Summary: everyone has their DNA infused with animals, Joel runs across a scared girl.
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3rd person POV

Joel could hear something not too far off, to him it sounded like prey.

finally a good meal he thought to himself, cocking his gun, usually he'd just use his teeth and tare out its throat, but this creature sounded skittish, and running out on it would make it run fast.

He watched the creature, and his heart felt slightly regretful when he saw it was a little girl, no older than 13.

He watched her, recognising her as a deer.

A fucking deer, of course it's a deer, and a kid no less, that's going to ruin anything.

He took a small step forward and swore as he stepped on a branch in the snow, the girl looking up.

He got a better look at her features, her soft markings covered her face, light green eyes scanned her surroundings, she was skittish.

"H-hello?" She asked, walking back a little, her eyes frantically looking for something.

Joel stepped back from behind the tree, the deer looked between him and the rifle in his hand.

"Listen, I won't hurt you" he whispered softly, putting the gun at the side.

She let out a small sigh "g-good, you aren't one of the hunters"

Joel got a better look at her, she was still a faun, absolutely tiny compared to him, and barley wearing any clothes, only a shirt far too big on her.

"A hunter?" He'd heard about them being in the area, a pack of wolves were known to hunt around the area, but for the girl to assume he was one, meant they were near.

He walked towards her, the girl was shivering. Of course she is, It's minus 12 degrees and she's barely wearing anything.

He took off his jacket, wrapping it around the girls small frame "Are you hungry?" He asked softly, the girl nodded.

"Come with me, I'll get you some food" he spoke softly, his idea for a meal had completely left his mind, he wanted to help this girl.

She nodded, Joel offered his hand, she took it gently.

He noticed how small her hands were compared to his, which was probably because of age and DNA differences, Joel was lucky to be at the top of the food chain, this girl was no where near it.

He brought her back to his camp, it was small, but the girl was just happy to be away from the hunters.

He wrapped a blanket around her, her legs were covered in blood, it worried him.

"What happened to you?" He asked softly, looking up at the scared faun.

"Some hunters caught me a year ago....they kept me chained up" she said softly, Joel checked her legs, there was holes in her ankles.

How could someone ever do that to a child? He thought to himself, gently bandaging up her legs.

"So these hunters, are they wolves?" He asked softly.

"Y-Yes, some aren't, but the leader is" he noticed her stutter.

Joel nodded "do they have any food? I'm pretty low"

She shook her head frantically, letting out small whimpers.

Joel sighed, sitting next to her "You're freezing kiddo" he spoke softly "I didn't get your name"

"Ellie" she whispered.

"Well Ellie, I'm Joel" he smiled softly.

She nodded, cuddling up in the jacket and blankets, she felt warm.

Joel cooked her up some food, Ellie hadn't eaten in days.

He watched her eat up the food, she was starving, Joel could see her ribs through the shirt she was wearing.

He let out a small smile, he wanted to protect the little faun.

He was going to protect the little faun
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Alright so I like the idea for this au, especially the food chain type idea.