HEART FOR BRAINS • the walking dead

039: claimed: part two

"Well, it's been a while. I'm gonna go check the snares." Rick got up out of his seat.

The stick Carl was holding caught fire and he brought it closer, Rio leaning over to blow it out.

"Can I come with you?" Carl asked and Rick gave him a smile.

"Well how else are you gonna learn?"

"Hey, you too." The man said to Rio and Michonne, kicking dirt over the fire. Carl got up and copied him, the fire going out.

They all followed Rick away from the small camp they'd set up, walking through the forest and taking in the peacefulness of it all. There were no walkers.

"We'll stay another day or two. Get some more rest." Rick decided as they came to a clearing.

"Finish healing up?" Michonne asked the man.

"I'm almost there." He smiled back at her.

"We're close now, right?" Carl asked.

"To terminus?" Rio specified.

The boy nodded.

"We are." Rick answered.

"When we get there are we gonna tell them?"

"Tell them what?" Michonne asked.

"Everything that's happened to us." The boy replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked. "All of the stuff we've done."

"I don't think they need to know all of that." Rio murmured.

"So we're not gonna tell them the truth?"

"We're gonna tell them who we are."

"But how do you say that? I mean..." Carl stopped for a moment, thinking over his words. "Who even are we?"

The rustling of leaves and snarl of a nearby Walker cut the boy short of an answer. The creature stumbled forward in its dirty and ragged clothes as Michonne grabbed ahold of her sword. She unsheathed it and led them all forward, killing the Walker with a single slice to the head.

"Thanks." Rick said as the body slumped across the floor.

"You're welcome." Michonne said, flashing a smile back before Rick walked away, heading over to the closest snare.

"There you go!" He exclaimed, rushing forward and kneeling down beside it. "It's a small one but it'll do."

The man untied the rabbit from the trap as the two boys knelt next to him. He shoved it into his bag and began to explain what to do.

"So, this is just a simple slipknot. Tie one on both ends then you tighten one side to a branch." He did a demonstration as he spoke, carefully tying up the wire and wrapping it around a branch. "Now you see how the ground here is sort of like a funnel shape?"

"It's a trail?" Carl guessed.

Rick's face broke into a smile. "That's right. That's where you want to set the noose. So, you hide it with leaves. Then you put sticks all around it so any animals going by have to run this way..." He pushed all the sticks and leaves into position before imitating a little rabbit with his hand. "Right into the trap."

He tugged on the string just as a screech was let out through the woods. "Help!" The voice cried. "Somebody help!"

Carl got out of his seat and started running.

"Carl!" Rick shouted. He attempted to grab the boy before he was too far away. "Carl— Carl stop!"

The boy didn't listen and kept sprinting over to the scene, Rick closely behind him. Rio got up, following them both with Michonne by the side of him.