𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐇 || ᵈ.ᵈⁱˣᵒⁿ

XXX

—/<3/—

The winter wasn't as cold as Rory expected it to be. Back in Nevada, winters dropped to 20 degrees Fahrenheit but in Georgia it stayed around 30-40 degrees. It was cold, but bearable. The problem was the lack of food. She and Daryl hadn't been able to find much to hunt, and most edible wild plants had died by now. They'd resorted to looting buildings and houses but even then, there wasn't much to keep the group going for too long and they were out pretty much everyday on runs.

Sometimes Glenn and Maggie tagged along, and other times it was Rick or Archie, Mikey and Niamh. But Rory and Daryl preferred it when it was just them. It was quieter and things flowed better. They were in and out and then onto the next building in minutes.

It was a particularly uneventful run that day, they hadn't found much other than a stale box of Cheerios, but it hadn't expired yet so they took it. Carl would probably like it if nobody else did, not that they could afford to be picky.

Rory watch intently as Daryl pulled back his crossbow string, readying himself to shoot down a squirrel sat on the beach of a tree. Squirrel was the most meat they'd been able to find in a while now, and as disgusting as it was, it was better than nothing. She fetched the arrow and the dead animal for him once he'd shot it and handed it to him.

"C'mere," he said as she started to wander further into the woods. Rory looked at him, confused, but then walked back to where he was wrapping up the squirrel and stashing it in his pack.

"What is it?" She asked.

He handed her his crossbow as he slung his backpack over his shoulders. "You wanna learn?"

"Really?" Rory's eyes shot to his, shocked he trusted her enough. Daryl nodded and took the crossbow back, pulling back the string for her.

"What do I do?" Rory held the crossbow up, aiming for the trunk of a tree a few feet ahead of them.

Daryl moved behind her and helped her adjust her grip and posture. "Use the sight to aim n' then pull the trigger." He instructed her. Rory smiled as the arrow buried itself in the tree.

"Did I do it right?" Rory handed Daryl his crossbow back and moved to retrieve the arrow.

"Yeah, you're a natural," Daryl said with a small smile. "Now try killin' an animal, camps gotta eat."

"Really?"

"Are ya' gonna say that every time?"

"There's two things in camp that no one dares go near, your bike and your crossbow, I just want to make sure." Rory told him as she took the crossbow back.

They wandered a bit further into the woods, looking around for anything they could hunt. "You're fine. I'm lettin' you," Daryl said. "There's one up there."

Daryl showed her how to load the arrow into the crossbow and helped her pull back the string and then he stepped back, letting Rory do the rest herself. She raised the crossbow, her finger hovering over the trigger as she waited for the perfect moment to pull it.

The arrow flew through the air and pierced through the squirrel's flesh, sending it flying off the branch it was perched on. Daryl jogged forward and grabbed the game from the muddy ground.

"Damn girl, you got it right through the head." Daryl yanked the arrow free and shoved the squirrel into his pack.

"I did?" Rory asked, Daryl nodded.

"Told ya, you're a natural."

—/<3/—

"Have any of you seen Pumpkin?" Rory asked as she approached the campfire. She hadn't seen the cat since before she went hunting with Daryl that morning, and she was starting to get a bit worried. Pumpkin never went too far from camp and she always came back within half an hour, mostly just wandering to hunt mice.

"Saw her by the cars 'bout an hour ago but I haven't seen her since," Rick said, his arm around Carl, who was sleeping on his shoulder.

"She's probably just exploring again, she'll be back." Maggie smiled reassuringly.

Rory nodded and walked back to Archie's car, where her family was sat smoking. "You seen Pumpkin? I can't find her."

"No, not for a couple hours." Archie blew smoke upwards so it wouldn't get in anyone's face.

"She's with Daryl, saw her a few minutes ago wandering over there." Niamh pointed to where Daryl was sat alone on the trunk of a fallen tree.

Rory rushed over to check for herself, and sure enough, Pumpkin was there, her glossy black coat blending in with the night as she snoozed beside Daryl.

"Hey," Daryl said, looking up as he heard footsteps approach.

"You coming over to smoke with us?" Rory questioned, stopping in front of him.

"Thought we were out of cigs," Daryl said. He stood up immediately and picked up Pumpkin.

"Archie found some. Did you not see them over there smoking?" Rory frowned, leading him over to the cars.

"Just though those were Niamh's or somethin'."

"Even if they were you could still have one." Rory rolled her eyes. Daryl stayed silent.

Even if Archie and Niamh considered him a friend, he still felt awkward taking things from them. Rory was a different story. She and Daryl were close enough friends that they just shared packets and they always offered one to the other if they planned on smoking. He wasn't at that point with Archie and Niamh yet.