𝙘𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮¹ ━ 𝙩𝙬𝙙

ix.

╔═══*.·:·.★ ✦ ★･:･:*═══╗

The night slowly turned to morning at the checkpoint. While Rick and Maggie went on what could only be described as a suicide mission for Daryl, Paola took over the reins; being trusted by Rick to keep an eye on Glenn and Michonne.

Birds chirped in the silence. Michonne leant against the car and Glenn sat cross legged on the floor. In Paola's hands, she held a small pistol, her gaze never wandering from the tree line, she was given a duty to protect and that was what she swore to do.

Paola flickered to Michonne, the woman appearing too tired and weighed down to even try and escape now, which the young girl knew that she could if the sword wielding woman tried hard enough. Though she was an outsider to the group, and if she did leave as soon as Rick and Maggie came back with Daryl, Paola would always be grateful for Michonne, the woman who saved them.

A rough voice spoke over the rough from further in the woods, "Paola!" Rick catches her attention, pushing herself away from the trunk of the car, she jogs over to them, Glenn quickly getting up from his position to follow her.

"Thank god, you're okay." Paola tries to smile, though her good natured mentality was quickly squashed when the trio saw the man behind them.

"Now we got a problem here. I need you to back up." Rick says, holding his hand up to create a distance, only Glenn and Michonne jumped to the offense, their weapons readied.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Glenn glowered, his gun waving around wildly.

The group quickly fell into a frenzy with Rick and Daryl standing guard in front of Merle and Glenn and Michonne heading for the kill while Maggie and Paola were left to scramble around over who to protect. It was clear to everyone that the two wanted blood, only blood was thicker to Daryl than water.

Merle laughs, a smirk big as he watches the arugment, "looks like you've gone native, brother."

"No more than you hanging out with that psycho back there." Daryl quickly turns on his heel, getting in his brothers face.

"Oh yeah, man. He is a charmer, I gotta tell you that." The one armed man teases, "been putting the wood to your girlfriend, Andrea." He says to Michonne. Merle had always been a cruel man and obviously, Atlanta and Woodbury hadn't changed that.

"Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn asks, cutting in, Daryl nods.

"Right next to the Governor."

Michonne aims for Merle again, her sword raised, ready for the killing blow, but Rick stops her, "I told you to drop that!"

The confrontation continued to escalate as always, Merle never knew when to shut his mouth and began spouting off his usual spiel of bullshit. It wasn't long before he had angered everyone, Michonne, Daryl, Glenn, all becoming more and more agitated.

That was until Rick took the back of his revolver and knocked the grimy man unconscious.

|

"It won't work." Rick argues. Little time had past and Merle was up, away from the group by the tree line, smirking at them.

Daryl shakes his head, his hand on his crossbow, "it's gotta."