Holding the cold metal of the gun in her grasp, Natalie stood amidst the sounds of nature, where birds' melodies and the buzzing of insects blended into a symphony around her.
The tent's sheltering fabric shielded her from the elements, and inside, she pondered the prolonged absence of Rick and the others returning from their city mission. Confusion gnawed at her, wondering why Merle's retrieval was taking so long when they knew his last known location.
As the morning unfolded, she carefully stowed the gun into the waistband of her jeans, adjusting the oversized grey shirt that concealed the concealed weapon. A further layer of camouflage came in the form of Rick's jacket, enveloping her frame, attempting to mask the imprint of the firearm beneath.
Emerging from the tent, Natalie lowered her head to shield her eyes from the gusts of wind that carried whispers of the world beyond. The chill air tousled her dirty blonde hair, and as her eyes scanned the camp, they settled on Dale perched atop the RV. Lori and Carl were engrossed in chores nearby, leaving Dale as the only potential confidant in her quest to learn the art of handling a gun discreetly.
"There a problem, Iris?" He questioned furrowing his eyebrows.
"Where can I practice shooting the gun you gave me," Natalie asked looking up, squinting her eyes away from the sun. "I don't want Shane, or my mom to hear it and scare them."
Dale rose, hands on hips, surveying the surroundings for a secluded space where Natalie could hone her skills without causing undue concern. "Uhm," looking through his binoculars and moving himself around to see if he saw any empty spot in the distance that was still in his view. "That's weird." Stopping what he was doing. "Jim's digging..."
"The world's ended, everyone has to find hobbies" Natalie mentioned climbing up the ladder going over and joining Dale so that she didn't have to keep looking up at him hurting her neck.
Dale chuckled shaking his head a little; "Digging Graves is a hobby?" Putting the binoculars up again and seeing Jim in the distance just digging and digging not seeing to stop any time soon.
"So no shooting..." Natalie complained with a sigh.
"Over there, I can still see you- and it's quite a distance." Chuckling at the notion of grave digging as a post-apocalyptic pastime, Dale raised his binoculars again, scrutinizing Jim's relentless labour in the distance. Natalie, eager to find a discreet shooting spot, suggested the northern outskirts, away from the city's threat and Dale's watchful eyes. "Don't tell your mom either, she doesn't want you or Carl leaving the sight."
Grateful for Dale's understanding, Natalie flashed a smile and concocted a cover story; "Tell her I'm looking for those weird, nasty pink berries." Natalie made her way to the other end of the RV where the ladder was.
Dale had let out a chuckle; smiling towards the girl. "Poison."
Shrugging her shoulders just saying berries that her mom had her look out for when she was berry searching with Amy a couple of days ago. "You can come up with something," Natalie commented smiling with her hands on her hips. "You've probably got stories to pull up your sleeve."
As she lowered herself climbing back down to the ground. With a chuckle, he continued observing Jim, who showed no signs of halting his relentless digging.
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Venturing into the heart of the woods, Natalie found herself in the secluded spot Dale had recommended. The lush foliage enveloped her in a cocoon of nature, and the murmur of leaves rustling played a backdrop to her solitude. With the gun firmly in her grasp, Natalie squared her shoulders, positioning herself at the nexus of her makeshift shooting range.
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western nights ( shane walsh )
Fanfictionthere is beauty and disappointment in betrayal - shane walsh x fem! oc
