Robin Hood (Sequel To Hiraeth- TWD)

Chapter 15

"Wouldn't it be better to go hunting while it's early?" Beth asked from the passenger seat.

"Nah," the hunter took his eyes off the road from just a short moment to watch the blonde next to him. "Meat goes bad fast, an' we gotta feed a lotta people. An' Cailey's a fisher, so we're gonna need to get that on our way back."

Cailey sat in the back seat of the van, watching the conversation. She had her legs up in the seat next to her, Friar in her lap. She used a pocket knife to carve little indentations into a piece of wood from the ground, waiting for any change of scenery. Daryl could feel the impatience in Cailey, and he knew she didn't want Beth along. He didn't, either, it was bad enough he had to deal with one kid all the time; even though Cailey could take care of herself, and he cared about her like a baby sister. But Daryl knew he had to remain patient with Beth, and even though Cailey knew, Daryl saw it would be a little harder to keep her from being stubborn.

"Missed the turn," Cailey's voice piped up.

"Goin' farther up north," Daryl declared. "Ain't been to this next city yet."

There was silence for another long while, the only sound coming from the rolling wheels on the road. Cailey had her hand running over Friar's fur, petting him carefully as he whined every few minutes. Daryl could hear Beth's gentle breath as she was starting to fall asleep in the passenger seat.

"Grab yer' crap, we almost there," the hunter declared once he started seeing large buildings. He pulled the car down into the grassy ditch in front of a large, graffitied road sign before the city. He parked only right in the tall grass, then automatically started climbing out. Beth and Cailey followed, with Friar close on Cailey's heels. He stretched out, peed right on the city sign, then followed the human survivors with a wide grin.

"Should split up an' cover more ground, seems safe enough," Cailey decided.

"Take Beth. Go down the road," Daryl instructed. He expected attitude back, and the look on Cailey's face said she would give it. However, the teen only gave a sigh through her nose, nodded, then whistled to Friar to follow.

Cailey sauntered down the empty road, Friar by her hip. Beth followed silently, until she spoke.

"Seems like you and Daryl're pretty close again," her Southern accent nearly echoed with how thick it was. "You two like that before he left?"

Cailey wasn't about to answer that question. She stayed silent, and kept walking. Beth held her head to the ground just enough to be visible. "Sorry, sensitive topic."

Cailey only gave a near-silent sigh as her boots cracked the gravel beneath her. She turned to a cracking building with a faded blue sign reading out Walmart. Cailey shoved a wide branch from the crammed doorway, slamming it on the ground. Friar held up a large stick from the sidewalk, tilting his head to carry it around. Cailey used the butt of her knife to bang on the glass, then leaned against the cement walls.

Beth stood awkwardly next to the younger teenager, who bit down on her nails as they waited. Friar lied at his owner's feet, chewing on the bark of his stick. Tiny specks of blood were littering the edge of Cailey's nails as she remained still. 

"I used to bite my nails, too, y'know," Beth declared softly. "It's an anxiety tic, you'll start feelin' better once you stop."

The brunette only gave a heavy breath out of her nose. A smack against the cracking glass door made her turn, and Cailey lifted her hunting knife to the guarded walker. Friar left his stick, raised his neck fur up, and started growling. 

Beth stood behind Cailey, nearly frozen as she held her knife to her hip. Cailey held her hand out slowly, then ripped the glass door open. The walker lunged out, snarling. Cailey kicked it in the chest. It fell against the wall, and the hunter's knife crunched into its greasy skull.