HEART FOR BRAINS • the walking dead

039: claimed: part two

Carl and Michonne walked along the track, balancing on the edge of the rails as Rio walked between them, trying to get one of them to fall off.

"Why aren't either of you falling?" He complained, only watching to see which one would win the bet.

"Because I'm better than Michonne." Carl replied, a smile upon his face.

"No you're not." The woman scoffed. "You don't believe that do you?"

"I'll believe it if he wins."

"When I win." The other boy corrected, Rio laughing at him.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked finally, turning around to face the three.

"Winning a bet." Carl answered.

"In your dreams."

"I'm still on." The boy wobbled, losing his balance and grabbed Rio's shoulder.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Michonne called out.

"Alright I'll let go." He replied, holding his hands in the air. Carl started wobbling again and Michonne laughed.

"You spoke too soon, wise guy."

"This might go on a while." Rick smiled over, walking towards them. "Maybe we can speed this up?"

"Yeah, you're right." Michonne replied. "Shouldn't be fooling around. We should probably... Carl!" She yelled, reaching a hand out at the boy to try and throw him off.

Rio burst out laughing as Michonne fell, losing her own game.

"I win." Carl smiled, walking over and holding out his hand. "Pay up."

"Pay up?" Rick asked as Michonne grabbed something out of her bag.

The woman held out two bars to Carl and he looked down at them for a second. "Is that really the last Big Cat?"

"Oh, come on."

"Hey, but you said winner's choice."

"Go ahead, take it, it's yours." Michonne grumbled as the boy tore open the wrapper. "You won it fair and square."

"You're such a sore loser." Rio laughed at her, taking a bite of the big cat bar after Carl offered it to him. He handed it back to the boy who took another mouthful.

"Oh, was this a plan you little cheats?"

"I have no idea what you're on about." Carl answered, mouth full. He then snapped the bar in half, holding it out to Michonne.

"Come on." He said. "We always share."

"Keep it." She smiled back.

"We should probably start to think about stopping." Rick mentioned. "We have about a day's worth of water left, we need to look for some more, and have some food."

Michonne nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"We offered you the bar." Carl shrugged, a smug grin growing on his face. "But your pride couldn't take it."

***

Rick tended to the fire as Rio pulled on a jacket Carl had handed him and leaned back against his shoulder. Carl held out a tin over the flames, the stick keeping it up.

"How hungry are you, scale of one to ten?" The man asked them all.

"Maybe an eleven." Rio murmured.

"Fifteen." Carl replied, looking over at the other boy with a smile.

"Alright, twenty." Rio replied.

"Twenty-eight." Michonne said over them. Rick let out a chuckle and agreed with her.