"This is as good a place as any." Daryl said looking around. "We'll make camp here and tomorrow we'll start looking for tracks around the creek bed."

"Now I see why you were so determined to get this camper running. We're a long ways out." Rick said.

"Better that way. Whatever we take down we field dress it here to keep the smell of blood out of our little haven. We know those SOBs can smell, but we don't know how good." Daryl said.

"Hopefully we can get some meat laid in. With the freezer working we can keep it from spoiling." Rick noted. "That's if we can actually hit something." Rick said looking at the crossbow in front of him dubiously.

"When it comes to shooting, the basics is pretty much the same as a shotgun or rifle. You got the scope for targetin', sight in and when you got your target lined up, pull the trigger. But you get the one shot make it count. By the time you set it again, whatever you were aimin' at will be gone. It's quieter than a gun, but you lose time."

"Wouldn't a regular bow be faster?" Carl asked.

"Yeah, a lot faster. You can fire as fast as you can pull a arrow of of the quiver but you lose accuracy. Crossbow is also limited in how many arrows you can carry, another reason to take your time and make your shots count. Tomorrow you guys learn on the fly."

"You kids should bed down." Rick said. "I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."


"Merle!" Glenn said startled as the big man walked up on him. "You startled me."

"Yeah, I see that. You need to be alert. It seems like we're safe but you never know. Just cause we ain't seen no herds don't mean there ain't a straggler out there. And it ain't just walkers we got to worry bout."

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

"People, people who ain't worth a damn. They're out there. You don't think that we the only ones survived do you? Duane and I was waiting when you showed up. Didn't know it was you, but we knew it was living people. If it hadn't been you folks there' be some bodies in that parkin lot."

"How did you know we were coming." Glenn asked.

"Little brother got careless, left tire tracks. I ain't seen no walkers on motorcycles since this shit started." Merle spat on the ground. "So you keep your eye out there, don't need no surprises."


Daryl sat up and grabbed his bow. Since the farm had fallen, he had developed the annoying habit of waking up at the least little noise. Made for a lot of sleepless nights. He saw Rick standing at the front of the camper peering off into the darkness. Quietly he joined his friend.

"See somethin'?" He whispered.

"You won't believe what I saw if I told you." Rick said.

"You kiddin' me Grimes? You're talkin to a man that saw a chupacabra." Daryl said.

"Well you're talking to a man that just saw damned tiger crossing the road." Rick said.

"Well that ain't so strange when you think about it. All them animals in the zoos. If the walkers ain't get em, they probably roamin' around the woods looking for food. Ain't no zookeepers left to bring em dinner every day." Daryl said. "Sun'll be up soon. Let's get the boys up and find us a trail."


"Here girlie." Merle said handing Carol a golf club. "Something come at you, you swing that iron hard as you can at it's head. I mean hard girlie. You stay here, I'll walk the perimeter."

"You're leaving me alone? You can't, what if a walker shows up." Carol asked, upset.

"You're a big girl. You kill it. I can't babysit you no more n anybody else can. We all gotta do what we gotta do to survive, including killing the damned things if we have to. Only ones ain't killed one yet is you n Beth. She's young, but she's tryin to learn."

"I can't. You can't ask me to do this." She balked.

"I ain't askin Carol. I'm tellin you. Ever one of us is responsible for the safety of this group, it ain't a option, it's a requirement.. All of us do something. We all been working to make this place livable and pullin' patrol at night. You gonna pull your weight now too. Or deal with the consequences."

"What consequences?" She asked.

"Ain't you been living with consequences already? If it comes down to it. Which one of those people wants you within 10 feet when the crap hits? Hmm? Carl told you Daryl done said he''ll take one of those boys at his back before you. You're a joke Carol. You're the maid, the pet cleaning lady that ain't nobody gonna risk their ass for no more when it comes down to it. You want people to look out for your ass now, then you gonna have to prove it's worth lookin' out for." Merle said walking away.


"See the hoof prints, that's a deer, came down here to the creek to get a drink. Headed up that way. Now we follow it. Tracks ain't always prints though. Sometimes you gotta look for other things." Daryl said.

"Like what?" Duane asked from behind him.

"Sometimes it's leaves been stirred up like this. See how these leaves are dry but all the rest is wet? The wet ones is where the dew fell on em last night. The dry ones is where something come through and turned em over." Daryl explained as he pointed out a handful of dry leaves in the trail. "Or maybe the brush just ain't laying right."

He reached out and grabbed Rick's arm. "Or whatever you tracking leaves a big pile on the ground."

Rick looked down to see that he had stepped in a pile of feces. "Shit!" he said dragging his foot through the leaves and dirt, trying to wipe it off. Carl and Duane managed to keep their laughter down to quiet giggles.

"Exactly, and the fresher it is, the closer your prey. And that's pretty damned fresh." Daryl smirked. "Bambi ain't too far off so keep it down." Daryl lifted his bow and moved forward.