Nina checked the bread and figured it was done. The meat was also done by then too. They didn't bother offering me any, and that was just fine by me. It smelled good, but I had no appetite for it. All three of them sat down with plates and started eating.

A relaxing evening breeze picked up and brought smells from the forest behind us. I turned my head and took a deeper breath. This world was getting smaller and smaller all of the time. I silently got to my feet and walked toward the edge of the roof.

The others watched me leaving with confused looks. Daniel spoke, "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, "No, I will be back shortly."

I jumped off the roof before anyone had a chance to reply or ask another question. I was focused on the scent though. He had to know I was here. In fact, my presence was probably the only reason he was approaching. He was polite enough to approach from upwind where I could scent him.

He had probably been quite the chivalrous gentleman in his previous life. He still attempted it, but the virus curtailed his actions and rational thoughts. I was out of sight in the trees by now and started running. He was quite a ways out, but that was a good thing. It meant that Daniel probably wouldn't pick up his scent even if he was trying to read the wind.

It took me almost 15 minutes to get close. I let my footsteps make noise so he could hear me coming. I slowed down as I got closer so I didn't trigger his instincts too badly.

A low growl greeted me just before I stepped out of the trees. I growled a welcome in reply, it was a lower tone with no force behind it. The blonde haired man looked like a track runner with his tall and thin build. My instincts stirred a bit at the sight of the Runner, but since he wasn't challenging me, my instincts subsided.

His red eyes flashed as he grinned, "I thought it was your scent I picked up. Good to see you again."

I bared my teeth in a grin, "I was just as surprised to catch your scent. What have you been up to?"

He relaxed as his own instincts subsided. As a Runner, my Nightstalker rank would have put him somewhat on edge when I appeared in front of him. This was one of the few times zombie instincts made things easier for sane zombies. As long as he didn't challenge or provoke me, I wouldn't threaten or harm him and his instincts relied on that knowledge and assumed it was safe. We were both running on zombie rules at the moment, which was making things simpler.

He leaned against a tree, "Traveled here and there. I didn't really stop for more than a few days even if I met another sane zombie. I did encounter another sane Runner who lives beside a massive lake. He had been a farmer before and still raises rabbits and chickens. It was a really interesting setup since he didn't want to stress the animals by going near them daily."

Runners weren't fast enough to run down rabbits, so a farm setting was easier for a Runner if they didn't mind the labor involved. Most who managed to retain control usually relied on live traps or snares. I took a deep breath, but since there was no scent of blood I suspected that he had not had a successful hunt for several days.

I tilted my head, "Feel like catching up over a deer?"

His eyes brightened as he grinned ferally at me, "Now that sounds like one hell of an idea."

I could smell some deer nearby. I bared my teeth in response, "Follow my scent."

I turned and swiftly disappeared into the trees as my footsteps fell silent. It took me less than a minute to follow my nose to the nearest deer. It was grazing, unaware of me stalking it. My form was silent and invisible as I crept in closer.

I tensed before launching at it. It saw me at the last second and its eyes widened as my fist hit its neck with all my strength. The deer didn't even have time to jump or react before its neck was shattered and it was lying dead on the ground. My Nightstalker strength was sufficient to allow me such a killing blow. A Runner was not strong enough to manage such a strike.

I whistled softly. The high-pitched noise would carry and Luke was close enough to hear it. He was trailing me slowly, cautious in case my instincts reared up and wanted to defend the kill. The whistle was a human noise and let him know that he was safe to approach since I was clearly in control.

His footsteps jogged forward and I moved across the clearing to sit on a fallen tree. He entered the clearing and slowed to a walk, glancing between the deer and me. I could see his bloodlust fighting against his caution and manners.

"Go ahead, I hunted earlier."

He wasted no time in going after the deer. I ignored his low growls as his instincts tried to claim the kill. Runners always had somewhat shaky control when it came to feeding and Luke was probably quite thirsty if he hadn't hunted for several days.

In truth, he was in quite a dangerous situation as his bloodlust and instincts might push him to eat raw meat once he finally caught something with his control being so strained. I wouldn't have dared to take him anywhere near a human until he had hunted.

I waited patiently while he finished. The sun was still above the horizon so I had no interest in the deer, even so, my stubborn headstrong instincts wanted to claim my kill simply because it was mine. I overruled my instincts easily.

Several minutes later Luke sat up with a sated sigh, "Thank you for that."

"No problem. Always feel free to ask. Sanity is too valuable to risk."

I was more relaxed with Luke than I ever had been with Daniel. For one, he was a lower rank. The other major point was that his body language was easy for me to read, it was mostly zombie with just enough human to show his sanity. I knew exactly how he would react by his body language.

My body language was similar to his and was mostly zombie. It probably would have unsettled Daniel since he was so out of touch with his own instincts. Daniel did better with humans, not zombies...

Luke nodded and took a seat on a different log. He sniffed and tilted his head in curiosity, "I thought you avoided humans? Their scent clings to you."

He knew I had been shot previously by humans. He was the first sane Runner I had ever encountered and I had been the first sane Nightstalker he had met. He had stayed at my cabin for about two weeks before he had continued his travels to locate his brother. Considering Luke was here with no one else, I could guess the fate his brother had encountered unless he hadn't located him yet.

I sighed gustily, "To make a very long story very short, I started out by trying to help two kids and two adults get to a Stronghold. Now I am staying in a Stronghold with some humans, a Terror and a scientist. Interestingly enough, the scientist has managed to invent a cure that will reverse the virus as well as something that helps control the bloodlust toward humans."

Luke looked surprised, "There is a cure?"

"Yes." I had figured that such a comment would catch his interest. Runners usually felt like their thought processes were fogged and they had trouble focusing most of the time.

"You also mentioned something about controlling the bloodlust?" He was clearly intrigued and curious.

I made a face, "Yes, it is still considered to be in the testing phase, but due to sabotage I ended up being their first unintentional guinea pig for that one. My bloodlust for humans is almost entirely gone. Even feral Runners that get it prefer to go after rabbits."

He tilted his head in consideration, "Do you think they would offer it to me?"

I shrugged, "Very likely, but you would be the first sane Runner to get it, so there is no guarantee as to how it will work."

He silently considered that thought for some time. I felt kind of bad for bringing it up so quickly, but this was something that would interest any Runner. It used to be difficult enough for me to remain in control around humans and I knew it was much harder for a Runner. The drugs Nina had were as tempting to a Runner as chemotherapy was to a cancer patient.

"Would you be able to introduce me to the scientist? I would like to talk with him." He was fixated on this detail now and once a Runner set their minds on something, they were hard to distract. Their minds may hinder their thoughts, but it also allowed them to focus on something to the point where they excluded other thoughts.

I nodded slowly as I got to my feet, "Yes, I can introduce you to Nina. She will be more than delighted to speak with you. That lady has more questions than any human has a right to voice."

He chuckled at my tone as he also got up. I shook myself off lightly as if dismissing the matter. I glanced at him although I wasn't too concerned at this point, "How is your control?"

"About as good as it ever gets. I plan to keep some distance between myself and any human. Standard precautions."

I nodded and started walking toward our camp. He would try his best and was relying on me to keep him from making a fatal mistake. I didn't bother mentioning that the Terror would probably overreact before there was truly a need. He would meet the confusing and irritating man soon enough.

"I never thought you would ever stay with humans after what that last bunch did to you."

I snorted, "It was not my original plan. This change of plans happened along the way." I sighed, "The Stronghold I am staying at actually isn't too bad. They also welcome zombies for some bizarre reason."

"Interesting." Luke had likely been very smart before he was bitten and he still had most of his mind intact even with the virus playing havoc with his thought processes. He didn't say anything more as he mulled things over.

We were getting close now. My footsteps were much louder than normal. I didn't want Daniel getting worked up at the sound of an unfamiliar set of approaching footsteps if he thought a lone stranger was approaching. I had a hard enough time dealing with him. I wasn't sure how the Runner was going to handle this unpredictable higher-ranking zombie.

We were approaching from an angle that meant those on the roof wouldn't be able to see our approach. I glanced at Luke before climbing up the ladder. Nicky was in her chair and I could hear Nina digging around in a bag inside the tent. Daniel was watching me in curiosity, clearly wondering who my still-unseen companion was. I had never liked strays, so the fact that I brought someone back had him perplexed.

The wind wasn't in Daniel's favor so he hadn't caught Luke's scent yet. I kept an eye on the Terror as I turned to watch Luke climb up. Luke scaled the ladder gracefully enough, his humanity helped his zombie coordination. The virus had enhanced my abilities as a Nightstalker, but it treated Runners differently and slowed them a bit.

Daniel blinked in complete surprise as he saw Luke's red eyes. Daniel's eyes were camouflaged as they usually were, but Luke didn't hide his eye color. He could change it if he chose, but it was a warning for humans to keep their distance.

Nicky glanced up in curiosity, but remained sitting and silent as she simply watched. Luke looked at the two sitting by the fire before glancing at me. I gestured with my head toward fire, "You can have the green chair. I can sit on the cooler."

I led the way closer and he trailed more slowly behind me. I sat down on the large red cooler as Luke slowly took a seat in my usual chair. Our seats were upwind and that made things easier for Luke. He would have caught everyone's scent and would know that Daniel was the Terror. Luke blinked slowly as he examined the first Terror he had ever seen.

Nina came out of the tent and looked surprised to see another red eyed person present. She walked forward in open curiosity and excitement. Luke had been watching Daniel, but turned his head to watch Nina's approach.

I momentarily bared my teeth slightly at Luke and he lifted his lip to flash a canine at me in acknowledgement. Neither action was serious. If he had been having any problems with control, my teeth would have distracted his instincts and helped him with control. His reaction was partly due to his instincts, but also a silent thanks while letting me know that it wasn't really needed at this point.

Daniel had tensed up as we had bared our teeth at each other, but he was starting to look more confused than anything since our body language remained relaxed. I had never acted so much like a zombie in his presence before. Nina had paused in her approach, but was watching our interactions with bright curious eyes, obviously taking mental notes.

Nicky yawned and wasn't at all concerned as she watched the fire pop and crack. No one had spoken yet. Nina backed up to sit down in a chair by Daniel as she glanced between Luke and me. Guess I had better do the introductions...

"Luke, the redhead is Nicky, keep out of her way in the mornings and run if she gets her hands on coffee. That is Daniel, he has never met a sane Runner yet. The lady beside him is Nina and she would be the one you would want to speak to about her research. For everyone else, this is Luke. He is a Runner that I met quite some time ago."

Nina was overly excited at the prospect of talking with a new sane zombie, "It is very nice to meet you Luke."

Luke inclined his head politely, "Likewise."

Nina seemed ecstatic that seemed interested in speaking with her, "I assume that you know Trinity pretty well?"

"I stayed at her place for a few weeks at one point. We get along pretty well." I failed to see how he managed to keep his charming tone and mannerisms despite rarely interacting with humans.

Nina pulled out the inevitable notepad and pen, "I hope you don't mind questions, because I love learning. Can you tell me about your journey?"

He shrugged, "Not much to tell. I was bitten in the first wave. I managed to remain in control, although it is far from easy. Been wandering over most of the country trying to locate my brother to see if he is human or zombie."

Nina's fingers flew over the paper, "Have you encountered other sane zombies?"

Luke wasn't bothered by Nina's bombardment of questions, "Met about eight or so other sane Runners. One Nightstalker after leaving Trinity's place. Never even seen a Terror before today though."

"I heard that Runners often had more problems with control than most zombies, would you be able to elaborate on that?"

Luke was more serious now, "It is true. The virus clouds our mind and makes control much more difficult."

"If you don't mind me asking, how bad is the bloodlust right now?"

Luke stilled, but responded, "Even with you downwind, it is bad enough that I can feel it burning along my veins. It wouldn't be wise for any human to get within arm's reach of me."

Daniel growled as he sat up straighter at that news. Luke stiffened as he shifted into a more defensive stance in his chair, ready to try to run or defend himself from the high-ranking zombie.

I sighed gustily, "Daniel, cool it. He has managed this long without attacking a human." I turned to face Luke, "Sorry about that. He's humanized, just ignore him."

I knew my order would stir up Daniel's instincts something fierce, but it was better that he focus on me rather than on Luke. It worked and Daniel narrowed his eyes at my words and tone. My instincts stirred in response to the Terror's focus on me, but I overruled it and put on a bored look. Luke glanced back at Daniel with my comment and realization crossed his face.

Daniel saw that and gave me an odd look as he was distracted from his irritation. He had just realized that my comment about him being humanized meant a lot more to Luke and me than it did to him, but he was unsure of what it really meant. Nina was looking between all of us while rapidly writing down notes and observations.

Luke slowly leaned back in his chair while keeping half an eye on Daniel. Most of his attention was on Nina, "Trinity mentioned that you were testing something with bloodlust control and actually had a cure for the zombie virus?"

Nina nodded seriously, "Yes, the one for controlling bloodlust is still in the testing phase, although from what we have seen it is successful. We call it controlex . The cure is different and has been proven to remove the virus, although it has never been tested on a sane zombie. Ferals go comatose since the human mind is gone."

Luke glanced at me, "You said that you ended up as an unwitting guinea pig for that controlex one? How did that go over?"

I growled faintly, "Someone slipped the drug into my food. She better pray that I don't lay eyes on her again for that stunt. Not as bad as it could have been with an untested drug. Took about three days, but the bloodlust disappeared. It strengthened my Nightstalker characteristics though. I am not sure what it would do to a Runner."

He thought for a bit, "It didn't affect your sanity, did it? You said the ferals lost interest in humans?"

I shook my head, "The only thing it changed was to remove my bloodlust for humans, although I can't handle human food anymore. I am hunting more, although I have no interest in hunting during the day."

Luke glanced at Nina, "What is your take on this?"

Nina was more professional now and spoke slowly, "We tested on feral Runners and they had no interest in humans if any other warm blooded animal was around. That drug affects the virus itself, so if something did go wrong, we could always use the cure to remove the virus altogether once the drug broke down in three days' time."

Luke nodded slowly, eyes distant as he forced his mind to think hard through the virus induced haze that plagued Runners so. I knew Luke well enough to know that he was very interested and would likely want to try one of the drugs. He was worried that he would find his brother still human and then possibly end up harming him.

We all waited for his decision. In the end it was his choice, and his choice alone, to make.