Spider Monkey

Chapter Eighty - Seven - Bounty

"Where are you goin'?" The voice of his father made Hedley stop in his tracks.

He turned to face Daryl, "I can't just leave her out there with them, Dad. She's- She doesn't deserve it."

"She may not deserve it, kid. But her people are dangerous and we need not to create a war."

"That's bullshit!" Hedley growled, stimming with anger, "You taught me that if someone needed our help, especially a child, we help them!" He paused to calm his breathing. "Or was that just a lie?"

Daryl sighed heavily. He then went over to the gate. Hedley froze, watching his dad.

"You comin'?" Daryl shouted over his shoulder.

Hedley bolted until he was next to Daryl. But before they got anywhere, Connie appeared.

She asked where they were headed by writing it down on a notepad. It made Daryl reminisce on how Hedley once did that. How much his Spider Monkey had grown, its almost unbelievable.

Connie then wrote something else, showing the older Dixon. 'I'm going with you'.

"No." Daryl said.

Connie huffed, pointing to the pad with determination.

"Why?"

She wrote something else. 'I can't live with it either'.

Daryl looked at Hedley. Hedley smiled wide, liking the woman's drive. Daryl sighed in defeat and nodded. And soon, the three, and Dog, were off.

****

It was morning and they were on the trail, footprints in the dirt. Not old, but not too fresh to be concerned. Hedley was up in the trees like always, scoping around while Daryl and Connie examined the tracks.

Hedley watched as Connie and Daryl interacted.

Daryl read what she wrote and replied but he kept moving his head away, making her unable to read his lips. So he patted his shoulder before making a gesture using her two fingers, levelling it from her eyes to his mouth, telling him off. Hedley huffed a little chuckle.

Dog then barked as two Walkers came stumbling into view. Connie and Daryl both held up their weapons and fired and, at the exact same time, the Walkers dropped to the ground. Dead.

Hedley smiled. Maybe his father wouldn't be so lonely anymore. Well, he could only hope.

Daryl whistled for Dog to retrieve his arrow but the animal got a bit too excited and accidentally broke the bolt in two. Daryl huffed, looking at Connie, who just smiled, before muttering, "Bad Dog."

They carried on walking. Hedley jumping from branch to branch.

Connie watched Hedley before raising her eyebrow at Daryl, silently asking him about it.

"He's been doing that ever since he was young. Little Spider Monkey. Well, he's not so little anymore." Daryl said, speaking slowly and with actions, hoping she understood.

Connie smiled, writing something down. 'You're a good father'.

Daryl's cheeks actually blossomed with blush and he shook his head, looking down. She again tapped his shoulder, doing the same hand gesture.

Daryl then did one of the signs he actually knows - thanks to Carl and Hedley. 'Thank you'.

Connie looked impressed, nodding her head as if to say, 'You're welcome'.

Hedley then spotted a bunch of the dead, over to the left of the field. They were feeding on something fresh. He looked down at the two, whistling a small tune to get his dad's attention. When Daryl looked up, Hedley pointed to the direction. Connie and Daryl peered from the trees to see and they decided to redirect their movements, going deeper but safer into the woods.

***

They made it to Lydia's group's hang out when darkness was at its peak.

Hedley was back on the ground with Daryl and Connie as they watched from a good distance as Alpha placed a head onto a spike. There were a lot more people than Lydia had said and they all looked horrifying, wearing the skin of the dead over their own. Lydia was huddled against a tree, arms over her head as she rocked back and forth.

Hedley saw that she was away from the group, not too much as to not be seen but enough to have privacy, so he decided to step forward.

Daryl stopped him, a look of pure worry on his face.

Hedley looked at his dad, pleading with his eyes. He then mouthed two words before escaping Daryl's grip. 'Cover. Me.'.

Because of his bare feet and growing up to be stealthy, Hedley soundlessly made his way to Lydia. He kept low and was like a ghost in the shadows of the woods. He only allowed Lydia to see him when he was close enough. He made her startle but he managed to cover her mouth with his hand so she didn't yell out. The two stared at each other. Lydia was crying, shaking, terrified. But when she saw it was Hedley, she gave out a large breath, relieved.

He took his hand off of her mouth then offered it to her, asking for her to take it.

She watched the hand, not really understanding until he made a 'Come here' gesture. She looked back at where her people were, then at Hedley before taking his hand.

The two slowly got up and were ready to move but a snap of a twig alerted them. One of Lydia's people saw them, shouted out and Hedley grabbed Lydia and the two ran into the trees.

Daryl and Connie fired their weapons, going off to catch up with the two, fighting off those that got close. When the four of them, and Dog, reunited, they darted west and out of the eyes of Alpha's group.

They spent the rest of the night running, running and more running.