A gunshot takes off bark from a tree next to Seth causing him to retreat into the forest, lowering himself to the ground and hiding behind trees. Two more gunshots come from the distance, picking up snow or scraping against trees, Seth stays to the ground, attempting to understand what was happening. The gunshots sounded as if it came from a rifle so Seth thought they had run out of ammo by now or at least had one more bullet left since rifles take only four two five bullets. Seth quickly jolts from the trees, revealing himself for a split second before retreating back to cover, one last shot.
Seth darts between cover, quickly approaching his pursuer. Seth's hot breath creates small puffs of smoke as he comes past trees, showing where he was to the sniper as they reloaded their rifle. The sniper realizes where they are though, dropping his head below the horizon line of the cliff beside him, suspecting he could be taken out by assisting fire. The sniper is covered in white garments, patterned with black, a scarf wrapped around their head.
A clatter can be heard from the cliff beside them and goes behind cover, keeping themselves low to the ground. The sound of rocks tapping against the cliff face could be heard before it stops suddenly. Nixon throws himself up the leverage, firing his revolver in the sniper's direction, hitting them in the arm and the leg, though the sniper was able to find cover due to Nixon having to cock back the hammer to his revolver.
The sniper throws themselves behind a rock, covered by trees. Nixon sighs, "If you come out with your hands up, we'll spare you."
"Right." The sniper quickly responds, his rifle peeking over the rock before he fires. Nixon jumps off the cliff back to the ground below next to Tsuki and Hinata. Nixon groans, clutching his back in pain as the bullet had already long since passed. The sniper begins to pant wildly, curling up into a ball and grasping onto their leg as hard as they could. They dig their face into the snow, eye peeking through the hole in their makeshift mask, watching as Seth approaches.
Seth kneels next to them, "Who are you?" He asks, "You don't smell like death like those other men... who are you?"
"You... fucking killed those people." A woman's voice.
"They were going to kill one of us."
"He clearly just wanted to-"
"That man was a cannibal... he had murdered many others before now, so I want you to think about what you're about to say next."
Her eyes widen under the mask.
Seth sighs, standing back up, "Didn't expect to find another woman out here..." He scratches the back of his head, "What drives them to do this in this day in age...?" Seth shakes his head, "Doesn't matter," He kneels back down, "I'll help you, we'll do surgery to get the bullets out your body and then patch you up and you can be on your way, alright?"
She nods slowly, weakly, shaking in pain, a quiet groaning coming from her.
Seth puts his right arm under both of her legs, lifting her up as he wraps his other arm around her arms. He stands up and brings her back to their camp. Seth kneels down and places her in front of Hinata. "Until," Seth looks at Nixon who was still trying to gain their composure, looking back at Hinata, "Until he recovers, watch her. Someone else is on the hill." Hinata nods.
Seth lifts himself up the ledge he climbed up before, heading further into the hill next to them, hand on his revolver.
"If anyone else is out there, I suggest you come out now!"
"You make me gag..." Seth spins on his heels, directing himself to where the sound came from, further up the hill. A tall man with long gaunt features, caved in eyes with the light glow of his iris coming from the both of them, his long-dead brown hair reaching the nape of his neck. He swallows a dry throat, smacking his lips to speak, "Peasant human..."
"What?"
The man straightens their collar, neck tensing, his mouth making a disgusting expression before yawning, "You smell of... semen."
"Hm?" Seth chuckles, humored by the man's odd comment. "I'm Seth, mind telling me your name before you start talking about semen?"
The man's teeth clatter together, leaning forward, his eyes almost seeming to dig further into his skull, "You fuck women, yes? Only impure beasts... are like you..."
"What are you talking about...?"
"But... man's flesh is better for the teeth." He sneers.
Seth flips out his revolver, slapping the hammer with his palm and firing. The man spins around a tree to avoid the shot and fires at Seth without looking, hitting him in the leg. Seth falls to the floor, the man walking further towards him.
"I prefer hand to hand..."
"Who the fuck are you?" Seth asks as the man in front of him slowly unsheathes a broken broadsword from the back of his belt.
The man licks his dry lips, his tongue cracked, bloodied. "They call me Cannibal."
Seth chuckles, "You don't look like your poster." Seth gives a coy smile, raising himself slightly by one foot, hand grasping at a dagger sheathed in his boot. "Who's faster." Seth takes a deep breath and the Cannibal man in front of him gives Seth a toothless smile. "Who were the others? Were they underlings?"
"Yes... wonderful pawns."
"Right." Cannibal cocks back his arm for a wide swing, bringing it down on Seth who quickly throws himself forward with one foot, slicing the ankle of Cannibal with his unsheathed stiletto dagger, blood staining the tip. Seth quickly stabs the dagger into Cannibal's neck, pushing him away after doing so to prevent Cannibal from trying to get Seth again as a last-ditch attempt.
Cannibal gasps for air, blood pouring from his neck before going limp in the snow.
"I swore that his blood would be dry as well. Guess this is what eating humans does to a man." Seth comments, kicking at Cannibal's foot before scooting back some more.