Beth thought she was dead. Somehow a walker had snuck up on them and any moment now tendons would be ripped out her throat before she could even scream. How had they not noticed the slow moving corpse? She wondered before she realized this hand pulling her to the ground didn't belong to a Walker. That and the gun to her head.
"Say good bye" she heard the gunmen say before she bit deep into his finger causing him to miss his shot at Darryl just left of his feet. Darryl turned just in time to see the gunmen throw Beth to the ground and take aim again his way. He did the best he could to jump behind the nearest tree but managed to take a bullet to the thigh before making it to cover.
"Come on." The gunmen said pointing his weapon at the blonde captive. "The dead will be all over this place soon" and with that he pulled Beth up from the dirt and shoved her back towards where they had been traveling.
"Who, Who are you?" Beth mumbled nervously.
"Who are any of us these days." The man replied quickly.
Beth had a better visual now and noticed he wore a large knife on his hip and was in a full ghille suit. Otis had one he often wore before the dead had started walking. Only this suit was also covered in walker blood and guts instead of deer urine. Well there was probably some urine considering his smell Beth thought before being pushed forward again with a boot to her back.
After loads more walking the man grabbed Beth by the back of her neck. "This is far enough." He informed her. The hair on Beth's neck stood at attention as she slowed her pace, noticing the pile of sticks that had served as their leanto the night before. "What? What do you mean?" She asked. "There's nothing out here." she said to the ground.
"Ahh but there's something everywhere. You just have to know where to look." The camouflaged man said in a raspy voice before he spun Beth around,directing her attention up into the trees. As her eyes began following his fingers it was then she saw a tree house connecting the nearest four trees. The older man whistled and a rope ladder fell from a door that opened in the bottom of the floor. How had they not noticed yesterday she thought disappointed in herself.
"You first." He said handing Beth the rope ladder.
"Over here!" Rick yelled to the rest of his group. There had been gunfire from this direction and after a while of backtracking Rick had found a blood trail. Only problem was Walkers were flocking to the area which was making it hard to remain unnoticed. "Hurry!" He yelled again. It was Darryl. He was barely conscience from blood loss but had managed to secure a spot inside a fallen tree. If it hadn't been for the puddle of fresh blood Rick would have ran right past him.
"Aren't you a sight for sore everything" He heard Darryl whisper with a slight laugh. "Someone just took her Rick. " He looked into his friends eyes. "We made it out but someone else was in the woods. " He pointed towards where they had disappeared before he passed out in Ricks arms.
"Carol, you watch out for Sasha and Tyreese while they get Darryl back to the prison. It'll be good for you to be there when he wakes up." Rick smiled a little at his longtime friend. "It'll be ok. Michonne and I will find Beth." He said looking at the samurai.
Rick was looking in the area his injured friend had pointed out for any sign of a dust up or struggle. After a few minutes he was able to pick up a second set of footprints that seemed to be following a much smaller pair in the direction Darryl had given. Michonne was taking apart a few walkers that had caught their scent on the wind before being joined by Rick after he smashed a Walker with the butt of his revolver.
"Found it. Let's go." and the two headed off following the trail as best they could track. After awhile the trail went cold around a bunch of sticks that had obviously been strung together in a makeshift shelter. Rick knelt down inspecting the pile as Michonne scanned the area for both Walkers and the Living. "Wish we had a bloodhound" He said up to Michonne. "Or Darryl" She said quietly keeping her eyes on the treeline.
"Yeah" Rick replied dryly and returned to the trail desperately searching for a sign they may have missed.
"Should I take the shot?" Beth overheard through the closet she had been shoved into. "Darryl?" she whispered hoping he wasn't who the men were referring. She had seen one other man in camouflage when she emerged through the opening in the floor before he shoved her into this tight space. Suddenly a gunshot rang out followed by a quick yell from who she recognized from earlier as the ghillied attacker. "Great shot!" the man exclaimed! Beth's heart clinched as she had a horrible feeling what their success had meant for both her and her friend.
Carl rushed to the gates. "Herschel! Herschel! We need you! " the young man yelled into the air. "Get the Doctor!"he directed the order to Patrick who had been busy playing with army men while supposedly helping Carl keep watch. Patrick fumbled with his toys for only a moment before speeding to the main facilities of their sanctuary.
The rescue party minus Rick and Michonne but in addition a bloody and unconscious Darryl had finally fought their way to the gate. Carl opened just in time for them to be met by the truck that was going to get their fallen friend to help. After loading him in Carl returned to keep watch as the truck sped towards the main building. He waited for Sasha to return and tell him where his father was. All he could make out in the earlier chaos was that he was ok and was with Michonne still searching,which put enough of his panicked fears to ease for the moment..