The group did what they could to force the growing feeling of dread away. Trying to concentrate on the words of their leader as they continued towards their destination. Listening carefully to every word he said.

Soon the plan was set out, and they had their roles.

By no means was it the best plan that they could have come up with, but with the time they had available, it was the only one they had.

"You guys know the island best, and you're arguably the strongest of us."

"Arguably?" snorted Vic, not aggressive, more trying to add some humour to an awful situation.

Ignoring the bear shifter pointedly, he carried on. "You will go underground, to the centre of..."

"Lookout hill," Max interjected where the leader paused, uncertain of the name of the place which had ruled the survivor's lives for the last five years.

Giving a glare to Max, Matthew clearly growing frustrated by the constant interruptions. Even if they were done with the intention of helping him. Max ceased and desisted, backing off under the heated look of the older man. Biting his lip, wise.

Once silence had fallen on the group once again, the only sound was the distant songs of bird and their footsteps. Matthew continued once again.

Continuing firmly, "So you twelve will be working bellow ground. Whilst the rest of us will gather what supplies we can find to create some kind of protection for it, a box, a room, it doesn't matter. Just make something which will ward the beasts away."

A child could have come up with a better idea, Kit couldn't help but be pessimistic. It practically danced off his tongue at this point.

"Ok," Max was the one who spoke when the absent of speech became apparent on the part of the others. "We can do that," he said decisively. Not needing to look at the others to know that they were probably in the same

Kit's mind was racing as he began to think about how all of this was going to work, thinking desperately as to what the best course of action was going to be. But the simple matter of the fact was that the would only have one chance to get this right.

If it went wrong, that was it, the beasts would return to the mainland, and this time they didn't have the means to stop them from destroying everything.

No pressure at all.

"You're best bet," Jess said, thinking out loud rather than putting much thought to her words. "Is to go to the main part of the power plant, most of the metal which it was made up of is still there. A lot of it will be broken or rusted, but I cant think there's much else other then the lookout camp."

"For the love of god don't start taking that apart above us, that goes down and the hill goes down with it." Vic warned almost immediately.

"If it gets to that, we're already dead, Vic." Max retorted, running his fingers through his hair, agitated. "You do what you need to do to get this done, we'll figure ourselves out." He said with a stern tone. More mature than Kit remembered ever having seen him.

As much as he hated to admit it, Kit knew there was meaning behind what had been said. The world was worth infinitely more than the group, and it was a sacrifice Kit was willing to make if it came to that.

But right now they had to do what they could to ensure that it wasn't going to.

Matthew nodded, listening carefully as though he was making mental notes. "Ok, thanks, will do." He said, making no comment regarding the look out camp.

"We'll get going, and try to figure ourselves out, you carry as much as you damn can." Kit said decisively, clenching his fists in determination. He had to take a deep breath in order to calm himself down. His long tail dashing from side to side, impatient and frustrated.

Romany stepped forward, with the intention of following the group of shifters, but Vic shook his head before she had the chance. "You're more useful above ground, you're a sniper. Keep a look out for the carrying group and make sure nothing gets into the hill."

She looked for a moment like she was going to argue, she glanced to Kit, hoping he would back her up.

As much as he wanted her beside him, he knew where she was most needed. Most safe, Kit added in his head but he didn't say it out loud. He had enough common sense to avoid saying that.

"You're wasted bellow the ground with us," Kit continued as firmly as he could. His paws itching to get going. "You're needed here."

For a moment, Romany looked as though she was going to argue but couldn't find the words. With a sigh, she bowed her head, accepting of what she had been told. In spite of her desire to argue and fight her orders.

The group of survivors set off running in the direction of their destination, Kit hesitated half a second. Stepping forward to catch up.

Before he the chance to set off running, Kit felt arms around his neck and looked back up to find Romany kneeling beside him. Clutching his muzzle close to her chest for a brief second before letting go.

Taking in her scent one last time, his heart slowing until it felt as though it had almost stopped. Then he stepped away, and followed the rest of he group as fast as his legs would take him. Not stopping to look back.

When Kit caught up, they were approaching the hill. The once familiar campsite, was now covered in new different smells. His once home was now entirely different, like most things these days.

Last time I was here, Marlene died. Kit recollected uncomfortably, bowing his head as he thought about the first of the friends he had lost in the last two weeks.

Not in vain, his more animalistic side thought firmly.

They broke through the door and made their way deeper and deeper bellow ground. Until the sun's light felt like but a distant memory. Kit was careful as he descended the stairs, his missing front arm making the journey perilous.

He didn't pause to shift until the very bottom of the stairs, when he was entirely certain that nothing was waiting to attack them from the shadows.

The only source of light now, was that of the power source tucked at the edge of the room.

Attempts had been made to begin to protect it, but it became apparent how much of a job they were going to have.

"Fill the room, make it impossible to get to. Stuff every crevice and cranny possible, and set traps up to it to make sure no beast can get to it?" Max offered, uncertain but it appeared to be he only option.

Kit thanked every deity whose name he knew the name of, that beasts were dumb as hell.

"Sounds good," was the only response Kit could come up with.

The group set to work.

For a time the best they could do was reinforce what work had already been made, shattering pieces of glass to lay traps around it which would hurt the feet of anything that approached it, and hiding the light as best as they could.

Bit by bit, more resources were brought to them. Slabs of metal and stone, boulders and branches and anything that was capable of quick transportation. Bit by bit, it appeared that this might actually work.

As he went, Kit felt something under knee which made him jump. He looked down to find a box of matches.

Rather, the box of matches. The one which had started it all. When the beast had attacked Max, this had been what he had ended it.

Pocketing the item, thinking it might be of use later. He tried to push past the memory, or more worryingly how they had managed to find their way here. He hadn't remembered dropping them when he had explored this place last time.

Kit paused for breath, a mere second to try and recollect his thoughts through the slowly building exhaustion as they worked.

When he heard a noise unfamiliar to him.

Hesitating, reaching for anything he might use as a weapon should worst come to worst without needing to shift. He waited.

Praying the scent he caught was wrong, not now. Not when they were so close.

Barking at the others in a noise which was pure animal, he caught their attention and they all turned their heads to look towards the door. Barely daring to breath.

In the shadows, something was approaching from the dark.

A beast.

Something bigger than Kit ever remembered having seen one.

They paused, their hearts in their chest as they watched the creature step into the light.

Then as a single unit, lunged.