The start

There's a Storm Coming

I woke up in the morning climb out of the tent. Daryl already had breakfast in the fire pit. I look over at him as he was loading up his bike. Its been a long time since I've seen it uncovered. Henry was cleaning or packing our camp up.

"Morning." I walk over to Daryl and give him a kiss.

"Mornin." He grumbles as he straps his crossbow to the bike.

"Guess we're going to hilltop?" I asked as he nods his head. I go over to fire pit and pour what was made into a cup and drink it. Tasted like chicken but looked like coffee. Oh well. After finishing that up I head over to our tent and take things down. I roll them up into our backpacks. I load it up on the bike and watch as Carol talks to Daryl. She smirks to her self as she eats breakfast. I smiled down at the ground. She definitely had some sort of persuading to do with his decision.

"Ready?" I asked as Carol and Henry hop on their wagon. She nods her head as I hop on the bike with Daryl. We weren't too far from hilltop maybe thirty minute ride at most. Closer than the kingdom and Alexandria.

"Come on dog!" I yelled as we take off. He barks and follows us through the whole ride.

We finally reach Hilltop. They let us in  automatically at the sight of Daryl. After everything we've been through Jesus would never turn us away. We needed hilltop just as much as they needed us. We rode throught the gates and at the look of things, they were still the same as ever. I mean sure they have expanded their crop and buildings. but the aesthetic was still the same as when Maggie was here. Tara comes up to us as we get off the bike. She fist bumps Daryl and nods her head at me. I keep my distance from her. After the way she treated Dwight and I, I couldn't get over it. You can't just move on after someone treated you so badly. She walks over to Carol and Henry greeting them as Jesus walks up.

"This is a pleasant surprise. What brings you all the way out here?" Jesus says as he hugs me and shakes hands with Daryl.

"Henry. He's taken a stubborn interest in blacksmithing." Carol smiled at him.

"Oh. We might be able to help with that." Jesus chuckled as Aaron walks over to us.

"Thought I heard a bike." Aaron says as hands the horses over to Tara. He gives Daryl a hug and pat on the shoulder.

"How are you doing Harley?" Aaron asked as he hugs me.

"Same old same old. Nothings changed much." I chuckled.

"Good to see you, man. What you doin' here? Something up?" Daryl asked motioning toward the horses they gathered at the gate.

"We found Rosita outside the walls yesterday. She's pretty banged up." Aaron informs us.

"Is she here?" Daryl asked.

Yeah." He nods his head.

"Is she ok?" I asked.

"Yeah. And, uh, Eugene's missing. We're headed out to go find him. Could use a good tracker." Aaron asked as Daryl looks over at me. I nod my head.

"Yeah. Of course." Daryl says and then looks back at Carol forgetting he was in charge of Henry.

"Go." Carol nodded her head.

"Yeah?" Daryl asked to make sure it was ok.

"Mm-hmm." She said as Daryl head back over to his bike. I head over to his bike and get on with him.

"Nah, you should stay. Maybe get settled in and keep an eye on the boy."

"Ha, you're funny Mr. Dixon but I'm not staying unless you do. Henry is your job not mine. Besides, we have plenty of time to settle when we get back." I lean forward and kiss his cheek.

"Alright Mrs. Dixon. Settle when we get back. I want the right side of the bed." He snorted.

"Not fair." I hit his shoulder as he chuckled. He kicks starts the bike as Aaron and Jesus were on their horses.

"Dog!" Daryl yelled as Dog barked and ran up to the gate. The gates open wide as we head out. We let Dog lead the way. As much as Daryl is a great tracker he didn't have the nose Dog did.

After a few minutes of riding Dog led us to a field. Daryl motions Aaron and Jesus to stop. We get off the bike and head toward the field. A herd of walkers were walking in circles. I've seen them wander but never in a circle. It was as if they couldn't decide or something. Aaron, Jesus and I stayed near a tree watching out for them as Daryl looks at the tracks. Dog was running around in the field.

"It's about 130, 140 of them." Daryl says as he walks back over to us.

"You ever see them do this before?" Jesus

"No. Never." Aaron answered.

"Daryl and I haven't seen a herd or a cluster of them in a while. The good thing about staying near the river. From what I can remember, I don't think I've seen them do this." I shake my head.

"Rosita's back trail goes right through 'em. We should get the horses, circle around, then we'll pick it up on foot." Daryl says as he turns away to head for the bike.

"What about them?" Aaron asked.

"What about 'em?" Daryl asked looking back.

"They're just milling around. That's not normal." Jesus looks up at Daryl.

"Something is definitely not right." I stare at the herd. They just kept walking in circles.

"No. No, it ain't. We should go. There's a storm coming. Dog!" Daryl calls as we head back to the bike and horses.  We circle around the herd and continue on foot. We head through the empty field tracking Rosita's scent.

"I want to take a shower before you." I smirked as we continue our settling conversation. I just want the hot water.

"Ain't got no problem with that." Daryl says as he whistles for Dog to stay close.

"Fine, whoever gets up first has to bring breakfast for the other." I suggested.

"Nah, no deal."  He shakes his head.

"Why?" I smiled.

"I know what you're trying to do. I ain't bringing you breakfast in bed every mornin." he shook his head as I laughed.

"But," I started but get cut off.

"Nah, you know I'm the one that gets up first. It's not fair." He pouted as I giggled.

"Alright, how about I bring you dinner and you bring me breakfast. Sounds fair?" I look at him as he stopped in his tracks.

"Daryl?" I asked as he stepped forward.

"Stay." He tells dog as dog sat by my feet.

"The herd... It's coming for us. The wind is carrying the sound." Daryl says as he looks at Aaron and Jesus. He reaches into his bag and pulls out the timer. He cranks it up and throws it as fars as he can.

"C'mon. Let's put some ground between us and them." Daryl says as he grabs my hand and whistles for dog.