POV: Jenna
Jenna stood at the edge of camp, watching Rick and Carl disappear into the distance. A pang of unease settled in her stomach—not that she'd admit it out loud. She turned to her zombie gang, who were staring blankly at the treeline as if waiting for her next command.
"Well, team," Jenna said, clapping her hands together. "Looks like it's just us. Time to guard this camp like our undead lives depend on it. Which, technically, they might."
One of the zombies let out a low growl, tilting its head.
"Exactly," Jenna replied, nodding sagely. "We'll show them what we're made of. Brains, brawn, and… uh, other zombie stuff."
Sarah approached, arms crossed and a skeptical look on her face. "You're really taking this seriously, aren't you?"
Jenna grinned. "Of course. I'm a model of responsibility and leadership."
Sarah snorted. "Sure you are."
---
POV: Rick
Rick and Carl moved swiftly through the forest, their senses sharp as they navigated the dense undergrowth. The faint sound of distant howls sent a chill down Rick's spine, but he forced himself to focus. They had a mission to complete, and there was no room for distractions.
"We need to find out what's causing these mutations," Rick said, his voice low. "If we can figure that out, we might have a chance at stopping them."
Carl nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. "And if we don't?"
Rick hesitated before answering. "Then we find a way to survive. No matter what it takes."
Carl glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "You think Jenna will be okay?"
Rick sighed. "She's unpredictable, but she's not helpless. If anyone can hold the camp together, it's her."
---
POV: Jenna
Back at camp, Jenna was busy overseeing her zombie gang's "training." She had set up a makeshift obstacle course using scraps of metal and fallen branches, and her gang was stumbling through it with varying degrees of success.
"Come on, guys!" Jenna cheered. "You've got this! Just pretend those branches are humans!"
One zombie tripped over a log, landing face-first in the dirt. Jenna winced. "Okay, maybe not like that. But good effort!"
Sarah watched from a distance, shaking her head. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."
"It's called morale boosting," Jenna replied, her tone defensive. "You should try it sometime."
Before Sarah could respond, a distant rustling sound caught their attention. Jenna's playful demeanor vanished as she straightened, gripping her crowbar tightly.
"Something's coming," she muttered, her gaze fixed on the treeline.
---
POV: Kane
Kane observed the camp from his usual vantage point, his sharp eyes scanning the perimeter. The rustling sound Jenna had noticed wasn't just her imagination. Something—or someone—was approaching.
He smiled faintly, his mind racing with possibilities. Was it Rick's group returning early? Or perhaps another mutant, drawn by the lingering scent of the alpha wolf?
"Stay alert," Kane said to Theo, who was pacing nearby. "This could be an opportunity."
Theo frowned. "An opportunity for what?"
"To see how they handle pressure," Kane replied. "And to learn more about their weaknesses."
---
POV: Jenna
The rustling grew louder, and Jenna's heart raced as she strained to see through the dense trees. Her zombie gang formed a loose semicircle around her, their glowing eyes fixed on the source of the noise.
"Alright, team," Jenna whispered. "This is it. Time to show them what we're made of."
The rustling stopped, and for a moment, the forest was silent. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, a figure emerged from the shadows—a lone human, disheveled and panicked, stumbling toward the camp.
"Help!" the human shouted, their voice hoarse. "Please, help me!"
Jenna blinked, caught off guard. "Well, that's new."
Sarah stepped forward, her knife at the ready. "Who are you? What are you running from?"
The human collapsed to their knees, gasping for breath. "They're coming," they choked out. "They're right behind me."
"Who's 'they'?" Jenna asked, gripping her crowbar.
Before the human could answer, the forest erupted with movement. Mutants—dozens of them—burst through the treeline, their twisted forms illuminated by the faint glow of their veins.
Jenna's eyes widened. "Oh, crap."
---
POV: Sarah
Sarah's grip tightened on her knife as the mutants closed in, their grotesque bodies moving with unnerving speed. She glanced at Jenna, who looked equal parts terrified and excited.
"Get your zombies in line!" Sarah shouted.
Jenna snapped out of her daze, turning to her gang. "Alright, guys! Defensive formation! Or… something like that! Just don't let them eat me!"
The zombies groaned and shuffled forward, forming a shaky line between the mutants and the camp. Jenna stood behind them, crowbar raised, her usual bravado replaced by genuine determination.
"We've got this," she muttered to herself. "Probably."
---
POV: Kane
Kane watched the battle unfold, his expression calm as the camp descended into chaos. Jenna's zombies were holding their own, but the mutants were relentless, their numbers overwhelming.
"This should be interesting," Kane murmured, his gaze lingering on Jenna. "Let's see if she can rise to the occasion."