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Clementine watched at the terrified villagers walked into the store-room. She felt bad about what had happened to every single one of them but she knew that she couldn't let her feelings get the best of her especially since she was one of the ones that they were looking up to for guidance to safety.

Walking through the half-open back gate, Clementine scanned the area that they were going to be passing by. The pathway was narrow and visible, enough to lead the horses in a straight line, considering they had enough lanterns and guards to keep them safe on the way.

The path led into the woods and from the woods around a river to the Kingdom of Richmond.

As she returned to the castle, she noticed the villager seemed more terrified than they were before. But when she heard shouts and smelled the heavy scent of burning wood, she knew that the Raiders have made it through the main gate.

And it would only be minutes until they would be able to find them.

Lee noticed the serious face his daughter had and he jumped on his horse, catching her attention.

"We'll be fine Clem, there's no possible way the Raiders would know where we're headed," he assured her."

Clementine sighed and shook her head of her thoughts. "Yeah" she replied, jumping on her own horse and staring at the path up ahead "maybe I am overthinking it"

It would be a long way to Richmond. They'd have to spend a few weeks outside in the wilderness. Moving when the sun was up and resting when the sun went down.

Once they make it to the heart of the woods, they would be out of their own territory and most likely safe from the Raiders. But first, they had to get there to be sure.

The villagers were already inside of the wagons and two guards strode ahead which was the signal that they were ready to move.

Once the last of the horse and wagon left the castle, two other guards follow before lowering the sturdy stone gate that blocked the Raiders from following and getting out in the same way that they left.

Feeling secure about their little voyage, Clementine relaxed a bit and they all continued, hoping for the best outcome.

-

"You're such a muckspout, Violet!" groaned a dark-skinned boy

"And you're such a fopdoodle, Louis!" replied a tall blonde

"Please stop you two, remember there are Raiders nearby!" whispered a blonde boy.

"Louis started it!"

"Vi, you were the one who--"

"We get it now shush!!" a brown-haired boy interrupted.

Louis sighed and looked over at Violet who had her arms crossed and was glaring at the floor. Marlon, their leader was staring at the burning village that was nearby.

"There so much chaos..." he mumbled to his group "doesn't seem to be any survivors except for the ones who were taken into that castle over there"

Violet scoffed "Well, of course, they're gonna be almost no survivors, they were attacked by the Raiders, Raiders for the lord's sake! They were the ones who attacked us too! Remember how many died there!?"

"Yeah and those were the ones who fought back" mumbled Louis

Marlon sighed and jumped down from the tree he was perched on, his group did the same. Softly and quietly landing on the ground, he decided to get back to the rest of the group and start to move west towards safer places.

As far away from the Atlantic ocean, the better his group might have the chance to survive without having to encounter the Raiders, again.

Slowly they started to make their way back to their camp which was somewhere deep in the woods where almost no other being would dare pass by.

Sighing, Marlon continued walking until they heard the snap of a branch nearby. All of them crouching down immediately and expecting the worse. 

Signaling to the group, Marlon got ready to check out the source of the noise. The group got into position to attack in case it was a raider or a dangerous animal. Gulping, Marlon kicked away a bush and aimed his bow at the person.

The persons eyes widened at the sight of an arrow being reeled in front of them. Slowly, they stood up, dropped their knife and raised their hands in air signalling surrender.

Marlon glared at the person who was around their age and kicked their knife backwards toward Louis who caught it as the group surrounded the person.

"p-please don't hurt me!" The boy said. The boy was tall, young and looked Asian and pretty well built

"Do you have a group" Marlon questioned. "Are you with the Raiders"

"I-Im alone. I've been separated from my group for years" he said while shutting his eyes tightly expecting to be hit.

Marlon lowered his bow and spoke sternly to the boy.

"What's your name?" he asked

"James"

Marlon looked over to his group and called his seconds in commands to talk about James while the rest watched over him and made sure he stayed put.

Moving behind a tree nearby, Violet and Louis followed Marlon.

"He seems alright" said Louis looking back at James

Violet shook her head "No, we shouldn't trust him yet."

"I'm not so sure about him either but we need to decide on what to do with him."

Violet shook her head "If we keep him, he'll just stab up in the back! We can't trust him!"

Louis nodded "Yeah I get that but what if we CAN trust him! I mean... He is alone. If he joins us then we'll have more people on our side!"

Marlon listened to their ideas and slowly nodded "alright, how about this. We keep him, but we also keep him in a secure place until we can trust him. First we get to know him and then decide weather to keep him with us or let him go"

Violet rolled her eyes and nodded while Louis jumped up and walked over to James.

Holding his hand out to the boy, Louis helped James to his feet while Marlon signaled to the rest of the group that they were leaving.

Less shaken, James slowly followed the group as they made their way back to the camp while Louis strode up to him, flashing a smile to give him a warm welcome.

"Welcome to the group James"

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