Love Is Kind (Sequel to "Love Is Patient")

Chapter 16 - Claimed

(Daryl's POV)

I couldn't sleep. I've been out in the woods for a while, trying to hunt food. I finally found a rabbit, and my crossbow was pointed at it. Just as I let my arrow go, I felt another one whizz past me, just barely missing my head. Both of the arrow hit the rabbit, killing it instantly. I whip around to see one of the men, Len, standing there.

"What the hell are ye doin'?" I growl, standing up.

"Catchin' me some breakfast"

"That's mine" I walk over to the rabbit.

"My arrow's the one that hit first. Cottontail belongs to me"

"Been out here since before the sun came up" I said, pulling out the arrows and picking up the rabbit.

"You see, the rules of the hunt don't mean jack out here. Now, that rabbit you're holdin' is claimed, boy"

I walk back over to him and toss his arrow to the side. He continues,

"Claimed whether you like it or not. So I was you, I'd hand it over. Now. Before you get to wishin' you ain't never even got out of bed this morning'"

"It ain't yours" I spit, going to walk away.

"You know, I'll bet this bitch got you all messed up, hmm?" I stop in my tracks, my back facing him. I know I'm going to snap. "Am I right? Got you walkin' around here like a dead man who just lost himself a piece of tail. Must have been a good 'un"

I unsheathe my knife and turn around, but another hand grabs me.

"Easy, fellas, easy. Let's just put our weapons down" Joe said, "See if we can't figure out what's really the problem here, huh?"

He stands between me and Len, and looks at Len, "Did you claim it?"

"Hell, yeah" Len answers.

"Well, there you go. That critter belongs to Len"

I just stare at them, not letting up on my hold on the rabbit.

"Looks like you may be wanting an explanation. See, goin' it alone, that ain't an option nowadays. Still, it is survival of the fittest. That's a paradox right there. So I laid out some rules of the road to keep things from going Darwin every couple hours. Keep our merry band together and stress-free. All you got to do is claim. That's how you mark your territory, your prey, your bed at night. One word, claimed" Joe explains.

"I ain't claiming nothin'" I snap.

"We're gonna teach him, right? The rules say we got to teach him" Len asks Joe.

"It wouldn't be fair to punish you for violating a rule you never even knew existed" Joe tells me.

"There aint' no rules no more"

"Oh, there are. You know that. That's why I didn't kill you for the crossbow"

Joe bends down and grabs the other end of the rabbit, and I go to pull it away.

"Easy there, partner" Joe warned. He chops the rabbit in half, throwing an end to Len, who angrily storms away.

"Claimed. That's all you got to say" Joe tells me, "Hey, ass end is still an end"

~~~~

We walk down the train tracks, Joe and I are in the back.

"So what's the plan, Daryl?" Joe suddenly asks.

"How so?"

"You're with us now, but you ain't soon?"

"Yep" I answer.