Down by the water • TWD

Two Birds, One Stone.

Glenn and Maggie came back to the church a few long hours after the others left for Atlanta. Eugene had lied about the cure. There was no saving this world. So they headed to the hospital in Atlanta soon after telling Maggie about her sister.

Beth died in the hospital. Shot by the woman in charge of the place.

The group headed to find Noah's family. They made it to his community only for there to be nothing left.

Then things went bad. Like they always do.

Tyreese was bit and died in the car ride back.

The group was on the move again, walking the long, rocky roads that were never-ending. The dehydration had never been this bad before. Every swallow was dryer than the last. It felt like sandpaper against her throat.

Avery didn't mind the hunger; she didn't think she could eat even if they had food. It was the pain that came with watching her family starve that ached her.

She had told the others she was just stepping out for a minute to use the bathroom, grab some air, or whatever excuse sounded normal enough that nobody would question it.

But she hadn't come back right away.

Instead, she wandered a little farther into the trees until the faint shadows of the group disappeared behind branches and shadows. Ranger padded beside her the whole way, quiet except for the soft crunch of leaves under his paws.

After a while, Avery stopped and sank down at the base of a wide tree, pulling her knees up to her chest. The bark scratched her back through her damp t-shirt. The sweat fell down her forehead eternally, making her eyes sting with each drop.

Ranger circled once before settling beside her, then nudged her leg with his nose. Avery glanced down at him. "What?" she muttered softly.

The dog shifted closer and slowly rested his head on her knees, dark eyes staring up at her like he was waiting for something.

She huffed out a quiet breath. "Yeah, yeah...I know."

Her fingers absentmindedly moved to scratch behind his ears. "How do you always know when something's wrong?" Ranger's tail only thumped lightly against the ground.

Avery stared out into the trees again, her hand still resting on his head. "Have you seen how quiet he's been?" Ranger blinked up at her. "I mean, he was never exactly the talkative type," she continued quietly. "But it's different now."

She didn't need to say his name. It was Daryl. Ever since Beth died, something in him changed. Avery swallowed slightly, staring down at the dirt. "He spent weeks with her after the prison fell," she said softly. "Just the two of them."

Out on the road, trying to survive like everyone else. She remembered the way Daryl had looked at her after he brought Beth out of that hospital in Atlanta. The way he had carried the pain so clear on his face.

He hadn't said a word to her since the church.

"He doesn't talk about it," Avery murmured, fingers still moving slowly through Ranger's fur. "But you can tell." Ranger shifted slightly, pushing his head more firmly against her knees. Avery gave a small, sad smile. "You think I should try and talk to him?"

Her eyes drifted up to the dark sky between the branches. The question hung in the air. She rubbed the back of Ranger's neck slowly. "But what if he makes it about me and how I'm feeling?"

"No, he'll probably just get mad at me."

Ranger's ears twitched as he looked up at her again, and Avery sighed softly. "I don't want that." She leaned her head back against the tree trunk.