POV: Jenna
Jenna was in the middle of explaining the subtle brilliance of her latest find—a bent spoon she claimed was perfect for lock-picking—when Carl interrupted her with a low, exasperated sigh.
"You've been talking about that spoon for ten minutes," Carl said, arms crossed.
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "And? Do you not see the genius here? Multipurpose tools are the backbone of survival."
Carl snorted. "You're going to pick locks with that thing? You're more likely to poke someone's eye out."
"Exactly," Jenna said with a grin, flipping the spoon dramatically between her fingers. "It's a weapon and a utility. Name one other thing in this camp that's that versatile."
Carl gestured to his sword. "This."
Jenna rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mr. Practical, but can your sword scoop soup?"
Carl opened his mouth to respond but then closed it, shaking his head. "Why do I even bother?"
"Because you secretly admire me," Jenna said, stashing the spoon into her spatial space with a flourish. "Don't worry, Carl. It's okay to admit it."
Carl muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "How did I get involved with this?"
---
POV: Theo
Theo stood at the edge of the camp, watching the interaction between Jenna and Carl with a mixture of disbelief and irritation. How could anyone take her seriously? She was a walking disaster, a zombie with a hoarding problem and a complete disregard for the gravity of their situation.
"She's a liability," Theo muttered to Kane, who had sidled up beside him.
"Perhaps," Kane replied, his tone measured. "But she's also… unpredictable. That makes her useful."
Theo frowned. "Useful? She's a joke. If Rick can't see that, then maybe he's not fit to lead."
Kane's lips curved into a faint smile. "Careful, Theo. That kind of talk can be dangerous."
Theo scowled. "I'm not afraid of Rick."
Kane nodded slowly. "Good. Then perhaps it's time you took action. Show the others what Jenna really is."
Theo's scowl deepened, but he didn't reply. His mind was already racing with plans.
---
POV: Rick
Rick stood near the campfire, his gaze shifting between Jenna's group and the humans. The tension was palpable, a powder keg waiting for a spark. He could feel the cracks widening with every passing day, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hold it all together.
"Rick," Sarah's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She approached with a wary expression. "We need to talk."
"What now?" Rick asked, his voice tinged with frustration.
"It's Theo," Sarah said. "He's rallying people again. This time, he's talking about replacing you."
Rick's stomach dropped. "Replacing me?"
Sarah nodded. "He's saying you're too soft on Jenna and her group. That you're putting us all at risk by trusting them."
Rick clenched his jaw, his frustration boiling over. "Of course, he is."
"What are we going to do?" Sarah asked, her voice quiet.
Rick exhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm. "We're going to stick together. We're going to prove him wrong."
---
POV: Jenna
Jenna was balancing a stack of random objects on one hand—an old mug, a roll of duct tape, and a battered notebook—when Carl approached, his expression unusually serious.
"What's up?" Jenna asked, carefully adding a rusty wrench to the stack.
"Rick's got trouble," Carl said. "Theo's making his move."
Jenna frowned, lowering the stack. "What kind of move?"
"The kind where people start choosing sides," Carl replied. "And Theo's got Kane whispering in his ear, so you can imagine how that's going."
Jenna sighed, tossing the stack aside. "Great. Just what we needed."
Carl smirked faintly. "Think you can charm your way out of this one?"
"Charm?" Jenna said with a mock gasp. "Carl, please. I am a visionary."
"Visionary, huh?" Carl said, raising an eyebrow.
"Absolutely," Jenna replied, straightening her posture. "And as a visionary, I say we go distract Theo with some good old-fashioned chaos."
Carl shook his head, but he couldn't hide his smile. "Lead the way, oh great visionary."
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched from the shadows as Jenna and Carl wandered off, their banter lighthearted despite the tension in the camp. He could see why people gravitated toward Jenna—her humor and quirks were disarming, almost comforting. But they were also a weakness.
"She's not as invincible as she seems," Kane murmured to himself. "All it takes is one mistake."
His gaze shifted to Theo, who was talking animatedly to a small group of humans. Theo was predictable, but that made him easy to manipulate. The real wildcard was Jenna. If Kane could control her, even temporarily, the alliance would crumble faster than he'd planned.
"All in due time," Kane whispered, a faint smile playing on his lips.