Don't Fear The Reaper (R. Grimes & D. Dixon)

8

Kit sat with carol holding the worried woman's hand, her body shaking next to kits and Andrea's on her other side as they faced the forest waiting for rick and Daryl. "it's late. They'll be back soon," carol muttered. Andrea rubbed her back "it would only be because you can't track at night, carol. otherwise, I have no doubt they would stay," kit tried reassuring the woman "they'll find her," Andrea chimed before she walked away to start a fight with Shane and dale about her gun being taken away. Andrea could understand why kit had hers still; she had a vital profession even before everything, even more so now but to take most of everyone else's, leaving them defenseless or giving them to others just cause. Like Lori. She wasn't vital, and she was sure she never even had trained. Her only importance was that she was married to a leader, which pissed Andrea off. Kit quietly scoffed at Andrea's rants behind them, carol smiling weakly, also not impressed. their heads both snapped to a section of the woods, hearing a twig snap as rick and Daryl walked up with no Sophia, carol already breaking down again. "you didn't find her?" she whimpered

"her trail went cold. we'll pick it up again at first light." rick says, guilt thick in his voice

"you can't leave my daughter out there on her own to spend the night alone in the woods." carol cries.

"out in the darks, no good. We'd just be trippin over ourselves more people get lost." Daryl tried to explain

"but she's twelve; she can't be out there on her own. you didn't find anything?" she pressed

"I know this is hard. but I'm asking you not to panic. we know she was out there-" rick starts Daryl cutting in, "and we tracked her for a while."

"We have to make this an organized effort. Daryl knows the woods best, kit coming in second. I've asked him to oversee this. "rick explains, but carol is too horrified to listen as her eyes are locked onto Daryl's pants "is that blood?" she points "we took down a walker."

"walker? oh my god!" "there was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia." rick tries to calm her wave of fears

"How can you be sure?" Andrea asks

"We cut the son of a bitch open, made sure." Daryl confidently says, impressing kit with how thoroughly they took their efforts. carol sat on the railing, her face contorting to anger "how could you just leave her out there, to begin with?" she spits at rick

"Woah, no. carol, no." kit jumps in quick to defend, "would you have liked rick, who is human. He is probably already winded, given his recent health history, after chasing down your daughter to try and fight off two walkers while still trying to guard her, leaving her out in the open and leaving them both very vulnerable. Neither would have come back, that's for sure. She's still got a damn chance. We need a plan. not to waste time pointing fucking fingers." kit growled, venom and annoyance on her tongue  before she stormed off . rick waited awhile before hunting her down, giving her time to cool down "you good kitten?"

"I'm good. If she's out there, we'll find her rick."

"I know. Thank you. For believing in me." kit scoffed lightly

"rick, we've known each other since we were little. I know you wouldn't have just left." rick hummed thoughtfully, a small smile on his lips as they sat in silence, watching the sunset

"there is a way you can repay me for my efforts, however" a sly smirk making its way to her lips rick chuckled "yes kitten?"

"teach your son the basics of safety and then give him one of the knives out of the Gerber set he found earlier," she said casually "what?" he scoffed, "no."

The next morning rick rolled out the Gerber pouch giving everyone, including carl, a knife trying to ignore the very smug smile kit was sending his way. Kit and Daryl took the lead into the forest, seeing as they were the only ones with any experience "alright, Daryl give me a quick brush up; it's been 6 yrs since I've had to do this," kit whispered as they practically glided across the forest floor the group behind them not being near as quite. They might of well have been ringing a bell. Either way, Daryl was happy to do so, not that he showed it, he found it easy to explain to her, and she was quick to relearn. Kit and Daryl readied their bows as they came across a blue tent, crouching down a few yards away. Shane and rick are not far behind, refusing to be far from the woman. Daryl pointed at all three signaling them to stay as he pulled his knife, getting closer to the tent. While rick used carol to call out to Sophia softly just in case, she was hiding in the tent. Unfortunately, they weren't that lucky. It turned out to be just a man who opted out. Bells chimed in the distance; hope flared in everyone's souls as they raced to find the source till they stumbled onto a white building surrounded by graves.