The rest of the morning slipped into a kind of rhythm: Dixon brothers disappeared into the forest, Glenn took the van to scout the nearby roads, and Carol with Miranda took to laundry duty near the stream cutting through the territory. Sophia played with the other kids—Eli, Carl, Duane, and the Morales kids—near the barn, laughter cutting briefly through the grim monotony.
Rick and I walked the perimeter together, checking weak points in the fence Morgan had reinforced. "You think this'll hold?" Rick asked, tapping one of the posts. "For now," I said. "But fences aren't what keep people alive; discipline does." Rick chuckled quietly. "You always talk like a soldier." I smirked. "Old habits die hard." We passed by Shane instructing some of the survivors on drill safety.
By the evening, I was reviewing inventory logs when my radio crackled to life. "Zephyr? You there?" I frowned, recognizing the voice immediately. "Maggie? Go ahead." Static filled the brief pause before her words came, laced with unease. "I need to ask you something… have you been sending people to watch the farm?" My brow furrowed. "No, why would I?"
"They've been out there for a couple of days now," Maggie said, her voice trembling slightly. "Always at the edge of the south field. We thought it was you at first—maybe scouts or guards—but they've been watching us." Rick, who's been sitting nearby cleaning a rifle, looked up sharply. "What's going on?" I raised a hand for silence, focusing on the transmission.
"How many were there, Maggie?"
"Three, maybe four. Daddy saw them last night again. Said one of them had binoculars. They're gone by sunrise but… we keep finding footprints near the fence." My tone hardened. "You seen any weapons? Are they armed?"
"No," she said. "But they're not walkers. They move like they know what they're doing." I exhaled slowly, the old military instincts kicking in. "Alright, listen carefully. Lock your doors at night, keep lights low, don't let anyone wander alone. You're still got that rifle?"
"Yeah."
"Keep it close," I said. "If they approach you, radio me immediately."
There was silence on the other end, then her quiet voice again. "You think it's raiders?"
I didn't answer right away. My gaze moved to the tree line, my instincts gnawing at me. "I think someone's testing your defenses, and that means they're planning something." Rick's face tightened. "You think they'll try the farm?" "If they're watching, they'll try something eventually," I said grimly. "Could be hers, could be ours."
Maggie's voice broke the silence again, softer this time. "Daddy's keeping everyone close. He wanted me to ask if you'd seen anything similar near your place."
"Not yet," I said. "But we'll find out soon."
"Please," Maggie said, the worry audible now. "Just be careful."
"You too," I replied, and the line went dead. I set the radio down slowly, rubbing a hand over my face. Rick exhaled. "You think it's the same kind you dealt with before?"
"Probably worse," I muttered. "They're patient, and patience means intelligence."
Daryl, who'd just returned from the forest, overheard as he stepped closer. "If they're sniffin' around, we best find them before they find us." I nodded. "Tomorrow, you, me, and Rick, we'll head to the Greene farm first thing." I looked toward the horizon where the last light of the day faded behind the trees. Somewhere out there, people were watching, waiting, and I intend to find out why.
Greene Family Farm POV
Maggie stood near the window, radio still clutched in her hand, her knuckles white. The faint hiss of static filled the living room until she clicked it off. Her father sat at his usual chair, elbows on his knees, the creases on his weathered face deeper than usual.
"You sure he said no one's been out here?" Hershel finally asked, his tone calm but strained.
Maggie nodded. "Zephyr sounded serious. Said if anyone's near, it wasn't his people."
Otis shifted uneasily near the door, righting the straps of his rifle for the third time that evening. "Could be stragglers. Folks passin' through, maybe just curious."
"Curious folks don't watch from the woods for three nights straight," Maggie snapped before catching herself. "Sorry, I just… I don't like it."
Patricia looked up from where she was bandaging a cut on her hand. "You think it's raiders? Like the ones Zephyr talked about?"
Hershel's eyes flicked toward her, his voice firm. "We don't know that. We won't jump to conclusion."
"But you saw them too," Maggie insisted, turning to him. "You saw the shapes near the south fence last night."
Hershel exhaled, rubbing his temple. "I saw movement, that's all."
"Daddy," Beth said softly from the stairs, wrapped in a blanket. "Are they gonna come inside?"
Everyone in the room went quiet for a moment. "No, sweetheart," Annette said quietly, crossing the room to comfort her youngest. "We're safe here. Your father made sure of that."
Jimmy sat by the window watching the tree lines nervously. "Maybe we should put up more lamps outside, keep the place lit."
"That'd do more harm than good," Shawn muttered, pacing near the back door. "Light just paints a target. If they're watchin', they'll see every damn move we make."
Otis nodded in agreement. "He's right. Darkness keeps us hidden, too."
Hershel finally rose, straightening his back, and looked over his family, his people. Every one of them was scared in their own way, but they were looking to him to anchor them. "Maggie," he said quietly. "You did the right thing callin' Zephyr. He's proven—he'd proven himself. If he says it's not his men, we'll take him at his word."
Maggie crossed her arms, glancing toward the dark fields outside. "Then who the hell are they?" No one had an answer.
Patricia moved closer to Otis, whispering. "You think it's these soldiers again? The ones you and Hershel saw weeks ago when they cleared the highway?"
Otis frowned deeply. "No… these boys were clean cut, nervous. Whoever's out there now, they ain't nervous. They're patient." The air in the room seemed to grow heavier.
Hershel took a slow breath and turned toward the window. "We'll double the night's watch. Otis, Shawn, you take the first shift till two. You and I will cover till dawn." Maggie opened her mouth to protest, but Hershel cut her off gently. "You'll stay inside. Keep the girls calm. If something happens, I want you on the radio with Zephyr again. Understood?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."
(To be continued...)