western nights ( shane walsh )

1.15 ; for to go

Lori discovered her daughter nestled inside the tent, already preparing for a nap. Rick had departed, accompanied by Shane who ensured he was well-equipped with additional ammunition. Carl lay on his side of the tent, and Natalie's gaze remained fixed on her younger brother. The concern radiated from her eyes, a silent dialogue passing between siblings.

"You worried?" Carl's voice cut through the quiet, sensing his sister's watchful eyes. He turned, propping himself up on a makeshift bed with one hand supporting his head.

"It's Dad... no," Natalie responded, shaking her head as she sat up on her bed. "You?"

Almost reflexively, Carl replied, "No. Think about it, Iris... Everything that's happened to him so far—nothing's killed him yet." His words held a reassurance, a shared understanding of the resilience embedded in their father.

Natalie rose from the bed, adjusting her clothing and donning the sheriff's jacket she had yet to return to her father. "You understand why he had to go, right?" Carl offered a silent nod, and Natalie continued, "Good, 'cause this world is too shitty to not be a good person."

"Merle..." Carl remarked, and Natalie playfully hit his shoulder, a small attempt to shift their focus away from the weight of Rick risking his life once again.

Attempting to distract both herself and her brother from the looming worry, Natalie suggested, "Let's go get frogs with Shane." Even though unspoken doubts lingered in the recesses of their minds, a trip with Shane provided a momentary respite, a chance to navigate the uncertainties of their world in the company of someone familiar.

Navigating through the campsite, Natalie and Carl strolled along, weaving through the clusters of tents and makeshift structures. Their journey paused as Natalie veered towards Shane's tent, a purposeful stride carrying her toward the canvas refuge. In her hands, she clutched a pile of worn and dirty clothes, a tangible offering for Amy, who was tasked with transporting the garments down to the Quarry.

The chore of laundry duty seemed destined to fall onto Natalie's shoulders, a duty traditionally reserved for the women of the camp on this particular day. However, Shane, ever resourceful, managed to enlist one more person for the task, relieving Natalie from the prospect of washing clothes. Instead, he orchestrated a diversion—enticing her to join him and Carl in a pursuit that promised a temporary escape from the mundane chores of camp life.

Opening the flaps and going into it, Shane was there gathering his dirty clothes as well. "I'll take them to the girls," Natalie offered her voice gaining a perk from his shoulders turning to see her place her dirty clothes down. "Then I'll meet you down at the Lake."

A subtle smile curved Shane's lips as he approached her, his movements deliberate as he halted next to the pile of his dirty clothes. With a measured ease, he reached out, his hands enveloping her hips.

Fingertips danced lightly over her cold skin, tracing an ephemeral pattern that stirred a gentle sensation beneath her touch. "You're annoyed at me aren't ya?" Her eyes batted up to him tilting her head a little bit. "Natalie. Hit me go on."

"I'm fine," Lying through her teeth and smiling. "Let me take this annoyance off at the frogs. Wait...I'm not going to kill them."

Laughing a bit and hitting her shoulder ever so slightly. "Oh yes, we are"

"You," Pushing out the words from her teeth to pronounce them more.

"Nope, we" Shane corrected her again patting her ass and letting go of her in the process. "I'm hard right now, so go- before we don't make it to the lake...I'll meet you and Carl around..." Shane's frustrated mutterings slipped under his breath, a visible weariness etched across his face as he wiped the side of his face.