Whisper In The Dark (TWD-Final Season James Fanfic)

Caves

Elianna's P.O.V.

My head pounded as James and I ran from the pier, avoiding Walkers and raiders along the way. I slid to a stop when we reached a small opening to a cave, James throwing a rock ahead of us to distract the Walkers that were stumbling toward us.

"James! Eli!" A small voice yelled.

James turned to face whoever it was, and I simply looked over my shoulder.

"We have to get out of here." James stated, and I could hear the mass amount of Walkers that must have followed Clementine, AJ, and Tenn.

"We'll have to go in there." Clementine replied, pointing to the cave.

AJ ran in first, and Tenn followed after him. I waited for Clementine to go in before I squeezed through the small opening, James on my heels. We were in a small cave that had a river running through it. Clementine quickly gathered materials and made a torch, lighting the area. I kept my eyes on the opening when she moved to knock a large tree branch free. It got stuck on some rocks that jutted out of the water.

"Go!" I yelled as the Walkers slowly made their way into the cave.

I pushed Clementine away as the Walkers made it in, forcing her to cross the makeshift bridge. I easily climbed up onto a large rock, clinging onto it as the Walkers who weren't busy trying to get Clementine circled around me.

"Eli!" James screamed.

I pulled myself up onto the top of the rock, and I looked to see how far of a jump I'd have to make in order to get over the river. I kept my hand on the top of the rock as I planted my feet on the side and reached my free arm out. James stood on the other side of the river, his eyes on me. I could see that his body was trembling ever so slightly.

I looked up at the roof of the cave and noticed places where the roof had chipped and hollowed out what looked like small craters.

"Light as a feather." I whispered, saying what I had been told at the start of my time with the Ferals. "Faster than a squirrel. Silent as a stalking lion."

I climbed back onto the top of the rock and reached up, testing the strength of the crumbling roof. I lifted my entire body up off of the rock by gripping onto the roof, and I was careful as I swung my lower body up. I could sense their eyes on me as I climbed across the roof. AJ screamed in horror when I lost my grip, my entire body hanging just by one hand. I groaned as my muscle tensed and strained, and I took a deep breath to regain my focus. I reached up and placed my hand where I was going to put it before I lost my grip, and I swung my lower body back and forth.

I let go, sending myself across the small length I had left to get over. I landed roughly on my feet, falling forward onto my knees and coughing as my entire body ached.

"That was so cool!" AJ yelled.

"And dangerous." I told him as I got to my feet. "It's been about two years since I've done anything like that. I recommend keeping your feet on the ground and not the roof."

"How did you even do that?" Tenn asked.

"Let's just leave it to intense training and broken bones, and put this conversation to an end."

James stood in front of me, and I could see the fear in his eyes slowly melt away as he looked me over. I held my hand up, balling it into a fist. He smiled as he did the same and bumped his fist against mine.

"Sorry I never told you about my past." I said as we followed behind the three kids.

"It's fine. I understand why you didn't. You were a bit.....scary." James chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah." I looked at my feet. "I know. When I was younger, and I first saw how the others were before I became one of them, I was scared of them, too."

We stepped into another cave, only this one had several openings leading in different directions. I wasn't surprised when James got upset with Clementine and AJ.

"You promised me you wouldn't let him become a killer!" He screamed.

I took the chance I had to climb up the wall and hold onto the roof, being careful and mindful about where I placed my hands now that I knew the cave had a habit of falling apart. I looked down at the two arguing people, hanging above them and staying in between them. Anger rolled over me when AJ used a rock to slice open James's palm, but I kept myself under control and waited.

"Okay!" I yelled, dropping to the ground between them and holding my hands out toward them. "Enough! How do you expect us to get out of here if you're just going to bitch at each other? There are Walkers in here, and they're going to find a way across that branch. The longer we stay here, the more danger the kids get in!"

Clementine turned away from James, and she and Tenn discovered which path led out by the wind that blew into the cave. I looked at the crowd of Walkers that were coming toward us.

"Go. I'll make sure you aren't followed." James stated, pulling his knives free and facing the Walkers.

"Thank you." Clementine paused to say.

"Be safe."

I stood beside James, pulling out my knives and crouching down beside him. We both were left in the dark, and I stepped forward with him into the crowd of Walkers.