When he reached the kitchen, he stuck his nose against a lower cabinet door and growled.  A squeak from within confirmed something was hiding there.  He pried the door open with a claw, scratching both the door and the frame.  The moment it was open far enough, he jammed his head into the cabinet with lightning speed.  A terrified squeak was cut off as whatever it was died.

Allistor suddenly recalled that the system’s message had said life form rather than specifying a human occupant.   He quickly tried again to establish a Stronghold.    The exact same message popped up again.

“Good boy, Fuzzy,” he said as the bear gulped down the deceased rat.  “Do it again.  Track!”

The bear cub resumed his search, nose to the floor.  Leaving the kitchen he made his way back to the bear rug.  After a moment, he shoved his nose under the edge of the rug and pushed at it, revealing a trap door.

“Holy shit, Fuzzy.  That was awesome!”  Allistor rubbed his ears and tossed him some meat.  “Stay up here.”

Drawing his .45 in his right hand, he stood behind the trap door and pulled it open.  When no shots rang out, he called down, “Anybody home?  My name is Allistor.  I’m not here to hurt you.”

A woman’s voice called up.  She sounded weak and afraid.  “Hello?”

“It’s okay.  You can come up now.  It’s safe.  Did something attack this place?”

“I… don’t think I can make it up there.  Been down here for… I’m not even sure how long.  A week, maybe more?  Haven’t had water for two days.”

Allistor put away his gun and stepped onto the stairs that led down into the darkness.  Halfway down he found a pull string and tugged on it.  A light came on, and a woman in a ranger’s uniform blinked rapidly before covering her eyes with her hand.

“Sorry.” Allistor descended to the cellar floor.  “What’s your name?”

“I’m Helen.  Helen Rodgers.  I’m a park ranger here.  Or I was when there was still a park service and a park, and…” She drifted off.  “Do you have any water?”

“Oh, my god; I’m an idiot!” he pulled a canteen from his ring and handed it to her.

“Thank you… Allister?”

“Allistor, with an o instead of an e.  And yes, my parent’s might have been high when they named me.” He smiled at her as she took several small sips of water.  “I have some beef jerky too, if you’d like.  Or a candy bar?  Granola?”

“Actually a candy bar sounds amazing!” She leaned forward slightly.  “I’ve been living on cold canned beans and granola all week.”

He handed her a chocolate bar.  “Why have you been down here so long?”

She sat down on a stool and munched on the candy for a moment before answering.  “Cliff and I were both here at the station when the monsters started to appear.  At first, it was this six-legged dog thing.”

“Canids,” Allistor supplied helpfully.