✓𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧³ | 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

5.1

A few days after the downfall of the Whisperers things slowly moved back to normal, slowly. Despite the previous horrors the group, including Lilia, had faced, they got back on track slowly. Even though they faced a lot of loss, everyone definitely became stronger after the horrific experiences due to the Whisperers.

Maggie helped with others getting their wagons together to go back home, clearing out the woods of walkers and also catching up with people who she's missed. It has been a long time since everyone has seen her, it felt quite strange to see her back and smiling.

My dad and I were walking through the woods after Gabriel and Rosita left with their group of people. I said goodbye to them before trekking through the woods in silence. My normal sword and bow on my back. We eventually bumped in Carol who was happy to see us. I was finally glad that we all made up with her, including my dad who was comfortable around her now.

"Hey stranger." I smirked as we came to a stop.

"Hey there." She replied with her signature smile, then nodding at my dad.

"Gabriel and Rosita just let with their group a bit ago." My dad told her. "Did Oceanside answer yet?"

"Yeah, and they'll take some." Carol answered.

"Luke is gathering up about a dozen of them. We can take the rest."

"You taggin' along?" I asked Carol, then looking behind her to see Maggie. I smiled as she walked over to us, giving her a small nod. "Hey Mags."

She grinned at us before a voice called out her name from behind, "Maggie." A male voice called. A few people appeared through the trees and started to trail over to us. At first I assumed it would be someone from Hilltop who previously knew her however the look on my dad and Carol's faces said they were new. My eyes squinted to get a good look at the unknown people coming our way.

"Who are they?" I asked, looking at the three unknown figures to me.

One was tall and dark-haired, suiting a beard and a man bun. Another had a white coat covering them with a mask to hide their identity, mysterious but weird. And the person next to them had a mask only over their mouth, brown eyes glazing over us all. His hair was short but a few curls drooped in front of his eyes, you could just about see a small scar trailing down from his cheek.

"Carol, Daryl and Lilia..." Maggie walked back over it us and gestured to each of us as she said our names. "Elijah," She pointed and the fully masked man. "Cole." She pointed at the guy with the man bun. "And Leigh." She finally stopped at the half masked guy.

"Hersehel and I were living with some of their people until recently." Maggie shortly explained. "We lost the village."

"Now we need to live with you." Cole quickly said. My eyes widened at his boldness.

"I thought I'd take them to Hilltop." Maggie then spoke. Oh.

My dad, Carol and I gave each other nervous looks. Maggie obviously didn't know what had happened...

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

I let out a small sigh and nodded her over, "It's better to show you."

We guided them over to Hilltop as it wasn't a short journey. In the meantime we informed the new people about the other nearby communities too. Just thinking about Hilltop brings me back to that day, the worries we all went through and how much we had lost despite how much we had fought back.

When we made it to the treeline of Hilltop Maggie quickly saw what had gone off. Hilltop was completely destroyed. The walls were burnt and partially broken down, buildings collapsed and broken fences everywhere. She gasped as she looked at the surrounding area.