Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

24.

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Early in the morning, Riven walks through the town of Woodbury by himself. He had snuck out before Andrea or Michonne could stop him and blended in with a group of teens that just so happened to walk by him.

The townspeople barely spared him a glance as he explored the town. Something didn't feel right about it.

He wanted to leave as soon as he could, but then there was Merle. He just reunited with him after months of thinking he was dead. He couldn't leave Merle, not again, but he also didn't want to leave Michonne.

She became important to him over the months, but he knew she didn't want to stay in Woodbury.

Riven pauses as he reaches the front Gates, seeing guards on top, and a young teen girl with a colorful bow, and he climbs up the ladder and looks ahead,

The bodies were gone, he guessed the governors people got rid of them before anyone woke up.

A snarl caught his attention, and a walker was slowly staggering over to the gates.

The young girl stood up, and she started to shoot arrows, but the arrows only bounced off the walker,

Those kinds of bows she had wouldn't work to kill anything. The arrows would easily break or wouldn't even peirce flesh of the decaying dead.

The other guard shook his head, lifting his gun, but Riven stopped him. The guard raised an eyebrow at him and watched as Riven took his knife from his belt.

Riven looked at the walker, lifting his arm before throwing the knife. The sharp tip of the knife flew directly into the walkers skull, instantly killing the walker.

The thud of the body made the girl turn to Riven, "I had that."

Riven turns to look at her, a small chuckle escaping him, "Yeah? Well, your shitty arrows were bouncing off, but yeah, you had it."

The girl glares at him, and Riven looks at the walker with a frown, "it was a shit throw, though."

The other guard beside him scoffs, "A shit throw? That was impressive. Where did you learn to do that?"

Riven shrugged, "Just been practicing over the months, but I've always been good with knives."

"Your aim has gotten better, baby brother," Riven turned around as he heard Merle, and he saw Andrea, Michonne, and the Governor behind him.

"I remember the first time you threw a knife, hit me right in the ass." Merle said, a small laugh and a grin.

"As I recall, you deserve it." Riven mumbled, deciding to jump down from the gates instead of using the ladder,

He landed on his feet, his boots thudding against the cement, the zippers clinging,

"Thought we lost you there for a second." Governor spoke with a small smile,

Riven glances at him for a second before looking at Michonne, and Andrea sighs, "Riven, be nice."

"This is my nice face." Riven replied, and Andrea raises an eyebrow at him.

"That's the same expression you have every day." She told him, and Riven narrowed his eyes at her.

"I want my weapons." Riven looked at The Governor,

"Now, little brother, you ain't going anywhere." Merle told him, reaching out for him, but Riven moved back from him,

"I need to find Daryl, and I can't find him if I'm here. Weapons, now." Riven snapped,

"Give him his weapons." Governor ordered someone, who rushed away.

"Riven, think about this," Andrea told him, standing in front of him, "Daryl, he might not be alive."

Riven glares down at her, "he," he gestured to Merle, "still alive, and I know Daryl is too."

"You're just gonna leave us? Gonna leave your brother after reuniting with him just yesterday?" Andrea questioned,

"I'm going with him." Michonne spoke up, and Andrea scoffs, shaking her head.

"This is our chance to survive, and you're just gonna leave?" Andrea asked in disbelief

"Riven always been a little soft, always actin' tough, but a total softy underneath all that. A big pussy." Merle said, and Riven glares at him, but his eyes soften,

"Says the one who couldn't handle getting stabbed in the ass by a four year old." Riven replied, as the man who was ordered to grab their weapons returned.

Riven grabs his knife as Michonne grabs her sword,

"Now, little brother, think about you're doing.." Merle was interrupted by Riven,

"It was nice seeing you again, but I guess this time I'm the one that's leaving." Merle frowns at Riven's words,

A part of Riven didn't want to leave Merle, but the other half wanted to find Daryl. It's what he's been doing for months. He couldn't just give up after finding one brother.

"Guess you never really cared." Merle spat out, knowing he hit a nerve, and Riven scoffed,

"I'm not the one who never cared," the Gates opened, and Riven started walking out, followed by Michonne, Andrea staying back.

"I'm the one who did."

Merle watches as his brother left. Left him behind like it wasn't much of a hard decision, but he didn't know that with every step Riven took, his heart was breaking, his breathing was picking up,

He took a deep breath to calm himself before he could get himself into a panic attack.

He didn't need a panic attack at the moment.

"You made the right choice." Michonne spoke as she walked beside him, and Riven scoffs,

"No, I didn't. There isn't a right choice, I chose one brother over another." Riven told her, clenching his hands to keep them from shaking,

The cut on his hand ached as he put pressure on the wound, it burns and stung, but it felt a good distraction.

Michonne didn't reply. She, herself, was feeling guilty for leaving Andrea behind, but Andrea wanted to stay, and they didn't.

She turned her head towards Riven as he let's out a frustrated shout, punching a mirror from the car, breaking it in progress, and he turned around,

"I did it on purpose!" Riven shouted, "I stabbed you in the ass on purpose!"

Michonne snorts, "Seriously?"

Riven looked at her as he continued walking away from Woodbury, "I might not see him again, thought he should know."

Michonne chuckles, "Why'd you stab him in the ass for?"

Riven shrugged, "felt like it."

⭐️

1057 words

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