Hiraeth (The Walking Dead)

Chapter 7

"So you're really just gonna kill another kid?" Lori intervened. "After.... After Randall, then what happened to Dale.... Dale wouldn't have wanted this, you know."

"It doesn't matter what Dale wanted," Shane argued. "Girl could be a threat. And I told you, Randall got away!"

There was a brief silence as the group knew Shane had faked Randall's escape in order to kill him. "Hate to say it," T-Dog began. "But he's right. Girl like this, she's gotta have someone who taught her how to fight and shoot like she does. She could bring her group over here the minute our eyes are off her."

"Nah," Daryl interrupted. "She ain't got the people skills to have a group."

"Daryl's right," Carol agreed, recalling the event when she had met the girl. "She's probably a loner, even if she used to have a group. We can't just kill her without a second chance."

"Like hell we can't," Shane scoffed. "Rick, you really wanna have a potential murderer around your wife and your child?"

Rick pursed his lips, giving it a thought, even though he knew Shane was using it to manipulate him. "Daryl," the former sheriff turned to the bowman. "You've been 'round her the most these past two days. What do you think?"

"Awh, you're gonna ask the redneck?" Shane interrupted. "Man, she's probably got him wrapped 'round her finger!"

"Shut up," Rick snapped at Shane, fed up with his ex-best friend. "Daryl?"

Daryl swallowed harshly, remaining silent for a brief moment. "Let 'er stay. Watch 'er for a while, make sure she don't try nothin'. Maybe she might be able to help. Good fisher, a' least."

"Anyone can fish," T-Dog shrugged.

"With nothin' but an arrow?"

The man raised his eyebrows and shrugged, silently agreeing with Daryl.

"Hershel?" Rick turned to the white-bearded man.

The old veterinarian shook his head. "She can't move long distances now, she'll get eaten alive. Let her stay, but keep her under supervision. I'm not letting another innocent child get killed on my farm."

Rick nodded as he put his hands back on his hips. "So that's settled, then?"

There was some slight mumbling and nodding, and Shane shook his head with a sarcastic smile. "Oh my God, I can't believe you're gonna let her wander around here."

"She's not," Rick assured him, "Daryl, since this was your idea, and you know how to deal with her, you're gonna be in charge of making sure she is always with someone. She is not to go on any supply runs or trips at all whatsoever until we decide if we can trust her."

Chewing on his lip, the hunter gave a nod towards the unofficial group leader.

"I don't care where she stays during the night. Just keep her under lockdown."

Daryl nodded once again, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder before heading out with a few other group members. Carol caught up with him as he was heading for his tent.

"Hey," the grey-haired woman called to him. "Daryl. I just wanted to say thank you. You didn't have to save her."

The man simply gave her a gruff hum. "Just didn't wanna 'nother kid gettin' shot up by Shane."

"Yeah," Carol exhaled out gently. "Just... Don't listen to him, he's trying to get you angry. He wants any reason to be able to pull his gun out."

There was only another small hum from Daryl as he opened the flapping door to his tent, and he picked up his hunting knife from his bag. Carol elected to leave him alone once he began making his way towards the small barn where Cailey was.

Opening the door to the small barn, the hunter could still see the small girl sitting against the wall with her hands behind her back. Her eyes were closed, and she didn't bother to open them until Daryl stepped inside.

"So, what? You here to slash my throat now?" She began sarcastically with her head against the wall, "Or to put an arrow through my skull?"

"Quit whinin'," Daryl told her as he crouched down to the girl. He reached behind her back and lifted her jacket sleeves enough to cut the rope cleanly. He could see red rope burns around her wrists as he worked to cut them off, an obvious sign of her having struggled to remove them for at least a short amount of time. The ropes slid off with one last slice, and the girl pulled her hands to her chest, running her pale fingers over them carefully while watching the man squatting next to her.

"C'mon," he instructed, standing up. "Yer' staying with me."

Her fists tightened, the girl stood up and followed Daryl out of the small barn. The sky now was pitch black with hundreds of tiny white starlights shining down. Neither of the hunters paused to look up at the moon as Daryl led the young girl across the field and to the small dark blue tent separate from the rest. Daryl zipped open the door, gesturing Cailey inside.

"Ya can sleep over there," Daryl gestured over to the opposite corner of the tent. "Don't go nowhere without me 'round or Rick."

Cailey sat cross-legged on the rough fabric over the ground, staring up at Daryl. "Where's my bow?"

"Nowhere ya need to know. Ya won't need it."

The girl huffed softly, crossing her arms and staring down. Daryl let her pout in the corner of his tent, telling her he would be right back and not to move. He zipped the tent closed as he headed up the field to the fence nearby, keeping his eye on the tent and lighting a cigarette. Smoke dragged from his mouth as he sat on the crooked wood, still watching the tent.

"Hey, Daryl," a sharp Southern accent called. The hunter turned his head with the cigarette in his mouth as Shane sat on the fence.

"What?" The man replied sharply, not even amusing the idea of friendliness towards him.

"Let's talk, yeah?"