Hurricane (Daryl Dixon)

05: Secrets Part 1

Two weeks later....
September 2010
Phoenix's POV

"Glenn knows about the barn." Maggie tells me as I'm changing for the day.

"How?" I ask and she looks away.

"We were going to have sex, but he saw them. I told him he couldn't tell anyone." Maggie says and I nod.

"Secrets don't last long in that group from the looks of them." I say as I fasten my jeans and grab my jacket, as summer is ending quickly this year. Already dropping into the 50's at night now.

I walk outside and see the boy, Carl, feeding our chickens with his mom, Lori. I also see that Patricia is in the coop. I walks over and smile at Lori as she and Carl have a playful banter on Lori's job.

"They don't have a mother." Carl says to the chicks wander about.

"I'm sure she's around somewhere." Lori says and Carl nods.

"Maybe she got eaten. Everything's food for something else." He says and I walk away, done with that sick and twisted conversation.

I walk to the ruins of the old house where Daryl is setting his own camp up.

"Came up here to get away- oh wrong person." He says when he realizes its not one of his group.

"Can you teach me how to hunt? All I know how to do is trap." I say and he nods.

"Ya daddy say it's okay?" He asks and I roll my eyes.

"I'm 23, Daryl. I can do what I want." I say and he smirks as he waves for me to follow him.

Rick's POV

"I'll have a word with Daryl." I say to Hershel, after he told me that one of his horses was missing still.

"And my daughters? Phoenix and Maggie? I don't like that their getting comfortable with two of your group." Hershel says and I sigh.

"What do you propose?" I ask him and he nods.

"You control your people and I'll control mine." Hershel says and I nod, leaving.

Phoenix's POV

"Let it fly." Daryl says and I nail the squirrel to the tree with the bow.

"Ya sure ya ain't done this before? Cause ya's one hell of a crackshot." Daryl says and I blush as I hand him his crossbow back.

"Nope. Never done this before. Just trapped Rabbits mostly. Occasionally got a freaking coon or possum, but mostly rabbits." I say and he laughs.

"Well then. Ever catch a bobcat?" He asks and I nod.

"Once, she was starving and I nursed her back to health. She's still around her I think." I say and let out whistle.

Leaves crunch, then I see my baby.

"This is Missy. She was only four months old when I saved her little ass." I say and pet her. Daryl smiles and sets his bow down, petting Missy too.

"She's a northern Bobcat." He mentions and I nod.

"Northwestern to be more precise, but yeah she's a damn Yankee." I say and he laughs as he gives one of the thirteen squirrels to her and she eats it.

"How does she survive?" Daryl asks and I smile.

"Well DNR made me release her when she was ten months old. By then she knew how to hunt for herself." I say and he nods.

"Ya bringing her back?" He asks and I nod.

"Too risky for her to be out here. Shd could get eaten. Besides, Daddy will be happy to see her again." I say as we go back to camp.