Animal Gone Wild [DISCONTINUED]

44

WE ARE HERDERS, WE SUCCEED IN HERDING

    We ran towards the gate, the walkers following behind us. Did I forget to mention that we looked completely stupid while doing so? No, well let me add that in there. Rick had barley dodged a walker trying to grab at him as we ran.
    "God I hate you for this," I groaned.
    "I'm not too happy about it either," Rick shot back.
    I rolled my eyes as we ran.
    "Open the gate now!"
    The gate was opened by Maggie and Michonne, with others running towards it in confusion. Rick body-checked a walker, taking him down with it. I pulled him up as we dodged around a smaller herd of walkers and made it inside before the walkers came in with us. Walkers proceeded to press against the gates, trying to grab us.
    "Holy fuck," I groaned, falling to the ground next to Rick, "next time...I'm leavin' your ass."
    Rick gave a half-hearted laugh, "wouldn't have it any other way June."
    Rick and I got cleaned up, and went towards the others. I had a new knife, considering my other one was missing. Figured Carl gave it to someone who needed it or something, I didn't really think much of it at this point. It was old and gross.
    "You can hear it," Rick voiced, "some of you saw it. They got back here, half of them. Still enough to surround us 20 deep. Look, I know you're scared. You haven't seen anything like this. You haven't been through anything like this. But we're safe for now. The panel the truck hit seems intact. We reinforced it just in case. Either way, the wall's gonna hold together. Can you? The others, they're gonna be back."
    "They're gonna be back," Rosita reinforced.
    "Damn straight," I grumbled, "or I'm gonna take Daryl's ass by storm."
    Maggie nudged me, "that's gross June."
    I rolled my eyes, "not like that. C'mon Mags. You and Glenn used to be like jack rabbits."
    Maggie blushed, shoving me harder. I broke a grin before settling back down so others wouldn't think I was happy about the walkers at our front door. I was irritated with them, chasing us all the way here. I threatened Rick for the majority of the way here when we ran.
    "And Glenn and Nicholas are gonna walk back through the front gate after. They know what they're doing, and we know what we need to do."
    I tensed tightly. Glenn. I let out a breathe, adverting my gaze to the ground. That bastard better show up...
    "We keep noise to a minimum. Pull our blinds at night. Even better, keep the lights out. We'll try to make this place as quiet as a graveyard, see if they move on."
    "This place is a graveyard," voiced an Alexandrian.
    "That's only if you think like that," I stated, "think like that, then yeah. It will be. Keep your spirits high, well—then it's different."
    "The quarry broke open," Aaron added, "and those walkers were heading this way. All of them. The plan that Rick put into place stopped that from happening. He got half of them away. I was out there recruiting with Daryl. I wanted to try to get into a cannery and scavenge, and Daryl wanted to keep looking for people. We did what I wanted...and we wound up in a trap set by those people. And I lost my pack. They must've followed our tracks. Those people who attacked us...they found their way back here because of me."
    Deanna shook her head and left—and everyone stayed quiet.
    "Nah," I shook my head, "they came because they're vultures. They could've came looking to survive here with us, they didn't. They decided to attack. That's on them, not you."
    Aaron looked at me with confusion, wondering why I would say such a thing.
    "There'll be more to talk about," Rick stated.
    "Deanna," Tobin questioned, "Deanna?"
    Deanna just continued to walkaway. Rick walked the other way. I let out a sigh.

    I watched as people just went into the pantry, even though Olivia told them to ration better. Deanna didn't do anything about it and just watched, I was about to go say something when Spencer spoke up. I sat back and decided to watch the little Chihuahua try and be a German Shepherd. This'll be good. I watched as they all walked away. Humph, the Chihuahua didn't do too bad. Give him more credit than I thought. I turned and walked away. I had walked for awhile before coming onto people writing names on the wall—and when they wrote Glenn I felt angry. How dare they assume he was dead.
    "Hey," I hollered at them, "cross that name off. Now."
    I pointed at Glenn's name. They looked at me funny.
    "June, we don't even know if they're comin' back..."
    I narrowed my eyes at the lady.
    "Cross it off. Now."
    "June-"
    I got up in her face, anger coursing through me.
    "I know my best friend. I know him through and through—he'll come back. He always does—so.Don't make me repeat myself."
    None of them moved to cross his name out. So I snatched a brush from the lady and did it myself, throwing it back into the paint as I whipped myself on them.
    "Don't you ever assume for the worst. He is my best friend, and my best friend will never die or be assumed dead under my watch. Got it?"
    They gulped and nodded. I nodded back and stormed off. I climbed into the house, leaning my head on my hands while sat on the couch. I was trying to wrap my head around the whole mess we were in. Trying not to think Glenn was dead and Daryl was in danger or dead as well. Carl was on the porch with Judith.
    "Ember, can you get me a bottle," Carl called, "Judith's being fussy."
    I let out a sigh, bringing myself to reality, entering the kitchen to get the bottle. I walked out onto the front porch and handed it to Carl.
    "You okay?"
    "Define okay," I mumbled, sitting next to him on the stairs.
    "Well, do you feel like dying?"
    I smirked, "nah. Not yet kid."
    "Then you're okay."
    I chuckled, leaning my head on his shoulder as I stared out at the houses around us.
    "You're worried, aren't you. About Glenn and Daryl?"
    "I'll always worry about those two. Have you met them?"
    Carl smiled at me.
    "They're badasses, just like you Ember. They'll make it back before we know it."
    "They better—or I just mistakenly threatened some people that put Glenn's name on the wall..."
    Judith made a grabbing motion towards me, so I gladly took her from Carl; rubbing my nose on hers, causing her to giggle.
    "I remember when you never wanted to touch her," Carl grinned, "now look at you. All over her."
    I rolled my eyes, nudging him playfully, "that's because I was scared I'd drop her—or hurt her on accident."
    Carl gave me a frown, "but you're so gentle."
    A sigh escaped my lips, "you know I wasn't always gentle."
    "Well yeah," Carl scoffed, "you're Juniper Richardson, the badass from Atlanta that doesn't give two shits."
    "If your father heard you...he'd give me such a lecture."
    Carl laughed, causing Judith to giggle as well—not understanding what was happening. I gave her a light smile, kissing her forehead as she wrapped her hands around one my fingers and lightly nipping it.
    "I can't wait for you and Daryl to have kids."
    I snorted, "yeah, good luck getting Daryl to agree to that. Can barley get the man to sit still without his crossbow."
    "Carl," Rick called, heading towards us.
    "I think he's angry," I whispered, "good luck."
    I stood up and entered the house, taking Judith with me.