Robin Hood (Sequel To Hiraeth- TWD)

Chapter 6

Cailey fell asleep on the floor perpendicular to Daryl, her back to his feet. Friar was curled up against Cailey's stomach, snoring quietly. Cailey wasn't woken until Daryl began moving around again, feet shuffling as he stood. He was jingling his keys in his hands as he gave Friar a good-morning pat. 

"Why don't ya go find somethin' to eat," he nodded at the younger hunter. "Imma pull some gas from the cars 'round here before we go."

"We shouldn't look for more guns an' shit first?"

"Nah," Daryl tossed his keys up before catching them again. "Rick'll pro'lly want  us back soon, anyways. If ya hurry, I'll let ya drive if you want."

The younger hunter nodded, pulling her bowstring from across her chest before wandering out the back door of the clinic. She could hear Daryl un-barring the front door as she followed Friar out the back. She loaded an arrow against her bowstring, pulling it back as she followed down the old broken-down streets of the big city. 

Cailey returned not too long later, a dead squirrel hanging from her shoulder. Friar trotted beside her with a little rat in his mouth, saliva dripping from his chin. Cailey whistled softly as Daryl came into view, screwing on the lid to his bike's gas tank. The man turned, wiping his hands on his pants. Cailey tossed the dead squirrel at him, hitting him in the chest before he caught it. There was an ugly crunching noise as Friar bit down onto his rat. 

Daryl pulled his hunting knife out, slitting down the catch's stomach, pulling away the skin. He held out a bloody piece of muscle to the girl. "Can't eat animals like these without cookin' 'em too often. Gonna get sick."

"Already ate," Cailey took a drink of water from her flask. "Few small animals down by that flower place." 

Daryl hummed, straddling the back of his bike as he pulled meat out of the squirrel's chest, dropping it in his mouth sloppily. Cailey held out her hand as she slipped her bow over her chest. "So, you gonna let me drive?"

A small smile traced Daryl's lips as he reached into his back pocket. He tossed the silver keys up, letting Cailey catch them. She jingled them around as she straddled the seat in front of Daryl, who chewed on a last bit of squirrel before messily licking his fingers off, throwing away the carcass. Cailey turned the keys in the ignition, then whistled to her dog. "Up, Friar."

Friar placed his front legs up on the seat between Cailey and Daryl, climbing up with the help of the older hunter. He sat on the bike like he had before, front paws on the shoulders of the person in front of him. Daryl reached around Friar to hold onto Cailey's torso as she revved the engine. 

"Trynna fuck up my transmission, clodhopper?" Daryl was only slightly serious.

"Calm your dick, redneck," the girl called behind her. She pulled the bike into drive before rolling off. 

Daryl allowed Cailey to drive right outside the city, rolling around cars and dead walkers and debris until they hit the interstate again. She sped up, clearly having a blast going nearly as fast as she could down the wide road. She was silent and barely moved, but Daryl could tell how relaxed she had become from where he sat watching. Friar, on the other hand, had his nose pressed flat against the back of his owner's poncho, gnawing on her arrow quiver every once in a while.

The guns in the bag strapped to the side of the bag clanked together, slapping against the riders' thighs every once in a while. The two tied to Daryl's back slammed against his spine as they drove, but it didn't bother him all too much. 

The drive back to the prison only took a few hours, but it was a long few hours. It was silent other than the motorcycle's roaring and the occasional howl from Friar at a walker or animal. Daryl's thighs were cramped from straddling the seat too long with the guns whacking his leg, and Cailey's arms were tiring out from driving. The sun was high in the sky by the time they made it to the dirt road leading to the prison.