Amber's POV
(7 months after with Joe)
"Just relax and focus on the target." Said Joe as he watched me aim my last arrow at the tree.
I breathed in and as I breathed out, I gripped the bow and finally let the arrow go, only to have it miss the target again.
"This is useless!" I yelled as I tossed the bow to the ground.
"Come on you have to keep trying. You got closer to the target this time." Replied Joe as he walked over to me from the tree he was leaning against.
"Come on, try one more time." He said, having me look up. I groaned then nodded. He smiled and went to gather the arrows.
After a few moments, Joe returned, handing me one arrow.
"Alright, now load it up, good." He said as he watched me closely.
"Now, just breath, and then take your shot." I loaded the bow, raised it towards the tree, took a deep breath in, then let the arrow go, this time, having hit the target.
"Oh my god! I got it! I did it!" I cheered, pointing at the target with an arrow in the middle.
"Yes, you did. See I told you could do it." Replied Joe as he smiled down at me.
"Alright. Why don't you go get the arrow while I set up a few more targets." I nodded and went to retrieve the arrow.
As I pulled the arrow from the tree, I heard a growl from behind. I quickly turned around just in time to find an infected charge towards me.
I let out a loud gasp as the infected toppled over me, knocking me off my feet, and making me drop everything. Using my arms to keep it away from my face and neck, I called out to Joe.
"Joe!" I didn't hear anything, so I called again.
"Joe! Help!" I heard slight groans but didn't see him, so I took measures into my own hands.
I took a big risk and went for the knife that was inside my boot. I let out a groan as I felt my fingers brush past the handle.
I made the mistake of looking up at the infected, having it drool down at my neck. I quickly turned away with my eyes and mouth closed, reaching for my knife once again, this time, getting a firm grip on the handle.
I pulled it out and impaled it through the infected's head, having the body go limb on top of me. With a groan, I flipped the body over and let out a breath of relief.
I just laid there, soon hearing a twig break from behind the tree. I slowly sat up before standing up to the duct behind the tree with my knife clenched against my chest.
I slowly peeked around the tree to find an infected wobble over towards me. I realized that Joe was nowhere to be found.
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Present Day
(1 year after Woodbury)
I watched as the walker stared back at me through the fence before impaling my crowbar into its skull, having the body drop.
"Damn, you might need to calm down little girl." I scoffed before moving on to the next walker.
"Don't-" I paused as I impaled my crowbar into a walker.
"Call me-" Down another.
"A f***ing-" And another.
"Little girl." I sighed, pulling my crowbar out, hearing a man beside me chuckle.
"Why? What are you gonna do?" He asked as he tried to be all big and mighty, as per usual. I scoffed before impaling my crowbar into another walker.
"This little girl-" I paused as I walked over to him, tilting my head, showing my annoyance.
"Can beat your ass if she wanted to. Wouldn't be the first time she would've won anyway, and it definitely won't be her last, Ivan." I said, shutting him right up as I watched his jaw tighten. My smirk grew into a smile.
Ivan was one of the last people to join Woodbury before coming over to our group. Glad he's alive but man do I want to strangle him every time he opens his mouth.
"As I said, don't f***ing call me little girl." With that said, I pushed past him, causing our shoulders to collide as I made my way to the other end of the fence, away from him.
"You- you don't intimidate me!" He shouted.
"Tell that to your studdering," I replied, feeling his gaze burn through the back of my head. I simply waved and continued my way. Before I could reach the other end of the fence, I heard my name.
"Amber!" I flipped my head to find Rob jogging over towards me.
"Your daddy's looking for ya. Hand me this, I can take it from here." I let out a sigh and wiped my forehead with the back of my arm before handing him the crowbar, gloves, and apron.
"Thanks, Rob," I replied with a nod as I made my way up the hill and into the courtyard.
Over the past few months, Rick and Hershel have managed to create a small farm here at the prison. They grow tomatoes, peas, beans, and amongst other things, livestock. Ever since Rick brought in the group of people from Woodbury, the place has been kept busy with new projects, developments, and improvements for fortifications around the prison.
Upon finding Daryl around the corner, looking out towards the outer fences, I came to a halt beside him.
"They're gathering again, aren't they?" I asked, hearing the man's hoarse grumble in return.
"Mhmm." I looked up at him, using my hand to shield my eyes from the sun.
"You heading out with the search party?" I smiled, seeing he had his jacket, crossbow resting upon his back, and a gun strapped into his holster.
"Yeah, you gon be alright hanging back?" He asked. I nodded.
"Still recovering from the last search we did," I said, referring to my stitched-up left shoulder and upper arm, caused by none other than Ivan.
We were on a run a week ago to a mall about 10 miles east, in search of supplies when the door to the basement gave, unleashing walkers directly into our search area. Ivan was slashing away at walkers when he 'miss took my arm" as a walker. Once everything was clear, I proceeded to beat the living s**t out of him with my bow, then my hands.
Daryl scoffed and glanced over towards the front of the prison where he was at.
"I'll hold down the fort, help Rick if need be. I'll be fine." I said as a sigh followed after. Daryl nodded and returned his gaze to the outer fence.
"Keep an eye out for that? Make sure it don't give?" I nodded.
"Good. Come here," He placed his hand behind my head and pulled me in for a hug, planting a kiss on the side of my head and ruffling my hair as we walked away with a smirk on his face. As I stood in place and fixed my hair, I watched as the outer fence on the south end of the prison was beginning to bow, showing signs of giving soon.
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Carl's POV
I went looking for Amber when I found her laying next to Judith on the bed in my dad's cell. The curtain was open but I lightly tapped the wall beside me, causing Amber to perk her head up to look at me. I smiled.
"Is she asleep?" I whispered. She nodded before returning her gaze to Judith.
"Beth asked if I could watch her while she went to help Carol and Patrick prepare lunch for everyone." She whispered, lightly stroking Judith's forehead.
"Considering what time it was, we went and warmed up a bottle, came back here, and played while she fed, and within 10 minutes, she was out like a light." She continued, a soft laugh escaping her mouth.
"Everything okay?" She asked, slowly lifting Judith from the bed and into her arms.
"Link, Jessica, Liv, Beverly and Winston wanted to have a rematch for their loss at basketball a couple of nights ago." She chuckled as she gently placed Judith down into her playpen.
"Are the other two joining this rematch with us then, since they were part of our team?" She asked as she laid a blanket over Judith's stomach before coming to a full stance to face me.
"Said they would after their shift at the fence. Figured I'd come ask you too." She smirked.
"You go ahead. I'll wait until Beth gets back and I'll come to find you. Then the real game begins." She said as she pretended to dust off her shoulders, causing us both to laugh.
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"He shoots. He scores." I cheered while the ball slips into the hoop, causing some to cheer and others to argue. As I too was trying to say that we won, yet again, I noticed that Amber was staring elsewhere. I followed her gaze.
Mika, Lizzy, and two other kids were down by one of the fences, playing and talking to a walker on the other side.
"Amber... you okay?" I asked, slowly approaching her.
"Come on." With that said, she took off, out of the courtyard, down to the fields, and towards the fences. As we got closer, I heard them speak.
"Nick. Nick, over here. Hi, Nick! Hi, Nick." Said one of the girls as she waved at the walker with a name patch.
"You're naming them?" I asked as I came to a stop alongside Amber.
"Well, one of them has a name tag, so we thought all of them should." Replied Lizzy as she looked back at a walker.
"They had names when they were alive. They're dead now." Lizzy then gave me a weird look. I felt a nudge on my arm. It was Amber telling me to not be so harsh.
"No, they're not. They're just different." Replied Lizzy, looking between us.
"What the hell are you talking about? Okay, they don't talk. They don't think. They eat people. They kill people." I saw that Amber was about to protest but Lizzy spoke even before she could.
"People kill people. They still have names." Replied Lizzy as she stood tall and proud.
"Lizzy, that's a different story. What you are doing, it's dangerous. The walkers are already gathering together enough as it is. We don't need you guys pulling them in one spot and then having the fence give in." Said Amber as she looked down at Lizzy with gentle eyes.
"But I just wanted to-" Amber interrupted.
"No buts. We barely can fortify the fence on the east end of the prison as it is. We can't have this fence give being so close to everyone." She then glared at Amber.
"Lizzy, she's right. Dad even said to stop." Mika said softly as he held onto her sister's arm.
"No, they're just-" I then interrupted.
"Have you seen what happens? Have you seen someone die like that? Have them turn and attack you?" I asked, having Lizzy glare back at me.
"Yeah. I have." I sighed.
"They're not people and they're not pets. Don't name them." After I said that, Amber looked at me. Lizzy then stormed off, being followed by the other kids. After watching them disappear inside, she sighed.
"You didn't have to be that harsh you know, towards Lizzy. She just doesn't understand." Amber said as we made our way through the grass back up towards the prison.
"I know. She just needs to understand that they will try to kill her instead of being friends with her." I said looking up towards the prison.
"Yeah. I know but she already struggles as it is. Just give her time." She replied.
Once inside the prison, Amber and I were pulled in different directions for different needs. Carol asked for her help finishing up lunch preparations while Hershel beckoned for mine.
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Amber's POV
"To your right! To your left! Right again!" Hunter shouted as he stood on the ledge behind me while I shot my arrows at the targets out by one of the docks.
Hunter and I practice shooting and aiming every other night to try and keep each other sharp while doubling as an attempt to spread out the walkers.
"Middle! Middle! Left!" I shot three more arrows.
"Last one!" I shouted back as I reached for my last arrow.
"Behind you!" I quickly flipped around and shot at the target just above Hunter's head, letting out a huff of air as I lowered my bow.
"You are insane," Hunter commented as he jumped down onto the ground. I laughed.
"You should see my dad shoot. He can shoot a walker dead in between the eyes from 10 feet away." Hunter nodded.
"Remind me never to piss him off." We both laughed until I heard a familiar voice speak up from behind us.
"She don't need to remind you." Daryl spoke from his stance by the open gate. I let out a sigh as I hurried up the steps and into his arms.
"Dad!" I said as he wrapped his arms around me.
"How you doin baby?" He asked as we broke the hug.
"When did you get back?" I asked.
"Just now. Why don't you come on inside, both of you, it's getting dark, time to eat." I nodded and looked over to Hunter he just smiled and agreed.
"I'll be right in. I just gotta round up my arrows." Daryl nodded and walked away with Hunter not far behind.
I went around and pulled my arrows from its targets when I noticed an oddly bloated Walker across the field. I just sighed and made my way into the tombs and back towards the cellblock.
"Let's hope whatever that was, doesn't cause any harm to us."