hiraeth | c.g. |

xiv

The group of six ran through the forest, shedding themselves of the skins they wore and throwing them to the side in their hurry. It was as they ran through the night, harsh breaths and pumping hearts that Clary felt somewhat at peace. While there was no peace now that they had Lydia, there was the simple fact that Henry was alive. That Daryl and Connie were. Carl.

Her thoughts were brought back to their journey as Henry tumbled to the ground, forcing everyone to stop in their tracks. Immediately, Daryl and Lydia stepped down to help him up.

"You all right?" Daryl questioned as Henry looked at him breathlessly. "This isn't the way to Hilltop..." Daryl shook his head. "Tara made a deal with those assholes. We broke it. We ain't going back to Hilltop."

A thick tension lay over the group as Lydia nodded. "He's right. There's too many of them. Alpha would destroy Hilltop to get me back now."

Clary grew cold at those words, scoffing. "And you didn't think to tell us that there was that many of them?"

Lydia's eyes turned into slits. "You kept me locked in a cage— threatened to kill me! What did you expect? I wasn't going to betray my own people!"

Daryl got in between Lydia and Clary, his own features dark. "Well, maybe you should go back to 'em. Henry didn't know what he was getting his ass into, but you sure as hell did," Daryl criticized, his finger in Lydia's face as it fell. "I thought I could go back. I can't." Daryl shook his head. "Well, you ain't comin' with us."

It was silent as Daryl turned away, Clary's eyes on him until she heard Henry. "Hey. Hey, we could run. Me and her," Henry countered as Daryl turned back towards him. "You guys go back and we— we keep running. They can't blame Hilltop if we just disappear."

As Lydia tried to talk him down, Henry's gaze only stayed locked with Daryl's. "Let me fix this."

After a moment, Daryl shook his head. "No. There's no way in hell I'm letting you run away with this one. No. Think of your mom!" Daryl spoke as Clary shook her head, leading Henry to look at her. "I promised your brother I'd bring you back. You're not running off again."

The tension was soon broken as Connie stood up, urging the group to get up and go. "No, she's right. Come on," Daryl spoke as Henry and Lydia stood, Clary and Carl following them. However, Daryl and Connie went separate directions, the man letting out a huff. "It's this way."

The two went back and forth before she went down her path, Lydia, Henry and even Dog following. Clary would've laughed under different circumstances, the young woman looking back to Daryl who let out a sharp breath. "C'mon," he demanded before Clary and Carl followed, Bear trailing closely behind.

It was as they walked through the forest, the sun beginning to poke through the trees, that Clary was able to take a deep breath, coming to terms with what had almost happened. While she couldn't think too deeply on it, she was glad it hadn't gone too far. Had that happened... the young woman didn't know what she would've done.

Clary ended up falling in step with Daryl, who trailed behind the group with his crossbow drawn. She could feel his anger radiating off of him, the energy becoming words as he let out a huff. "Why the hell are you out here, Jo?" Daryl questioned, unsurprised as the young woman let out a scoff. "Because Henry was out here," Clary began before looking to him. "Because you were- and I had to find out from Carl that you left? What the hell was I supposed to do?"

With a clenched jaw, Daryl spoke once again. "It was just 'spose to be me. Connie just tagged along and I wasn't gonna drag you out and put you in danger--" Clary cut him off. "And I was just supposed to sit around and wait until you maybe came back?" Clary questioned, Daryl's eyes hesitating to meet hers as she shook her head. "No. We don't know how dangerous these skins are and I wasn't gonna let you just go. Not when you're one of the only people I have left."