The rain started lightly, coating everything with a fine layer of water as the temperature dropped even further.

Zoe instructed Nix to deploy her helmet as she finished tucking her hair into the suit. Looking over the group, the triplets had shifted to their full wolf forms, and for the life of her she couldn't tell them apart anymore. Three teen sized wolves ran around happily playing while the fine rain landed on and around them.

Avi had automatically deployed its solar panel roof, giving the pair still sitting in it some cover. A gentle smile on each of their faces as they chatted away. Zoe gave them privacy, instructing Nix to not worry about what they were talking about. Tyson was surely still scanning for anyone nearby and Rex had assured her that their hearing was fantastic.

Even so, Zoe kept the drones going, scouting and scanning the buildings. The more they knew of the area the better their eventual decisions on what to do would be.

~

Tomas passed ponchos to the other three as the rain started pattering down around them.

"It's going to snow," Emil stated, Tomas's earpiece translating for him. He'd given one to Emil and Nakita and, while it took them a minute to get used to it, it helped with conveying clear meaning between them.

"How can you tell?" Tomas asked, the rain starting to make a soft background noise.

"Temperature is dropping, rain isn't big, clouds look heavy. Mostly just instinct."

"At least, it looks like it might snow before dinner," Nakita added. "Likely overnight though."

The group had finished detailed mapping of the factory to Tomas's satisfaction. Enough of the factory was intact that Tomas felt it wouldn't take too much effort to get everything going. Maybe even less than a months work. He wondered if he would get Zoe's help, or if she would be given another mission elsewhere. Maybe her mother Elaine would help. Maybe even an AI like Avi.

"Do you want to look over the other big buildings?" Emil asked. "There was a shopping district nearby. It has mostly been picked clean, but the buildings are mostly intact. The bombers mostly targeted the car factories here."

Tomas checked the local time. Mid afternoon. "I'll check in with Zoe first and see what she wants to do." Retrieving a phone from his pocket, he called Zoe, who answered straight away.

"Hey Tomas."

"Hey. There's a shopping district nearby that I could start scanning. It's started to rain here though."

Zoe thought for a moment before replying. "No, head back to the camp. I'll send some of the long distance drones." As she replied, Tomas heard the buzzing of the large drone seated on top of the truck. It lifted off and flew in the direction of the shops. "We're returning shortly too. We found several days worth of fruit and veg."

"Sweet. See you soon." Tomas ended the call as he watched the drone fly off. "Let's head back."

~

Zoe turned sharply as a howl echoed through the trees around her. Unable to see the teens, she turned back to Tyson. "What's happening? Where are they?"

He patted the air. "They found prey, they're fine. They'll be back soon as they've eaten." He pointed to her right arm. "You can put that away."

Looking down, she saw what Tyson had been pointing at. The entire weapon array had been deployed. Taking a deep breath, she instructed Nix to stand down. Mentally checking over the data logs, Nix had reacted to her fright and heart rate spike. Watching as the array folded down neatly, she mentally lodged a note to herself to check that reaction later.

"As soon as the teens come back, we're heading back to camp. We have a lot of food to deal with." Zoe received nods from Boo and Tyson.

~

The trio didn't return empty mouthed. Between two of them was a large deer, while the third carried a pair of rabbits from their ears. Taking the carcasses from them, Zoe secured them to the back of the trailer where the blood would just drip straight on the ground, though with the rain getting heavier, washing the trailer down would be easy enough, if needed.

One of the wolves jumped onto the trailer, while the other two chose to lay on the backseat. It annoyed Zoe a little, but she really didn't have much cause to tell them off. All three were panting from exhaustion. She silently promised Avi she would give it a good scrub when they returned home next.

The small group started moving, heading back to the teen's home.

~

"Here, like this," Boo said, taking the knife from Tyson's hand. A mostly mutilated rabbit sat on a plate on the table in front of him. Pulling the plate to her, she lifted a leg and slid the knife along under the skin. "You lose less meat that way."

"Is there anything you can't do?" Tyson asked as he followed her instructions on the second rabbit.

"Probably," she said, an amused smile on her face. "Haven't found out what though."

The deer had been taken by Moritz, who had taken it outside, skinning it and catching the offal in a large pot. After cutting the offal up as much as possible, vegetables and water were added and it was placed over the cooking fire, which burned inside a very old and blackened drum. The rain sizzled as it hit the hot drum and evaporated instantly.

Moritz’s family were a flurry of activity, preparing the largest feast they’d had in a long time. While it was mostly raw or boiled food, it was still more than most of them had had in a very long time. The atmosphere was jovial as children ran around with cranberry stained fingers.

Zoe helped where she could, but felt out of her depth with cooking. Hayden always cooked for them and never asked her for more help than peeling, cutting things up or stirring a pot. She missed him, but knew he was not as well suited for these kinds of missions like she was. He was much more of an administrator than her and the way the comms centre worked with his lead was a benefit to all. Thinking of him, she called the comms centre and started talking to him while watching the festivities from the edge of the activity.

~

Ellis happily chewed on an apple as the car drove towards the mountains that contained the majority of the Community headquarters. They’d driven past the apple orchard and the back seat of the small car was now loaded with several large sacks of apples, all destined for the Community kitchens. He had no idea what half the foods Kally had described were, but he would be happy to try them anyway.

A drone buzzed by the front of the car, its camera looking over the passengers, Kally gave the drone a thumbs up as she drove past an empty guard building and down the final stretch into the Community HQ proper.

Small buildings dotted the open areas before they drove into a larger building, various vehicles lining the walls and a few larger ones sitting in the middle. Kally parked behind all the larger vehicles, near an entrance Ellis hadn’t seen initially.

“Once we’ve delivered the apples, we can go eat in the mess,” she said, lifting a bag with ease while Ellis had a little trouble with the bag he picked up.

Leading Ellis, Kally entered the back of the kitchen. “Alianora! We brought apples!”

A loud clatter came from further in the kitchen and a pot lid rolled around the corner of a nearby bench. “Why must you always startle me child?!” Alianora glowered as she retrieved the pot lid. “Where am I supposed to put more apples?” Spotting Ellis, Alianora softened. “You must be Ellis,” she stated and she placed the lid on a bench within reach. The woman was as motherly as her voice lead Ellis to believe, reminding him of his late mother, even though the woman was maybe a few years older than he was. “Welcome to my kitchen, I hope you haven’t eaten too much already because I’ve got several things prepped for your visit.”

“You don’t have to go out of your way for me,” Ellis replied.

“Nonsense, I cook, others eat. Now, bring those apples to the pantry. How many more bags are there?”

“Three more,” Kally replied.

Alianora grumbled a little. “I guess I’ll have to stew them for later. Okay, you two go get the other bags then scram. I don’t want you under foot in my kitchen.”

~

The mess hall filled slowly with a variety of people. Ellis boggled at them, people of all shapes and sizes, some even like the wolf cubs in his family, all chatting in many different languages. His translator that Kally had supplied him with stopped working and he asked Kally about it.

“It works when you’re being talked to or focus on a conversation. Try listening in on the table behind me, they’re talking about their school work.”

Ellis looked at the table Kally indicated. Several young teens were chatting about what they called their history lesson. Ellis rapidly lost interest in the conversation, but he understood what Kally had said about the translator. As he turned back to Kally across from him, the translator stopped informing him of what the teens were saying.

“Hey Kally, who’s your friend?” Mini called as she entered the mess, holding Jess’s hand. The pair made their way over, Mini sitting next to Kally and Jess next to Ellis.

Kally introduced them and Ellis bowed his head in respect to Jess. “A healer is someone to be respected at all times,” he stated.

Jess smiled warmly and patted his arm. “I like this one,” she replied. “You’ll keep.”

Ellis went to reply before Alianora came out of the kitchen and approached, placing a tray with a few small bowls and plates on it in front of Ellis. “Eat slowly. I haven’t added as much to these as I do for everyone else, but if anything is not to your taste, you don’t have to eat it, the teens will.”

Boggling at the display of food in front of him, the smells of the food eventually hit his stomach, making it growl loudly. Starting with a bowl of rice, he ate while the others made their way to the food line, returning with plates of strange food.

He had to wonder what the cost of the food was and how it could just be given to him. Kally and Jess explained how the food economics worked for the Community before the conversation turned to Mini and her studies.

~

I like her.

Well, that’s evident. You’re hanging on every word she says. Maddison gave her brother a deadpan stare. Are you sure it’s not just your stupid boy hormones?

No. Also, it’s refreshing not being able to hear someone. When she relaxes her control, she is like a cool, calm pond.

If I think you’re being stupid, I’ll smack you over the head.

Fair. He smiled lopsidedly back at his sister, who rolled her eyes and shook her head before going back to her patrol outside while the others ate. Yes, I’m still making sure to check for strays as much as possible, regardless of the noise here. I’m actually surprised at how little the children’s thoughts bother me.

Maddison mused about her brother. Since meeting Boo, he’d changed a little, and she thought it was for the better. With Yasmin, he’d been more impulsive and mischievous. Maybe not being able to read her clearly was a blessing. As long as he didn’t do something stupid and Boo didn’t play with his emotions, she would leave them well alone.

Retrieving her rifle and binoculars from Avi, she climbed onto the roof and looked around. Nothing stood out in the evening rain. It likely would have to be lit up and really close to be seen anyway.

Tying the binoculars to her belt, she pulled up the poncho hood as the rain eased into silent snow. Holding her hand out, Maddison watched as the first snow she’d ever seen landed on her hand and melted. She shivered slightly and gave silent thanks to Zoe for the heavy jacket she’d been given.

~

Moritz heaved large panels of wood and metal into place over the broken windows as the children settled down for the night. A few small gaps were left at the top to let the smoke from the small fires escape into the night. Tomas and Maddison, when she returned to investigate the noise, helped Moritz slide the last couple of panels into place. The snowfall had increased, starting to blanket everything in snow, leaving Tyson and Maddison to look at it, amazed that something like that could exist.

“It’s going to be a cold night,” Moritz stated. “No patrols tonight, no one will be braving the first snow, especially as it’s early. It bodes for a hard season.” A muttered chorus of agreements reached Moritz. “Keep the fires stoked. We have the little ones to care for first and foremost. We get through the first snow and we keep going. We’ve done this weather before, we can do it again.”

Zoe silently checked on the status of the engineering group. They had started detail checking electrical towers and repairing them and they had estimated a week before they would be able to get to the substation nearest to the factory, baring bad weather or hiccups. She sent an alert to the Community that snow had started early over in Stuttgart.

The weather had always flipped between extremes and, while it was only just early winter, snow didn’t surprise Zoe all that much. It would be more of a shock to the twins systems, as they’d just come from summer and the extreme heat of Australia. She made sure that everything that could be used as a blanket was inside and in use before doing a final check of Nix. The systems were optimal and she was comfortable in the suit with its own internal heater. The battery level was fine for another few days of use without recharging.

Settling down for the night, Zoe closed her eyes as she sat against a wall. She tried to focus on what was to come and not what had been.

~

The morning broke crisp and clear, the snow finishing its fall during the night. The city was blanketed in a thin white layer and Maddison stared at it in wonder. It was mesmerizing.

“Don’t get used to it,” Moritz said to her as he shifted one of the panels wider. “It should melt in a few hours. The first snow rarely stays.”

Maddison crouched, touching the firm snow where it had piled up against the panels.

"So that's snow. Huh." Tyson said, crouching next to Maddison. "It was nice looking while it was falling."

"Agreed," Maddison replied, wiping her hands on her pants as they stood. "It's also bloody cold." She turned to find Zoe approaching. "What's today's plan boss?"

"Killesberg tower. We're going to leave Tomas here to tinker as Moritz has already agreed to help where they can."

"What's special about a tower?" Tyson asked.

"Communications. Because the tower is high up, it makes sending and receiving signals in the area easier. We're just on satellite comms in this area currently."

"And the tower makes everything easier, got it."

"Precisely."

Boo joined the other three at the entrance. "Ready when you are."

"Okay, let's get going."