A/N MonkeysGoBoo - Another lovely review, Thank you. Enjoy this chapter and please trust me ;)

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Chapter 21

It was starting to get colder and the days were shorter, winter was clearly coming. They planned to go hunting together to get a supply of meat they could preserve to last them through the winter months when game would be in short supply. Packing a few supplies to last a day or two they headed out. They were taking a chance that they would be able to get back into the house on their return, hoping no one else would find it. They had only gone a mile or so when they heard the familiar groaning ahead of them. Cautiously they moved through the trees, towards the road. The noises got louder and they could hear the crashing of bodies through the undergrowth. Suddenly they spotted several walkers heading towards them. They took a sideways route, hoping to get around them but they were everywhere. They stumbled out of the forest onto the paved road and found themselves facing a herd of several dozen walkers.

"Shit!" Daryl cursed as he pulled Eleanor back into the forest but it was too late they had been spotted. The walkers started lurching towards them as they ran back towards the house. They reached the stable yard and saw it was already full of walkers. They had to try and get into the house. As they ran towards it several walkers appeared from the side of the stables. They were surrounded. Eleanor pulled out her knife as Daryl took out the closest few with the remainder of his bolts. The walkers were close enough to grab them and they desperately fought, standing back to back. Eventually the sheer number of walkers separated them, forcing Eleanor closer to the house and Daryl towards the forest. He tried to keep sight of her as the walkers closed in but lost her as he fought to save himself. The noise of the groaning was overpowering but he thought he heard her scream. Desperately he tried to get to where she was but it was impossible, there were just too many. He saw the walkers leaning over and pulling at something on the ground, the mass cleared enough for him to see it was Eleanor's backpack. More walkers were hunched over something he couldn't see on the ground. With a scream of rage and panic he lunged at the creatures closest to him, trying to clear a path to where she had been. It was no use, as fast as he killed them more appeared, he had no choice, he had to go. He fought back the pain of losing her as he struggled to fight his way to freedom. He managed to get through enough of them so he had space to run. As he reached the edge of the forest he turned back, they were still clawing at something on the ground. He took a few steps back, towards the house. He wasn't sure he could continue alone, maybe he should just let them take him now, just end it all. An image of Eleanor flashed into his mind, she would want him to live. He forced himself to turn away and headed into the forest, alone except for the walkers that followed him.

He ran for miles, then exhausted sank to the ground at the edge of a road. He lowered his head and rested his hand on his knees. He couldn't believe she was gone, she was his last link to the prison and the only people he had ever cared about. He felt his body start to shut down, both physically and emotionally. He was finished, he didn't want to go on alone. He would just wait here and see what happened. After a while he was aware of footsteps surrounding him, but he didn't look up.

"Well boys, what have we here?" an amused voice asked

"I'm claiming that vest. Love me those angel wings" came another from behind him. As he rose swiftly to his feet, he swung a punch, knocking the man in front of him to the ground and swinging his crossbow up, pointing his last remaining bolt, the only one he'd been able to retrieve from a body before he'd fled the house, at the man before him.

The man laughed as he got to his feet, wiping his bloody nose

"A bowman, that's what I like to see, though a few more bolts would be better" he looked at Daryl, appraising him.

"You could take me out, but you'd be dead six times over before I hit the ground, or you could join us. We can always use a bowman." The man held out his hand "Names Joe" he stated.

Daryl stared for a long minute then made a decision, he lowered his crossbow and ignoring the mans outstretched hand simply said

"Daryl"

Joe nodded at him, "Well Daryl, welcome to the group"

Please keep reading and let me know what you think.

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