Author's Note: The character of Melvin Toore is (c) Karianasan. Thanks for letting me use him!

"Melvin, hurry up!" came the gruff voice from amongst the towering reeds.

Kaleb Toore waited impatiently as he watched his youngest son stumble over the clumps of ferns. He looked over at his wife and murmured under his breath.

"Grace, go get him."

"Yes then.." the dark haired woman responded in a slow Carolina dialect, stepping up to her son and gingerly helping him out of the tangle, which earned a sheepish smile from the boy in turn.

"Thanks, Mom. Sorry for holding you up."

Grace's first instinct was to smile, but the trek had been so exhausting that she could barely even hold her form upright. They rejoined Kaleb and their eldest son, Dimitri at the bank of a small creek.

Melvin winced, feeling the cold stare from his father. He wouldn't dare look into those brown eyes. Not when they burned like that. Instead, he sought comfort in Dimitri by casting a side long glance in his direction. But it was to no avail.

Everyone seemed so mad today. And it was at the very moment the thought entered Melvin's head that his usually docile mother flared up. Not in Melvin's direction, but in Kaleb's.

"Why in the hell didn't we just stay on the wagon?" she snapped, stepping between Melvin and his father. Melvin didn't react, although in secret he was relieved.

"They were moving too slow, and you know it," Kaleb barked in Grace's face, his short black hair mussed about his face from the sweat. "If we want Dimitri to attend the Academy in Atlanta, we'd better hurry before all the spots are filled."

Melvin glanced at his sibling, who was at this moment ignoring the argument and throwing rocks in the mucky water. It was always Dimitri. He was the smart one. The funny one. The one who promised the most for the future of the Toores.

And what was he? Just a mistake?

At least, that's what his father told him.

At this point both brothers had tuned out the squabble and were standing side by side on the bank. Dimitri said Melvin no attention, as usual, just continued hurling the stones into the water. But as Melvin cleaned the fog from his glasses, the dark haired boy spotted something moving in the reeds. What the?

He watched intently, his eyes growing wide as it seemed to be moving closer to his parents. Looming like a silhouette between the trees, not making a single sound as it crept closer.

Closer.

Closer.

At this point, Melvin noticed that it wasn't just a harmless animal, but a full grown man, walking upright and proud. Panic caught in Melvin's throat. Before the boy could warn the others, it had burst from the shadows.

"Good day to you," the stranger grinned. He was lithe and pale, freckles dappling his chiseled face. Expressive green eyes locked on the group as his stark brown hair fell about his face. This newcomer seemed to have been on the move for some time.

"Who are you?" Kaleb growled, turning slowly to face the younger man. But this only got a chuckle.

"Oh, please do pardon me. My name's Tommy. You seem to be lost, yes?"

Grace lurched forward desperately, opening her mouth to blurt "Yes!", but was stopped by her husband's glare as he gingerly held her back.

"How dare you make such accusations," Kaleb rumbled. But this only got another laugh from Tommy. Kaleb's face grew red with anger.

"What the hell is so funny, pal?" the older man bellowed, balling a fist.

"It's just that we've seen you all looping around the delta. This is the fifth time I've seen you come through here today. You're lost," Tommy explained plainly.

Well, there was no way to argue out of that. Kaleb sighed shakily, relaxing his posture.

"Wait… "we"? You mean there's others in these swamps?" Grace asked hopefully.

Tommy nodded. "Yes. There's a colony over on that island. He pointed off to the side of the path, where the land abruptly dropped into the inky water, and right across the surface was another island, just as green and desolate-looking.

"I hear voices..!" Grace whispered, smiling widely. "Wait.. Are they friendly?"

"They are a peaceful group," Tommy nodded slowly, briefly looking toward the island. "They may let you stay and rest. Maybe get a meal in your stomachs."

Wait! A bed? And food? Melvin and Dimitri liked those ideas.

"C'mon, father," Dimitri coaxed Kaleb, wincing from his growling stomach. "We haven't eaten a decent meal practically since we got off the wagon!"

Dimitri was right. Dimitri was always right it seemed, and Melvin looked down. How did he know that? Because next thing they knew, they were on a boat headed for the next island.

"Matriarch!" Gordon called, bursting through the shrubs and dodging other colonists as he ran at full throttle in the direction of Simone's bunkhouse. And she indeed startled as he clambered through the doorway.

"Why, Gordon!" she gasped, on her feet within the second and rushing toward him, "What is it?"

"A boat…east shore…approaching..!" the scout panted, as Simone quickly moved past him.

She stood in the center of the settlement, in such a commanding manner that nobody would be able to tell that just hours before she had been sobbing. And this posture certainly gained the attention of the others.

"Stay within the borders," the Matriarch announced. "There are newcomers coming to shore now. And I advise everyone to stay put. Understand?"

The pace instantly slowed around the usually bustling settlement, as everyone within earshot obeyed Simone's warning. She moved to Lena's side.

"You come with me. You, Wolf, and Gordon, all come with me."

"What about us?" Fiona asked, tugging at her auntie's sleeve. Of course she was referring to herself and Jake, who had temporarily left Aikachi's side to stand next to his friend.

Simone thought a moment, then turned to Gordon. "How large a group?"

"Small. Only 'bout four or five, Matriarch. Two men, a woman, and two boys."

"…Alright," Simone sighed. "But stay close, and don't stray. Got it?"

The youngsters nodded excitedly. And with that, they followed their elders to the bank.