A/N: Hey there, long time no see! I started writing this story in June 2014, way before E4S2: Amid the Ruins came out, so this is basically an AU set a few days after the events of Ep.3. Some of you may already know this ff as it was also posted on my DA account back in the day, but I never managed to actually finish it. Hopefully this time I will though, so... enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.

Common Ground

"Where's your hat, Clementine?"

"I don't know. Can you help me find it?"

"C'mon, Clem, keep up the pace."

Clementine sighs as Kenny's voice wakes her up from her thoughts. She shudders in her coat and moves closer to the man, who's regarding her with a concerned light in his one good eye. Snow is falling softly around them and the chances of finding some kind of prey to bring back to camp are getting slimmer with each passing minute. The girl tries to keep her mind off her hat, which has gone missing sometime between their escape from Howe's Hardware and the day before; it's a difficult task, though, as the event can't help but bring back memories of her dad and... Lee. The time spent with him at that motor inn… shoot, it felt like a life ago. Instead, two years and a half had passed, and while Lee was surely in a better place now, she was still trying to survive in this merciless and unforgiving world.

"What is it, darlin'?" Kenny has stopped, waiting for her. "I thought ya said you've been waitin' for this moment all day long," he says, as he looks down at her. His concerned expression softens a little when his eye lands on the empty spot on her curly hair. "Still thinkin' about yer hat?"

The girl nods quietly. She doesn't really feel like talking about it, it's still difficult for her to bring up Lee. Kenny seems to notice she'd rather move on, as he doesn't inquire any further. "Must have fallen in the horde, I'm sorry, hon," he says.

"It's okay," she speaks softly, as she keeps her eyes down. She knows her words didn't sound convincing at all, even though she's trying her best to accept the fact she will probably never wear her hat again. "Luke said he'd look for it around the ruins while he's searching for supplies... in case it fell in Parker's Run."

"Humpf," Kenny groans, "well, I hope he finds it - and soon, since we should move to a safer place any day now, but I wouldn't get my hopes up, Clem: that guy still has to show what he's good at..." He pauses for a second and his eye catches Clementine's expression growing even more upset than before. Shit, me and my fuckin' mouth. He clears his throat a bit, before speaking again. "Anyway, I guess it's never too late for that, huh? Try not to worry 'bout it."

Clementine smiles a bit, appreciating his good intentions. As they proceed through the forest, striving to make as little noise as possible, she thinks about what Walter told her back at the ski lodge, right after the Duck incident.

"I suspect they'll find common ground soon enough."

Actually, that miracle has yet to come. After their escape from Carver's camp, about five days ago, they've found shelter in the museum which looms right over Parker's Run, and since then, not a hour goes by without the two of them arguing over the smallest of things. Luke's intention is to stay a few more days there since Rebecca's baby should be coming soon and the group needs to rest, while Kenny wants to push on to find supplies as soon as Sarita feels better. She has improved a lot since her amputation thanks to Bonnie's medical supplies, and this is the first time Kenny has agreed to leave her side in order to find something to eat. They're short on food as they only have what Bonnie has managed to put in her backpack before helping them escape.

Where do they find the energies to be at each other's throat every minute...?

"Hey. Clem," Kenny's hand on her shoulder almost makes her jump. "You okay? I was talkin' to ya."

The eleven year old lifts her head to stare into the one-eyed man's warm gaze. "I... y-yes, I'm fine... Sorry," she says, giving him a little smile in order to reassure him.

Kenny considers her for a few more instants, still unsure about her answer. "It's okay, hon, but you gotta concentrate now," he gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze, before pointing towards some bushes up ahead of them. "That's a good spot. The walkers won't creep on us if we stay quiet... Did ya see those marks back there, didn't ya?"

"Yeah," she says, as they keep moving to reach the place, "could it really be a boar?" she asks, remembering the peculiar pattern of the trail they have been following since that morning.

"I believe so... anyway, we'll find out very soon," he answers, lowering his voice as they get closer to the bushes. "Alright," he sighs, once they're well hidden, "here, show me how you hold the rifle."

Clementine's eyebrow arches slightly. Last time she had tried to use one, it didn't go that well. "Uhm, Kenny, are you sure...?"

"'Course I am, darlin'," Kenny chuckles lightly, before turning serious again, "you gotta learn fast if you wanna have a better chance in this crazy-ass world."

Clementine grabs the weapon he's handing to her. It's still as heavy as she remembered. "Like this?" she asks, trying to mimic the way she has always seen him hold it.

"Almost. Put yer right elbow a little higher and a lil' back..." he explains, as he helps her getting the position right by slightly moving her arm, "... yeah, just like that. It'll help you to control the recoil better, and your arm shouldn't hurt that much afterward. Here you go, steady..."

"Kenny, look!" Clementine eyes suddenly catch a movement on the other side of the clearing they were in. "There's something over those bushes."

"Yeah, I saw it," he says in a whisper. "Now, quiet… we're gonna wait 'till we see what comes out of it."

They remain silent, breathing slowly and keeping their focus on the vegetation ahead. Clementine's mind races to what could possibly be hiding in there; she's quite sure it can't be a walker, because they'd hear it growling long before by now. She just hopes that whatever it is, it's going to come out soon enough: the snow is getting thicker and thicker and the bushes they're in will soon be filled with it, freezing them even more than they already are.

As the minutes pass and they stay crouched under their cover, a distinct sound comes to their ears.

"It's grunting... it's our boar!" Clementine gasps slightly, without being able to refrain a note of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah, and it's one big piece of meat, too," Kenny nods, just as the black furred animal emerges from the foliage. The bearded man glances seriously at the girl: no time to fool around when the beast could become dangerous any moment. "You wanna take the shot, kid?"

"I..." Clementine's eyes widen briefly; her gaze moves from Kenny to the boar, then it focuses back on the rifle in her hands. It suddenly felt a lot heavier than before. What if she failed at her shot, wasting what would most likely be their only chance to bring something back to camp? Kenny would get it, though. She knew it.

"It's alright," he says quietly, noticing her hesitation, as he takes the weapon from her hands and rises it up. "You can take the next one in case I miss and we have to go after it."

Clementine watches as he adjusts the butt of the rifle against his shoulder and uses his right knee to gain more balance; the girl hears him take a small breath while he carefully aims at their prey walking out of the bushes. The animal is focusing on the ground, leaving its foot-prints on the thin layer of snow that covers their surroundings, while he's completely unaware of Kenny's finger slowly falling on the trigger...

BANG!

The shot rings through the forest, leaving Clementine speechless as she sees the boar jerk and stumble in the distance. The beast screams in pain and staggers for a moment, before bursting off in a sprint through the trees, away from them.

"Sonuvabitch," Kenny curses under his breath as he rises and lifts his head, looking after the wounded boar. "C'mon, Clem, we gotta catch it before walkers arrive!"

"It can't have gone too far, right? You shot him right in its side," Clementine follows him closely as they proceed as fast as they can through the brush.

"Yeah, couldn't hit its heart, though." Kenny stops in his tracks and turns to move some of the lower branches out of the girl's way, so she could easily pass through. "You see that blood trail down there? We're close, darlin', I tell ya," he says, giving her a triumphant grin.

Clementine returns it, as Kenny's enthusiasm is too contagious to resist. She's been enjoying their hunting trip so far, and now that they're on the verge of catching something, she can't help but feel giddy with excitement. For a moment, the walkers are the last of her thoughts.

Almost fifteen minutes pass before they can catch again sight of their prey. They crouch for a second time among the vegetation, observing as the boar slows its steps and falters across the clearing.

"Alright," Kenny looks down, as he moves the rifle towards the girl, "you ready?"

"It seems a bit far... Why don't we just go finish him off?"

"Clem, are you kiddin' me? Did you see those tusks? Boars are dangerous 'till they breath, we take the shot from here." She slowly nods and he smiles a bit. "Relax, hon, I'll help ya. Here," he says, reassuringly, as she takes the rifle he's handing her, "I'll hold your shoulders so you won't fall. Now, just focus while aiming at it," he sees the girl positioning the weapon the same way he showed her before. "Like this, Clem… good..."

Clementine tightens her grip on the rifle, taking in everything Kenny's telling her. She lets her muscles loosen enough while her eyes follow her prey, before holding her breath in her throat. She moves her finger on the trigger and then, slowly, she squeezes it down.

The noise of the rifle rings in her ears, as the boar screams a second time before crumpling to the ground, mortally shot in the neck.

"I-I did it..." she whispers, with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Holy shit!" Kenny's hand pats her on the shoulder, as he looks more excited than ever. "That was a helluva shot, Clem! Come, let's go get it so we can get the hell outta 'ere... How's your arm?"

"Good, I think… you were right, it doesn't hurt as much as last time," she says, still a bit stunned by the loud noise of the rifle.

They approach their prey and stand over it for a few seconds, just to take in the sight of Clementine's wonderful shot. Then, the girl feels something soft - but big enough to partially cover her eyes - fall on her head; she smirks, rapidly shaking away her surprise, as she lifts Kenny's trucker hat a bit in order to look up at him.

"I believe ya just won a prize, little lady," he grins in return, before kneeling besides the boar to tie its hind legs with a rope, so he could drag it back to camp. "You did great," he says, turning back to face her, his smile softening, and Clementine is struck by the look of pride in his one good eye. It's literally shining bright with admiration and she can't help but feel a growing sensation of warm and happiness inside her chest. "I am so damn proud of y-"

BANG. A loud crack resonates across the clearing they're in, startling them and cutting off Kenny's speech. He doesn't immediately realize what's happening, until he sees Clementine's joyful smile fade as her body jolts forward and collapse to the ground with a soft thump.

"Clem? CLEMENTINE!"

To be continued...