Ruins

8

"We missed you." He nodded at me, fiddling with his crossbow. "I... missed you."

I held back a smirk and leaned forward to nudge him. "Got any more traps?"

We didn't make a lot of small talk as we ventured through the woods to check the other traps, which held an opossum and a squirrel.

"I have a bird back at the church." I shrugged. "That oughta be enough."

"You look skinny." He mentioned, making me look at him and bite at my lip.

"Well I didn't really have anyone to pick up the slack."

"When's the last time you ate?" He asked, moving to the other side of me as we walked back to the church.

"Two, three days maybe."

"You should've never went out on your own- I shouldn't have let you."

I hated to agree with him. I needed to be alone, but being alone took a toll on me, physically and mentally.

"Well I have y'all now. So I can get my strength back."

"Lean on me a little." He nodded. I knew he was being figurative, but I stepped closer, and leaned into his side and surprisingly, he let me, wrapping his arm over my shoulder.

Back at the church I reclaimed my bird and sat on the porch to pluck the feathers and legs off.

"What do you know about feather plucking?" I heard a chuckle. I looked up to see Maggie.

"Not much, to be honest." I shook my head. She sat beside me.

"Put it upside down, and then pluck." She flipped the bird in my lap. I plucked a few and she nodded.

"Try not to pull too many feathers or you'll rip the skin." She said.

"I'm sorry." I shook my head. She tilted her head at me. "I feel like I totally reassured you and then... just left y'all high and dry."

"It sucked." She sighed.

"I know you guys knew Merle as a douche... but he was my best friend. He was my big brother. And who he was in Woodbury... that wasn't him. I was lucky enough to know the real him." I spoke, looking at the bird in my lap.

"I think he was lucky to have you." Maggie patted my knee. "I'll warm you up some broth." She said, using my shoulder to stand.

I plucked the bird carefully, and by the time I was done it almost looked like a rotisserie chicken- but that was probably just my stomach thinking for me. I took the bird inside with me and found Carol.

She sent me a smile before I stood before her.

"Have any idea how to cook this?" I held the bird in front of her.

"I'm sure I can figure something out." She nodded, taking it.

Maggie was in the front of the church, where the burning smell was coming from. Daryl was beside her, talking quietly.

I sunk into the hard wood of the seats, and sad to say, it was the most comfortable I had been in weeks.

"'Ere." I opened my eyes to Daryl, holding a can in front of me. I took the can he wrapped in some cloth and held it.

"Thanks."

"Ain't much, but you shouldn't fill yourself just yet. Take it slow."

I nodded, sipping the broth from the can.

"So what's next?" I asked, looking around.

"Mm... the redhead." Daryl pointed to Abraham. "He's been taking his people to D.C."