*This is my first ever walking dead story, here's hoping people enjoy it, if you have any comments or ideas please feel free to comment. Thanks hope you enjoy :)*

The apocalypse wasn't something people thought could actually happen until well it did, most of the population wiped out and the rest left fighting for survival.

It's a man eat man world now and if you can't keep running, you'll die.

A young girl sat quietly outside a house she called her home, the girl absentmindedly read her favourite book, To kill a mockingbird.

The girl was extra petite looking but so where most people, she had silver hair which sat just above the shoulder.

It has been eight months since the world went under and her and her 'family' had been doing all they could to get by.

She sat on the farms porch swing as she started to let her mind wander about her biological family, she hoped they were okay.

But her family she stays with now, has been her family for a good number of years so far.

"Ace!" Her best friend Maggie called her out of her thoughts she stood at their vegetable patch, making her way to the stables with a backpack.

"Coming!" Ace called back as she placed her book on the porch swing gently and stood up grabbing her bow and arrow jogging over.

"Otis is just coming out, said you've to gear up for a hunt" Maggie said with a teasing smile as Ace groaned as Maggie handed her an empty backpack and she saddled up Lacey.

"Thanks, Mags, lets go Lacey" Ace said as she gently pulled the rails slightly as she headed out of the stables where shecould see Otius waiting for them.

"Let's head then Otis" Ace sighed as Otis climbed on the back of Lacey it made it easier to hunt with less baggage and less things to worry about while out there.

"Another outing we are so lucky to be going out on" Otis said sarcastically making Ace laugh softly as they rode quietly into the woods.

"Aren't we just, here's hoping it's more than Rabbits and Squirrels this time" She gave a lopsided grin to him as he gave a sigh of agreement.

As they made quiet conversation among themselves to try and not scare away they're prey.

They stopped a few miles deep into the forest as they had a small hut, in which they kept Lacey hidden, they prepared for the hunt.

Ace wrapped tape around her wrists and ankles in case she had an in counter with any dead folks it usually the first places they try to reach.

But also so she doesn't scratch herself with her arrows as she pulls them out.

"I'll go right and you go left, meet back here okay?" Otis asked kindly as he pulled out his rifle preparing himself, he got a silent nod from Ace.

As they went their separate ways, Aces began rapidly firing at four squirrels she seen in a tree hittting them all perfectly in the head.

She gently pulled out her arrows and placed the squirrels into her rucksake, she began to do this to Rabbits, birds and she even caught an owl.

She continued to just enjoy the quietness of the forest and the nice calming breeze it gave out.

She began to just walk having caught enough to last at least two weeks, she found herself infront of a small church.

She scavenged around to see if she could find any type of food or just anything interesting, the place was empty of anything worth while.

She sat down to rest for a little while just letting the different sounds, smells and calmness ease her bones slightly.

She began walking ahead not too long before she saw a deer up a head of her, a small boy putting his hand out towards it.

She smiled at this she hadn't seen a deer or even a child since this had all went down and that was over eight months ago.

That was till she saw Otis's red dot from his rifle aimed up perfectly, he obviously hadn't seen the boy standing right behind it as she let out a sound of protest.

She didn't think about what she had done next, her heart moved before her head could comprehend what she had done, she ran out towards the small boy.

Ace had always been a fast runner, that's why her and Maggie always done the runs and her and Otis done the hunting.

She stood infront of the boy pushing him back as she made eye contact with two men behind him and then the unmistakable bang from Otis's rifle sounded out.

Everything happened so fast the bullet had shot through the deer and straight into Ace who dropped to the floor beside the whimpering boy.

Her jumper flooded red from her shoulder as a faint ringing was going off in her ears.

The two men let out roars of protest as they ran towards the pair as Ace tried to stay awake, she saw the boys bruised ankle.

"Carl, Carl are you okay?!" A man asked as he held his hands to the boys face inspecting him the other man placed his hand down on Aces wound.

She could see Otis running towards them as she turned to the small boy who was crying in fear and pain.

"I'm...I'm so...sorry" Ace grunted out to the man and child as she heard Otis calling her name he moved to help but the other man just shook him off.

"I'm so sorry Ace I never seen you or the boy, god have mercy I'm so sorry, we have to get you to Hershel" Otis said as he looked close to tears.

"The boys ankle..needs...seen too" Aces let out gasps of pain as the man putting pressure on her wound lifted her as gently as he could.

"Of course, come hurry, let's go!" Otis said as Ace pointed to her bag which Otis lifted with her bow and arrow as he started to sprint ahead.

"Hershel!! Hershel!! Maggie!" Otis roared as the small place she called home cane into view, they ran that bit faster as they saw Maggie running towards them.

"Ace! What's happened?! Daddy! Aces needs help!" Maggie screamed as her father made his way to the porch to see his daughter help the man, get a girl he seen as his own daughter, get Aces limp body into the house.

"Lay her on the table! What have you gotten yourself into this time Ace" Hershel sighed as he got to work on saving his daughters life.

"It's right at her shoulder blade, we're gonna have to be very careful" Hershel warned as Ace let out a dry laugh.

"Don't bother with the pain relief Patricia, we haven't got loads to spare and honestly make it sound like it isn't the first time I've gotten myself shot with something" Aces British accent slipping through as she turned to look at Hershel, who eventually caved.

"She saved my sons life, please is there anything I can do to help" One of the men begged as he held his silently crying son against him.

"Patricia that boys ankle looks fractured could you take a look, please?" Ace said making Patricia give a sigh out as Hershel nodded for her to go out.

"Okay let's get this on with then, Otis give me your belt will you?" Hershel asked as Otis took it off and handed it into Aces outstretched hand.

"Has the boy got a mum?" Ace asked the other man who stood against the wall closest to the door, he gave a nod to her with a blank stare on his face.

"Otis will you ask Maggie to go and get her, need to find out the boys mothers name first though" Ace said as she could here Hershel getting his equipment ready as he had plugged the hole with something so she wouldn't bleed out.

"Got a name?" She asked the strange man as he gave a scoff which she assumed was suppose to be a laugh.

"Shane ma'm, man in there's Rick and his son Carl, thank you for saving his life" Shane said in sincerity to which Aces rolled her eyes at and looked to the door.

"If you could take a step outside now please and see if Patricia is finished with the boy, Carl" Hershel asked as Shane nodded leaving upon request, only for Patricia to hurry in seconds later.

Aces placed the belt in her mouth and looked to Hershel and gave a slight nod as he got to work.

*thanks for reading :)*