𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎

THE SOUND OF MOURNING DOVES SINGING into the quiet early morning woke Lucy up the next morning. Well, that wasn't the complete truth. Lucy had been awake for hours listening to the doves sing their mourning noises. The Hayes woman wondered if the doves knew what they were mourning? Did they know life as they knew it was over too?

Lucy stared up at the nylon ceiling of her tent with Shane's arm wrapped tightly around her. It was always like this — at least since the world ended — Shane would have sex with Lori out in the woods and then he could come to Lucy's tent wanting to sleep next to the younger Hayes sister as though nothing was happening between him and her older sister.

Her tent that had once been the only safe haven for Lucy during all this shit was now tainted with Shane and Lori. She wanted to turn him away each time he zipped open the door, a smile on his face as he climbed in and pulled her body close to his, but she didn't, she couldn't. Shane was the only reason she was alive. He was an anchor — her anchor — holding her down to the earth, keeping her from completely drowning.

Lucy closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to overtake her exhausted body, but she knew that was a moot pointed once Shane began to run his fingers through her dark hair. The Walsh man was awake which meant Lucy was now too. Shane wanted everyone up and early to get shit done. He wanted some kind of structure even though the world was over.

"Morning, Lu." Shane whispered into her ear as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Lucy turned her head towards Shane, placing a small smile on her face as she stared at him. She hated how weak she was. All Shane had to do was place a soft kiss to her forehead and she immediately forgot about the anger she had towards him. She was useless when it came to the former cop— a loyal dog as Daryl Dixon once called her.
While Andrea and Amy had once asked her why she followed Shane's every word and why she believed in him so much and Lucy didn't have the words to explain it to the two sisters. How could she explain anything about Shane Walsh to people who didn't even know him or her.

"Morning." The Hayes woman mumbled. "I want to learn how to hunt today." Lucy knew immediately that Shane was going to shut her wants down. He wanted her close to keep an eye on her. He wanted to keep her like a delicate porcelain doll even now in this cold world.

Shane shook his head immediately at Lucy's firm voice. "Absolutely not. You think I'm gonna send you out into the woods with Daryl fuckin' Dixon? That redneck wouldn't care if you got attacked by one of those dead heads."

Lucy pushed Shane's arm away from her as she quickly sat up. She felt so weak and useless and Shane kept her that way. Lucy wanted to learn to do more important things besides teaching the kids or washing clothes with the other women of the group, but Shane would immediately shut down her ideas once she told him.

Shane sat up with a deep sigh as he stared at Lucy. He could see the anger and sadness on her pale face, and he understood her frustrations but he couldn't in good conscience let her go out and learn to hunt. Lucy wasn't strong or built for this world like he was — hell even like Lori had come to be — he selfishly needed to keep her close to him and away from the danger.

"I'm fucking useless, Shane." Lucy admitted. "I know everyone in the group sees me as weak and I need to prove I'm not."

Lucy had been trying to prove she wasn't weak for years even before the dead came back. She was spoiled and lived a charmed life — something she would never deny — she didn't have a husband or kids to worry about or keep safe. She wasn't like Lori who almost immediately knew she had to change to adapt to this new world.

"Why do you care what these people think?" Shane shook his head, not understanding why someone like Lucy cared so much about what the other thought of her. He sure as fuck didn't care about them and he couldn't understand why Lucy did.

Lucy shook her head in frustration at Shane's question. He never understood her mind and her thoughts. How come he couldn't understand she didn't want to be seen as a liability.

"Whatever." Lucy sighed as she quickly stood up and exited her tent.

Shane sighed as he watched the frustrated brunette exit the tent. Why couldn't she understand he was doing this for her own good. He wanted to keep Lucy alive and he needed her to listen and stay close to him to do so.

LUCY WATCHED AMY AS SHE WASHED DIRTY CLOTHES in the cold quarry water, ranting about how the men didn't have to do this bullshit. Lucy was only half listening to her friend, her mind still occupied with the disagreement Shane and her had earlier.

She knew Amy would tell her to stand up for herself if she let the blonde woman know about the conversation she had with Shane. Amy and Andrea were always telling her that she needed to stand up for herself, let Shane know he wasn't the boss of her, but Lucy could never find her voice when it came to Shane.

"They're sending out a small group to scavenge and look at us stuck here doing this bullshit." Amy continued to rant as she angrily washed clothes.

"Who's going?" Lucy's ears immediately pricked up at Amy's words. She knew there was no way she could convince Shane or the group that she should tag along with them, but maybe Shane would be distracted enough that she could convince the younger Dixon brother to teach her to hunt.

"Glenn, T-Dog, Andrea, and asshole Dixon." The blonde listed off with a huff.

Lucy nodded at Amy's words and quickly stood up. "Can you finish this? I have to go talk to someone." The brunette ran a hand through her knotted wavy hair.

Amy stared at the brunette with a raised eyebrow before nodding.

Lucy quickly ran off, hoping that Daryl was still around. She needed this. She needed to learn how to hunt and no longer be seen as weak.

LUCY FINALLY FOUND DARYL AFTER SEARCHING FOR THE HUNTER for what felt like hours. She found him by his tent sharpening a knife, ignoring everyone else around him.

"What do you want?" His voice gruff as he continued to sharpen his knife not looking up at Lucy.

"I want you to teach me how to hunt." Lucy stated with confidence in her tone. She knew she had to be firm when it came to the Dixon man.

Daryl looked up from his knife with an annoyed look on his dirty face. Lucy was certain he would have laughed at her if he actually allowed himself to laugh.

"No. Why would I take you out in the woods? You're a damn liability. I ain't planning my own death today just because you feel like being useful." The Dixon man stated matter of factly while glaring at Lucy.

"Please. I don't want to be useless anymore." Lucy begged the man, her eyes filling with tears at her frustration.

"You better keep up." Daryl sighed as he stood, handing his knife towards the brunette. "Don't make me regret this." He warned.

Lucy nodded, holding the large knife in her hands. An excitement filled her body as she followed Daryl into the woods.

——

an —
I forgot about this fic. I really need to update my TWD fics more because I really enjoy writing them.