"Welcome to our home." Carol said putting her hand on my left shoulder smiling at me.
I Haven't been paying any attention as we walked .I was looking down at the dirt road following their footsteps, I didn't even notice us come into the clearing where their camp was. Lori and Andrea put the pails with all the soaked clothes that they were carrying down.
"Not much, but better then nothing." Lori said putting hands on her hips and looking around.
Not what I expected, but it was true what she said. At least they had tents to sleep in and cars unlike me, that has been sleeping with a sleeping back, through rain or not and hiking my way around.
" We have a few vehicles to get us around and a scarce amount of tents." Lori added pointing to the tents they had up.
"You'll have to bunk with someone. We can decide that later tonight when everyone's gathered. " Lori told me.
" Where is everyone?" Andrea said walking towards the RV Looking around.
"Sophia?" Carol called out.
" Who you lookin' for?" I asked,
" The others, and my daughter. Sophia? Where are you?" Carol told me and continued calling for her daughter.
"Mommy, !" I heard a child's voice call from behind a old jeep.
A little girl ran around it coming towards us holding a old teared doll in her arms. Another child followed behind her.
"Mom your back!" The boy yelled running toward Lori.
" Hey baby boy, where's daddy?" She asked as she brushed back his chocolate brown hair.
" Rick and Shane went to get more water, " The Carol's daughter said cluthed her mothers hand with her own.
" Who's she mom?" The boy said in a blunt manner pointhing at me.
" Carl, don't do that sweetie. " Lori said pushing down his hand.
" It's alright, my names Piper Radke, what's yours?" I asked crouching down to be his level.
" Mine's Sophia,!" The little girl said cutting in.
" I'm Carl and thats my mom." He stated.
" Nice to meet you Carl and Sophia." I said smiling,
"Say Sophia, thats a real pretty doll you have." I told her kindly as possible.
"My friend gave it to me." She said with a big smile painted over her freckled face.
She giggled and hugged her doll close to her. Carol Looked at me and smiled as she walked away with Sophia over to a tent.
"Good with kids.?" Lori shifted to me once they were at their tent.
" I love them. " I said placing my hands on my hips and put my weight on left leg and looked down at Carl who was just staring at me with the biggest grin on his face.
" Found Dale and T-Dog." Andrea said hopping out of the RV, behind her followed two men.
"Hey there new one. It's nice to see that theres hope for more suriviors out there." Said an old man walking towards me with Andrea and anotehr man.
" That's Dale, he owns the Rv, and right here is T-Dog." Andrea said introducing them.
" Hey, names Piper. " I said greeting them.
T-Dog hesitated, but shook my hand after a few seconds later. Dale shook it without delay. We talked for bit,
they asked the same questions I was already asked. T-Dog was laid back but I can tell he was iffy about me.
Dale was different he seemed to trust me right away as if he known me for years and didn't question anything of what I said. He was so kind and understanding, like my grandpa once was. When he was alive.
" I'm going to gather firewood for tonight, " T-Dog said as he trailed off towards the woods.
"Andrea why don't you help Piper put her stuff down and get her comfortable, I'm going to go hang the clothes before they smell up." Lori said grabing one of the buckets she put down.
" Of course, " Andrea said and turned towards me smiling.
"Carl, come help mom hang this up." Lori told her son.
He nodded and quickly grabbed the bucket Andrea had put down and walked to his mother. They went behind the RV where I could see they had a long string tied to one tree to another tree.
" We had been washing all morning before we ran into you." Andrea said.
" Sorry if I interupted"
" You didn't, you just got lucky we were just finishing or else we would drag you over with us." Andrea joked.
" I wouldn't mind. If you need help just ask me, since I'll be here I'll pull my own weight." I told her.
"Yeah, so Piper right?" Andrea said walking over to a log by the fire pit where ashes laid from their previous fire.
" Yeah." I said as a stayed close behind her.
"Take a seat and put your stuff down. You haven't put your bags down. And they looks pretty heavy." She said staring at my duffles.
"It's all I have." I said putting my bags down and then taking off my backpack.
"That might be the biggest backpack I've seen you know that?" She chuckled.
"Hm, maybe. Find me another bag let me know, I'm always up for a change." I said pulling it to my lap and stick my finger in showing her the hole grinning.
"Oh shoot it's ripped. I'm sure Dale has some needles and we'll find string to patch that right up" Andrea said taking the backpack from me examing the hole.
"That'll be great.I'll sew it myself." I said.
"Didn't you ever get tired girl?" Andrea said.
" Of?" I replied confused of what she ment, aren't we all tired going from sleeping in warm beds to hard dirt?
"Not that I've been fixed on them for a while or anything but those guns, they're pretty big and I bet heavy.
Your just carrying them around on your waist like that, With a shot-gun hanging on your shoulder and that gaint kife too." She said looking at my belt.
" It's machete it's useful, quieter then a gun. It won't lure the walkers to me. And the guns, they're Colt 45's and a Remington 870 pump..just incase. You know? It's the only ones I keep out." I said admiring my firearms.
"I have no idea the differences of guns, all I know they can shoot. I could barely clean my gun, who'd you learn so much?" Andrea said laughing.
"My brother was gun crazed I guess you can say, he was a gun's smith." I said.
"Gunsmith?" She asked.
" Yeah..He would fixed people's guns or modfied them. You get me?" I said.
"Not really but yeah. " She said .
" So is this the only people at your camp left?" I asked looking around for any one else I haven't met.
" No there's four more guys." She said kicking a rock towards the fire pit.
" You guys stayed togther since the of the breakout?" I asked
"No, we lost some on our way..." Her vioce died down.
'She must have lost someone.' I thought to myself. In a time like this who hasnt lost anyone?
"Um so what do you guys eat around here?" I asked just trying to change the subject.
" Oh one of our guys is always out huhting. He'll probably took Glenn with him since he ain't here or ain't with Shane n' Rick." She mumbled under her breathe.
I just stared at her. I could tell she was thinking about it still. The thought lingering in her mind, I wanted to ask about it but she might get upset or something. That's the last thing I would want to do being new and everything. Anyways, I was never really good when people busted into tears.
"Hunting? Maybe I can help with that. I use to go hutning all the time with my family." I told her trying to relate that I once had.
" Really? That'll be great. All Daryl brings is squirrels and sometimes rabbits. If we get real lucky he's get a deer of something. But he's a dick so careful, but he brings back plently of food for to us eat. He tires at least." She said looking at me.
I looked her confused, I wasn't keeping up with the names on who's who. N
" Glenn is one our youngest guys. And Darly he's the redneck. You'll tell them apart." She clarified.
"Oh, ok.." I mumbled.
" I'll introduce them, don't get offended or anything but Daryl, the hunter probably won't take to kidnly to you. He doesnt really like strangers or trustes them"
" I mean no harm, hopefully they're see that." I said.
" I know, just with him he's like that with everyone including us. Shane and Rick will probably be glad to findanother survivior. Rick I guess you can say he's our unverified leader, even through Shane trys to control and take charge." Andrea said rolling her eyes.
I shrugged, like saying I wouldn't know just yet.
"Rick and Shane were deputies. You'll tell who Rick is, he's wears the sherrifs hat and his Lori husband." Andrea explained
" He still wants every one to know huh?" I joked and Andrea just grinned and nodded.
" Oh there's Glenn and Daryl. " Andrea said motioning me to look behind me.
I Turnned my back to see to guy walking down towards the camp. One of them looking kind of asian, smaller build then other and younger looking, the other carried a crossbow with line of squirrels hanging over his shoulder. I stared their way, I can tell Andrea was looking at waiting for my reaction.I could tell both the men were talking to each other and looking back at me.
I couldn't figure out if the white guy looked angry or thats how face expression always was.
" Who the hell is she " The rough looking one said throwing the squireels on a log and holding his crossbow and arrow ready to pull.
I didn't say anything. I moved my hand closer to my revolver just incase he tired anything. I eyed both of them. I could tell the one carrying the crossbow wasn't to happy with the fact that I was there.
" Well " He said again now looking at Andrea.
"She's Piper, she's new to our group" She sluttered.
" What the girl can't speak' she some kinda' stupid fuck' and what kind of name' is Pepper? " He said in a harsh tone.
" I Ain't stupid redneck, and it's Piper, Get right " I hissed at him.
"Don't you go talking to me like gurl' if you don't wanna end up breakfast for the walkers " He hollered.
"Is that some kind of threat?" I snapped at him standing up .
" A promise if ya'll keep it up" He said rasing up his crossbow.
" The only threat here is you, you unmannered pig" I raised my voice at him causing Andrea to stand up in alarm.
" Daryl stop it. She's staying with us and nothing's going to happen to here" I heard a voice call out from the back,
We both turn towards where it came from and saw Lori walking to us with two other men.
" Well hell, any one mind tellin' why we got new people joinin' if we're runnin' low on supplies and room? " Daryl said turning to them.
" The more the better, we could always use another set of hands and eyes." The cowboy said to him.
" By looking at here, this princess can't do anything." This man known as Daryl spat.
" I can do alot more then you think I can. " I said smacking his bow direction away from me, taking a chance he wouldn't shoot
" OH Hell- she did not-"
" Daryl put it down, " The cowboy said pushing this Daryl's arm down.
" The names Rick, Rick Grimes." He said putting out his hand to shake it.
I looked at it and looked at him in the eye. He seemed like good person. He was the one thattook my side. I nodded and shook it.
" Piper, Piper Radke." I said as I shook it.
" Lori was just telling us about you and you have already met everyone expect for us four," One dark hair man said standing next to Rick, I nodded
"I'm Shane by the way," He added.
" Piper, I'm Glenn, " called out the asian to me.
" Hope your warming up to us." Rick said with a hint o sarcasm.
" Pff Whatever, stay or not I wouldn't care . Just let me tell you somethin' you better pull your own weight or we'll leave ya'll behind here ..."
"I bagged a few squirrels to eat, I'mma go skin em' " He said before working to the end of tree stump at the edge of the camp.
" We wouldn't do that, leave you behind. " Glenn said smiling at me
" Why the hell not, give something to slow down the walkers" Dayl shouted from were he stood.
I glared daggers his way. What a total jerk.
" Sorry about that miss," Rick said tipping his hat.
" That's Daryl, he cant get bit a-"
"Barbarous?" I cut into Ricks sentence.
They all gave chuckled and nodded.
"You'll get used of it. For now why don't you get settled down? " Shane said .
"Andrea was on that," I said smiling, at least I know they're not assholes here.
" Is this all your things? " Glenn said looking at the duffles.
" And guns.." He added.
" Better having more then needed then none at all " I said grinning.
"True, we need at the weapons we can get. We're happy to have you join our group." Rick said.
" Dinner will be ready in a few hours. Once the food is ready to cook. After Daryl over there is done skining." Lori stated.
Rick nodded and walked away with Lori by his side. I noticed this guy Shane Eyeballing her. I shook it off. None of my bussiness. Andrea sat back down and I did too. Shane looked at us both and took a seat across from us/
"I'm going to take nap, hunting was more tiring then I thought,Daryl wouldn't slow down! Wake me up when foods ready yeah?" He said sighing and walking to his tent.
" Sure thing" Shane responds tangling with fingers togther and resting his wrists on his knees.
Note
Thank you to the ones who wrote reviews! I really do appreciate it! If there was any misinterpretation please let me know, message me. To clarify any more confusion of the boots, they are not high 'heel' boots. They're knee high boots^^