My Redneck (Sequel to That Redneck/ Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

Chapter 17- Living Off the Land

Beautiful fan art was made by @caity1285 ! Thank you so much, it's amazing and I love it!

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I notched the arrow into my bow and crouched down into the grass so I was nearly hidden from sight.

I watched the young deer approach the stream cautiously, it cranked it's head around anxiously before slowly dipping its face near the water and lapping up the liquid thirstily.

I aimed for what I assumed was it's heart, hoping the creature wouldn't suffer too bad.

I sent the arrow flying, missing and hitting it right in the lung. Or what I assume was the lung, I didn't really know my deer anatomy.

The animal sped off, hobbling away deeper into the forest. I grinned and I slipped back into the trees and sped after the animal. It was probably way faster than me but if I was lucky, I had hit the animal hard.

The branches of trees and shrubs were snapped all around me and the dirt was stirred up a little, as if something came bounding through here a moment ago.

I smirked and crouched down low again as I repeated my earlier actions and prepared to shoot the fawn. I shimmied past a few more trees until a small opening broke in the foliage and the deer walked around hesitantly with an awful limp where the arrow stuck out. I didn't hesitate and shot another arrow. It pierced through the deers side. It leaped away, and charged to the trees to try and hide.

I swiftly chased after it, trying to keep a safe distance so I would be able to take it down with the element of surprise.

I crept up behind the deer, watching it sway to one side as the arrows began to take a toll on the poor animal.

I sighed and took another arrow off my back before sending it flying through the fawns neck, ending it's life.

I hadn't seen a deer in the woods for a while and this sucker would keep us fed for a while, if we rationed properly.

So far I had managed to get eight squirrels, two rabbits and the deer I had just shot. I had been out here for a day and a half, distracting myself with hunting, trying to find food for everyone to eat.

I had spent the night in a tree, not really getting any sleep, but getting enough rest to continue my journey. I had eaten fish for breakfast and found some berries that seemed edible.

My mind had been focused on hunting, on gathering food, but when I just sat there, watching my prey, my mind would wander.

It would wander to Daryl.

I awkwardly tossed the deer onto my back in an army style way. I struggled with its weight bearing down on my already sore shoulders and back.

I had been in tons of pain lately, ranging everywhere from my back to my abdomen and stomach. It hurt a lot, more than it should, but I pushed through it. It was probably all the stress that's been thrown on me the past few days.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and began to trudge forwards. I had been hustling through the trees all day, breaking a pretty big sweat and developing a thirst no amount of water could seem to quench.

I ducked underneath of a fallen log and side stepped down the hill, while readjusting the deer on my back.

I hustled all the way back to the Prison and when I started up the dirt road, I could tell something was wrong.

People scattered the Prison yard, running frantically back and fourth. I searched around for the source of the commotion but couldn't see what everyone was huddled around at the far fence.