Robin Hood (Sequel To Hiraeth- TWD)

Chapter 2

Obviously, the moment Rick explained his encounter with the long-lost runaway girl to Daryl Dixon, the long-haired hunter insisted on leaving immediately. Rick tried to remind Daryl that it would be another day's trip, and that it would be dark before they even arrived, but Daryl wanted to hear nothing from the sheriff. 

"Imma good tracker, we just gotta get close enough," Daryl persuaded in his gruff voice. "We let her run off 'nother day, she might not be there no more."

Rick reluctantly agreed. Although he wanted nothing more than to bring Cailey home, he wasn't too keen on being killed by a surprise walker. However, he also knew this was personal for Daryl. The hunter wanted to make things right with Cailey before bringing her home. 

While Rick wore his heavy jacket with his pistol by his side, Daryl only had his brown tribal-designed side-cut poncho over his shirt to keep warm. The hunter held his crossbow out towards the way he jogged, telling Rick to show him which way he had gone. 

Rick was certainly right that the sky would be dark before they found Cailey. Once they had been walking for nearly two hours through the forest, the sky was pitch black with tiny white stars dotting it. Rick knew he couldn't suggest going back, and they would still have another hour to go at least.

Daryl would stop every once in a while now to check the ground, smell a handful of leaves, or dig around a tree to search for something. Rick followed close behind, telling which directions he had seen the bushes Cailey had come out of. 

"Stop," Daryl demanded after nearly three and a half hours. He went silent. His eyes squinted more, listening. "She been here, few hours ago, most. Smells like cigs."

Rick could barely smell anything in the sharp cold air, but he decided to believe Daryl. The man was like a bloodhound at the best of times. "Which way we goin'?"

Daryl dragged his feet in a circle, kicking up dirt and leaves. "There's gotta be a river down nears that hill, way the ground's contour lines go. She'd stay by there, even in the cold."

The hunter hoisted his crossbow up again, holding it against his shoulder as he hiked. As he grew closer to the base of the tiny hill, he could smell the water. It was cold, freezing enough to give someone hypothermia, but the rivers rarely ever froze entirely. 

Rick followed his friend down the course of the small river as it flowed almost silently. "How d'you know she'll be this way?"

"River opens up to a bank down here as it flows down," Daryl muttered. "Be more fish."

"You really still know her like the back o' your hand, huh."

Daryl didn't offer an answer. The hunter continued sauntering down, smelling and listening and watching. They followed the river nearly a mile down before Daryl stopped in his tracks. A wide finger pointed up to the sky. 

"I's small, but she got a fire goin'. Or at least someone do."

"Let's talk to her one at a time, all right," Rick whispered. "So we don't scare her off too much. I'll go in first."

"Man, that girl's like my kid by now," Daryl retorted, irritated sarcasm lacing his tone. "I think I can talk to her."

"Just," Rick put a hand out in the air to reassure Daryl. "Let me talk. I might be able to convince her. I think she's still upset that you left. I still don't think she believed when I told her you came back."

Daryl let out an annoyed sigh, but shrugged. "Righ'."

A thick wall of leaves and dirt netted through the trees. Cailey had to have put them there herself. Rick could see the tiny light of a small fire behind the makeshift curtains. He took a deep breath, seeing a figure of a person and a dog.