that should she blink or move too quickly it would disappear.
"Yes, of course." Caspian replied with a smile as he and Rachel watched Beth with understanding eyes.
Feeling happiness for choosing to help the two blonde's and getting to experience the young blonde's awed reactions.
Rachel helped Beth into her coat. Beth's eyes widened because it fit her perfectly. She was then handed a NorthFace hat and gloves.
"Let's go." Rachel said as she put on her cloak that confused the hell out of Beth because why would Rachel choose to wear that instead of a coat?
The brunette grabbed her own tomahawk and headed down the cave steps.
The two walked outside just as dawn was they walked Rachel began her verbal instruction.
"The first thing I'd like to you to know is that it's very important that if you are practicing your throwing alone. Do so on a dead tree not a green tree because what your doing to that green tree is opening a wound which would cause the tree to become infected over time and eventually rot it. Killing the tree slowly and as you can tell we need all the green trees we can have, right?"
Beth nodded her understanding and agreement.
"You also need to make sure that the dead tree still has some bark on it because if it doesn't and the wood dries out and hardens it will be difficult to stick the tomahawk."
Again Beth nodded.
"You can tell which tree is best by the sound using your hawk to tap it. You'll hear the moisture in the tap or the hardness like so." Rachel demonstrated between two trees tapping them with the tomahawk.
"After you've chosen your tree. You want to get a good distance between you and the tree. So you want to take five steps but you want them to be three feet in length giving you a fifteen foot mark from your target."
Rachel grasp the blonde's hand gently taking the steps with her one, two, three four, five." The two stopped than turned back to the tree showing that they were fifteen feet from it.
Santana tilted her head to the side wincing as it cracked with stiffness. It was now morning.
She wasn't sure what time but it was morning and thankfully there was no whirring sounds in the distance. She's been up 20 minutes now with Mike, Sam, and Steve.
"So, what do we have left?" Santana asked.
Mike, Sam and Steve began digging through their make shift sacks which were just shirts.
"I've got a loaf of bread and 15 packets of jerky." Steve replied.
"Nine packs of crackers but they've mostly been crushed. 7 packs of raisins and six power bars." Mike followed.
"I've got one can of Tuna, a pack of jelly beans, six cans of sardines and two cans of dog food." Sam spoke up next.
Santana looked into her own makeshift sack. "I've got eight cans of cat food, three packs of crackers, 12 packs of welches fruit snacks, and seven cans of crab meat."
Before the group had found their way in to the maze of woods they had looted a store under Quinn's supervision.
Each family or single person made it out with enough food for their individual family, friend or self.
They had been lugging their sacks around and running with them during their escapes but that looting was weeks ago and now they were slowly running out of food and had no idea where they were or how they'd get to somewhere that would replenish their supply.
It was agreed by the four of them that they'd share what they had with each other and were about to present the idea to the rest of the group.
Who ever didn't want to share wouldn't be forced to. However; if they didn't share and ration what little they had they were going to be screwed.
"That was... Better." Rachel winced out trying but failing at just how bad of a throw Beth had so not executed.
"Ugh! I suck at this! Can't we do something else?" Beth asked dejectedly.
"No. Everyone learns through practice, Beth. It won't happen over night or within the first hour and half of trying. You'll get it, I promise." Rachel assured.
"Okay." Beth sighed annoyed with herself.
"Okay, now take your stance again and remember relax. Don't focus on how hard it is or where we are. Just relax and let it slip from your hand." Rachel instructed again.
"Okay." Beth replied as she took her stance again.
She shook her arms out a little and took a deep breath with her eyes closed before opening them with determination.
She lifted the tomahawk pulled back than threw forward, releasing it with new ease.
She watched with bated breath as it flew across more precise and within a blink of an eye stuck it's mark.
Beth's jaw dropped as her eyes widened before a squeal erupted from her throat as Rachel laughed and clapped her hands.
"I did it! I did it! I did it! Rachel did you see that?! I did it!" Beth asked in excitement, disbelief written all over her face with sparkling eyes shooting back and forth at Rachel than the tomahawk stuck in the tree than back at Rachel again.
"I did! That was perfect." Rachel applauded with a proud smile. "But that was only one mark. It could have been luck. Let's see if you can do it again."
Beth nodded ran over to the tree pulling her tomahawk from it and rushing back to her spot. "Okay. I'm ready." Beth said mostly to herself, her body thrumming with excitement.
"Easy, Brave one. Remember, relax your body and mind." Rachel instructed quietly as she watched the determination fill the blonde once more. She could see the renewed confidence in the Beth.
Beth nodded and took a second to collect herself before taking her stance again.
In one fluid motion she threw the hawk with more confidence and watched as it stuck it's mark once more. Beth jumped up and down clapping with happiness.
"You did it!" Rachel cheered.
"No way!" A blonde man named Jeff sneered at Steve.
"Calm down." Sam said as he lightly placed a hand on the mans shoulder only to be shoved off.
"No! Our food is ours! I will not cause my wife and I to run out of food faster just because you all finished yours!"
"Look! I'm not going to repeat myself!" Santana snarled in anger. "You either listen or you don't and to be perfectly honest you don't have to stay with our group! Because none of us actually needs to stick together! Every one is in this group by choice and that includes you! Does it make it easier or harder on any of us?! I don't know but what I do know is, is that we don't have a lot of options! You don't want to share fine but when you run out don't look to anyone else for help because they may not want to help you with the way your acting!"
"She's right!" Another man spoke up. "You don't want to share than you have no reason to be here. We're in this group because we help each other-"
"Nah man, I'm with Jeff. I don't want to share my food. I've got enough to last me and I'm not going to starve because the rest of you didn't ration your own food right!"
Santana clenched her jaw. This was not how the conversation was suppose to go but clearly no one was listening. This had never happened when Quinn was there. There was nothing but understanding and peace among the group.
"Screw you! I've been out of food for two days and I'm hungry and if you don't want to share that's fine because I will gladly take it by force!" A tall bulky guy growled with feral eyes in anger that sent a chill down Santana's spine.
She looked at Mike, Sam, and Steve and could tell they were thinking exactly what she was. This had the potential to turn into a blood bath.
"You did excellent, Brave one."
"Yeah?" Beth asked with a smile as the two walked back toward the cave now having spent the entire morning and mid afternoon practicing throwing.
"Yes, you're a fast learner. You soaked everything up like a sponge. I'm impressed."
"Really?" Beth replied with a smile and blush.
"Yes, really." Rachel replied with a smile as she bumped the blonde's shoulder with her own.
"Thanks.."
"No thanks necessary."
"So.. I uh.. I hope you don't mind me asking but what made you want to teach me?"
Rachel took a deep breath. How do you answer such a question without revealing the full truth?
"Beth.. This world has drastically changed and there are obviously a lot of threats in it. You are strong, brave, and very bright but you need more than that. You need to know how to survive in it and that means you need to know how to protect yourself. When I found you though you were brave you were also scared. Anyone could see it."
At Rachel's words Beth's head bowed slightly at the truth of that statement. She was scared.
She had no idea what to do and when Rachel caught the wood mid swing her heart plummeted and her stomach bottomed out.
"Hey, it's okay to be afraid but Beth.. Don't ever let it engulf you again. That's why I'm going to teach you everything I know including how to care for your mother."
At the mention of her mother Beth made eye contact in disbelief.
"Really?"
"Yes, I can tell her body is very weak though she's healthy." What Rachel really meant was she smell just how weak.
"Yeah.." Beth replied sadly. "She wasn't always like this or so I've been told by my aunts. She use to be really strong but she was in a bad car accident and now she gets easily tired or sick. I'm not going to lie I'm surprised she lasted this long without getting sick. Maybe that's why she didn't see the bear trap. She was barely keeping up but.."
Beth's eyes welled with tears as she stopped walking and Rachel stopped walking in silent support.
"I.. I saw it." Beth whimpered out.
"Saw what?"
"The bear trap. I saw it and jumped over it. I didn't say anything and now my mom is.."
"No, Beth, no. It was not in anyway your fault that your mother got caught in it."
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't and you can bet your bottom dollar that your mother will tell you the same. It isn't your fault."
"But-"
"No buts. It isn't, now I don't want to hear you say such an awful thing again. Do you understand me, young lady?"
Beth bit her lip and nodded but her tears wouldn't stop.
"Oh Brave one, don't cry.." Rachel spoke softly as she cup the blonde's cheek to wipe her tears away. "Come here." The brunette spoke softly pulling Beth in to her arms to console her.
"FUCK YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" A man screamed into another mans face as he landed another harsh blow to the man below him.
An all out brawl broke out between some of the members of the group with some of the other members trying to break it up.
Britney was on one side holding her son and the blonde girl behind her as Santana and a few other began repacking the food in a rush so no one could try and steal anything from anyone else.
Since there was no actual compiling of the food. Just then everyone froze as the whirring sound could be heard in the distance approaching quickly.
Soon chaos broke and people shoved other people to gather their things and run.
Santana scooped up her son as Britney scooped up the blonde toddler.
Mike and Tina grabbed their things along with Sam, Puck, Finn, Mercedes and the rest of the group.
"THIS WAY!" Santana shouted trying to lead the group from the direction some of them were running.
"FUCK YOU! I DON'T TAKE ORDERS FROM A DYK-" Just than a large form leaped over a dead fallen oak tree. Catching Jeff mid sentence, on his shoulder tossing him in the air and opening it's massive beak to devour him whole.
The groups eyes widened in horror. Still after so many times of seeing it happen it was still frightening to see.
Screams pierced the air and another one large mass leaped from out of no where catching another group member off guard.
The fire crackled and Beth took a healthy sip of her broth. She looked down to her plastic plate that housed a well cooked fish.
She had been surprised to say the least but not as much as she first had been when they were first brought to the cave.
After they had gone back to the cave Rachel left Beth to watch over her mother while she and Caspian had gone out catch dinner.
She couldn't remember the last time she had fish. It tasted amazing. Rachel had some how gotten some herbs from god knows where and seasoned the fish deliciously.
Beth looked around at the three people who saved her life and smiled.
She was beyond grateful but also sad and felt guilty for being able to live so closely to normal while the rest of her group was out there some where cold and barely had any food.
The thought of kids made her eyes well with tears. She prayed their group was still alive.
She doesn't want think about if they aren't. She still is very aware of how hard it is to live out there.
She and her mother had run out of their sack of food they acquired because her father couldn't control his hunger.
She hadn't told Rachel the whole truth of why her mother was lagging behind.
It was because she kept giving Beth her portion of their rations and refused to eat anymore then a bite here and there as little sips of water as possible to make sure Beth was fed and nourished.
She had been weak because of it. Beth noticed her energy diminishing over the weeks leading up to now.
"Brave one, you okay over there?" Rachel's voice called out to her. Pulling the teenager from her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Pfft I'm just tired." Beth replied with as much of smile of reassurance she could give. She could tell none of them believed her.
"Well, then why don't you get some rest?" Rachel replied sweetly.
"Yeah, I think I'll do that. Good night, thanks for dinner."
"Good night."
"Night, Beth."
Rachel, and Caspian replied with warm smiles and understanding eyes.
The blonde took the last bite of her fish and stood up placing the plate on the ground than walking back to her cot.
She smiled at the sight of four year old Bailey once again laying next to her mother. The little girl made eye contact with her and smiled with such affection in her eyes.
Beth didn't understand the little girls need to lay with her mother but thought it only a good thing.
She sighed as her head hit the pillow. Willing her mind to stop conjuring up horrible images of her group in horrific ways.
She shut her eyes and began praying for them to be safe and wishing that she could know somehow if they were okay.
