Chapter 14: He needs a bond
Rhys, Caelan, and Jae had decided they would survive on the meat of any small mutated animals they could catch. They’d keep Caelan far from the kitchen—he was a terrible cook; Jae would skin the prey, and Rhys would hunt it.
That afternoon, Rhys prowled around the house with his rifle slung over his shoulder, listening for the slightest sound in the undergrowth. He knew a strange variant of mutant rabbit was lurking in the area, and he hoped to catch at least three before nightfall.
A subtle rustling in the bushes made him stop. He crouched slightly, holding his breath. He still couldn’t make out any clear movement and couldn’t risk shooting another poisonous mutant.
As he turned the corner of the house, he saw a silhouette crouching beside a bush. He frowned. It was Eun-woo.
Rhys approached silently, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what the boy was holding: a mutant rabbit. The animal was alive and snuggled against his chest. Small branches sprouted from its skull, covered in tiny pink flowers, as if it had sprouted horns.
"Give it to me," Rhys said, holding out his hand.
Eun-woo narrowed his eyes without moving.
"Why?"
"We need it to eat."
Eun-woo looked down at the animal, which was trembling slightly beneath his fingers. Then he shook his head.
"He’s alive."