It was a beautiful and sunny morning. Luckily they didn't see any walkers around.

Most of the traps had been empty but to tell you the truth Daryl Dixon wasn't sorry about it. No, he was thinking about something else now. Something deeply disturbing.

William's behavior at the gate truly bothered him. It bothered him so much that he had decided to study the traces on the ground.

William's footprints were easy to recognize. Daryl had spotted them on the gate - deep, large footprints of a heavy male.

He was here in the woods at night. Alone. He went back and forth. It was a stupid and dangerous thing to do. Not to mention that he left the gate unattended. I wonder why.

I must know what he was doing here, Daryl thought and looked at the ground intently.

Amber had no idea what he was doing. She felt like they had been walking for hours - and for what? Two stupid squirrels and three mushrooms.

And Daryl Dixon, the man of her dreams, was distracted, almost rude to her.

He doesn't pay any attention to me, Amber thought gloomily.

She decided to change that.

"Oh, Daryl, it's so hot today, isn't it?" she said with a flirtatious tone and opened the top button of her shirt.

"Yeah", the hunter replied briefly still staring at the ground.

"I mean… really really hot", Amber continued with a smile and opened the second button.

"Drink", Daryl said and tossed her a bottle of water indifferently.

Then he turned around and walked rapidly across a little opening following the tracks on the ground.

Amber stared after him feeling left out. Yet she decided to try again - she took off her shirt so that she had just a pink, flattering bikini top and worn-out jeans on. She licked her lips and fluffed her hair. Then she followed the hunter.

"Are you hot?" Amber asked innocently when she finally reached him in the edge of the forest.

"No", Daryl replied and frowned.

He had found something that he hadn't expected.

William met someone here, he realized looking at the footprints on the ground.

He decided to follow these new tracks. He glanced at Amber quickly and realized for the first time that she was very lightly clothed.

Amber inhaled hoping that the hunter would notice her luscious breasts.

"Put the shirt on. Mosquitoes", Daryl noted and stepped into deep, green shadows of the forest. Suddenly he sensed danger. It was too quiet here.

I must hurry back to the camp and alert the others, he figured.

Amber had had enough.

"Daryl! Come back here!" She summoned demandingly. Her voice was strangely loud in the quiet woods.

Daryl returned to the opening quickly - now staring at Amber stunned.

Who was this girl? Why was she acting like this? Didn't she understand anything about the dangerous world they lived in?

At the same time Daryl realized that Amber was so young that she had lived most of her life on the Zone. She really didn't know much about the world outside.

Beth was so much smarter at that age, Daryl thought.

"Keep your voice down", he hissed angrily.

"Look at me, Daryl!" Amber said seductively now that she finally had his attention.

The hunter stared at her. His mind had been elsewhere, and because of that he realized only now that this wasn't just an innocent quest for mushrooms.

We really don't have time for this ridiculous high school drama, Daryl thought angrily.

But Amber saw things differently.

"I have dreamed about this moment for a long time. I'd really like you to kiss me, Daryl Dixon", she said softly.

"Put yer clothes on, girl. Now", Daryl said rudely. He truly hadn't expected any of this to happen.

"Why? I know that you like young, fresh blondes. Beth was about my age when you two started to be together. Don't deny it, I know! Now that Beth has become sick, fat and boring I thought you'd like to try something else for a change", Amber said brazenly, looking at him in the eyes.

Daryl was shocked.

"Don't talk about Beth like that! She's my woman, the mother of my children, you stupid girl", he snapped furiously.

"Besides - you're with Carl, right?" he continued contemptuously.

"Carl? He's just a boy. I started to be with him just to get close to you", Amber said airily.

It was at that moment when Daryl heard voices behind the trees.

Strange men. Approaching quickly. Going towards the camp, he realized in a split second.

"Hide! Now!" he hissed at Amber and pointed at the thick bushes nearby.

The girl obeyed although she didn't hear anything herself.

Soon they were lying on the ground behind the bushes. Not a moment too soon - a group of men came into the opening.

Two… three… four… five guys, armed heavily, Daryl counted quickly holding his breath.

They have an upper hand. I can't do a damn thing here, he understood.

One of the men turned around and Daryl recognized him immediately. Private James O'Keefe - former underling of general Cox. A soldier who lived on the Zone once. Who was banished with his comrade because he tried to rape one of the women. Who showed the location of the Zone to the Consultant, Daryl remembered all of a sudden.

This is what is left of the Consultant's men, he realized. Apparently the walkers didn't kill all of them.

O'Keefe turned around and summoned someone over his shoulder.

"We have to hurry. William is expecting us already. It's time. Come on, boss", he shouted.

Two things happened simultaneously.

Amber pressed her body against Daryl.

"Kiss me or I scream, Daryl", she whispered seductively into his ear.

The sixth man, the boss, stepped out of the woods.

Daryl recognized him too. A nice looking young man with blondish hair.

Jeremy Wood.

xxxx

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xoxoxo,

SandyBell