It had been two weeks since Eralyn had joined Rick's group and her body was healing swiftly thanks to her nurses i.e Dale the helicopter mom and the small of her back and very centre of her spine needed heavy bandaging now. After a few days of the best physical therapy the two could provide she had been given the all clear to properly move out and about, She'd been very busy helping Lori and Andrea forage for edible plants which the women were surprised with how knowledgeable she was on the topic of poisonous vs. delicious. Eralyn had also been accompanying Daryl on hunting trips as well as perimeter watch, which was one of her favourite pass times, just her and Daryl and the calm of the wild.

Currently the little hunter sat in the midday sun after sorting through and prepping herbs for drying, She was quietly admiring the silver scars that marked her legs as they poked out of the rolled up jeans she had been given. occasionally one of the scars caught in the light and the raised lump was put into stark contrast against her once smooth skin, she didn't mind the scars they reminded her of the type of world she now lived in.

A shadow fell over her momentarily as Lori walked by basket in hand and Carl by her side, the two were in the middle of a philosophical debate which consisted of weather batman could defeat superman in a fight. Eralyn quickly caught up to help, she wanted the work to prove she was pulling her weight. Down by the river she scrubbed clothes and made playful banter with the other women, it had been too long since she had been with decent people and she was sad for that but also very happy they had found her.

"Hey Er'yn," Daryl called out as he made his way out of the thicket and over to the gaggle of women. "Thought you was coming hunting with me today,"

"I am, I just wanted to lend a hand first," she smiled, waving him over to the clear stream." Why don't you help too?"

"'it would be appreciated, considering we just cleaned your unmentionables." Andrea quipped, causing small stir of giggles.

Daryl huffed over, sitting down next to Eralyn with a pointed yet playful glare as he set about helping scrub the clothes. "Don't be talking about my boxers," he mumbled grumpily.

When the washing was finished Daryl lead the way out to where he and Eralyn would be hunting, he'd made her a small bow and lent a knife to match her axe and gun, the knife and axe she could use almost proficiently without trying but the gun and bow were hard for her to handle, the recoil and weight of them seemed to put her off, he noticed the strain it put into her back when she went to draw the bow, and although he could see the flicker of pain in her eyes it was good for her to strengthen her back, she was getting better and that pleased him.

The air was silent as they crept along, Daryl liked having a decent hunting partner for once, Since Meryl he hadn't had anyone good to track with and to be honest she was better company than his missing brother and although she was obviously more educated than him the young woman never seemed to doubt him or pull rank she genuinely looked up to him and he liked that feeling of pride when she had learnt something from him.

They had been tracking a wild pig for the better half of the day, which was extremely dangerous but they didn't mind.

Up ahead Daryl spotted it, he pulled the woman into a crouch and using a gentle touch directed her head to see it, she smiled and revelled in the beauty of the boar. If the world hadn't gone to shit she'd feel bad, but they had people to feed. She'd bagged a few squirrels under Daryl's instruction, even caught a rabbit and was excited to see the way the boar would go down.

"You're gonna take the shot," he whispered to her noting the way her neck moved as she swallowed.

"But I'll miss," she breathed.

"Nah, you'll get it," he assured her winking as he cocked his crossbow, a fall back which didn't make her feel confident.

Eralyn arched her back cautiously as she drew the arrow and pulled the bowstring, her heart hammered in her throat as the arrowhead lined up her target, she could feel Daryl watching her intently as she breathed out a shaken puff of air. The low whistle that accompanied the arrow as it flew through the empty space and impaled the pig through its neck. The creature squealed unpleasantly as it died slowly, and she raced over pulling her knife and shutting it up with a death blow before pulling out her arrow and pouching it.

"You got it," Daryl smiled catching up to her and snapping a branch the diameter of her wrist off the nearest tree with ease.

"I was aiming for its head like you do," she pouted tying its legs together cable ties as Daryl slid the branch through the space between its secured limbs, she didn't like the way the pigs squeals had echoed around the forest and she was worried Walkers were about.

The two carried the pig between them on the branch as they made their way back, nine squirrels, two rabbits and a boar not bad for a day's work, she was practically skipping when the forest became eerily quiet, save for the flock of birds that hurriedly flew out of the thicket and of course this was a clue to the oncoming danger.

The Walker ahead shuffled across the path and Daryl's grip on the boar stick loosened as he reached for his crossbow. The branch became too heavy for Eralyn to carry alone and was wrenched out of her hands as it dropped to the ground with a loud and fear inducing thud which alerted the walker in front but also the one behind that neither had seen or heard.

Daryl had just taken the shot lodging the bolt in the dead man's temple when Eralyn screamed, He turned in time to watch the Walker that had snuck up on them grab her from behind and pull her to the ground as she twisted around to face it. Daryl's heart leapt out of his chest the creature lunged from it's position on top of her, Eralyn was holding it off with her legs as it tried to munch her throat it's gaping maw coming far too close to her skin. Her shaking fingers pulled the trigger of her gun at the same second Daryl's bolt shot through the top of its skull.

The body slumped to the side and was still save for the steady dripple of dark blood gliding out of its hideous and mangled face. Eralyn skittered away from it fearful the creature might come to life again her back bumped into Daryl's shins. She breathed heavily as he pulled her upright, blood trickled from her shoulder and he held her at a distance fear and anguish raging in the pits of his stomach.

"Did you get bit?" he asked frantically pulling her hair out of the way to reveal a deep gouge from where the branch had scrapped against her collar bone as it fell, he sighed heavily and dropped his sweaty forehead into the crook of her neck breathing out a deep shuddering chuckle.

" I thought you was a goner,"

"M..Me too" She gulped standing still as a stone, there was silence again as Daryl's hands shakily snaked around her waist, she was his friend the thought of losing her made him uncomfortable. Her hands found his shirt and she let out a shaky sob as she pulled the fabric closer to hide her face. Daryl could feel her cool skin against his warm face her hair tickled his hands as she buried her face further into his chest.

"That was way too close," she breathed and he felt a twinge deep in his chest life had a way of doing this, every moment you spent with someone was so much more intimate then before but this felt different, this was different.

Daryl pulled away too look at her dirty face, sweeping her fringe out of the way.

"Way too close," he whispered in agreement feeling his face grow hot as she stared up at him "we should get going," he stuttered moving away quickly.

"Yeah this pig won't carry itself," she smiled shakily letting him go and picking up the hanging branch again "and we both know you can't do it by yourself princess," she teased playfully.

"Shut up," he laughed as they made their way back.

/

OMG so sorry this took so long, I lost all the documents on my computer for ages.

love you.

More Darylyn side adventures.