Lone Wolf

Chapter Eighteen

"We're not leaving." Rick told us.

"We can't stay here." Hershal told him.

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie said.

"We can't even go outside." Beth added.

"Not in the daylight." Carol told her.

"I dealt with the walkers in the boiler area and the ones in the field are dead." I told them.

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn told us.

"No, better to live like rats." Merle spoke from the other side of the prison.

"Be quiet, Merle." I told him.

"You got a better idea?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now." Merle told us.

"I could scout on ahead during the night and check. I won't even need to get close. I can stay far away where I can smell and hear them, but they can't do the same with me." I told them.

"At night, but not during the day." Rick told me.

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl told Merle.

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle told us and I couldn't help but agree.

From what I saw, I could see how he used his ammo. They must have a lot and that truck with walkers was dangerous.

"Let's put him the other cell block." Maggie said.

"No. He's got a point." Daryl and I said at the same time.

"This is all you. You started this." Maggie told Merle.

"What's the difference whose fault it? What do we do?" Beth asked.

"I said we should leave. Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Hershel said.

As he talked, Rick started walking away.

"Get back here!" Hershel yelled. "You're slipping Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. you once said that this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So, get your head clear and do something." Hershel told him.

I could smell the resolve within Rick. As he went outside, I followed him. I could see him looking at the woods.

"Do you hear anyone over there?" He asked pointing in the direction, he was looking at.

I looked at the area and I could hear breathing.

"Yeah." I told him.

"Anyone else in the area?" He asked me.

I took a breath, opening my ears for any noise. One, two, Three, Four, Five.

"Five people." I told him.

"If there here by dark, kill them." He told me.

I nodded and left when I heard Carl coming up. I went to my room.

"I want you all to stay close to one another and I give you full permission to use your supernatural abilities. You kill if you have too." I told them.

I could smell their fear, but I needed to keep them safe. I kissed their foreheads as we went to the others.

"Maggie will keep watch." Rick said.

"I'll get up in the guard tower. Watch the area she can't." Daryl said.

"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Michonne offered.

"We have little food and ammo. What can we do?" Hershel asked,

"The walkers are dead, and we have scouts in the area. I can still hear them. At night i can deal with them. Plus, we can easily escape through the tomb to get out." I told them.

"We've been here before. We can handle it." Daryl said.

"That's when it was just us. Before there was a snack in the nest." Glenn said.

I saw Daryl get mad at Glenn, walking away. I listened as Rick and Glenn argued.

"Glenn, stop acting like a child." I told him, fed up with his attitude.

"Excuse me." He said.

"So what Merle is here. Your mad cause he beat the crap out you. Get over it. This is the real world. You may not like him, but he is here. He is staying in this group whether you like it or not. He has more insight on the Governor than any of us and is Daryl's family. Oh, and you getting in an argument with Daryl about it, is ridiculous. Back in Atlanta, you all left him and yet Daryl still stayed with us. He could have left, but he stayed. He has saved all of more than once and has hunted for us longer, so the least you could do is trust Daryl and know that he knows his brother." I told him.

"I won't forgive him." He told me.

"I'm not saying you have too. I'm just saying for you to try and get used to the idea of him being here and to stop letting your anger get the better of you." I told him.

"Fine." He said reluctantly. He left the area, leaving only Rick and I.

"Thank you." he told me.

I nodded.

"How would you like to be the leader?" Rick asked me.

"What?" I asked surprised.

"Earlier, Carl said that I should take a break from being leader after the situation with the Governor is over. I think you would be perfect." He told me.

"If that's what you want." I told him.

"Yeah, I do." He told me.

"Okay, then I will. After." I told him.

"After." He repeated.

I could hear yelling in the foyer, and I recognized the voice. It was Andrea. As I held Judith, I passed her to Carol when she came to me and left the room. The kids and I rested, knowing I would be up in the night.

Nightfall came faster than I thought. Thankfully all the kids were asleep.

"Be careful out there." Rick told me as we stood near the fence.

"I always am." I told him, smiling,

He pulled me into a hug and just held me.

"I'll come back." I told him.

He let me go and I jumped the fence. I shined my eyes, running into the forest and following the breathing of the scouts. One by one, I killed the ones surrounding the camp, before running further out. I could hear some people and killed them before they could get me. Soon I finished scouting the area and returned back.

"Everything good?" Rick asked me.

I nodded and we went to sleep.