As the sunlight streamed into the windshield of the truck, Mark slowly opened his eyes. Other than the normal scuffle coming from the trailer, it was quiet and peaceful. Mark sighed to himself with regret. He wanted to stay here, but it was time they got moving again. This place had been a great find... but it wasn't safe. They couldn't survive here for long. They needed to find a place they could build up and make their own. Something trembled over his chest, causing his mind to vaguely recall that Sean was with him. Lifting the blanket, he saw Sean's hand shaking on his chest. Rolling to his back a bit, he glanced over to see Sean was still asleep. Sean's fingers jerked and dug into his chest. He had seen Sean do this before. Another nightmare. Laying a comforting hand over Sean's to force his hand flat against him, he started humming softly. Sean still jerked in his sleep, but it was slowly lessening. With his free hand, he brushed Sean's brown bangs from his closed eyes, then trailed his knuckles down Sean's cheek.

Weird feelings rippled through him as he touched Sean. His heart loved seeing Sean so close to him. Loved that he was here with him. While at the same time, a small part of him still felt so guilty for giving into his emotional needs. Turning to face Sean, he silenced the guilty voice in his head by brushing Sean's bangs back to kiss his forehead. Sean awoke with a start, calming down quickly when he recognized him. Pulling his lips off Sean, he whispered to him in a deep buttery voice. "Good morning, Sean. Are you ready to start heading out?" Sean sleepily shook his head, pulling Mark closer so that he could snuggle against his bare chest. Mark ran a hand through Sean's hair, reluctantly purring out to him. "We have to. Don't you want to start building a home?" Against his chest, Sean mumbled out. "Home is where you are. And right now... I'm home." Mark smirked, rubbing Sean's back as he told him sweetly. "The food here won't last forever. We need to think about the future remember?"

Sean lifted his head to look him in the eyes, purring sleepily to him in a whisper. "I know... but that's a goal. My future is right here." Sean tilted his head, bringing his soft lips to his in a tender loving kiss. Mark brushed his fingers around Sean's ears, holding him in the kiss. Sean swung his leg over Mark's, shifting overtop of him. Mark chuckled into the kiss as Sean's kiss turned playfully. Sean straddled his hips, whispering down over his lips teasingly. "Don't make me ride a horse in this condition..." Sean grinded his hips over him, causing Mark's voice to hitch as whispered back a bit strained. "We're supposed to be taking things slow." Sean brushed his lips lightly over Mark's, playfully chuckling out. "Why? You already know what I look like naked. You've touched me. Why not go the extra mile with me? I'll walk you through it." Mark pushed Sean's chest off him a little, answering seriously in as gentle of a voice as he could. "Sean... I know how to do it. But I'm still... I'm still working through some things. I just need more time."

Sean's face fell and he slowly shifted off him with a look of confusion and hurt. Sitting up on his elbows, Mark quickly told him lovingly. "Sean, when it happens... I want my attention to be on you. And at the moment... my attention is divided." Sean nodded, staring blankly at the bed as he mumbled out. "I understand..." Mark saw the pain he was trying to hide and knew what Sean was thinking. He was thinking that he was still thinking about her. As true as it was, he made a choice. Leaning forward, he touched Sean's cheek and told him with a warm smile. "I want too, but I want to get us somewhere that feels more... like home. A place where we can get our new life started." Sean chuckled quietly, sniffling lightly as a smile spread over his face. Blushing slightly, Sean playfully teased out. "Are you saying that you want your first time with me to be special? You wanna carry me over the threshold of a little house in the country? What's next? Scented candles in the bedroom to set the mood?" Mark shared a laugh with him, before casually uttering out in a dreamy tone. "Maybe I do. What's wrong with wanting to take the extra time to be a little romantic?"

Sean cleared his throat, telling him gently. "Who has the time for that? Besides, too many things can go wrong... You could go through all that effort for nothing." Mark let a wicked smirk curl his lip as he purred out devilishly. "You only say that because no one has ever tried courting you for a change. It's the little details that separate love from lust. Those romantic gestures keep love alive. Lust burns out over time." Sean blushed, mumbling out shyly. "I didn't think of it like that." Mark sat up, kissing Sean's cheek, before telling him sweetly. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out together." Mark scooted down the ladder, but before he got too far down, Sean called out to him softly. Mark stopped descending the ladder to wait. Sean blushed a brighter red, leaned over to kiss him. Mark savored the kiss, then grinned when Sean pulled away. Hopping down, he told Sean casually. "I'm going to gather up the supplies. Can you walk Chica and make breakfast?" Sean climbed down from the bunk, chipperly replying. "Sure. I wanna check on Finbar anyway." Mark slipped on his shirt, picking up Becky before he gave Sean another brief kiss.

Upon heading to the door, Mark told Sean seriously. "Take your axe with you and don't stray too far. Stay within earshot." Sean nodded with a smirk. Mark knew he repeated himself a lot, but just before leaving, he lovingly told him. "Stay safe." Hoping down from the truck, Mark headed into the building. He wanted to try and take as much food as possible. So, he searched the aisles and pulled down a box with a bicycle luggage trailer. Opening the box, he got it all set up and hooked it up to a bicycle he found. With Agro just coming out of labor, he didn't want to risk Sean riding her if it would cause her pain. Gathering up water and food into the cart, he wheeled it outside and then went back in. Finding a large dog harness and some rope, he started to make his way out to see if he could rig something for Finbar. Only to stop as he passed a contraceptive aisle. He shook his head, trying to talk himself out of it. Hefting a reluctant sigh though, he walked into the aisle. Scanning the shelves, he gritted his teeth and began removing a few boxes of condoms.

He felt so stupid doing this. The world had gone to hell and he was stuffing his bag with condoms and lube. He muttered to himself that they couldn't risk any diseases with doctors being so scarce... but he still felt like this wasn't necessary for surviving. Taking all that he could, he quickly left the aisle. Back outside, he stuffed a few more things into the bike trailer, basket, and side bags. It would be heavy to ride it, but he didn't expect them to be moving fast. While he was packing, Sean chuckled out behind him. "You don't expect me to ride that, do you?" Mark chuckled, standing up as he told him honestly. "No. I'm putting you on Barney with Chica. I'll attach Agro's reins to the saddle for you to lead her. Then... either I'll rig something for Barney to pull this... or I ride it with Finbar attached." Sean handed him some canned coffee, telling him a little worried. "That will slow us down..." Mark took a sip of the coffee, before shrugging out. "I know. But we won't be moving that fast anyway. It's better to make the most of it." Sean shrugged, stating out grimly. "Mark, if you're attacked... You'll be exhausted."

Mark patted Sean's shoulder, then removed a map from the bike basket. Opening it up, he showed him with his pinky as he said. "We are here right now. My goal for today is to get to here. It's a campsite. We might be able to rest there. From there, we might be able to take one of the backroads and with any luck... We'll find a farm." Sean inhaled deeply, nervously saying. "Mark... I don't know. There is a lot of risk in this plan." Mark folded the map, telling him. "I know. But we've got to try." Mark rigged the harness and rope leash onto Finbar, chuckling when he leapt and whinnied with excitement. Trying to take him too far from Agro wasn't going to happen though. Which forced Mark to saddle her and rig Finbar's harness to her saddle horn. Everything felt barely held together. It was a disaster waiting to happen, but the best that he could do. Helping Sean finally up onto Barney, he loaded Chica on with him. Sean looked nervous, but Mark patted his thigh, telling him confidently. "Deep breathes. You can do this, Jackaboy. I'm right behind you."

Sean nudged Barney forward and Mark swung onto the bike to follow. He stayed behind them to make sure that everything held up. Other than the clomping of hooves, it was almost eerily quiet. By far the loudest animal was Finbar. He was wobbly on his legs but sprang everywhere. Hopping and trotting all around his mother's legs with gleeful neighs and whinnies. The sound made them both very uneasy. Mark dreaded that soon Finbar would run out of that playful energy and like Chica... he'd be another burden to carry. As noon rolled into evening, Mark began to feel the burning in his legs. He refused to rest though, until Finbar started to stumble along with a weary look. His head was hanging as low as his ears and his playful self was drained away. Telling Sean to stop for a bit, he got off his bike to stretch and check on him. Finbar wobbled to his mother for a drink, then with milk drippling down his lips... he tried to lay down to nap. Mark reluctantly pulled him up to his feet, cooing out to him. "Oh no, you don't. We can't stop here, little guy. Come on."

Sean glanced around the dirt road, scanning the trees as he nervously asked him. "Mark? What are we going to do? We can't put him on Agro without someone holding him..." Mark untied Finbar's lead from Agro's saddle, leading him over to Sean, upon answering. "It's fine. I'll switch him out with Chica. Chica can walk with me and get some exercise." Mark pulled down Chica, then hefted Finbar up with Sean's help. Finbar wasn't as happy about being laid out on Barney but loved the pets Sean gave him. Heading back to the bike with Chica, a twig snapped loud enough to make the horses shuffle their feet anxiously. Chica glared into the woods, her hackles rising as she growled. Trying to calm Barney from shuffling around so much, Sean whimpered out softly. "Mark? What was that?" Mark raised a hand to shush him, looking at the woods closely for any signs of movement. He didn't see anything. Chica continued to growl, her eyes locked on something. He kneeled down on the road to follow her gaze, when Sean shouted out. "MARK, LOOK OUT!"

Mark heard the sudden thunder of hoof beats as the scrawny legs of a deer bolted straight for them. Grabbing Chica around the neck, he tackled her to the ground. Using his own body to protect her as the doe came bursting over the low bush. The doe leapt gracefully through the air, clearing both the bush and him. The horses nickered loudly, side-stepping down the path away from Mark in a slight panic. The doe landed on the other side of the road, snorting from exhaustion. Mark sat up to look at her. She wasn't infected, just tired. She shook her head, then jerked her head up to look at Mark. Mark stared back into her panicked eyes, trying to calm her by not making any sudden movements. The doe's ears perked up to listen to him as he whispered to her calmly. Mark almost got her to relax, before she let out a squeal and bolted across the clearing toward the other wood line. Mark raised an eyebrow in curiosity, seconds before something hit him from behind. Mark fell back across the road, staring up in horror at the thing that had once been a bunny on his chest.

The bunny looked freshly turned with solid white eyes and blood smeared over its thick brown fur. It had a stunning healed scar that trailed from the back of its neck to its tail. Along with a fresh-looking scar along one of its cheekbones. The bunny posed itself to run, its focus entirely on the doe. It opened its mouth and Mark swallowed hard. Instead of the buck teeth that rabbits should have... this one had massive sharp canines like a dog! It let out an unnatural growl, then sprang just as quickly off Mark. Mark rolled over to watch the bunny dash incredibly fast after the doe. The doe stayed just ahead, until the bunny leapt off a rock. Slamming into the neck of the doe, it brought the doe down into the tall grass. The doe's legs flailed above the grass as whimpers and screams left her. The sounds of the snarling bunny filled the air as hauntingly as the wind. Mark slowly pushed up onto all fours, freezing in place as the doe went silent. From the clearing, Mark saw the bunny's head pop up to peek over the tall grass.

Its long ears perking up to listen to any sounds. Beside him, Chica sneezed and the horses grunted with uneasiness. The bunny clearly heard them but ducked down into the grass for a time. When it came back up, it was chewing a strip of meat. Very slowly, Mark got up and gestured Sean to go onward. If it was a Hunter like he suspected, then it would eat most of its kill before moving on to the next prey. Mark shivered, still feeling its tiny feet on his chest. Sean waited until they were farther away from the bunny to ask softly. "Are you ok?" Mark kept pushing the bike, nodding to him as calmly as he could manage. Inside though, he was still shaking. Mark made sure Chica was keeping up alright. She seemed happy to be walking with him. He smiled, then his smile faded. 

He caught movement in the corner of his eye and turned more to look. In the dead center of the road, farther down from them was the scarred rabbit. It sat staring at him with lifeless eyes, before using its paws to clean its face innocently. However, it only ended up smearing fresh blood from it paws over its face. They were being followed. To Be Continued...