Author Note: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters

Axel Dixon and Cath Carver belongs to me.

Emily Carver belong to HiddenTruthandLies2.

Chapter 23

Axel's POV

We had arrived from the crop field with Mark who still is injury as he still grasping his wounded shoulder.

Geez, what a day. Now I see Andy appear from the generator saw and look chock when he sees Mark. I am so frustration at him, he turn on the fence while we were there as he know.

We entered the front yard of the dairy as Andy shows up with a curious and chock look.

"Lee, Axel, what's wrong?" Andy asked.

Seriously?! I'm looking angry at Andy now.

"What's wrong?! The wrong was that we got an ambush out there, by some people who tried to kill us and we were trapped between them and the fence which you turns on it before the attack!" I bellowed right on his face as Lee grab with his hands on my shoulders to stop me from hurt Andy.

Andy looks chock and surprise by me as his eyes wide. "Wait, bandits? Here? On our property? Man, I'm so sorry, I thought you guys were finish with the fence." Andy defended.

Wait, what? They know this people?! Then I saw Danny came right to us from the house with a chock face.

"Holy shit! Are- are you okay?" Andy asked to Mark.

Then I heard someone gasps and it was Brenda who stand at the door of St Johns's house. "Oh, my lord! What happened to you, sweetheart?"

"It was those bastards in the woods, mama." Andy said. "Yeah, I'll be alright once it's out, but damn it hurts." Mark said and while hold a hand on his wounded shoulder.

"Hey, y'all." We heard from behind as we turned around and it was Kenny and the others.

When they came through the main gate, they saw Mark with an arrow through his shoulder and start reacting the same way the St. Johns had.

"Oh my gosh, Mark, what happened?" Katjaa exclaimed in horror.

"Jesus, how did this happening?" Emily reacting the same way Katjaa did and she and Katjaa check close to him.

"He got shot with an arrow." Lee explained.

"By some crazy assholes in the woods." I said and still keeping my angry eye on Andy.

"Holy shit! Are you gonna be okay?" Cath asked and look chock in horror.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Mark answered. "Okay, let's just… pull it out. It will hurt." I said and was going to grab the arrow, but interrupted by Brenda through approached me and Mark. "Oh no sweetheart. "Come on, Brenda has got your friend." Brenda said immediately to me as Mark nods little and start to go with her. "Let's head inside and we'll have you all sorted out."

"Me and Katjaa going to help you. Cath, stay with Axel for a while." Emily said as she and Katjaa going with Brenda and Mark to the house.

He's just shot though his shoulder, it's not a big deal. Well, it's pointless to argue about it now. Then Larry and the other approached me and Lee with a curious and surprised look.

"What kind of shit is this?" Larry asked.

"What do you mean "some crazy assholes in the woods", Dix?" Cath asked.

"We ran into some people on the way up here. Bandits, I guess. I think it was them that attacked us." Lee explained.

"Probably the same people who raid Emily's camp." I suggest.

"They gave us a lot of problems in the beginning and killed a bunch of our farmhands. We were able to get em to stop by making a deal." Andy explained.

What?! They know about these people and have a deal with them?! I scowled at the brothers.

"You knew about these people?" Kenny asked and scowled at the brothers too. "Food for protection. Not like we had much of a choice, but they did stop hassling us." Danny explained.

"And you guys telling us now, after I asked you about if you had any accidents and you said no?!" I exclaimed.

"Look, me and my brother are so sorry that we didn't told you about them, but we don't wanna to scare you. We didn't knew they were there." Andy tried to make an excuse and calm us down.

Hmph, well, I guess he have a point there. I sighed out my range. But still, I heard one of bandits said give the food to them, wasn't enough for them or St Johns didn't give them yet?

"Christ, maybe you've right about this place, Axel. We shouldn't have come here." Lilly said as she looks worried now and thinking about the deal was maybe a bad idea.

"It doesn't matter now if this place is safe or not. But we need something to eat and then we're going back to our home." I said as earned skeptical glare by Lilly.

"What the hell do you mean "it doesn't matter now?!" Lilly asked with a disgust tone.

"That attack, it could have happened everywhere. It could have happened to us in the motor inn as what I told you earlier before this dairy." I said.

Jesus, Lilly! When will she realize that the motor inn will never be safe anymore.

"Listen, we may have had an agreement with these people, but we will not stand for this shit!" Andy said.

"Ain't no way we're letting those sons of bitches get away with this." Danny said with a little scary look.

"You know where these assholes are?" I asked and sent a skeptical glare towards Danny.

"They're hard to pin down, but I think I know where at least one of their camps are. When you're ready to go scope out that bandit camp, come find us." Danny said and he and Andy walk back to their house.

One of us is hit by an arrow, there's bandits in the woods and now these brothers suggest that we have to hunt these people down? It doesn't make any sense.

Then I see Lilly have a disgust expression on her face. "Bandits? Are you serious? This place isn't safe, we can't stay here."

"Not safe? This place is a hell of a lot safe than that motor inn! I think all of us and our guns can handle a couple of punks with bows and arrows! Kenny exclaimed as I sent a questionable glance towards.

"Maybe, Kenny. But they have crossbows and arrows and we have guns and bullets, and plus my own crossbow and my bolts." I said as earned a misunderstanding glance by Kenny.

"What do you mean by that?" Kenny asked. "What I mean that the arrows can be home-made from a forest and that's kind of unlimited ammo for those bandits. You really think that anyone of our group can make a bullet, well Doug maybe can, but he need some materials like we don't have?" I explained.

"Fuck, I guess you got a point there." Kenny mumbled and sink his head down. Then he looked at us with a normal face, but with a little scowl "But what we need to do now is find a way to get our whole group out here to stay. Take this place over if we have to."

"Whoa, cool your jets there, Rambo. These are nice people." Larry disagree. "Let's not do anything to get us throw out before we eat." He said as Cath cross her arms and looking at him.

"I guess that goes double for you self." Cath scoffed.

Come on, Cath. Not this again.

"Knock it off. Well, Lee? What're you thinking?" I order Cath to stop fight with Larry, even I think same what she said to him and then asked to Lee about Danny's idea.

"I think I'm gonna head out and help Danny deal with these bandits. You guys should try to make friends with Andy and Brenda while I'm gone." Lee said as everyone nods and agree with him, even Larry too.

"Well, that's easy. I've got charm coming outta my ass." Larry said which his daughter looks disgusted at him.

"Yeah, that's… real charming, Dad." Lilly said.

Then I noticed that Carley, Doug, Ben and Travis isn't here. Where are they?

"Where's Carley, Doug, Ben and Travis?" I asked. "Since they ate almost half of the food on their way back to get us, volunteered to stay behind and watch the motor inn until we get back. I still don't think that we should try to make a home here." Lilly said and don't believe that this place isn't good to make a home.

"I guess you and Mark will argue about it when he's fine." I said and scoffed little and earned a glare from Lilly. "Anyways, I'm going with you and Danny, Lee." As Lee looks surprised at me.

"Whoa, whoa, hold down, are-" Lee was going to say me, but cut off by Andy and Emily came back to us and introduce us the swing that Lee fixed earlier before he, me and Mark went to check the perimeter.

"Hey, kids. Look what Lee got working for ya." Andy said as he extended his out to show us the swing.

"A swing! I love swings, just like the one at my tree house! Come on Cath and Duck!" Clem said.

"Yeah!" Duck exclaimed. "I love to swing, never did for almost four months ago." Cath shouted in happy.

Clem, Cath and Duck start run to the swing. "Wait up, kids!" Emily shouted and follow after them. Clementine stand next to Lee to say something to him. "Thanks Lee, you're the best!" Clem said grateful as Lee smiled and nods and the little girl continued run to the swing.

"No wonder you're the leader of your group." Andy said as Lee nods carefully as he and I noticed that Lilly and Larry glared over Andy's comment or maybe they've figured out Lee lied to St Johns that he's the leader instead Lilly. I see Kenny doesn't mind about that and look happy that his son and the girls have a really fun time over three months. Kenny walk to the swing and help Duck to push while Lilly and Larry go over to the gazebo.

Well, that wasn't bad time for the kids. I walked over to the fence and take a little look at them. I'm start to remember that moment between the bandits and the fence. I'm glad non of us was shock by the fence. But now I'm worried about Mark and those bandits in the woods.

Then I saw Lee came to me and turned around to talk with him.

"What do you think about to find one of bandits's camp?" I asked.

"About that, are you seriously to come with me and Danny?" Lee asked with a surprised look.

"Is something problem with that?" I wonder. Then after three seconds, I figured out what he mean. "Oh Lee, come one. I can handle and I know how I deal with the living." I objected.

"I don't want you to take someone's life, yet. You're not read-" Lee tried to explain, but I cut off him. "I already kill a soldier who was going to shot Cath and the others patients. It was self-defense and accident and I am ain't proud about it." When I told Lee about that day when I and Chris saved Cath from those soldiers who was going to execute her and the other patients, he was chock to hear about that.

"Jesus, Axel." He said with a surprised tone. Then he sucked out and look at me. "Okay then, just be careful-" Once again, I cut off him again. "Yeah, I know what I doing, my father taught me some military experiences and all hunter skills and with me, I can track some footstep so we can find the camp fast as Danny know."

Lee look despair on me, but he nods then. "Okay then. Let's checking how's going with the kids." I nods and we went to the swing as Duck sit on it and Kenny help to push him while the sisters Carvers and Clem just standing next to them, around a stump. Lee decided to talk with Kenny and I chose to talk with the girls.

"Hey, girls." I said as Cath, Clem and Emily noticed me.

"Hey, Axel." Clem said.

"I glad that you're okay, Dix." Cath said.

"I'm fine, Cath. So, how's Mark, Emily? Will he be fine?" I asked. "He'll be fine, the arrow did a little bit of muscle damage, but it wasn't deal about it." Emily said.

"Glad to hear that. So, how was leaving the motel? You guys didn't get trouble with those bandits on the way to the dairy?" I asked and Emily shake her head.

"No, it was... fine, i guess. But I'm glad we didn't against any walkers on the way. Cath was little frightened when we were out in the woods." Emily explained about the travel to the dairy as Cath looking little annoying at her sister.

"Em!" Cath yelled with an annoying tone. He, he, well it's been three months ago after Cath or Clem or Duck was outside of the walls since after the drugstore.

"What do you think about the dairy, girls?" I asked.

"It's beautiful here, it reminds of how thing used to look before." Clem said as Cath nods. "Yeah, it does. I wonder if everything will be back to normal." Cath wonder as I wasn't sure about it. "I don't know, girls. I hope so." I said.

"I hope so too." Cath said.

"Me too." Clem agree.

"Same here." Emily said. "But Axel, are you sure that you three have to deal with these bandits?"

"I didn't say we have to try kill all of them, we need to make sure that they will never fuck with us again." I said.

"But... what if they go after the motel? I getting worry about Carley and the others." Cath asked with her worried face. "Don't worry, Carley is a tough one with her dead-eye. She will scare those bastards away, but not so easily." I said and try to make Cath to do not worry about the others in the motel.

Then I looking at the brothers who stand at the door of their house. I wonder what's really deal between them and the bandits. I've a bad feeling about this.

"Eh, you guys think it still a good idea with St Johns?" I asked to Cath and Emily while Lee talking with Clem.

"Well, they have food and help Mark, so yeah." Emily said. "They even offer the food to us as long we give them gas." Cath said as I give them a questionable glance.

"Maybe, but back in the attack; the bandits have yelled us to give the food to them. It sounds like the St Johns refuse to do it before or something like that." I asked as Cath and Emily look little confused and looking at each others.

"Come one, what're you thinking they are, Axel?" Emily asked as she have a hesitant expression on her face. "I'm just don't wanna sink our guarding down to bottom, not after what happened with Mark and the relationship between the St Johns and these bandits." I said and sent a glare towards the woods as Emily shake her head.

"Cath told me that you barely agree with Lilly and her intentions. Now it's seems like you're with her for now as you two believe this place isn't safe." Emily said.

"Hey, I'm just said that everywhere, including the motor inn isn't safe anymore as long there is bunch of people in the woods who wanna kill us." I reacted little.

"Okay, sorry. But listen, I think you better go talk with Lilly and see what she think about this place. We maybe can stop survive and start living." Emily said and hope that this place will be a home.

I give her a questionable glance, but I nods. "Okay, Emily. Have fun with the swing, Cath." I said as Cath looked at me happy. "Okay, thanks."

I nod and walk away to talk with Lilly. I watch and see it is Clem's turn to swing and Lee help her to push.

Then I go though a wooden gate to the bar, but I walk to the right toward the gazebo where Lilly and Larry are. I see Larry sitting a bench while his daughter stand in the gazebo and her hands placed on the railing. When I step on on the wooden steps, they hear that I'm coming and approaching them.

"Axel, oh, my God, I'm so glad you three didn't get killed out there. Do you think Mark will be okay?" Lilly asked and have a worry face.

"He just got a little bit muscle damage as Emily said. I repeat as Lilly calm down her upset. "Oh, thanks god. I guess you have right about her, but it doesn't mean I trust her and those boys too. I don't think they might be useful for something..." Lilly said and have a doubtful expression on her face.

Well, I guess she have a little right there about Ben and Travis. They're afraid of the woods and so panicked when Larry scared them, but it doesn't mean to kick them out from the group.

"Let's talk about them later, okay?. Anyway, Mark is in good hands, I guess." I said lowly. "Guess? It's not too bad?" Lilly said with a surprised look.

"He'll be fine. I've seen guys go through worse." Larry said so self-confident as Lilly giving him a doubtful look and then looked at me. "How could you all bring us to this place?" She said unhappy as I feel little insulted by her.

Me? I'm not the one who brought you all here, Mark did. But I sighed out and realize it is pointless to argue about it.

"How do you feel about leaving the motor inn?" I asked as Larry looked at me. "It's a welcome change of scenery." Larry answered as Lilly looked at him with a questionable face and she don't know how to answer that.

"I don't know. If we had just stayed where we were, then Mark wouldn't have ended up with an arrow in his shoulder." Lilly said and I nods slowly.

Maybe I am with her, Mark would be hit by those bandits and Andy didn't told us earlier. I get to be paranoia about the St Johns, but moved away those thoughts from my head. Then I remember that she and Kenny didn't agree together about the deal with St Johns.

"I take it you and Kenny didn't exactly make up on the way here?" I asked carefully.

"I tried to see things from his point of view; having a wife and kid and everything, but gambling with your family's life is pretty stupid if you ask me." Lilly said with a dislike expression on her face.

I roll my eyes and shrugs my shoulders. Family is a important for all of us survivors and that's our probably source of the will to live.

"Look Axel, I know you and Lee getting along with Kenny well, but you and Lee recognize that he's not the right person to lead this group, don't you?" Lilly asked.

Well, Kenny might be little temper dude, but not so much like Larry. By the way, I can't say that he and Lee is in the same level of leadership, but Lilly is lower than both of them. Kenny is unselfish and respect back to other people when they respect him and Lilly didn't to like Carley or Doug or Mark when they think she's good leader. Perhaps I don't tell her that she's a bad leader right front of her and especially her goddamn dad who left my father to die.

"I don't know, Lilly. I mean both of you and Kenny are important for our group. Kenny may be so emotional, but his intentions in the right place. If you ask me; it'd be best for all of us if you could try to work together." I said, but Lilly got a dissatisfied expression on her face and shook her head slowly. She didn't answer back.

I guess she is disappointed over my credit about her and Kenny.

"I'm going to check things out." I said and decide to go back to the others at the swing.

"Just don't get too nosy. These kinds of people are usually pretty protective of their privacy." Lilly said as I getting surprised by her words.

Wait, what? She wanna leave from this because of their privacy?! I turned around and walk away to the wooden gate. I open it and close after when I go through. While going to the swing, I take a look at the brothers who talking each other at porch of their house. Honestly, why so big such hurry now to go find one of camps of Bandits and why Lilly-

"WATCH OUT!" I heard someone yelled and before I could see front of me...Crash! Ouch! Something land on me and I fall to the ground. I leaned up my face to see and it was Cath who sitting on me. What the hell?

"Sorry for landing on you, Dix. But you were so close to me and the swing." Cath explained and stick out her tongue to shame herself.

"What the heck did you do?" I asked with an annoying look. "I was testing to how far I can jump and landing from the swing, right. You think I did great there?" Cath explained and I see Emily who smirked little as the others smiled little and roles their eyes.

Okay then, time to...

"Yeah, I think you did a great jump, but I can tell you can do something better than that; HOW ABOUT TO GET OFF OF ME?!" I exclaimed with an annoying tones as Cath get off of me and stand on her leg as I did same after her. I rubbed my arms and legs.

"Sorry again, but next time, watch yourself when you going around a park." Cath apologies again and give a funny advice as I sighed out and roll my eyes.

Ha, ha, very funny, at least now. Well, I don't wanna argue with her. I'm glad that she and other kids have fun. I walk to Kenny as it's his son's turn again to swing and he help to push. I see Lee walk away. I guess he gonna talk with Lilly and Clem were sitting on a stump with Cath and Emily. When I getting closer to Kenny, he noticed I'm right next to him.

"Oh, hey Axel. How's going the tragedy with Cath?" Kenny scolded little about Cath's landing on me.

I glare little at Kenny about that. "Don't start with that." I exclaimed lowly. "I'm just joking, alright? So how's going?" Kenny asked.

"I'm looking everywhere and except those bandits, this place seems a good place to stay. But I've got a bad feeling about this." I explain about my opinions of this dairy farm.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked curious. "Before we check on the fence, I was going to get inside the barn, over there" I said and point at the barn right front of us. "But Andy stops me because he want me to check on the fence first. It sounds like the St Johns hiding something in there."

Kenny give a skeptical look towards the barn and the brothers. "Hmm, I guess there something we need to check in the barn." He suggest as I nods.

"Good, but just don't get too hard. Or the St Johns will kick us out of their property without eat any food." I agree and warned. "So how's going with everyone when you guys got to this place?"

"Well, but it wasn't easy. Duck didn't look so good on the walk over to this place." Kenny with a worry face.

"If everything works out, maybe we can all have an easier life here..." I said, but wasn't sure about what I say.

"I hope your right. Duck, Clementine and Cath deserve a better life than starving to death at some crappy motel." Kenny said.

I nods and see Lee talking Lilly, there were little bit far from the gazebo. I guess they talking in private, probably about Larry.

"I spoke with Lilly and she seems not happy about being here." I said as Kenny scowled at what I said about Lilly.

"I could give two shits about what Lilly wants. Duck and Katjaa need food and I'm not about to sit around that motor inn and watch em go hungry. You're with me on this, right?" Kenny asked about which of the sides am I with.

Well, I don't know if I have to side with Kenny to make this place a home, but I agree with Lilly even she's have different reasons from mine own to move on from this place.

"I can say that the dinner is just a temporarily meat, so once we are done; we're leaving. I don't want to sink our guard." I said and didn't answered Kenny's question as he shaking with his disappointed glare slowly before he answer back. "Sure, but I'm not just talking about one meal, ya know?"

"Anyways, I'm going to talk with the brothers now, oh... and keep your eye on Andy while I and Lee is in the woods with Danny, just in case if he's gonna get in the barn before Katjaa can help their cow." I said.

"You got that straight. Don't worry about it, I will keep my eye on him, but don't take too long in the woods." Kenny agree.

"Okay, thanks. We will be back soon." I said and nods. I walk away to Lee who stand at the gate to the house.

"So, what's all about with Lilly?" I asked, but Lee didn't answer and shook his head slowly.

What now? Did she have done something with him?"

"It's nothing. Let's talk with the brothers." He answered as I nods.

We walk up to the house and meet the brothers at the porch. They noticed us when we approached them.

"Hey, guys, how're you feeling?" Andy asked and I glare at him as he didn't told us earlier about these bandits. He almost got us killed. Andy saw my range on me and then he looks sympathy now. "Look, I'm really am sorry you guys almost got killed out there. We should've told you how dangerous it was."

"Yeah. No shit." I said sarcastic. "You saw what they did to your buddy. Nobody's safe until we start to fight back." Danny said.

"But how?" Lee asked.

"The three of us should go out and do some recon, and then we'll all mount up for some revenge." Danny suggested as his brother nods and agree. "Hell yeah."

"Who the fuck are these people in the woods?" I asked with my angry tones.

"We don't know. We think some of them used to work at the big box up the way." Andy guessed. "Save-lots." Danny corrected his brother.

"Yeah. Anyway, they're nutty as all hell and get mad when they're hungry." Andy explained.

"So, are you two ready to head out there and find their camp?" Danny asked.

Hell yeah. Let's shows those fuckers that never fuck with us.

"Yeah. It'll be good opportunity to find out a bit more about what we're up against. Let's do it." Lee said as I nods.

Danny have a couple of rifles and give one to Lee as I have my crossbow.

"I'll stay here and hold down the fort." Andy said.

"Remember: we're just doing reconnaissance for now. No use getting ourselves killed." Danny explained our plan's motive.

We three going down the hill and approach the main gate as Clem, Cath and Emily sees us and came to us.

"Are you two going now?" Clem asked.

"Yeah. We'll be back soon, Clementine." Lee answered.

"Please be careful out there." Cath said as I nods.

"We will." I said.

"Don't worry about Clem, Lee. I look after her until you guys are back." Emily said as Lee smiled at her.

"Thanks, Emily. You're a good sister, I can tell that." Lee said grateful. "Just stay with Kenny and his family, we'll be back before you know it." I said and wave to girls.

We three walk thought the main gate and heading to the woods.

To be continued.

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