Robin Hood (Sequel To Hiraeth- TWD)

Chapter 19

Michonne was with Cailey for another hour. Nobody came to visit until a dirty, sweaty redneck came through the cell door.

"Where the hell've you been?" The woman borderline scolded Daryl in a quiet voice. When Daryl pulled another chair out from against the wall, he straddled it with a grunt. Michonne saw dried blood up on his sleeves and his hands, and he had a bruise on one wrist.

"What'd you do?" Michonne's voice became lower.

"Went tah find the guy who shot 'er." Daryl mumbled. "Hadn't killed the bastard. Turns out he had a gang o' slickers there waitin'."

"How many?"

"Pro'lly eight. Dumber than rocks."

Michonne didn't give a reply for another minute. Both survivors sat in the cramped cell together, staring at Cailey in silence. Michonne asked another question after the silence was beginning to grow heavy. "You kill 'em all?"

"I ain't lettin' nobody get away with that," Daryl stated simply. 

"So you let her dog run off? You know, if you let that thing die, she'd kill you soon as she woke up."

Daryl let off a tiny snort. His jaw tensed as he watched the snoring dog on top of the teenager's legs. "The dog don't listen to me like it do her. One o' the douchebags shot at 'im. Didn't hit, but he ran off. Tried to find 'im for hours. Smart dog, runnin' all the way back here."

"Someone had to've let him in the gates."

"Pro'lly Carol."

Tiny footsteps echoed through the cell block just outside Cailey's cell. Beth stepped into the tiny room with the hunters. "Hey, Michonne- oh, Daryl. You're back," the blonde's voice was soft, still. "I was able to get your jacket clean, it looks good. One of those patches are starting to fall off, but Carol's sewing it back on. She might have it done."

Daryl really could not have cared less about his jacket. Yeah, it was like those stupid embroidery-patch wings were a part of him now. And he wasn't particularly keen on walking around with a massively blood-stained jacket. However, he only really cared that everyone was alive. The hunter only gave a little mix of a grunt and a hum in response.

Shaky breathing made Michonne and Daryl stare at Cailey. Even Friar turned his head up. The brunette's chest rose and fell harsher now, and her eyebrows scrunched up before relaxing again. Her mouth twitched, and a tiny sigh came from her mouth. Cailey's pale hands gripped the bed tightly. Her eyes blinked wide open several times before she recognized the people around her. There was a near-silent sigh from the three people in the cell. Friar stood up on the mattress and began nosing at Cailey's cheek.

"Dumbass move, clodhopper," Daryl crossed his arms. "Lettin' yer'self get shot like that."

A loud exhale pushed out of Cailey's nose. Her head turned a few times against her pillow. "Who let the fucking redneck in 'ere?" Her voice was shaky and scratchy, but healthy.

Michonne's lips pressed together as she smiled. "Glad you're all right."

Cailey snorted. "Yeah, just great, love addin' holes to my body."

Michonne's smile grew a little more. Cailey was certainly feeling herself. Beth had a little smile on her face, too. Cailey pressed her lips tightly together as Friar stood over her, licking at her face. "Someone gonna get me a shirt or do I gotta get up myself?"

Daryl scoffed again, but he stood up. He walked right past Beth, up the stairs, and disappeared into the perch. Michonne gave a slight pat on the arm to Cailey. "Glad to see you're doing better."

Michonne left the cell, too, but she left permanently. As Beth sat down in one of the seats, Daryl emerged from the perch again. He stood in the doorway of the cell, and threw a piece of fabric on top of Cailey. The teen picked up the grey t-shirt with one hand. She grunted as she slowly sat up, her face tightening in pain.

"Be careful," Beth warned softly. "You might start the bleeding again."

Cailey let out a strained sigh. "Nah."

Friar backed away from Cailey as she reached the t-shirt over her head. Beth frowned as she saw massive scars on the girl's stretching shoulders, reaching from around her back and under her sports bra. She didn't dare ask Cailey about it.

"I can go pick up some food," the blonde girl nodded, face flushed. "I'll go get ma Daddy, too, so he can check up on you."

Cailey sighed as she situated her shirt. She slowly swung her feet out onto the floor as Beth left. Daryl swiveled his head to stare at the fleeing blonde, then sat back down with a loud exhale. "Actin' weird."

"Pro'lly just scared," Cailey mumbled. She stretched her back and tried to pop her spine, but every little movement hurt her side. Friar whined and leaned his front paws off the side of the bed as he lied back down, nosing his owner. The girl pat him on the head. "Quit wasting time, sure Rick's got shit he wants ya to do."

Daryl leaned back with his arms crossed, and he scoffed again. "So a kid tellin' me what to do, now?"

Cailey ignored the man across from her. She reached over to the bandanna lying on the mattress still. She folded it back into a headband, tied it around her forehead, and sighed again. She tried to push herself to a stand, whining in pain as she stood.

"The hell you goin'?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Cailey began slowly stepping out of the cell, just barely limping. Daryl let her leave, and didn't make any attempt to follow her. However, Friar hopped off the bed to follow the teenager.

Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek before he stood up again. The hunter walked right back out of the cell, then saw Cailey walk around the corner. Daryl slung his crossbow over his shoulder, sighed, and then headed out of the cell block.