The wind bit at Joel’s skin, november had sunk its teeth into the Wyoming wilderness, white snow everywhere. Joel, already used to it, moved with ease, his shoulders hunched against the cold. He’d already stacked pile of firewood near his house.

Snow already a foot deep in places, Joel leaned into the shovel, grunting as he lifted heavy loads of powder and ice, tossing them to the side.

He was halfway through clearing his driveway when Tommy’s voice, sharp and carrying despite the distance, cut through. “Joel! Gate!”

Joel straightened, his muscles protesting. He squinted towards the direction of the sound, Tommy wasn’t shouting in alarm, but there was urgency in his tone, his shovel fell with a quite thunk.

He moved quickly, his heavy boots biting into the snow. As he got closer, he saw Tommy standing by the gate, his rifle in his hand.

Gate opened, Ben, one of their more reliable scouts, was walking in.

“What’s goin’ on?” Joel asked, reaching the gate, his hand instinctively going to the pistol at his hip.

Tommy didn’t look at him, his eyes still fixed on Ben. “He’s got… company.”

Ben stood by the opened gate. But it wasn’t him that held Joel’s attention. Standing by his side was another person.

Tommy stepped forward, his expression softening slightly. “Alright, you done good. Get ‘em inside, let’s get ‘em warm. Joel, go fetch Maria. And tell Mark to get the infirmary ready for a check-up.”

The cold November wind still howled, but something had shifted. The gate opened, and with it, a new chapter begun.