So that last chappie was a bit dull, but I'm just starting in on the good stuff, where the plotline of my story shall officially veer in the opposite direction of the tv show, The Walking Dead, which I do not own.

Thank you for ze reviews, BUT: more reviews in exchange for another chapter? I think yes. Need some feedback here, peeps.

And yes, hellebore is tunnel visioned, and therefore shall be blinded to the growing affections of a certain redneck for a LONG TIME. Mwuahahahahahaha….So don't get anyones knickers in a twist, romance is geezing it's way in…

A small fire in a little pit crackled and spit in the midst of the dreary cell block. Outside the moon was dipping it's crescent in a starlit sky. A few moans and snarls from the dead could be faintly heard in the far distance, a gentle reminder of the gates that guarded the prison, keeping sanctuary. A young boy with a sheriffs hat crouched by the fire, his face tired with concern and weary with grief. His body language and ferociously gentle demeanor a near exact replica of his father, who sat staring into the fire opposite him, his eyes lined with the pain and sorrow brought upon him and his family. A young couple sat in the flickering shadow of the fire, their arms around each other and their hands entwined.

Hellebore examined the scene before her carefully before stepping out into the cell block from the shadows. Hershel followed behind her, his gait clumping loudly in the silent and vast area. All of them looked up at her as she stood before them, her head cleared of fever and her side well bandaged. Rick stood and walked over to her, his footsteps and face hesitant.

"ma'am-" He finally said, "I don't know if there's any other way to say this. I aint never seen someone handle a weapon like that. Taking on two or three walkers at once- sure. But twenty? I- Well, I need answers."

She smiled thinly.

"I took fencing lessons."

He pulled at his hair. Expectant faces looked from him to her, their faces orange from the heat of the flames.

"Thing is- I know you're looking for your kin. But- my group..we're weak right now. We could really use someone with skills like that. I aint sayin you have to stay, but…consider it. I'm just tryin to look out for these people, and one more fighter couldn't hurt."

She felt their eyes pressing in on her, hopeful and expectant. Who wouldn't turn down his offer? Food, safety, shelter, a massive fortress completely guarded from the outside… But hellebore wasn't looking to survive this. She was hunting. These people were trying to make a life, establish something semi-peaceful. But it just wasn't for her. She had to find her sisters, and she would cut down all that stood in her path. She set her jaw, ignoring the anxious looks from everyone else.

"I'll stay the night if that's alright. Tomorrow- well, we'll see." The couple on the edge smiled at her, relieved, as did Rick and Hershel. She noticed Daryl slip in from his watch to listen.

The boy stood, facing her, fire in his eyes.

"You won't stay."

She turned to him, taking note of the maturity he had gained from constant loss and fear.

"carl-" Rick reprimanded him.

"She won't. She doesn't care for anyone else, just her stupid sisters. What so special about them that you have to run around searching for them anyways? They're dead. Or worse, they're walkers."

"Carl, that's enough." Rick said strongly, stepping towards him. Hellebore didn't mind, she barely flinched at his words, words he had intended to wound.

"We made a promise," she said. "It doesn't matter if theyre dead. I'll find their bodies and bury them. And if theyre walkers, I'll shoot them and bury them. If they're alive, then I'll protect them with my life."

Everyone was now staring at her as though she was insane.

"But," Rick said gently, "Hellebore, if they're bit…they won't remember who they are-"

"You think I don't know that? What is it with people and fucking commitment these days? I made a promise to my sisters that goes beyond being dead or alive. I'm not stopping until I've made good on that promise."

"I'm sorry," It was the korean boy who spoke now, "But do we get to know what this promise is? We need you and you're going to let us fend off hordes of walkers to fulfill some stupid pinky promise?"

They began to mumble arguments amongst themselves. Rick turned to her, his face searching hers for an answer.

"I do think we have a right to know hellebore."

"The flowers." She heard daryl's gruff drawl from the shadows before he walked into the firelight. He looked straight at her.

"s' the flowers, aint it?"

She kicked herself mentally for having thought she was going to die and confessing to him, but nodded nonetheless.

Before Rick could turn to her and question her, she started to explain.

"My younger sister, Rose…she was afraid that after death, nothing would come of it. That death would be a loss, a pain, a hindrance and nothing else could come of it. So, the three of us promised that we would plant our flowers on each other's graves when we died, or that someone would do it for us. Hellebore, Roses and Liles. So that something could grow and bloom from death. We made a blood promise." She held up the small white scar on her wrist in the firelight.

With this she held her arms at her side awkwardly, the silence after he small speech deafening. A look of understanding and sympathy passed over Carl's face. Indeed, many of them were wishing they had made such promises to their loved ones, to watch something grow in place of the tragedy. But they wondered if they would have ever made good on such a promise. Hellebores determination frightened the small, weary group, for they were worn and bitter from spending so long in this world.

Hellebore turned and walked out of the cell block to make her way to the guard tower, leaving behind the miserable group.

Rick pulled at his hair continuously. The group had shot questions and arguments at him as soon as she had left. They needed her, and he knew it.

"Look, man, maybe we can come to some sort of compromise with her."

Rick turned to look at Daryl, the redneck seeming too reasonable for himself.

"What sort of a compromise could we come to?"

"I dunno man, maybe I'll go with her to find her sisters, and go huntin for a while or summat. We could make this home base, send us out on little search parties, have her cutting down walkers in all the surrounding area, comin our way…an' I could hunt, bring us some actual meat in here."

Rick mulled it over.

"Daryl, where the hell did all this compromise and reasonable shit come from, aint like you…But it's not a bad plan. But I feel like it's a bit of a trap."

"Yeah, that's cause it is."

Rick swiveled to face daryl.

"We convince her to go on little search parties for a couple days, searchin all the surroundin area for her sisters and comin back here in between. She'll settle in an' forget bout lookin when the winter really starts to kick in, and soon enough, there won't be much ground left to cover round these parts. But she cant really run off in the snow, start trekking out on her own, can she? She'll be stuck here for the winter, leavin us in a real good spot."

"I don't like it. It feels deceitful."

"Yeah, well, how the hell are we gonna deal with keeping everyone back here safe, clearin out cell blocks an' tryin ta find food an' supplies through the winter? We need her. She can take down entire cell blocks all on her lonesome. An' hell, we can all sleep at night whenever it's her turn to take watch. Hate to say it, but the girls got a knack for this sorta thing. That sorta person comes in handy nearin tha end of tha world."

Rick bit his lip a bit. He didn't like luring her in, and if she found out, the backfire could prove fatal for them. But she sure as hell would make getting through at least the winter a hell of a lot easier. He looked to Carl, who was staring absently into the fire, and realized that he wouldn't have to ask carl to help him take down cell blocks with him, force his little boy to shoot, kill and feel pure terror coursing through his veins.

"Alright. But she only stays the winter. After that…we gotta let her go."