CHAPTER 3

The next few weeks went by quickly and Noel was getting used to life with the group. She hated having to do 'women's work' so she quickly became friendly with Dale, who let her sit watch. She liked sitting watch because she was alone with no one to bother her and could observe everyone else without suspicion.

Ugh, she groaned internally. Watch was better then chores but extremely boring after a while. She looked around as the younger of the Dixon brothers was getting his things together to go hunting.

I wish I could go hunting, she thought. Being by yourself in the woods all day and then no one would bother you when you sit around camp doing nothing because you'd be feeding everyone's starving bellies.

Noel acted quickly on impulse and boredom and hopped silently off the RV and made her way over to the Dixon. She knew it was probably a bad idea, out of everyone in the entire group the only people Lori told her to steer clear of were the Dixon's. But she knew the older one was the one to watch and as she looked around as saw no sign of him she saw no reason not to try to end her boredom.

"Hey." She said quietly as she walked over the hunter sitting down at the table in front of his tent. He just looked up at her, annoyed, and raised an eyebrow at her. When she said nothing in response, he groaned,

"Whaduya want girl?" She got up from the table and stood in front of him. He took this time to get a good look at her. Feeling his eyes on her she shifted her weight and put her hands on her hips as she flipped her hair out of her face. He just watched, his face empty. He was harder to read then the rest of these people.

"I want to go hunting with you." She said flatly. He just scoffed in response. "I'm serious, you ass." He raised an eyebrow at this. "I'm a good shot and you know it. I'm also quiet and I wont annoy you." Her glare on his icy blue eyes remained, as he looked her up and down again, eyes lingering on her thin legs and full chest.

"Yer annoyin' me now." He mumbled as his eyes left her body and went back to his things. She sighed as he spoke and feeling defeated; she turned and left. She felt his eyes on her as she made her way back to the RV. And, sure enough, when she sat back down atop the RV, he peeled his eyes from her again and retreated into the woods.

It was worth a shot, she thought as she huffed and settled into the lawn chair.

A few days later Noel acted on impulse again. Daryl, she had remembered his name, was sitting at the table in front of his tent skinning and gutting his catches of the day. Normally, everyone steered clear of this sight but Noel usually watched. It made her think of one of her favorite classes in college, Anatomy and Physiology. They got to dissect all sorts of animals and she was always good at it. So, today when she watched him as she helped Lori and Carol fold the clothes, she had an idea. She quickly folded the shirt in her hands and placed in down neatly in the basket.

"Be right back." She mumbled as she walked away. The two women just nodded and continued their conversation. She made her way over to Daryl and his squirrels and stood across from him and sticking her knife in the wood of the table, she sat. She folded her arms in front of her on the table, and rested her chin on her forearms, watching him. Just watching as he gave her an exaggerated look of annoyance but eventually continued working until he finished the squirrel in hand and went to pick up another.

Noel took this opportunity to take the tray under his and place in front of her. Daryl watched her carefully with his usual scowl as she picked up a plump squirrel and placed it on her tray. He grumbled in annoyance and snatched the game off her tray and glared at her. She ignored his gaze and took another squirrel, the scrawniest one of the bunch. She held it up and raised her eyebrows as if to say, "Is this one okay?"

He just watched her and nodded his head forward as if to say "Lets see what you got." She hid her excitement and got to work. As she finished skinning she looked up at him for approval.

"Ya ain't so bad," he mumbled as he took the squirrel from her and began to cut out the meat. She hid her excitement well and sat quietly and watched him as he glanced up at her he grunted.

"Well don' just sit there." He said as he placed another squirrel on her tray. "N' don' fuck it up neither." She just smirked and got to work.