Epidemic (Closed)

Her ears lowered as he spoke, proceeding to explain why her actions were poor. Unfortunately, she didn't think about any of that. It was just a spur of the moment reaction, something to break the tension... Though, now she feels rather horrible and looked down at the cuffs on her wrists.

"I didn't mean any harm... It isn't as though I jumped in your lap and attacked you. It was just harmless fun... I didn't even tickle you that hard.... Besides, you should be used to driving with distractions..."

In many ways, she tried her best to sound stronger than how she felt. He is the one being mean after all, in her eyes she didn't do anything to deserve to be cuffed. Her ears remained flat as she returned to watching the trees. She can tell that he wanted to speak some more and with a soft sigh. The last few things he mentioned really dug into her and that only made her feel even more horrible.

"I wouldn't leave you if you were injured. I do have medical skills and it isn't in my nature to leave anyone to die. Yes, I would rather be traveling alone, but that doesn't mean I would leave you in that kind of state. I'm not that cruel..."

She fell silent and didn't know what else to say about it. There is more she wanted to say, there is more to say and she knew there is.... It was just stuck on her tongue and the words were too scrambled.

"Look, I'm sorry.. It's just I like traveling alone because I know what I need, where I am going and what I am looking for. If I have anyone else with me, they get all triggered happy, shoot down anything that moves. My past few babysitters destroyed a bunch of important items because a mouse spooked them. If I need to trap an animal for it's blood... anyone with me just shoots to kill that animal without question.... It is just easier to be alone."

She thought about something he mentioned.. or at least requested before all this took a turn. For a moment she did try to think of a story to tell him, mainly to change the subject and lighten the mood. Yet, she honestly didn't have anything that would be interesting to him.

"I am not good at talking about myself. People don't understand me majority of the time. Or they are too busy chewing me out for something lame... It's always just easier to keep to myself and stay out of the way. Another reason I don't like traveling with others."

He gave a little nod as he listened to her aplogize for her actions. He was a little ashasmed of what he had to do, but it had to be done. It told her that at least she understood what she had done wrong and probably wouldn't try to do anything that bad again.

He really didn't say anything till he pulled over at their first pit stop area. He looked over at her for a moment, but didn't move to remove the handcuffs.

"Alright, we can stop for a short break here. Go ahead and use the bathroom if you need to, but be careful."

He got out of the jeep after her, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. He leaned against the jeep as he kept watch for any dangerous creatures.

"I understand that you probably don't want me around, but I was asked to protect you. I'll do my best to keep out of your way, so just think of me as your shadow of sorts. If there's an animal you don't want me to shoot, just tell me. You might think I'm just a glorified babysitter right now, but I take my job seriously."

She glared at him as he got out and only stood by the jeep. Making no indications at all that he is going to release her from these cuffs. She really didn't need to go to the bathroom, though she looked at the rundown motel they stopped at. It was a tiny one, only 15 rooms and it is a place she has stayed at from time to time. Though she had to stop coming here on the first night considering everyone at the lab knew this is where she goes. Still, she can't run off with these damn cuffs on... let alone go to the bathroom if she actually did need to go.

"A shadow of mine would never put me in cuffs. Let alone do it twice in a row now. My shadow would certainly not leave me in cuffs either....."

Kirynn brought her attention back towards him, barely catching him looking at her. Yet, he still made no motion to remove the cuffs, not even reaching for the key..... nothing.. just stood there as if this is an everyday thing for him. Of course this is entertaining to him, why wouldn't it be? He is a male after all, one that clearly loves to torment others beneath him...

"If you want me to take you seriously, fine I will... However, I will never trust you if keep putting me in these damn things all the time. How am I suppose to do anything with these stupid things on? Kind of going along with your example... what if something happens and I am restricted in helping you. Or if I break an arm or wrist because I fell with these on..... "

She rolled her eyes with frustration and turned her back on him, deep down she is already planning her revenge. He will pay for keeping her in these damn cuffs for so long. It was a few hours to get here, she learned her lesson and did apologize. Kept her hands to herself the whole drive out.

"You claim you will stay out of my way... Yet, you refuse to take these off. I said I was sorry.... What more do you want?"

He just stayed silent for a few moments while she tried to chew him out for his cuffing of her. Though she did bring up a valid point or two, he knew he could have done worse to her. Once she was finished, he reached into a pocket and retrieved his handcuff key.

"Wear those long enough and you could figure out how to do things in a more limited fashion. Though I could have done things a little worse and treat the punishment as if you were one of my team."

He moved over to her, unlocking each cuff from her wrists before closing each cuff with a click. He put the cuffs in a handcuff pouch on the back of his belt as he glanced around for a moment, taking in the abandoned hotel.

"I could have had you in the dirt, rolling around and doing exercises for half an hour."

He peered in the front window of the little office, seeing that it was empty.

"We'll leave in ten minutes, so go ahead and do what you need to do."

Kirynn stared and watched as he explored the area, thinking about what he said. Some anger did flash in her eyes, also hurt that he would threaten her like that.

"Only a babysitter would give a punishment.... I will never crawl in the dirt for you and I will not be wearing those damn cuffs again. Next time you try to put those things on me... I will fight you and You will regret it..."

With that, she stormed off into one of the rooms that she typically goes into. She wanted to cry for some reason, just thinking about being with someone like him. The idea of being in those stupid cuffs gave her a mixture of emotions. That hint of being aroused crept up again as she glanced down at her wrist. She can still feel the cold steel against her skin.. then shaking her head... It's impossible to be aroused by such treatment.... She couldn't understand why he made her want to rip her clothes off and allow him to use her...

When she freshened up and eventually came back out to the jeep, she got into the back to put some distance between them. Refusing to get close enough and not wanting to make it easy for him to cuff her again. At this point she is sulking and kept quiet while she took the map to study it more. Kirynn needed something to distract herself with, doing what she can to stay out of his way.

"Just keep driving on this road for about an hour... I will tell you where to go as we get closer. Most of the signs along the roads there have been destroyed... I will stay back here and out of your way..."

She fixed up a comfortable spot behind the passenger seat and settled down while waiting for him. Close enough so they can speak if he wanted to, yet making it more work for him to cuff her again... At least this way she can fight him off and not get caught off guard again.

While waiting on Kirynn to do what she needed to do, he wandered around the motel for a few minutes. When she emerged from out of the motel room, he was opening one of the MREs he had packed for them to eat. He pulled out the sealed little pack of pretzals and opened it as she made her way over to the jeep.He munched on a couple of sticks as he took his seat once more in the driver's seat.

"I'll trust your guidance on where we go then. Just be sure not to miss the turn."

He soon had the jeep back on the road. The drive wasn't too bad, but he did have to dodge a few fallen branches from the previous day's storm.

"Just so you know, I never planned on making you crawl in the dirt or anything like that. I am just trying to look out for you, since it sounds like you've been sheltered for most of your life. It's just sometimes we have to learn things through punishment before really getting it into our heads. Believe me, I've had to do my fair share of punishments up till now."

He only ate half of the pack of pretzels before offering it back to her.

Kirynn took the pretzels carefully and munched on them while pondering over what he said. For a while she remained silent, unsure of how to answer him. Though she looked around to see where they were at, they still had another hour before the turn off.

"I may have lived a shelter life, but I am not so naive that I need to be punished for every tiny thing. I have been alone for almost three years before your people took over. I am used to being alone... I learn just fine without being cuffed all the time..."

She didn't know whether to be angry, or break down crying, or oddly enough... be aroused by all this. It was just conflicting and she really wanted to pay him back, yet she had to wait. There isn't much she can do when he is watching her every move.

"I apologized and yet you kept me cuffed like some prisoner... If I hadn't requested for you take them off.. you would have just left them on... I think you just like cuffing girls for your own entertainment..."

She sighed and took a drink from her water bottle before eating more pretzels. The whole time she refused to look at him as her tail flicked against his arm unknowingly...

He shook his head softly for a moment as he listened to her complain.The jeep didn't have a rearview mirror, so he would have to glance back towards her on occasion, which wasn't often though.

"I wasn't treating you like a prisoner, even if you think I was. If you were actually a prisoner, I would have cuffed your hands behind your back."

He did glance towards her tail for a moment, lifting his arm a little. He let the tail get between his arm and side before lowering his arm once more to trap to there.

"And I wouldn't call doing something that could possible get both of us killed some little thing. As I said before, I was being easy on you as far as any sort of punishment."

He gave a little chuckle for a moment.

"Perhaps I should have really treated you like a girl, making you do write-offs like I used to do when I was a kid. Would that be any better? And there's no need to refer to yourself as a girl, when you are clearly a woman."

She sat in the back thinking about everything he said. All the sudden it felt as though they keep going in circles about this. Yet, she did feel as if he had something against her. On the other hand, he didn't know her enough to have any emotional attachment.

"I have obviously made a bad impression with you... How about we start over. Clean slate.. Lets play 20 questions... I will even let you start.."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a water bottle that looked like it had juice in it. She drank it just like juice as to not make it so obvious. In reality... It is one of her stronger meads... Which he didn't need to know..

"We need to pass the time somehow.."

He gave a little chuckle and shake of his head as she mentioned that they had started off on the wrong foot, so to speak. That was true, though he is impression so far had been that she was wanting to remain aloof from him. That would have been fine, but going this route would make things easier to cope with.

"20 questions? I guess that's a good way to pass time and get to know each other. Alright, what was your life like before you got discovered there?"

He leaned over to the over this for a moment, pulling up his camelbak that had fallen into the floor. He set it in the passenger seat before flicking open the nozzle cover and taking a long sip of water before dropping it back on the seat. Keeping one hand on the wheel, he absently rubbing her captured tail with his other hand as he waited on her to speak.

"My life... Was pretty simple.. I suppose to some, it was a nerds life. Nose in a book and following fathers footsteps. Never really had a lot of friends."

She took another drink of the juice and found a lollipop in her bag.

"When all this happened, father didn't take to his transformation. He fell ill and I couldn't heal him..."

She squirmed slightly as the sensations from her tail hit. In truth it didn't bother her that he trapped it. It should have bothered her, typically she never allowed it. Somehow, it was a comfort this time...

"It was rough at first, i had to reset the whole lab and scrounge for parts. Eventually got it up and running. Everything else... Well... It was a boring and lonely."

She sat quietly for a moment while sucking on the lollipop.

"What about you? Was your life always with the military?"

He gave a nod for a moment at her question.

"I came from a military family. My mother was in the Navy, retiring shortly after I was born. Dad was in the army till a heart attack got a year before everything went down. I was in boot camp at Fort Bragg when everything opened up. Lost my mother in a landslide in South Caroline a few days after shit started. She was on her way to try and help Red Cross on the coast."

He sighed softly at the memory, shaking his head for a moment. He continued to stroke and pet her tail before grabbed a little more water.

"So what's so special about your place?"

It made her feel bad that he lost both parents like that. It also thinking of her father.

"I never knew my mom. It was always just daddy and me. The lab is special because I help daddy build it.. We designed together too... That whole father and daughter project."

She a drink of juice and already started to feel the booze kickin in. She rarely drinks which makes her a light weight.

"What do you like doing for fun? Ya know, when your not being trigger happy military dude.."

Listened to answer while lazily tapping her tail, enjoying the petting and comfort it brought. A few times she came close to purring. It also brought out desires she hasn't thought about in a very long time.

They drove for another hour, tossing questions back and forth. Not once did she remove her tail... And there's no doubt he has picked up her scent by now. She did slow down on drinking her juice as she became a bit giggly.. Fighting to act sober..

"Turn left at the next road. There is a ranch house we can camp out at. And it is your turn to ask a question."

As he turned the jeep, he hmmed for a moment.

"Alright, what are you hoping to accomplish with your research? I know some of the big wigs are trying to find the cause of what happened so it doesn't happen again, but what about you?"

It didn't take them much longer to reach the ranch house, stopping the jeep in the driveway. Once he shut off the engine, he looked back at her.

"Stay here while I look around. Shouldn't take long."

He reached over beside her, picking up his rifle before he got out. He scanned the front yard for a moment, not seeing anyone else around nor any creatures. He tried the front door, finding it unlocked. He pushed the door open slowly, shining a flashlight inside. Not seeing anything but dust, he went inside to search room by room.

She thought about his question while he went to explore the area. Although she didn't like being left alone in the dark either. Kirynn's ears were flicking at every tiny sound. She tried to ignore most of the sounds and finished off her drink.

Each passing second her fear grew as a certain sound came closer. She reached into her bag and grabbed her dagger. When she heard growling from the bushes behind her... She very slowly and carefully hid under a blanket.

The scent in the air told her that this animal is sick. Although, the blanket hid the severity of it's illness. Soon she heard it sniffing around the jeep from the way its breathing, she can sense that it is rabid. Which she found strange, she the blanket hid her scent and it was too risky to take a peek. She couldn't risk getting bit, especially if it is rabid...

Though the house was dusty, it was small. There were signs some small critter or two had been living in there, but it had left shortly before. He was soon dne and stepped outside to check on her. He stopped for a moment as he saw a sickly looking pair of deer sniffing around the jeep. He waited for a few moments before making a move.

"Hey, get out of here. Go!"

They paused for a moment in their sniffing, looking at him quizzically. He smirked and lifted his rifle, firing a shot in the air. The loud noise was enough to make them jump and go scittering off across the road.

He moved to the jeep and peeked in to see her cowering under the blanket.

"The scary deer are gone. Grab yourself and let's head inside."

He moved around to the back of the jeep, pulling out his duffal bag before waiting on her.

She curled up more at the sound of the gun shot. Oddly there no thuddy sound of an animal dropping. Instead she heard them run off and she looked around when he pulled the blanket off.

"Deer don't growl though..."

She muttered while looking in the treeline... Perhaps whatever growled didn't want to eat sick deer. Or it is very possible that the booze is playing tricks on her.

"Anyway.. It was something else I guess. Maybe your shot scared it off too.."

She didn't know for certain, yet there's nothing else to explain it. Without wasting much time, she gathered her things and quickly followed behind him.

"To answer your question... I am researching for a cure. I believe that I am getting closer.. I just need to find a..."

She quickly hushed herself after almost giving to much away. The booze at times made her very chatty. Something she will have to be mindful of.

"So yea.. I figure there are people out there that miss being human... I want to help them.. Give them an option to choose."

There's no denying that she has a buzz going with how focused she is on just walking... Her thoughts also kept going back to the deer. Recalling him saying they were sickly.

"I would like stay here for a bit tomorrow. Get samples of the plant life. I smelled something that wasn't right.. I need to find out what it is.."

He nodded for a moment as he held the door open for her, letting her pass by him.

"A cure is noble enough. Though scientist types are always trying to find a cure for something. No need to things that can be cured."

He closed the door behind her, locking it. He walked over to the dusty couch, dropping his bag on it. He coughed for a few moments at the dust before opening a couple of windows to air the place out. There was no electricity, so he pulled out a couple of flashlights.

"The bathroom probably doesn't work, so you'll have to go outsode."

He moved into the kitchen, pulling out a cast iron frying pan.

"This will do for a small fire container."

He pulled out some silverware as well, chuckling.

"Looks like they left the silver behind."

"Finding a cure is just a personal goal... Your military buddies want to control it though.. Pick and choose who gets it.. Or force everyone to take it.."

She quieted for a second when catching herself talking about his friends. She had no way of knowing how much of what she tells him will get back to his commander. He no doubt has to report back when they return. Then she shrugged and tossed her bag in a corner.

".. It isn't as though I have anything else to do. I love science, it gives me purpose. Also, my research provides lots of interesting findings. It is my escape I guess.. The only sense of freedom I have these days."

She sighed while watching him prepare things and gave a weak smile to his comment about the silverware.

"An elderly woman lived here alone. She didn't need much for where she went. Though, she's most likely long gone by now."

She took a long drink of her special juice and smiled to herself. Then she remembered she needed to be discrete about this mead. She really didn't want share.. Making up her bed and grabbing her bag to change clothes.. Looking back at him she told him bout the bathroom situation.

"There is a bucket to use... Just be sure there is a bag in it first... Makes it easier to clean.."

With that, she left the room and forgot to take her juice bottle with her.

He raised an eyebrow for a moment when she began to complain about what the military was going to do with it. He just shook his head for a moment.

"Sometimes the world is larger than us and there's only so much we can do about it."

He looked around for a moment before picking up a chair that was rotting away. Laying it on it's side, he glanced up when she told about the bathroom.

"Yeah, I had a glance at the bathroom for a moment. I'll try not to make too much of a mess."

He watched her go into the bathroom before picking up his small axe from his kit. A few good blows and the chair was broken down into managable pieces. He dropped a few in the pain, glancing around for a drink. His camelbak back was out of reach, but hers was just near him.

"I don't think she'll notice a bit gone."

He opened the top and tilted it up some some of the liquid came out. He tilted the bottle back up as he tasted the meaty taste, putting the lid back on.

"Really..."

He sat the bottle down once more before getting a small fire going. Her choices in drink weren't his priorities until she got them into danger with it.

She didn't take too long in the bathroom, coming out wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts. By this time her drinking has caught up to her. The deep flush in her cheeks and the glossy look her eyes proved it.

"There is some running water here. It comes from a well. It isn't much pressure for showers not that freezing showers are fun.. but it enough for a sponge bath. It's clean to drink too."

She grabbed her empty bottle taking it to the kitchen sink. The water barely came out, yet she rinsed the bottle out and filled. She did a small test to show that it is safe. After she laid down in her bed, she put the juice in the bag. It was to the point to were she needed to eat. She didn't want to ruin this perfect buzz by getting sick.

"So I suppose it's my turn to ask a question..."

She laid there watching him for a few seconds thinking of something to ask.

"Do you have a family of your own? A mate.. Kids.. All that family fun stuff.."

He looked up for a moment at her question before shaking his head.

"No, none of that. I've been kept pretty busy since this whole mess started, so I really haven't been able to get into any of that stuff. Judging from what I've seen, I would say you are the same way. Are you wanting to have a family or kids anytime down the road?"

He pulled out a circular metal ring with a mesh inside it. Attached to one side were three metal spindles that he used to place it over the burning fire. Next he pulled out a large metal bowl, dumping two MRE packets of chili into it, stirring it slowly.

"This should be ready into about five to six minutes."

His question was a fair one, yet it still caught her off guard a little. She took a few seconds to think on it instead of blurting something foolish.

"I used to want kids. But now... This isn't a world for children. This world will ruin them... As for a mate... Let's just say men haven't been all that kind to me. If it wasn't for my position in research.. I'm sure I'd be chained up somewhere... So.. Yea... No mate for me.."

She sighed and stared at the ceiling until that strange scent caught her attention. It was brief though and the food quickly drowned it out.

"I've been considering leaving all of this behind. My father inherited a cabin up north. Very private and far away from this stress. Yet, I'm always being watched like a hawk."

He chuckled softly for a moment.

"The world may not be ready, but will it ever? A cure might still be years away, but Mother nature has her own path when it comes to continuing the species...."

He did trail off for a moment, knowing that this whole world changing event had also left a large part of the population sterile. He gave the chili a little bit more stirring before tapping the side of the bowl and laying the spoon aside. He picked up a couple of packets, reading them before tossing her one.

"Applesauce for the side. You can just tear it open and suck it out or push up from the bottom."

She fell silent after that and looked at the applesauce. She opened it and tasted it, it wasn't horrible. But it's nothing compared to what she makes.

"That's another thing I'm trying to cure. This infertile thing. There are a few species that are stil fertile and I've tested them. Yet, they are not compatible with us. I can't test on myself cause i am fertile.. However I haven't been successful with my dna on others either."

She took the bowl of offered food and sat up to eat. Unfortunately water doesn't taste good with chilli. Which had her pulling out some real juice this time. This one she shared with him.

"It's just apple and grape juice, not poison.."

She took a drink to prove it.

"I suppose if I was to meet the right mate I would change my mind. Until then... I just take one day at a time."

There's some scratching sounds at window and that same deep growling she heard earlier... Kirynn jumped at the sound since it's window she was sitting under...

"See.. That is no deer... That's what I heard by the jeep.."

Her ears lowered as the clawing increased, slowly and carefully she crawled away from the window. Gathering her food with her..

"The animals here never come up to the house like this. I have never smelled this one before either.."

She whispered while crawling towards him more.

"I think it might be rabid... Which is uncommon for this area.."

The clawing and growling grew more intense and the window is close to shattering...