05; MAN'S BEST FRIEND (season nine, episode seven)
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LIKE A BOLT of lightning, a Belgian Malinois raced through the woods in pursuit of an injured crow. Its paws barely skimmed the ground before it was moving again, fast and skilled and very much in need of a leash.
Enzo hopelessly chased after the canine, clutching his side as a stitch set in. Aria was lucky to have a pet chicken instead, Enzo bet that Nugget never did anything like this.
"DOG!" He yelled into the otherwise empty woods, breathing heavily as he slowed to a halt. He couldn't go on anymore, his chest hurt and so did his feet. He was sick of this. Daryl wouldn't let Enzo make Dog a leash, though. He said it was cruel, 'he's a free spirit, leave him be' Enzo wondered if that was more about Daryl himself than about Dog.
Rosita once told Enzo that Daryl was a 'double-shelled nut' she said it made it a lot harder to get beneath the surface, but ultimately, it was worth it. So, Enzo listened to her and he dedicated his every waking moment to cracking those shells- three years ago, he succeeded.
He'd lived out here with Daryl ever since. Daryl and Dog. They were an odd little family of three who didn't like each other very much but also didn't want to be apart from each other.
It was a rather confusing dynamic.
Enzo worked with it, though. This was his choice. He felt more at home out here with Daryl than he ever had in any place with walls.
"Dog?" Enzo yelled once more, he was panicking now, wondering how Daryl would take the revelation that he'd accidentally lost the canine in just half an hour. Would he stop speaking to him? Send him back to Alexandria?
Daryl came striding into view, a string of squirrels over his shoulder, and Dog panting happily by his side with a dead crow held delicately between his bloodstained teeth.
Enzo let himself breathe again. Panic over.
"What's got you all worked up?" Daryl asked with narrowed eyes.
Enzo hesitated. He didn't want Daryl to think he was still just a stupid little kid. "Dunno."
"Dunno," Daryl repeated teasingly and ruffled the younger boy's overgrown mop of hair. "Dog caught you a birthday present."
"The crow?" Enzo blinked uncertainly.
"Here, boy." Daryl clicked his tongue and Dog came running. "Drop it."
