༻❁༺

The condensation of the hunter's warm breath filled the trees as she watched her prey from a distance. Her pants dug into the muddy ground as she watched the rabbit hop around. Food. Fresh food so close she could practically taste the fat off of the animal. Salivating at the idea of sinking her teeth into the edible portions.

It was a very animalistic mindset, Nadia knew that, but with her stomach grumbling she had put the insecurities aside to focus on the task at hand. Though being out here in the wilderness after their camp was overrun truly helped the girl see the world in another light.

When she was younger, humans were at the very top of the food chain. The predators. Taking what they wanted, when they wanted and worrying about meaningless things as their needs were already met. Most of the predators having the prey pre-killed as they were above it.

Oh how quickly the predators become prey once a new animal is introduced into the environment.

Still as nature would always evolve, Nadia Grimes was no exception. Subconsciously helping her species try to fight for the top spot on the chain once more. Prey hunting the lesser. As no matter what, at the end of the day... humans were still animals.

Even if he was gone, Nadia could still feel the ghost of her teacher's presence. Feeling him fix her hold on her bow as she lined it up with the rabbit. The voice of Daryl Dixon whispering instructions into her mind as she prepared to strike down her meal.

And then with a snap of a string the arrow was lodged within the rabbits eye. Moving Nadia up the chain.

With a smirk she grabbed her kill and made her way back towards the small cottage. Stepping she could already see her friend scribbling away inside the kitchen, "Hey."

"Hey," he greeted her, not looking up from his notepad. "How'd the perimeter check go?"

Nadia, having no decorum, slammed the dead rabbit onto the table, "Great," she smirked. "I set up a few more traps as well. It's spring, so if all goes to plan they'll be full this time tomorrow."

Lincoln sat frozen as the singular eye from the animal carcass stared back at him. He tried not to show his displeasure as the cold and lifeless bunny rabbit laid across the table. The teen slowly looked down at the baby in his lap, thinking about potentially covering her eyes. Though it seemed as if the strange nature of the Grimes girl's was maternal. With Judith clapping and reaching out for the fluffy body.

"You okay?" She asked as she went to grab one of the large knives they boiled the night prior.

He gave a quick nod, "Yeah. Yeah, no I'm good. I'm good... it's just Bugs Bunny's on my table right now."

Nadia gave a small chuckle as she pulled over a garbage pail, "If only it was. This guy's too small to be Bugs. If anything I just caught us Thumper," she joked as her blade began to gut the creature.

Her friend had to hold in a gag as the girl proceeded to spill out the rabbit's organs. She glanced up after hearing him make a few noises before stopping, "Are you going to be sick?"

"Maybe," he gagged once more, standing up and creating some distance between him and the actions being done. As the boy struggled to keep his meal down Judith could tell he was sad. Making her reach up and try to pat his face as he continued to gag.

The hunter placed her blade on the table and watched him in complete disbelief, "This is really bugging you, isn't it?"

Lincoln shook his head as Judith started to pull on his longish hair, "No, I'm fine, Naddie. I'm fine."

"I don't think you are," she started to chuckle of all things. "You've killed hundreds of walkers and yet you are gagging at the sight of a gutted rabbit?"

"A bunny, Nadia. It's a bunny," he defended himself. "It's extremely different to a walker."

"Not really. If anything a walker would be worse as it used to be a person," she told him.

Though that only made him more defensive, "It just is, Nadia."

"Wow, using my full name. This is bugging you Lincoln-Laurence," she chuckled. "Have you never hunted before? I thought you said you were alone for over a year?"

He scoffed, putting Judith down in the small playpen, "I was on a canned earth diet, thank you very much."

"What the hell is a canned earth diet?"

Lincoln shrugged, "Eating from a can or edible foods I found in trees and gardens and such."

Nadia Grimes went silent as she stared at the man she was stuck with. Slowly blinking as she looked him up and down. The embarrassment over the feelings she had for him made the teenager struggle not to stab herself to death. With her hands both planted on the table her grimey nails dug into the wood as she asked him, "How the hell have you survived this long?"

"Sheer fucking luck," he responded in the same bored tone that Nadia had used.

"Well at least you know."

༻❁༺

The candles on their table flickered slightly as the pair ate their rabbit. Judith not too far from the pair as she laid in her portable crib, as she already ate an hour or so prior. Having her elder sister making glances towards the crib every few seconds or so.

An action noticeable by Lincoln, "She isn't going to disappear, you know?"

Nadia gave a small nod and finally looked, "I know. I know," she played with her rabbit as her hand went towards her collarbone, feeling for a necklace she knew wasn't there. "You just never be too sure."

He gave a small nod as he reached under his seat, grabbing his map and giving it a quick glance over, "So we've been here for a few days... Do you want to get back to travelling tomorrow?"

She stopped eating as the boy moved the map down, allowing the pair to make eye contact, "Terminus should only be a day or so walk away."

The girl took a moment to think it over. On one hand getting to a place that was deemed safe was extremely important. The quicker she got Judith to safety, the quicker she could breathe. Though on the other hand... Nadia was tired. She was so so tired.

The running, the stress and the constant fear of looking behind her was becoming too much. She just needed to rest. She just needed a break. Being in the cottage might not have been the safest place to be, but it was good enough for the time being. A place she could rest and recharge.

Rick always made her family take their time and keep their bodies from giving out. So why should they push themselves? Terminus wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. It wasn't as if they had anyone waiting for them anyways. It was just the three of them. They needed a breather. They deserved a breather.

It was as Lincoln understood what she was thinking as he nodded, "Yeah. I agree. A few days wouldn't hurt."

"Rest and recharge," she added.

"Works for me," he smiled as the pair went back to eating. Only for her to suddenly remember something as she noticed how lacklustre their meal was becoming, "Oh shit I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Lincoln asked with a mouthful of rabbit.

Nadia quickly ran to the cabinet and pulled out a bag of something she kept covered, "Are you a fan of goldfish?"

He nodded, "Yes?"

"Well... when I was in the nursery I found something a little exciting," she sat across from him with a smirk. "It's pretzel goldfish... and pizza flavoured together," Nadia turned the bag for him to see before holding it out for him to take. "Come on."

The boy's smile brightened as he took the bag, "No way! What the hell?" Lincoln quickly opened up the bag, allowing the crisp air to flow into the infected atmosphere.

She laughed, "I didn't even know they made mixed bags. How are they?"

Lincoln took a large handful and proceeded to stuff it in his mouth. Instead of responding he let out a loud moan and held the bag out for her. Nadia had a smirk as she grabbed her own handful, letting out a similar reaction as she ate it as well.

The two ate their snack in a similar manner to animals instead of the civil people they were raised to be. Though you couldn't really blame the animals that they were becoming, back in the before the children were raised in an environment of growth. Food was abundant and thanks to evolution, their futures were already determined.

Now that the world was decaying and the chances of food and land were territorial, their futures were determined by their strength and abilities. It was no wonder why they were starting to devolve.

As they continued to stuff their faces Nadia focused on the map now on the table. With her free hand she opened up the paper and noticed all the places Lincoln had been, "You've been more places than I thought," she admitted.

He chuckled, "Yeah. I probably would have gotten more places crossed off but my dad couldn't travel out of state because of his parole," Lincoln explained as they stared at the map.

Nadia could easily tell the new from the old, as only three places, Virginia, Florida and West Virginia were marked with dates at the bottom. While the others of Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina were crossed out with seasons instead.

"You've still got a lot. Did you walk most of this?" She asked between handfuls.

The boy gave a small shrug in a so-so fashion, "Most of the time? It just depended on whether I had gas in a tank or not," he explained.

His friend gave a nod before noticing something, "You haven't crossed off Georgia yet."

His eyes slightly widened as he finally noticed, "Oh shit," he muttered. Going into his bag he pulled out a sharpie and finally crossed out the state, writing 'Spring' underneath.

Giving a smile Lincoln went to put the marker away before glancing at the girl once more. Looking between them, he gave a quick smile and held out the sharpie for her to take. She of course gave him a funny look as the marker was waved in front of her, "What are you doing?"

"You seriously gonna tell me Little Miss Perfect didn't go on any vacations?" He chuckled.

The girl rolled her eyes, "I'm not saying I haven't. I'm just asking, why? This is your mission, not mine."

He shrugged, "Well we're a team aren't we?"

She gave him a look, "You consider us a team?"

"If you'll have me," he then smirked. "Plus with your help I can probably get this done a little quicker. So...?"

Nadia Grimes stared at the marker for a moment before smirking, "Well if it's helping you, Mr. Smith," she took the sharpie and moved over, sitting right next to him.

With him watching as she quickly crossed out Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. All with the year of 2000 underneath.

Lincoln gave a small whistle, "On the run from the government?" He joked.

She gave a half hearted chuckle as she took a few more goldfish from the bag, the reminder of childhood flowing back to her as she ate the treat her father would secretly pack into her school bag, "No. I won a special trip to the Grand Canyon, but the fine print was that we had to drive."

"Oh well then you should cross out the other states-"

"We didn't make it," she added. "No, in Texas Carl got extremely ill. Like I didn't know how a baby could throw up that much and still be considered alive."

His face turned in horror, "Oh god."

She chuckled, "Oh yeah... it was bad. My mom and dad were screaming at each other saying it was each of their faults. I was crying because I thought my brother was going to die, Carl was crying because he was throwing up. It was the whole thing."

The teen cringed, "Sounds like a shitty trip."

"No," she shook her head at the memory of that road trip. "No, it was a good trip."

"Whatever you say," he chuckled. "But that can't be the only places you've been. I don't believe it."

She shrugged and took a few more crackers, "Well you're right. I've also been to Washington DC in the summer of 2001, for a competition."

"Really? What was it, a spelling bee?"

She blushed slightly as she debated on whether or not to say what she did. Before she loved to brag about being a pageant queen. Talking about the many upon many crowns and titles she held over the years. But now? They meant less than nothing.

Nadia still remembered the first time feeling embarrassed over the achievements she once treasured.

It was a little after Judith was born and she remembered it well, as it was the first time her father had ever held her younger sister.

After days of fighting the walkers inside the prison Rick had hosed himself off and made his way back to his children. Giving them a quick glance as he walked over towards the eldest member of their group, Hershel Greene, holding the youngest.

Watching as all of the rage and sorrow, some Nadia had experienced first hand, from her father had completely melted away as he picked up the baby. His smile became brighter than she had seen in years as he breathed out a small chuckle.

"Oh my god," she heard him whisper as he brought the baby closer to him.

Nadia watched with hidden anger as Judith had only now stopped crying once she was in Rick's arms, while the man just started. When he finally broke his eye contact with the baby, he turned to his two other children. Carl was quick to match the smile their father had given, but the broken daughter didn't have the energy to even fake it.

With a kiss to the forehead Rick chuckled once more, "Let's go for a walk, shall we?" He motioned the Grimes children and Hershel's daughter, Beth, to follow him outside.

Carl was quick to go to Rick's side as the extremely depressed Nadia Grimes' lips parted. At the time she was confused. Thinking as if her mind was somehow playing tricks on her. The man who made her mother... her dead mother sob nightly over how much he ignored her because of her pregnancy was now kissing the same baby Nadia ripped out of Lori Grimes.

Nadia might have started to scream if it wasn't for her best friend grabbing her arm, "Hey. You coming?" Beth brightly smiled.

The faux blonde blinked at the true one and gave a slow nod, "Great! Let's go!" Beth literally pulled Nadia out to the courtyard.

Once out there she was forced to watch as her family was completely fawning over the baby with the incredibly strong lungs, "She looks like you," Rick chuckled to Carl.

Though that only made the young teenager shake his head, "More like Nadia. They have the same eyes, see?" Carl pointed at the baby's brown eyes.

"Oh yeah... I guess you're right," Rick started to smile even brighter. Turning to his eldest, "I guess that means there's two beauty queens in the family now."

Any hint of becoming at peace vanished in that moment as Nadia got compared to the infant, though the comment confused Beth, "Beauty queen?"

"Nadia was in a few pageants when I was little. Won Miss King County when I was six, then went on to be crowned homecoming queen before dad got shot," Carl explained, not taking his eyes off the baby.

She suddenly felt her cheeks heat up. As if the words were on the same level of being pantsed in front of the school. Her palms started to sweat as Beth gasped, making her face become as flushed as a tomato, "You were homecoming queen?!" Beth yanked on the younger girl's arm and proceeded to bounce up and down a few times.

"It's not that big a deal," she manoeuvred her arm free, trying to ease the feelings that once brought her pride. "It was just a stupid title."

Maybe it was the fact there were larger problems at hand. People were dying in truckloads. Food was scarce and no one was safe. Talking about the past didn't seem to matter. It wasn't like Nadia's cheer routine that got her crown upon crown could help stop the dying or the more likely problem was that beauty wasn't as big of a deal as it was before. Being pretty wouldn't keep the dead from harming her. Not that she felt like she was anymore.

And with her home completely burnt down there weren't even any crowns or trophies to prove she ever had done any to begin with. As if it meant nothing. A waste of time she could have spent with her family.

The only proof Nadia had left was a small homemade bracelet created from the first sash she ever won. Lil'Miss Orchard at the annual King County Peach Festival. She was only three but begged her parents to enter as the winner got to go on rides for free and with no wait all weekend long. They agreed but were surprisingly shocked when she won.

Even if Nadia wasn't super superstitious, she believed in luck. Back then at least she did. So no matter the place, no matter the event, that sash would be in her bag and close to her. And from the wall of crowns that could make any queen jealous, she liked to believe it worked.

So when her father fell into a coma she hesitantly cut part of the faded orange with glitter off and sewn it into a bracelet. Having it paired with stretchy elastic to give her father luck during his recovery. Something he never took off.

Though now it probably was laying on the cold dirt of a place she once called home.

"I was in pageants," she admitted.

Lincoln's eyes widened, "Pageants? Like... like as in with the crown, sash... Miss Americana type of deal?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I won it in DC too. I won quite a lot actually."

He let out a small chuckle, "What? Seriously? How many did you even do? Ten?"

Nadia blushed a little bit as she looked ate a few more goldfish, "Um..." a small blush appeared. "Forty-two."

The boy choked on his goldfish as he stared at her, "As in the number forty-two? Like the football player forty-two Paul Warfield? Forty-two?"

She gave a small nod, "Yeah."

He moved even closer as her embarrassment continued to flush her face, "Did you win any crowns?" Her brow raised as she saw the Smith smirk, "I only ask because I wanna know about the past of Nadia Grimes."

"I won many," she poke him, making Lincoln move back a bit. "You can win more than one crown, sash or trophy at any competition," Nadia explained.

"So how many did you have?"

Nadia continued to blush as she repeated the words she once said with so much pride, "Thirty-one crowns, fifty-four sashes and fourteen trophies," and just like usual when she told the number, her friend's jaw dropped.

"Holy shit... that's so cool. You were a beauty queen."

She cringed, "It's not a big deal. Please, I don't want to talk about it."

He let out a small chuckle, making some of the goldfish fall from his mouth, "Why? It's pretty cool. I never would have pictured you of all people being a highly decorated pageant queen."

The girl shrugged, "Well now you know and we don't have to ever discuss it again."

"And why would I do that, your grace?" He smirked in his usual Smith fashion.

"Because it's embarrassing, you peasant."

"Embarrassing?" He tilted his head, "Last time I checked you told me that embarrassment wasn't a thing anymore."

Nadia boredly stared at the man as he waved a goldfish in her face, "This is different."

"How so?"

"Because I'm the one embarrassed," she snatched the cracker from his fingers and threw it into her mouth.

"Boo!" Lincoln scolded her, "No, no, no! No, that's not fair. That's not an excuse."

She scoffed, "Well I just made it one."

His face shook as his face was still full of goldfish, "And that's not fair."

She stole more from the bag, "Well... too fucking bad," her voice remained mellow.

Lincoln Smith let out a few choice words before starting to rile her up, "I bet you're just missing the glory days. What was your talent anyways? Starting rumours about the other contestants?"

Nadia rolled her eyes, "I did a cheer routine."

"And that actually worked?"

"Thirty-one crowns, Lincoln. Thirty-one," she then gasped. "Which reminds me..." Nadia crossed off California, 2009.

He looked down at the paper, "What were you doing in California?"

"Participating in my High Schools Cheer Nationals," she hummed.

"Did you win, I'm assuming?"

"Runners up."

"Fucking loser."

Her nose turned up as she stared at the boy, "Well fuck you too then."

Lincoln only responded by snickering. Nadia let out a few muttered curses as the two continued to eat their snack, only for her to feel his hand ghost over her own.

The boy, super embarrassed now, pulled his hand out instantly and gave a quick apology, while the girl just stared at him.

Even if the two were rather evolved, nature would still call. The pair both went silent as the accidental hand holding unlocked something within their minds.

Nadia's teeth bit into the bottom of her lip as she started to stare at her friends. Though it seemed as if he may have been thinking the same as the pair started to lean in. Letting nature take it's course she closed her eyes and allowed it to happen. Only it didn't. As Lincoln pulled away.

He coughed slightly and sat back up straight, "I... um I think we should get ready for bed," he muttered. "Don't want those walkers to steal any of those rabbits from your traps, eh?"

As he awkwardly chuckled Nadia gave a nod before noticing how his gaze started to linger on her own. So she allowed herself to give into instinct and grabbed Lincoln before he could stand, smashing their lips together.

Her mind was clear. She knew exactly what she was doing, but as did Lincoln. Who once started to kiss back made her know it was a great idea.

He didn't complain as he moved closer towards the girl. With the goldfish falling to the floor it gave him the opportunity to move his hands towards her brown locks. Kneading Nadia's scalp as the two gave into their instincts. He let out a few noises before he grabbed the girl and forced her onto his lap. Having the former beauty queen straddle him as if the chair he sat upon was a throne.

Nadia's hands stayed inside Lincoln's wavy hair. Gripping his curls as she attacked his face. While her friend's hands started to wander, finding resistance around her hips. As the two continued to act like the teenagers they were, Lincoln found his right hand starting to slightly move up her shirt before stopping himself.

He pulled back from their makeout session as Nadia looked at him confused. Without words she asked him what was wrong, as he turned her attention towards his hands.

Feeling a smile come on, Nadia kissed him again and whispered, "Yes," before moving his hands behind her back, helping him unhook her bra.

And just like that the two teenagers became the animals they were.

•••

(I know I'm not a big AN person but I want to thank everyone! This book just got put on the official Wattpad Reading list for Tik Tok Recs and if you came from that thank you! I love you all!)