Safe and sound, Carl Grimes

076. YEARS GO BY BUT THE SCARS STICK AROUND

Chapter seventy six

"Years go by but the scars stick around."

It had been six years, as Katniss and Alden were lying in a tent out in the woods, Katniss was sleeping in his arms, while he looked down at her, moving her hair out of her face, he leaned down, kissing her on the head, he then sat up, putting his boots on, he walked out, grabbing his tools, he headed toward's the boat nearby and began working on it.

Where when Katniss woke up, she put her boots on and climbed out of the tent and as she did, dog ran up to her, as she leaned down petting him, she looked across the way at Alden "you fixing up that boat to get away from me?" she asked, making Alden laugh as he stood up, he began walking over to her with a smirk on his face and when he did, Katniss's eyes went wide "no, no!" she voiced, laughing, she ran away but as she did, Alden ran after her and his legs were longer then her's as he picked her up and carried her toward's the river, he threw her in and when he did, he then jumped in after her, the two then came back up laughing especially as dog ran in after them.

Where when the sun started to set, the two were sitting by the fire drying off, as Daryl had returned he had brought fish with him, as he cleaned and cooked them, the three of them then ate together in silence, where one of them always threw dog a piece to eat.

The next morning, Katniss, Alden and Daryl had gone out to collect fire wood, the three of them were carrying piles of logs, as they were heading back toward's camp, the sound of a wagon could be heard coming up to them, as the three stopped and looked at it, Carol was sitting there with long hair and next to hr was a teenage Henry who even after all this time found his attention falling on Katniss "need a ride, strangers?" Carol asked them, as Daryl began walking over, Katniss and Alden followed.

Having taken the ride, they stopped close by their camp before getting off, as Daryl, Katniss and Alden lead the way, Henry and Carol followed behind them, as they headed through a path in the woods, they came out of it and to all of their traps, as they walked for a little while longer, they made it to their camp, as Daryl, Katniss and Alden dropped the logs down and their bows down by the fire, Daryl took off his bag and his poncho, as Katniss and Alden took their hoods off "I see the boats coming along." Carol shared.

As dog came walking over with a walker hand, it dropped it in front of Katniss "good dog." Katniss told him, as she picked it up and tossed it into the fire "when was the last time you guys ate?" Carol asked "yesterday." Alden told her, as Carol nodded.

Meanwhile, since Rick had died, Carl had been living at hilltop, seeing as alexandria was too much of a reminder of what he had lost even with Michonne and Judith there it still wasn't enough, where he had become a farmer like he used to believe his dad had them pretending to be, where he fed the animals and picked vegetables, where Maggie had left and took Hershel with her to live with Georgia, which meant Jesus was supposed to be in charge but at times it seemed like Tara was.

Back in the woods, Daryl had gone to check the snares, as Carol went with him, where Alden was cutting up the logs for the fire, Katniss was sitting and talking with Henry, she noticed the red mark on his face "what happened?" she asked, pointing to his face "uh..some people were in trouble on the road. Me and Carol stopped to help them." Henry lied to her, wanting to seem brave to her unlike what actually happened where he was fooled into getting stuck in a saviors trap and got hit in the face trying to protect his mother, Katniss hummed "so why are you on the road? Thought you'd be needed at the kingdom?" she asked.