Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 52: Hunting, Gathering

I try to carry on with things as if nothing is different, but everything is different. The infirmary's shelves are empty—we're lucky that the Saviours were only interested in our meds and not our equipment.

On the other side of things, my appetite has gotten harder to curb. My nausea has lessened, but my hunger has been getting more noticeable. It was easier to ignore the constant desire to snack when I was busy. Now, I'm just...here. Rick and Aaron are on a run and will be for at least a few days. Michonne left soon after Rick, telling Carl and me that she had to handle some things, and Carl disappeared a short time after that, saying something about Enid to me on the way out.

So now, it's me, Judith, and Olivia. Without the guns in the armoury to inventory, Michonne asked Olivia to keep an eye on Judith while she and Rick were out. It leaves me with free time that I wasn't expecting, but I gladly make use of.

"I'm heading out," I tell Olivia, shouldering my backpack. "Shouldn't be too long."

"I'll be here," she says with a wobbly smile. I think she's still a little shaken from the Saviours and the hidden gun ordeal.

I head to the armoury. The shelves are pathetically bare, but the Saviours didn't take any blades or non-firearm weapons. That includes my bow and all of its arrows, thank God, and I take it off the hooks and swing it over my shoulder. On the way out, I grab a radio.

Tobin keeps watch at the gates. I didn't realize how familiar I had gotten with the sight of Sasha on the guard tower and Abraham by the gate, and it hits me all over again how much everything has changed.

Tobin climbs down the ladder when he sees me coming, brow furrowed. "You're leaving?" he asks.

"I'm not going far," I say. He purses his lips, and I motion to the radio on my hip. "I'll be within talking range. I promise, I'm just going hunting. We need more food."

"Rick made it clear you're supposed to stay within the walls."

My skin prickles with annoyance. "Yeah, well...Rick also said he isn't in charge anymore." It sounds petty even as I say it, and I notice Tobin's expression fall. "Are you going to stop me?"

He shakes his head as he moves forward, dragging the gate open. "Just promise I get a helping of whatever you bring back, deal?"

"Deal."

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Once I've gotten further away from Alexandria and into the trees, I stop and take Elliot's notebook out of my backpack.

I do plan to hunt, or at least try, but I don't expect to be successful. What I do want to try is foraging, and thankfully, Elliot wrote a few pages about edible plants and useful herbs that grow naturally in Virginia. He added drawings and descriptions of each.

There's a wild leek called a ramp that tastes like a mix between garlic and onion that I'd love to find. Also, wild chamomile, or pineapple weed, would be good to replenish, as Elliot's notes say that he never grew them in his garden since they're so plentiful out in the wild. Dandelions can apparently make a good salad. The list goes on.

It makes me wish Elliot were here with me, pointing things out. His words are a small consolation prize. It doesn't beat his innate knowledge. I might have to collect what I can, then classify it later. All of this is more than a bit daunting, but I'm going to try.

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I'm not a good hunter and I'm maybe halfway decent at gathering. I've seen a few rabbits, but they always see me first and I'm left to watch them disappear into the brush. Thankfully, I find a good amount of edible plants and plenty of others that I can try to classify later.