"You really been carrying all this crap 'round on your back?"
Daryl helped the woman untie her gear from the branches of the tree, lowering them to the ground where the woman stood waiting. "Don't it slow you down?"
"You don't have to worry. Most of this was made for arduous journeys so it's made of fairly light material. Besides," she grunted, loading her gear together, tying bits here and there. "I have a system! The expendable stuff is the heaviest which gets packed separately and then attached to the bag." She pointed to her already finished pack. "See this overlap rope? If I need to ditch some weight I pull it and it all falls off."
"Just got a plan for everythin', don'cha?" Daryl scoffed. "We'll see how that all works out when you're runnin' from a herd and you trip over your rope."
At his comment her smile faltered for the first time since their meeting. It didn't last long, however, as the second they were en route towards Daryl's group a light smile graced her features once more. For reasons beyond him, the more she smiled the more agitated he got.
"Don't you ever stop that?"
"Sorry?"
"Smilin'."
"Oh.. That's right, eh? I guess I do that a lot. But why would that be a bad thing?"
"Man, you really must be crazy. Look around you, woman! Think of ya brother! You've got severed hands and feet hanging off your pack, for Christ' sake! What in the hell do you got to smile about?"
She halted as she thought, exhaling and leaning her head back towards the sky, closing her eyes. Simply pulsating with contentment. She put a hand on Daryl's shoulder and looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Shh – listen. Do you hear it? Those are birds still chirping and crickets still singing. Can't you feel it? There's a warm sun on your face and a breeze at your back. There are a lot of people that aren't here today to enjoy this so I'm gonna do it for them. Shit, if I came back as a ghost to find out the people still here weren't enjoying it as much as possible, I'd be pissed!" She shot him a grin and moved on. "Besides," she continued. "No law, no taxes, no jobs, no social pressure.. no tan lines." She looked back at Daryl and winked, noticing he was still standing where she left him, a perplexed yet disgruntled look about him. "Well, come on, I'm following you on this one, man!"
"Daryl." He grumbled as he caught up. "Daryl Dixon."
"Jade Palmer."
A comfortable silence fell between them as they continued on for hours, walking until the sun began to disappear behind the trees and the woods grew dim. They stopped and Jade began to set up camp, setting a long rope between her teeth as she climbed the tallest tree. After a time the tree was set up and Daryl was eying Jade warily.
"I ain't sleepin' in no tree." His eyes searched the trees surrounding them, cautious to watch for Walker's and a possible dinner.
"Fine, suit yourself, cause I ain't sleepin' exposed on no ground." She teased, strapping up the dead appendages and gear as she went. Reaching the top she tied a secure line between herself and the tree, moving to set up the bed. "You know, this will hold the both of us. It'll be tight but you'll be able to get a real nights sleep without fear of falling out or being eaten."
With a moments hesitation, a body check of his knives, and a grunt Daryl begrudgingly made his way up the tree.
