By Peter Lesser (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 04, 2013 12:13 PM EDT

The taste of stale flesh lingers on the pallet. It’s time for fresh meat. It’s time for raw, crimson meat. Luckily, instead of resorting to cannibalism like our primitive ancestors, we remain civilized and get our brain chomping fix from AMC’s hit series, “The Walking Dead.” As the hit zombie season trudges and limps toward its Season 4 premiere, leaving a trail of rotten flesh and dried blood, producers continue to drop subtle hints to keep fans engaged on the hunt.

While the zombie action gives “The Walking Dead” an allure that keeps starving viewers coming back for more, there are other intricacies that give the show life and depth. Romance in a post apocalyptic world is not an easy topic to tackle, but one that makes for enthralling and heartbreaking stories. One of the show’s most beloved characters, Rick, recently suffered from the tragic loss of his wife, and now fans are eager to see how he responds. Will he find love? Is he ready to let someone else in?

“I wouldn’t necessarily rule a romance out,” said series creator Robert Kirkman. “[Rick’s] wife did just die in a horrible way, so I don’t think any kind of romance is really on his radar just yet.” That being said, Kirkman does tease that Rick and Michonne are forming a solid relationship.

“They are definitely forming a friendship,” he said. “They have a very large mutual respect for each other because of their capabilities and their ability to trust one another, and I think that’s a lof of what was growing in the [Season 3] episode where they both went off on a run together.”

It’s important not to look too far into blossoming relationships, especially when each character has their hand full with, well, survival. But while you take it all with a grain of salt, don’t rule anything out. Afterall, it’s the zombie apocalypse.

“The Walking Dead” will return to AMC October 13.