Greek Tragedy | Daryl Dixon

Chapter 11 | You're Alone Now

Frowning, Cassandra swung her leg over the bike and dismounted, pushing it over to the side of the stable and throwing a muddy tarp over it as Rick approached her. 

"You seen Daryl?" the Sheriff enquired as he got closer. 

"Nah, sorry. He's out hunting at the moment."

Rick cursed and studied his boots, a wince on his face as he glanced back to the shed where the door had just slammed shut behind Shane and Randall. 

Awkwardly, the girl cleared her throat and offered, "I can go find him if you want; I know which direction he went. He tends to tell me the area he's hunting in."

Looking up, Rick was a little taken aback by her offer. It wasn't like he expected her to be unhelpful and insular...but she did not tend to interact with the group more than necessary. She was shy and jumpy. It wasn't like her. Then again, she had reason to be. Maybe she was warming up to them.

"Yeah," Rick replied gratefully. "That'd be good, really good." He turned and started walking away then turned back to say, "Thank you, I appreciate it. Tell him we need him at the shed soon as he can make it."

"Sure."

Knowing Daryl had intended to go out pretty far that day, Cassandra went to the stables and saddled Thunder. Ideally, she would have taken Nereus but the grumpy boy had no love for the hunter and would likely bite him if he tried to get on. Thunder – as Maggie said – was bomb-proof. A much better choice. She packed a bottle of water and some snacks into her pack and trotted off into the forest the way Daryl had left, bow at her back and knives on her legs. 

It was nearing late afternoon when Daryl's trail through the brush became fresher. She stopped and listened; Daryl was incredibly quiet when he hunted, but still not quite enough that she could not hear him. Up ahead she saw a clearing where a doe grazed calmly and knew exactly where the hunter was. She waited a moment for the inevitable twang of the crossbow and broke the treeline just as Daryl pulled the arrow out of his catch's neck. 

"Jesus, girl!" he exclaimed at her sudden appearance. "The hell you doin' out here?"

"Rick wants you back at the farm, says it's urgent."

"Tell 'im no! I'm huntin'. Don't he want food for the group?"

"Daryl," she snapped. It was harsher than she intended and made her glance down at her hands tangling in Thunder's mane in unease. She continued more softly. "They brought Randall back."

The hunter huffed and kicked the nearest shrub in annoyance, muttering curses under his breath.

"Fine, dammit. Help me get this girl onto the horse and we can head back."

They slung the carcass over Thunder's rump and Daryl got up behind Cassandra, much to the horse's displeasure – which he stamped out in the forest floor. Cass quickly hushed him, clicked the horse into motion and they were off back to the farm.

*****

Cassandra waited outside the shed with a bottle of water and some buttered toast on a plastic plate. She had set them on the grass next to her as she pulled at the blades in front of her, nibbled at her fingernails or pulled at one or other of her curls. All she could hear from inside was Daryl's angry voice and fists hitting flesh in sharp contrast to the peaceful music of birds and wind surrounding her. She did not like hearing Daryl interrogate Randall. Not one bit.

"I barely knew those guys," Randall whined hysterically. "I met them on the road!"

"How many in your group?"