Chapter One
A/N:- My tribute to the Andrea character, as portrayed by the fantastic Laurie Holden. I found her to be dynamic, strong-willed and yet believable, and I think killing her death detracts from the series by robbing it of its most complex character.
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Katana at the ready, Michonne tiptoed across the frosty forest floor, eyes focused upon the buck up ahead. Andrea followed behind, scanning the horizon for walkers, their sack of mostly bare tins slung across her shoulder, wincing as the leaves crackled beneath their feet.
Hiding in an overgrowth, they observed the buck coming to a stop, dipping its head to graze. Michonne took a few cautious steps forward. Blood pounded through Andrea's body; her heartbeat felt so loud, she feared it would startle their prey. Michonne took another step. Then another. And another. Bringing her katana over her head, she took one moreā¦BANG! As she swung her blade, the sound of a gunshot burst through the air, the fleeing buck narrowly escaping decapitation.
"Shit!" Michonne spat, pulling her sword from the ground, frantically looking for the source of the sound.
Andrea ran towards her. "Where did that come from?"
Before she had a chance to respond, Michonne detected a faint gargle in the distance. Eyes widening, she spun around, where the sight of a horde of walkers shambling towards them greeted her.
"This way!" she screamed, bolting off in the opposite direction.
Andrea sprinted after her, stones slicing in to her feet. Glancing behind her, they seemed to be escaping, when a putrid hand grabbed her arm. Wailing, she tugged back, but it was no use. A tall walker lumbered out from behind a tree, mouth wide open, leaning in to her. A flash of steel whipped by Andrea's eyes; its body slumped to the ground, severed head rolling away. Michonne stood there, sword drawn, tugging a shell-shocked Andrea's wrist.
"Come on!" she yelled.
Coming to her senses, Andrea began running again, only to be blocked by a group of walkers emerging from the bushes in front of them. Michonne swept her blade across the nearest one's body as the pair broke off to the right. Their stamina had been spent; they slowed, gasping sharply, while a couple of particularly fast walkers were catching up to them. Taking a small, thick log from the ground, Andrea turned and beat one in the head. As it fell to the ground, she pinned it with a knee to the chest and brought the log down repeatedly, crushing its skull. Clambering to her feet, she noticed another few walkers descending on them. She looked everywhere for an out, a path to safety, as a crescendo of moans filled the air. The dead were closing in.
A hail of bullets reigned down upon them. Walkers collapsed everywhere they looked, dust flying. Still dazed, Andrea began breathing some small sighs of relief, while Michonne gripped her katana more tightly and eyed the treeline.
