The next morning, he opened his eyes and blinked against the already burning sun. He turned his head to the side and almost like a déjà vu, he found himself alone in the shelter. Feeling the boards next to him, they were cold. She had said, she would leave early. Squinting his eyes against the sun, looking down on himself he realized how dirty he was. There was old, dried blood on the right-hand side of his stomach. Come to think of it, he didn't even know, if the blood was his. Sighing he put his clothes on and walked to the edge of the roof. She wasn't there. He almost felt relieved. The last few days had been intense and he just really wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
Grabbing his crossbow, he climbed down from the roof and went through the yard. Taking a few berries on the way. Out the gates into the woods. Suddenly coming to a stop. His eyes firmly locked on the ground. Nervously he rubbed his lower lip against his upper teeth. Fingers twitching on the crossbow over his shoulders. Her tracks. They were easier to find than usual. He looked at the forest heading south. Somehow the grass was taller, the leaves greener and the buzzing insects more intense in the direction of her home. Flowers that should have withered and died in the summer heat somehow held on to their fertility. And in the middle of it all her easy to make out tracks, as if she left them there for him to find. She might as well have left an invitation. His mind travelled to the day before. Heat. Fingertips. He cleared his throat and scratched his beard. Then he turned west into the forest. He hadn't gone much in that direction lately.
A few days went by where Daryl roamed the woods. He found a river with a spot on its banks that he found easy to defend and made camp. He could live here, on his own, he thought. With every day his encounter with Freja grew increasingly distant. Whenever the thought of her sweaty neck under his lips came to his mind, he would remind himself that he had now experienced the connection to another person, that all his friends seemed to value so dearly. He felt compelled to admit to himself, that he would simply never be fit for a relationship. He couldn't control himself, when he was with her and he simply didn't want to know, if he would eventually turn violent, like the other men in his family. He could stay out here till winter. Eventually, he thought, she would forget about him and find another plaything.
Weeks went by where he was living in the woods. Walkers would come, and on the occasion of a heard, he would climb a tree. His thoughts then always going back to that day, where he had met her. If only he hadn't stumbled to the ground near that hut with the broken windows. He would never have met her.
Searching the westernmost forest one morning, he was tracking a deer. There hadn't been many of those in the woods, but then there had been a lot of walkers lately. The deer tracks were fresh, but so were the walker tracks. More than one walker. "Hi Daryl". The voice was clear and calm. His blood rushed through him, clearing his mind at the threat. Spinning full circle and pointing the crossbow in the direction of the voice. His aim nearly immediately precise at its target. She was standing on a branch in a tree. Rather far away in the direction he was moving. He lowered the crossbow. The adrenaline residing and being replaced with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. What the hell was she doing here. He looked down at the tracks. He should have known it was her, but then again; she was awfully good at this game. Chewing his lower lip, he cocked his head looking up at her. His beady eyes narrow. The crossbow placed over his shoulder.
"What'cha doin' here?" He asked in his rusty voice. "This ain't never been a part o' the woods ya go to". He looked at the direction the deer tracks went. Then back over his shoulder towards his shelter. As if contemplating which route away from her would be the fastest. Her smile turned to a frown as she studied his posture. He was obviously uncomfortable. Closed up as he had been on their first few encounters. Rigid in his movements. She had vividly enjoyed their last meeting and expected him to show up at the garden at some point. Eventually she had gone to Hilltop hoping to find him there, only to learn that he had been gone for several days. After a couple of weeks, she had decided to go about her business with feelings bruised thinking they'd meet again eventually.
She climbed down from the tree and walked over to him. "I was having lunch. I am willing to share it". She came to a standstill a good three steps away from him. The vibe she got from him was that of a stray animal. Getting too close would only scare him away. Her frown deepened as a desire to hurt whom ever had caused him pain rose in her. Then she realized she'd probably have to hurt herself. Whatever did I do. Worry and pain accompanied the question in her mind. "I'll tell you what I am doing here while we eat?" With any luck this would bring on a bit of curiosity and she would have a chance to warm him up to her a bit. His eyes held hers like steel. "Sure. Whatever" he looked around finding a fallen tree. He sat down with his back against the trunk. She followed. Under other circumstances she would have placed herself touching him lightly. But had this been a bench, then there was a full seat between them. She passed him some food. Their fingers briefly touching.
"The walkers seem to be migrating west. I've never seen anything like it. I thought I'd find out why, so I started following a heard. I'm afraid I'd have to follow them a full summer, if I want to figure out what they are doing. So, I'm heading back. Harvest is coming". She glanced over at him. He was chewing and nodding. "I've noticed that too". Another bite of the vegetable was torn off and he chewed along "where'd ya think they're goin'?" His eyes connected with hers and for a second, she couldn't hide her yearning for him to open up to her. He got up and rubbed his hands on his pants. "Thanks for lunch. I got me a deer to hunt". Swiftly she was on her feet reaching for his arm as she had done successfully so many times before "Daryl - wait" she called out. Stopping herself from touching him. He turned angrily. His body tense "what?!" He took the crossbow from his shoulder and gripped it ready for the hunt. Drawing in a breath she relaxed. Her held out hand turning back to her to rest at her side. She looked up at him. Her expression relaxed. "That deer is dead". She smiled apologetically. "I just came from there. It's swamped. And that deer walked right into it. Sorry" he closed his eyes and let his head hang. Contemplating what to do. He heard her sighing "Daryl..." here it comes, he thought; what's wrong with you? Can we talk about it? He just wanted to get away. It had been weeks but that was not nearly enough time for him on his own. She shook her head "Daryl... I am heading east now, to try and make it to the garden before nightfall. If you are heading east now too, it makes no sense for us to do so individually. We don't have to talk." His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. Taking several breaths before answering. "Sure. Let's go then". He tossed a hand in the direction of east.
They walked in silence for a few hours. They would run into walkers often. They always came from the same direction. Out of the east heading west. Daryl and Freja would take the kill depending on who was closest. Five walkers were coming at Freja on her side. Nicely distributed with a few steps between them. Daryl made a move to assist her but was met with a stern look that only lasted half a second. "You better just keep your side clear" she said. With elegant movements the walkers were taken out one by one. She spun around her own axis increasing the velocity of her knives, slamming them against the temples of the first two. The strength of the impact splattering brain matter in a half circle around her. Hitting him across the chest. Good thing I didn't wash myself up. He thought momentarily disgusted by the smell of rotting blood. The third she kicked in the head. Her heel hitting it on the side of its head. The fourth she spun around again stabbing it in the temple and the fifth she sidestepped getting it in the back of its skull as its dead hands gripped at the empty air where she used to be. She had stabbed the fifth before the first lay still in the dry leaves of the forest undergrowth. He couldn't help but he impressed. He had seen her fight before, but never like this. Then again, they had never been in such a tight spot before. There had always been an aspect of fun and games for them. Like smacking annoying flies, but now… now the danger was real. None of them knew for how long they would have to fight their way through. Efficiency and precision had taken over their movements. They moved closely and silently through the woods. The fighting excited her and whenever their eyes met, a mysterious smile crossed her lips. Contemplating the situation, he started regretting his hostility. Whatever his internal judgment was, of her power over him, when they were close, she obviously perceived the situation differently. "Hey" he softly whispered "thanks for letting me know about that deer". He attempted a smile that rather turned into a weird grimace. A kind smile took her face, as she just nodded back.
Another silent hour later, she stopped and looked around. The constant flow of walkers had slowed down and they had managed to move a little faster. "I have to head south now". She looked at the forest. He nodded. Averting his eyes to the ground. "Daryl... you know you're always welcome, but I can go home on my own" she wanted to hug him. Kiss him. Just something. But she also realized, that now was not the time. Instead she continued "I'll be seeing you". His lips tight, she tried to smile and gave a little wave. Turning around on her heels and headed south. It felt like a hand was gripping her heart. Squeezing it tight. She rubbed her chest on the left-hand side. Trying to loosen the muscle tissue but it made no difference. Nausea came on and her breaths became superficial. She just wanted to make it home as fast as possible. She had some moonshine, that she had traded herself to at the Hilltop. She needed it. To turn off her thoughts. Her eyesight distorted with tears welling up as she stopped. Rubbing her eyes and drawing deep breaths. There was something in the woods behind her. For a second, she contemplated letting whatever it was get her. But then she drew a blade and turned slowly. Anger and hatred taking over the curves of her face. It was Daryl. "I'll see ya home. Ain't got nothin' better to do". The look on her face worried him. Every facial feature she had distorted and darkened. She hid her face in her palm and rubbed her eyes. Then peaked up at him scratching an eyebrow with her thumb. Managing a tired smile. "I'd love that" she said. He hadn't been able to let her go. She could fend for herself and he knew that, but if she got taken out on the way back and he could have helped her, he knew he'd never forgive himself for that. With the forest as dangerous as it was right now, there really hadn't been a choice.