Leah Grimes

Chapter 104

It had been almost two steady days of fighting off large groups of walkers. I could barely keep my eyes open, by the time the second night had ended.

Michonne and I had just gotten home when we were radioed another small herd was coming. I sighed pushing myself up and heading towards the gate. "There's two herds coming. One from the North and another from the south." Eugene informed us.

I turned towards one of the gates, "hey guys, heads up." A whisperer was walking directly up to a post. Daryl Michonne and I met her there. "North border. Now." She spat. "Call off your walkers." Michonne bargained. The woman shook her head, "not us." I scoffed, "bullshit." She turned to glare at me, "not..us. Go to the border, lay down your weapons and wait for Alpha."

Michonne called a meeting and informed the community. "Is this your mother?" I asked Lydia. She shook her head, "I guess. You crossed into her land... twice. You have to answer to that." Aaron shook his head, "we don't have to do anything, we could just not go." Lydia shrugged, "that's not a good idea, she just wants to talk, if she wanted you dead she'd sent the horde of walkers, not just a few waves at a time." Carol shrugged, "maybe she's trying to wear us down first." One women stood up, "let's take a dozen of us, and cut that Alpha bitches head off and put it on a spike." Michonne cut off the agreeing cheers and glared at them, "there are tens of thousands of walkers with her. What is your plan to take them all out?"

No one answered and I scoffed, "if she sends that horde, we're dead. All she wants to do is talk." Michonne agreed, "exactly and we're going to listen. While we're doing that EVERYONE here needs to focus on the herds coming in from the north and the south. We're all tired, and on edge, and it's gonna get worse, but we aren't gonna get through this if we don't act as one."

I waited outside for Michonne to meet me. We brought Carol, Daryl and a few others with us. As soon as we reached the border I laid down my knife and machete, standing in between Carol and Daryl. I looked over at Carol, "you alright?" She shook her head, "I just need a minute."

I observed the posts remembering exactly who's heads were on each post. I looked up as I heard the soft growls of walkers following behind Alpha. When she finally got to us she removed her skin, "There was one rule between our people, one law. Stay where you are. Yet you disobeyed." She spat.

Three times you crossed my land." Alpha whispered. I shook my head, "we only crossed for the fire. It would've burned one of our communities." She glared at me, "you crossed for the fire, you two walked along the cliff, and you and the metal arm searched along the river." I glanced at Michonne, Daryl and Carol, they went past her borders on their own. "Now you have to be punished." She warned. The whisperers all reached for their weapons and I closed my eyes. "But there will be no bloodshed this time." Alpha said. Michonne glared at her, "then what do you want?" Alpha nodded, "land, the creek that winds into your valley is our new southern border. We will mark the new border."

Carol started fighting her and Daryl tried to pull her away. "We're done, let's go." Alpha shook her head, "we're not done. Not until this ones lowers her eyes to my feet, you should fear me." Carol shrugged, "I don't, I look at you and feel nothing at all." Alpha smiled, "is that right, your boy, the blonde one screamed your name, just before we took his head." I nervously glanced at Carol and gasped as she pulled out a gun and tried to shoot her, the bullet came out but Michonne pushed her gun down just as she shot it. "Let's go." He grabbed us pushing us away. "This is our land now." Alpha yelled watching us hurry away.