Arrowbound

9. Farm

Astrid was trailing behind her dad as the group made their way back through the forest to the highway, they stopped to have a break and wait for the others to catch up like they said they would. Suddenly a gunshot rung through the land, Astrid's head shot up from the ground.

"We all heard it," Daryl said, standing next to his daughter.

"Why one, why just one walker." Lori questioned anxiously.

"Maybe they took down a walker," Daryl tried to reason.

"Or got a deer or somethin'" Astrid added, her dad giving her a nod thinking she could be right too.

"Please don't patronize me, you know Rick wouldn't waste on bullet to put down a walker, or Shane, they'd do it quietly."

"Shouldn't they have caught up to us by now?" Carol said, clutching her bag.

"There's nothing we can do about it anyways, can't run around these woods chasing echoes." Daryl confirmed, his crossbow at the ready in his hand.

"Yeah," Astrid nodded in agreeance, she liked when her dad was in charge because in a way it made her have some power, at least in her eyes.

"So what do we do?" Lori says.

"Same as we've been, beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway." Daryl kept watch as he spoke, making sure nothing of threat was coming and also looking for Sophia.

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV," Andrea said, backing up Daryl.

"The thought of her, out here by herself. It's the not knowing that's killing me, I just keep hoping and praying she didn't wind up like Amy," Carol said before regret crossed her face, "Oh, God. That's the worst thing I've ever said." She whispered as she held Andrea's hands.

"We're all hoping and praying with you," Andrea nodded, shaking away the thoughts of her dead sister, "For what it's worth."

Daryl stepped forward, loosing his patience, Astrid knew her dad never believed in god or religious stuff. "I'll tell you what it's worth, not a damn thing. It's a waste of time all this hoping and praying cause' were gonna locate that little girl, and she's gonna be just fine, am I the only one zen around here? Good lord." Daryl said, it sounded like he was trying to be some form of comforting but it came off more passive aggressive, Astrid agreed with him anyways, she never had much knowledge of religion anyways.

"I'm zen, daddy." Astrid said as she walked fast to keep by his side, she didn't actually know what that word meant but she wanted to be like her dad since he was a badass so zen must be badass too.

"Yeah," He muttered as he ruffled her hair and focused back on keeping watch for Sophia, he wanted to talk to his girl more he just didn't know how, and every time he did speak to her he usually said something wrong and upset her without meaning too.

They kept on walking back to the highway and looking for Sophia, hoping to meet the others before dark. "We'll loose the light before too long, I think we should call it." Daryl said, standing off to the side with his daughter next to him. Sophie was standing next to Lori.

"Let's head back," Lori agreed.

"We'll pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asked.

"Yeah we'll find her tomorrow." Lori reassured, Astrid had a bad feeling she just couldn't tell what it was, anyway. Daryl whistles and they turn back to get going to the highway, everyone on watch and Daryl having his weapon at the ready, Astrid copying by holding her knife.

Suddenly Andrea started screaming, she apparently walked away from the group without anyone noticing. They all ran over to her as quickly as possible, she was laying on the ground, kicking back a walker who was trying to reach her.