++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC's ++++++

Eighteen

Ebony was humming when she came back to our room, a huge grin plastered all over her face. "There you are!" she smiled. "I've been looking for you."

Yeah I bet you have.

In the time that you were 'looking for me', I had showered, changed, packed a small bag and the Jeep to go hunting for a couple of days. I think now it was universally accepted that I don't do funerals. This was why Rick had been ok with me going hunting for a couple of days with Daryl to accompany me.

"You, Ebony Valery Hewitt are a sultry little wench," I told her. I stood up and finished strapping my quiver on the black leather jacket I was wearing. It was one I had been given by Ebony not long after she moved it. On the sleeves of the jacket were blood red claw marks engrained into the leather.

I loved it.

"What are you talking about?" she asked me. Ebony battered her eyes all innocently but I knew…

"You were having sex in the barn with Daryl," I pointed out. "And don't deny it because I saw you."

Ebony stared at me. "I-"

I hugged her. "I'm happy for you babe," I smiled. "You deserve it."

She hugged me back. "You going hunting?" Ebony asked me. She started rattling through her things to look for something nice for Jade to wear to Dale's funeral.

I nodded. "Yeah. Rick was cool with it. Me and Daryl will be going for a couple of days," I smirked.

Ebony shook her head. "No way in hell! You can't torment him."

I smirked. "Oh babe, you have no idea."

Ebony threw a roll of socks at me just as I slipped out of the room.

Daryl was waiting by the Jeep when I came outside. I threw the keys at him.

"You're driving," I told him. I sat in the passenger seat and slipped my sunnies back on my face. "Onwards."

He ignored me.

Daryl and I soon found a small clearing to park the Jeep in not too far off the highway and set up the camp site. We spent a majority of the morning hunting down a deer only to find it being chomped on my some walkers. This left us empty handed so we carried on back to some of our snares we had set.

Successfully I might add.

We had three rabbits, a couple of squirrel's and a dog.

Daryl and I just stood there and stared at each other when it came to the dog.

In the end I let him have the honours.

We spent the rest of the afternoon skinning the animals we had hunted. This would be enough food to last a week-maybe more. What we really needed was a big animal like a deer or maybe a cow.

That night as we sat there discussing our movements the following day Daryl suggested that we make for some of the neighbouring farms and try a kill us a cow or two. We also needed to start stockpiling supplies for winter because what we had was nowhere near enough.

The walkers would hopefully be slower during winter but we weren't holding our breath.

I was about to turn in and Daryl was gonna take the first watch when we saw a bright orange glow in the distance.

"That's coming from the farm," Daryl pointed out.

"Motherfucker," I replied.

Daryl dug the keys out of his pocket at the two of us took off to the Jeep.

I sat in the back and loaded my rifle. "Drive!" I shouted.

Daryl didn't need to be asked twice.

He practically floored it to the farm, breaking every possible speed limit to get there-well if there was speed limits.

When we arrived at the farm the place was in total chaos.

"GO!" I shouted at Daryl when we skidded to a stop in front of the farm house. I positioned myself in the back of the Jeep and started taking as many head shots as I could.

Daryl jumped out and headed straight for his motorbike…

God everything was just…

"EBONY!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "EBONY!"

I heard Jade scream.

My eyes scanned everything from the walkers that were coming towards me to the humans running around trying to escape. Finally I settled onto Jade and Sophia who were huddled on the front desk of the house behind Herschel. Both girls were screaming their heads off.

"JADE!" I yelled. "SOPHIA!"

I jumped out of the Jeep and ran to the front of the house where Herschel was taking shots at the walkers. "Herschel?" I frowned, pulling at his arm.

The old man glared at me. "This is my farm, PJ. I will die here."

I nodded. "Alright…" Letting him go I grabbed the two girls and ushered them to the Jeep. Those girls would be my main priority-get them to safety-fight second.

"Get down on the floor!" I shouted as I started the Jeep up.

Sophia huddled on the floor but Jade threw her arms around my neck.

She was terrified.

I slammed my foot down on the gas and took off down the driveway of the property.

Then I saw Ebony.

She was handling herself pretty well with a shot gun but Ebony didn't see the herd closing in on her.

"EBONY!" I screamed. Slowing the Jeep down I reached out and we grabbed for each other.

"DON'T LET GO!" Ebony screamed.

I couldn't slow down otherwise the walkers would rip us all apart. "NEVER!" I shouted, trying to keep a grip on her at the same time I was focusing on the road and Jade clung to me. Jade screamed in my ear. She was in hysterics, every time something touched her or we hit something, she would scream louder and louder.

Ebony's grip lessened on my hand as the walkers pulled at her.

"EBONY!" I screamed again, grunting. I tried to get a better grip on her.

Suddenly everything just froze.

Ebony and I stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity in a moment.

All I could see was her chestnut brown eyes and the entirety of our sisterhood in one glance.

There was nothing I could do…

I love you, I mouthed at her.

Then…

I let go of her hand…