Daryl's POV

I looked up at a bird caw, keeping a tight grip on the small tree in my grasp, and watched 3 or 4 of 'em circling above the canopy.

"Please, don't feed the birds."

I tilted my head back, looking up behind me and watched my brother walk up to the edge at the top of the ridge.

I looked back to what I was doing, repositioning my grip before taking the next step.

Merle's rough laugh taunted me from just yards above, "What's the matter, Darylina? That all you got in you?"

I pulled myself up backwards onto the next lip, groaning while my side throbbed, and grabbed my next hand hold.

"Throw away that purse and climb."

I held onto the thick enough roots, shuffling my feet along the inches wide ledge.

"I liked it better when you was missin" I tried to concentrate on climbing but Merle continued to make it difficult.

"Oh come on, now. Don' be like that. I'm on your side" Merle laughed.

My crossbow hit me in the leg as I moved for the hundredth time. Hanging it off my neck ain't exactly easy but it'll just get in the way anywhere else. I'm gonna have a Hell of a bruise later.

"Yeah? Since when?" I reached for a small tree, using it while I carefully maneuvered my feet along the unstable dirt.

"Hell, since the day you were born, baby brother. Somebody had to look after your worthless ass."

I almost scoffed. "You never took care a me. Talk a big game but you was never there. Hell, you ain't here now. Guess some things never change." I pulled myself over the next ledge, cutting another 3 feet off my climb.

"Well, I'll tell you what—...I'm as real as your Chupacabra"

"I know what I saw." I grit my teeth as I pulled myself up backwards again and turned around to find my hand holds. Pullin' myself up backwards works a Hell of a lot better than what I was doin' before. It don' hurt as much.

"Yeah, and I'm sure them shrooms you ate had nothing to do with it, right?" Merle mocked.

"You'd best shut the Hell up!" I glared at him. I've had it with this.

"Or whaaaat? You gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? Well, come on and do it then, if you think you're man enough. Hey! Kick off them damn high heels and climb, son." Merle's laugh grated on my last nerve.

Fine, then. Have it your way.

I grit teeth, my blood boiling, and grabbed the trees so hard my knuckles turned white.

"You know what? If I were you I'd take a pause for the cause, brother. Cause I just don't think you gonna make it to the top."

I swung my legs up using a small tree, getting closer to my asshole of a brother by the step; ready to punch him out the second I get up there.

"Come on. Come on, little brother. Grab your friend Rick's hand."

I slammed my hand into the dirt at the top. Right in front of his feet and pulled myself up.

My side hurt like a bitch, my throat feels like sandpaper but I got up.

I made it to the top and used the big tree beside me to stand up in a rush.

I looked for Merle, through the trees in every direction cept the one I came from but he's gone.

"Yeah you better run!"

I glanced at the sky, and started back the way I came.

Eve's POV

I'm not a tracker but horse tracks aren't as difficult to follow as I thought.

It'll take me hours to catch up at this rate though.

He's been gone all day and I've no idea where he actually went aside from the vague 'ridge'. He could've gone miles on a horse, a lot faster than I can on foot.

God I'm being paranoid. This is probably gonna play out like it always does.

I find him. He's fine. I scare him— almost get cut or impaled. He makes fun of me for coming to find him, teasing ensues, and we either search as a team for a while, or go back to the farm (relatively)unscathed.

I'm gonna be in so much trouble when I get back. I can already see a disgruntled Rick pulling me aside and scolding me for taking off like this.

'That was a stupid and dangerous thing you did, Eve. At least take some backup if yer gonna go runnin' off into the woods.'

I let out a sigh.

Sometimes I think Rick's too good for this world. Other times, he's exactly what it needs.

I stopped to take a breather and check my surroundings before leaning back against a tree. I've been following these tracks but I feel like I've been going in circles.

I blew a heavy, frustrated sigh through my nose.

He's probably already made it back by now and I'm just wanderin' around out here like an idiot. Hell— he's probably tracking me down right now.

Maybe I should just go back. If he's still not back, then I'll get Rick and some others to come out here and help.

I turned around to follow my own trail back but I don't feel right; Not doing something about this feeling beating my gut like a pinata. It's gradually been getting worse since it started but nothing's satiated it so far.

Daryl's POV

Finally back on the farm, where I can see the house; 'bout damn time.

My chest heaved as I dragged my crossbow behind me through the grass, each pant burnin' my dry mouth and throat.

I looked up from the ground to somethin' movin' ahead of me. T, Shane, Rick, and Glenn were running towards me. I stopped when Rick trained his gun on me and they all stopped in front of me.

Ugh, this shit again.

"Is that Daryl?" Glenn panted. Who else would I be?

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head."

The four of them staggered with relief, and Rick lowered his gun with a sigh; his shoulders visibly relaxing.

"You gon' pull the trigger or what?"

My head snapped to the side, my shoulder hit the ground hard as the thundering crack of a gunshot kicked through the empty sky.

A dull burn ignited on the left side of my head. I heard Rick yellin' but I couldn't tell ya what he was sayin' if I wanted to.

Rick pulled the shoelace from my string of ears out of my mouth and grabbed my arm.

I reached for my head and pulled away bloody fingers.

"I was kiddin'"

Shane grabbed my other shoulder and they hauled me onto my feet which refused to help.

The world was spinning even before I was upright but the edges of my vision faded, I blinked and everything went black.

"I found it washed up on the creek bed right there. She must've dropped it crossing it somewhere." I pointed on the map, trying to keep my hands behind my head to keep my arms out of the way while Hershel tied off yet another stitch in my side.

"Cuts the grid almost in half." Rick glanced at Shane by the window and I felt another prick.

"Yeah, you're welcome." I looked down to watch Hershel doin' up the final stitches.

"How's he lookin'?" Rick looked to Hershel.

"I had no idea we'd be goin' through the anti-biotics so quickly." Hershel cut the string and went over to a bowl on the dresser to wash his hands.

"Any idea what happened to my horse?" he looked at me.

"Yeah the one that almost killed me? If it's smart it left the country." I shifted on the bed to keep from slidin' off.

The stitches are uncomfortable and pinch when I turn just a bit in the wrong way, but it ain't worse than gettin' shot by ma own crossbow.

"We call that one, Nelly. As in Nervous Nelly. I could've told you she'd throw you, if you'd bothered to ask."

I rolled my eyes as Hershel walked over to Rick at the foot of the bed.

"It's a wonder you people have survived this long."

Rick glanced at the ground, like he usually does when 'e feels guilty 'bout somethin'.

"I should'a gone with Eve. She knew somethin' wasn't right— that you'd been gone too long. I should'a listened. I'm sorry."

"Hey man, that ain't yer fault. You couldn't a gone with 'er if you tried. She's the one who just took off." Shane shifted his hat, glancing out the window.

My face scrunched at the center of my forehead, "What're ya talkin' about?"

"Eve took off a couple 'ours ago. Said she was gon' look for ya." Shane paused, glancing at Rick and Hershel. "She ain't back yet."

She went lookin' for me?

Rick brought his eyes up from his boots, meetin' mine. "If she's not back in the next half an hour, we'll go look for 'er. I won't make the same mistake twice."

I ain't entirely sure why he's tellin' me this but I nodded and watched Shane and 'im leave the room.

I heard talkin' in the hall but didn't listen, instead I looked at the ol' man.

"'Ey, who shot me?"

"Andrea, I believe." Hershel glanced at me before headin' for the door.

"Get some rest. You'll stay in here tonight so I can keep an eye on you." Hershel left the room without waiting for a response.

Never thought I'd be lucky someone ain't a good shot. If Eve, Rick, or Shane had taken that shot, I'd be dead.

Speakin' of Eve. She best be alright. I ain't comin' to pull 'er out a hole this time if she gets inta trouble.

For someone who can take of 'erself, that woman gets into a lot a trouble.