Haunted | Daryl Dixon

44. Three Words

The group moved in a tense silence, the only sounds filling the heavy air being the crunch of leaves or the snap of twigs under their boots.

Evelyn and Daryl led the way, the two of them working together to track the vehicle that had taken Carol and Maggie.

The woman hadn't tracked like she was in that moment since she was a kid. Her and Daryl used to spend hours in the woods behind their homes, tracking deer through the trees for the fun of it. No hunting involved, just some time spent with one another and nature.

This was different, though. More critical, more intense. Also, slightly easier than tracking a lone animal. An animal didn't leave the obvious, large tracks that a large vehicle would.

Rick tailed behind them, his eyes fiercely sweeping back and forth across the terrain, but gave the duo space to do what they needed to as he half dragged the man that they had taken prisoner behind him. The man that had been their when the radio had gone off.

Daryl came to a halt suddenly, and Evelyn followed suit, watching where his eyes were pointed.

Mud. The vehicle had run through some mud and was now leaving tracks in its wake.

The two shared a quick glance before continuing on their way, letting the group follow after.

"I'm gonna need you to teach me how to do that at some point." Rosita said lowly, coming up behind Wright.

She turned to her with a raised brow, "What?"

"Track." The woman inclined her head.

"Oh, that's easy, they left those tracks there."

A smile twitched at Rosita's lips, "That part, but you and Daryl have been tracking it for almost five miles now before those tracks were here. I'd love to learn how to do that."

Evelyn managed a small smile, "I'll teach you sometime." She promised.

Towards the back of the group- just behind Michonne but in front of Abraham- Caspain glanced to Daniel, "You okay?" He asked softly, his eyes shining with bright concern.

Hayes' lips were pursed as he stiffly nodded his head, "I'm fine, just worried about Carol and Maggie."

The black haired man let out a small sigh, his grip on his gun tightening slightly, "I know, I am too." He admitted, "But they'll be okay." The confidence he had scrounged up laced his tone, though there was obvious doubt and hesitation behind his words. Neither of them commented on it.

Daniel nodded, "Yeah, of course." There it was again, that uncertainty that neither of them dared to mention.

"Hey," Caspian pulled his boyfriend's eyes to him, "I love you." He spoke softly. There was no particular reasoning behind his words, he just wanted him to know.

The man let a small smile extend across his features, albeit almost sad looking, "I love you too."

A small whistle from the front of the group drew the pair's eyes to the front, where everyone had come to a stop at Daryl's closed fist in the air.

They had approached an abandoned looking building that was surrounded by a couple others, but this one had a vehicle in front of it. One with muddy tires.

In sync, everyone raised their weapons, glancing to one another, ready and waiting for whatever greeted them on the other side of the rusty door.

At once, Glenn threw open the door and everyone began to move forward, ready to ascend into the building to save their family- only to come face to face with a disheveled Maggie and Carol. Both breathing heavily, both exhausted looking, and both with a wake of dead walkers lying limply behind them.