Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

45.

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By morning, Riven awoken before anyone else did, the sun was barely coming up, and he wondered who was supposed to be on watch last. They were all sleeping.

Riven threw a glare at Calvin's sleeping form. He was snoring away with no care in the world. Now was his chance to leave without anyone trying to stop him.

He quietly stood up, ignoring how his body protested and how his shoulder ached with every movement. He grabbed Michonne's sword and his bag, and he pulled out a water colored pen,

Daryl had found some water pens a while ago and gave them to Riven if he ever changed his mind about drawing again.

He quietly ripped a piece of paper from his journal that Daryl had gotten him from the highway, and he wrote in what he considered nice handwriting and left it next to Maggie since she was most likely to notice the letter more than anyone.

Once he was done gathering his stuff, he quietly made his way out of the tunnel and headed off the tracks and into the woods.

Leaves crunched under his weight. He felt bad about leaving them like that, but he couldn't risk anyone lives.

He saw how Tara risked her life for Glenn and saw how she risked her life for Riley as if she owned them something.

Riven didn't want them risking their lives because he didn't even know if he would be able to find Daryl. He didn't even know if Daryl was even alive,

He wouldn't give up on him, but he couldn't just take everyone in a wild goose chase like Glenn did, and it turned out great for Glenn, but Riven never had good luck.

He sighs, "Where the hell are you, Daryl?" He muttered to himself,

As he continued walking, he found himself surrounded by trees and more trees, and he was starting to get a bit annoyed by just seeing the trees and no walkers in sight.

He knew by now that the others had awoken, and Riley was probably pissed, no more than Calvin and Eugene, and Riven chuckled as he remembered what he did before he left.

Well, Calvin deserved it for drugging him, and Eugene definitely deserved it for shooting him.

It was a bit childish to draw on their faces, but Riven thought it was hilarious, and he didn't care if it was childish.

A noise coming from his left made him pause, and he glanced around, listening closely,

Another noise, and Riven pulled out Michonne's sword. He actually liked it. Maybe he should get his own, and Michonne could show him how to use it.

His footsteps were quiet, and he was careful as to where he stepped as he went towards the noise, hoping it was walkers.

No walkers. He sighed in disappointment and put the sword away, but a second after he did, his leg was kicked, and he went falling back, and a gun was in his face.

He let out a groan as his injured shoulder made contact with the ground, and he looked at his attacker before he looked away in embarrassment.

"I can't believe I just got defeated by an old lady." He mumbled, but he smiled as he stood up,

"Carol." It was Carol, and she looked relieved and happy to see him, but also cautious.

"Riven, it's good to.." Carol didn't finish her sentence as Riven threw himself forward, startling her as he wrapped his arms around,

"I missed you." Riven mumbled, and Carol wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Missed you too. Is this..Michonne's sword?" Riven pulled back and nodded,

"Yeah. Have you seen her? Seen the others?" Riven questioned, and before Carol could say anything, they looked over as they heard footsteps.

Tyrese walked over, holding Judith, and Riven smiled, walking over and surprising Tyrese when he hugged him, but Tyrese let out a small laugh.

"I'm glad to see you too." Tyrese told him,and Riven pulled back and gestured for Judith,

Tyrese smiled and handed him. Judith and Riven hugged her, "Oh, Sasha's alive, Ty. She's with Bob, Glenn, Maggie, and Riley with a few others we found, survivors."

"Where is she? Why aren't they with you?" Tyrese questioned, looking around for his sister, and Riven sighs,

"I left them this morning. They were heading towards terminus, and..I needed to find Daryl, I didn't want them risking their lives for it," Riven told him,

"They're probably on their way to terminus by now." Tyrese nodded,

"We were heading that way, too."

"I don't trust this place. Something about it feels off." Carol said, and Riven looked at her,

"Me too. What's the plan?"

⭐️

They found a cabin with a man outside, Carol captured the man, and Riven thought something was off about him and that they should kill him, but he decided against it at the last minute.

Carol was heading to terminus, and Riven was heading with her. There was no argument there, Tyrese stayed behind with Judith and the man.

As Riven and Carol walked through the woods, it was quiet besides the leaves crunching.

"..why not me?" Riven spoke after a moment, and Carol glanced at him, confused,

"What?"

"You killed Karen and David because you didn't want the sickness to spread, but I was sick too. Why not me?" Riven questioned,

"Because I couldn't kill you. How'd you find out it was me?" Carol asked, and Riven shrugged,

"It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. I mean, after Karen and David, Rick took you out on a supply one. He came back, and you never did, He told you to leave before anyone found out, right?" Riven said, pausing and turning to look at Carol, who paused and turned to look at him,

"It doesn’t matter anymore. What done is done." Carol replied, and Riven nodded,

"Yeah.." He sighs, "do I get a gun?"

"You have a sword." Carol told him as they started to walk again,

"Yeah, but there's a difference between a sword and a gun.."

⭐️

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