The roads were so perfect, she could have been on a weekend jaunt; riding a horse for enjoyment instead of trying to get anywhere. There were leaves along the edges of the two-lane highway and every few miles there was an abandoned car, but it was remarkably quiet and she hadn't seen a single walker all day.
Michonne hadn't seen a single sign of another living person either, and no trace of the Governor. She should be frustrated with the lack of success, but instead she turned her face up to catch the sunlight and closed her eyes for a moment. The warmth gave her strength within and she took a deep breath, relishing the way that the autumn day smelled. It was clear here, and the only decay in the air was the colorful leaves as they fell from their trees.
Her only regret for the day was that she wouldn't have any good news to bring back to the others, but that was getting to be expected. Her forays out on the roads to find a sign of their common enemy had been unproductive from the start. Others were already giving up, and focusing on their other needs. Michonne could understand that. They needed to get on with living, and try to prepare for whatever might come. She wasn't quite as ready to do that.
The Governor had taken something from her that she didn't think she would find again in this world; a friend who had become so close they felt like sisters at times. She had spent more time with Andrea, alone in the woods, than anyone else in recent years, even before the world fell apart and she lost friends, family and all of her loved ones. It had been complicated, and sometimes she still blamed Andrea for staying when they could have left Woodbury together, but she also understood the strong desire Andrea had to finally settle in a safe place. Andrea hadn't seen the evil that lurked there until it was too late.
The only one who shared her passion for finding the Governor was Daryl, and it was because he had lost his brother because of the man. He didn't talk about it much; he didn't talk about much at all usually. They understood each other's motives in a way that had some of the others wondering though. Michonne shook her head, tilting her face up to the sun one more time before tugging on the reins and directing the horse in a wide turn. It was time to go back, take a rest and find out what was happening at the prison. There would be more time to look for the Governor later.