Daryl sauntered back into the group's small camp on the farm, several squirrels tied to his belt. He dropped the squirrels on the picnic table to prepare later as he walked to his tent. Daryl grabbed an empty beer bottle and gently placed the rose inside. He didn't see Carol outside, so he figured that she must still be holed up in the RV. Walking quickly through the camp to avoid the questioning stares, Daryl stomped into the RV and stopped.

It was clean.

Like, really really clean.

Daryl figured that Carol decided to deal with her grief by decontaminating the entire RV. He slowly made his way to the small bedroom in the back, still stunned by the appearance of the old vehicle. Daryl found Carol folding some sheets, eyes still a bit puffy. The woman quickly swiped at her eyes, noticing the hunter standing in the door.

She feebly gestured at the room, sniffling slightly. "I decided to tidy up a bit."

Daryl nodded. "It looks good."

He shifted slightly in the door, the silence between them hanging awkwardly. Daryl cleared his throat, and placed the bottle with a single Cherokee Rose in it on the small dresser.

"What's this?" Carol murmured.

"Well," Daryl began, "the story is that when American soldiers were movin' Indians off their land, on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grievin' and cryin' so much 'cause they were losing their little ones along the way. Exposure an' disease an' starvation; a lot of them just disappeared." Carol was staring at him, captivated by his story, her eyes glistening slightly. Daryl continued, "So the elders, they sent a prayer. Asked for a sign to uplift the mother's spirits. Give 'em strength, hope. The next day, this rose started to grow right where the mother's tears fell." He paused. "I'm not fool enough to think there's any flowers bloomin' for my brother. But, I believe, this one is bloomin' for your little girl."

Carol's eyes welled with tears. "Thank you."

Daryl smiled awkwardly, and began to make his way out of the RV.

A thought entered Carol's mind, as she stood to catch up to him.

"Daryl?" The hunter turned to face the grieving mother. "There was an incident today."

Daryl took a step back into the RV, eyes growing cold. This could not be good.

Carol took a deep breath before continuing. "Shane, he uh, well..." Daryl looked at her intensely, eyes softening a bit to reassure her, but his eyebrows remained furrowed. Carol took another breath. "Shane went into the shed today, after Glenn got spooked or somethin'." The words tumbled out of her mouth as his eyes widened. "I don't know what happened, but I heard there was a fight an' she attacked Shane or somethin'. But I don't know exactly, its rumors at this point. Glenn made a run into town and Shane's trying to get Rick to kill her. An'-"

Daryl placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Carol's eyes were filled with sadness and guilt. She was imagining that this mystery girl could be in the same position as her Sophia at this point.

He nodded in understanding. "Thank you," he breathed.

Another second and Daryl shot out the door, off to find the keys to the shed.

He was gonna give that bitch her god damn sky and Rick could go fuck himself.

The girl crouched in the shadows on her beam, listening to the tussle going on in the distance. She could hear several people yelling all at once, so she couldn't exactly make out what was going on, but apparently it was important. She didn't move from her spot to see what the hullabaloo was, just in case they brought their argument into her den.

The voices grew louder, presumably coming closer. She heard a few distinct voices rise above the rest.

Rick: "Daryl! You can't do that! We don't know-"

Dale: "She has every right to be free-"

Shane: "Don't you dare let that bitch out-"

Daryl: "After what you've put her through! She deserves-"

Lori: "Rick, think of Carl!"

And so on and so forth.

The girl wrinkled her nose in confusion, she knew what they were talking about, but the constant stream of voices filled her head and got all mixed up. She did not want to see any of them, those cruel, unfeeling fiends. She had been civil, acted human even, yet they still tried to kill her. She wanted nothing to do with whatever spat they were having. She coiled her muscles and waited, knowing that the door would be opened soon.

She heard the jingle of keys outside the door, followed by some very loud cursing. Daryl flung the door open, finding her immediately. The girl could hear Rick and Shane arguing outside, but she didn't care. Her bones still stung from their beating earlier. The girl drew her arms back slightly, hissing loudly at the intruder.

Daryl saw the animal, the betrayal, the hurt, in her eyes. He didn't blame her for reacting to him like that. Daryl simply backed up against the wall and gestured toward the door.

"Go on." His scruffy voice, oddly calm, hit the girl like a wave.

Wait, what?

She dropped down to the floor with a soft thud, slightly tilting her head at him. She was confused. Was he really...

Daryl felt a pain in his heart when he saw the bruises on her skin. She didn't deserve this, no one did. He saw the poor, confused child in her eyes, wondering what she had done wrong to deserve such punishment. Such pain. Daryl saw himself in her eyes, and he hated it.

"Go. Yer free."

Her eyes widened. Free?

Rick rushed in and grabbed Daryl away from the door, pushing him further into the room. The girl didn't hear what they were yelling. Shane rushed in, getting in Daryl's face while Lori and Dale tried to calm the squabble. The girl didn't see the fight. She didn't care.

Her sky was calling her.

The girl slowly walked towards the door, no one bothering to notice her advancement. Her eyes shone with the light of the day.

Free.

Carol had been stitching up some clothes when Rick had found Daryl going to release the girl. Carol didn't want to get involved with the scuffle, so she had stayed at the camp, watching from afar. She knew she shouldn't get involved, but she also knew what that girl had gone through in her short time in their care. Finishing up the shirt she was stitching, Carol snuck into the house and grabbed the girl's things: a backpack, a quiver of arrows, and a snow white bow. Carol quickly walked over to the open door, sounds of argument spilling out from the inside. She set the things down outside the door and began to walk away. Carol turned around for but a moment, but what she saw made her stop and stare.

The girl paused at the door frame, and stared at her feet. She stared at the dirt on the other side of the shed's threshold. The girl seemed mesmerized by it. Carol saw the colorful bruises that littered the girl's frame. Colors that she had never even thought existed were etched on the girl's skin. Carol studied the girl's intense face, her olive skin with big, intelligent hazel eyes. The girl had high cheekbones that were framed by a mess of wild, beautiful brown curls. The girl stood there, staring at the dirt, and slowly, tentatively, took a step outside.

Carol saw the girl's chest expand as she gasped, the cool air meeting her broken body. She didn't look dangerous, not to Carol. She looked like a girl who adapted to this hell. Who learned how to survive. But she was still only a little girl.

Suddenly the girl's head snapped up, her entire face lighting up with the realization that she was out of that shed. Carol watch as she sprinted outside, running towards the edge of the hill that the shed sat on. The girl leapt and squealed with joy. She did a cartwheel at the top of the hill and tumbled down the hill, her laughter and giggles of joy warming Carol's heart.

She only wanted to be free, Carol thought. She never wanted to hurt anyone.

Shane must have heard the girl's laughter, because he stormed out a second later, shouting profanities at the girl. Hershel's family was standing on their porch, watching the entire debacle. Rick came out, trying to subdue Shane while Lori screeched about her son's safety, scuttling back to camp. Dale came out, searching for the girl, trying to ensure that she was indeed safe from Shane's wrath. Daryl exited last, a triumphant smile on his face. He stood in front of the door, suddenly noticing the girl's things right outside the door. He smiled.

Carol.

The girl climbed back up the hill on her belly, a mischievous grin on her face as she watched the scene. She was shielded by the long grasses on the hill, so she could watch them argue all she wanted. The girl momentarily lowered her head to smell the earth under her fingers, relishing its beautiful smell. The grass slightly swaying around her in the wind, tickling her exposed skin. The girl smiled, this is where she belonged.

As the argument went on and on, Daryl slowly walked forward, the girl's stuff in his hands. He knew she was happy to be out of that shed, Daryl just wished that she might stick around. Anyone who could get so deep under Shane's skin would always be welcomed by him.

Daryl stood in front of the hill.

"Hey Bitch!" he called. The arguing around him quieted down. "Bitch!"

The girl's grinning face popped up among the grasses, her smile disappearing when she saw what he was holding.

"Want yer shit back or what?"

The girl slowly stood up and walked over to the hunter, her face full of wonder and thanks. She was about to reach for her things, but thought better of it. Instead, she threw her arms around the older man's waist and hugged him. Daryl stumbled, slightly taken aback by the girl's reaction. A huge smile spread across her face, small tears of joy leaking out from the corners of her eyes. She couldn't be more thankful to this one man who had done so much for her in so little time. She backed off smiling, reaching for her things. The girl slung her backpack on her back, it feeling just as heavy as she remembered it. Her fingers expertly found their way around her bow, knowing their place. Her quiver made small noises of shifting arrows.

She turned to grin at the rest of the group, gawking at her. She spun back and forth, her smile unrelenting.

Until she spotted it.

A tree.

A very tall tree.

She loved trees.

What better way to celebrate her newfound freedom then climbing up to the top of a tree and feeling the breeze.

Unfortunately, the girl didn't realize that under this tree was the group's campsite. Not that she cared.

A fire sparked in the girl's eyes, as her grin widened. She full out sprinted toward the camp, eying up the branch she intended to catch.

The people at the shed saw her start out, and the yelling continued. Shouting insults at one another, blaming Daryl or Rick, screaming for someone to catch her. Hershel still stood on his porch, watching the spirited young girl enjoy her freedom. He knew she wasn't a threat, but who was he to stop Shane's foolish folly? Hershel chuckled as the rest of the group screamed at the oncoming girl.

Daryl, on the other hand, simply began to stagger forward, watching this feat. His eyes narrowed as he caught some of her movements while she ran. She expertly strung her bow, still gripping its middle as she ran. The girl secured her pack to her back and fastened her quiver to her leg, ensuring that neither would fly open.

All while running at a full sprint.

However, the spectacle didn't end there. The girl feet hit the ground, she pushed off, her small body stretching through the air as she reached for a branch at least seven or eight feet off the ground.

Yet she didn't fall.

The girl's fingers curled around the large branch, bow still in hand, as she swung herself around the branch. She landed nimbly, one foot in front of the other, as she raced for the next branch. She continued leaping branch to branch, never missing her mark, never pausing. Her ascent was almost instinct. Like an animal. She knew exactly where the next branch would be and how to get to it.

Hershel watched the girl with fascination as she climbed higher and higher into the tree, until the branches obscured her completely. He smiled, as he saw a few of the better characters around the camp drop their jaws with awe at her speedy climb. Nearly everyone craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the mystery girl after she disappeared into the branches.

Carl shouted out, "There! I see her! There she is!"

Everyone ran to the young boy who had pulled away from his mother to point at the girl in the tree.

She was at least a hundred feet in the air, sitting contently on a smaller branch. She had her bow in one hand, and she was staring into the wind, letting it blow her wild hair out of her face. She looked like she was in her element. She was at peace.

Back on the ground, Shane had grabbed his shotgun from the RV. He clicked it loudly as he passed by Hershel.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Hershel strode off the porch, loudly proclaiming Shane's shenanigans. "I thought I told you people no guns on my property!"

Rick heard Hershel and tore his gaze away from that mystery girl. "Shane!"

Shane ignored him, walking away from the tree until he had a clear line of fire at the girl.

"SHANE!"

Lori pulled Carl closer to her, eying the confrontation warily. Shane seemed to have a personal vendetta against the girl.

Rick strode over to Shane, grabbing the man's shoulder and pushing it. "What the hell do ya think you're doin'? Huh!"

"Get off me." Shane shoved Rick away. "I'm gonna warn 'er first."

Shane took aim, and whistled. The girl trained her eyes on Shane, gun pointed at her. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what the fuck he was playing at.

"Alright, I'm gonna say this once, an' only once," Shane raised his voice so she could hear him. "Yer gonna climb down that there tree, and drop yer bow. Ya hear me?"

The girl stared at the shotgun.

Shane shouted louder, "Ya hear me!"

Everyone's attention was on the girl, waiting for her reaction.

The girl rolled her eyes.

"YA HEAR ME!"

She nimbly drew an arrow and shot it at the ground in front of Shane's feet.

Shane jumped back in surprise, but his anger grew and he loaded the shotgun. "HEY! YOU GET YER ASS DOWN HERE RIGH-"

She shot another arrow, knocking his baseball cap off his head.

Daryl fought back a laugh as Shane stumbled back. Daryl knew the girl had that wicked grin on her face. She wasn't actually gonna hurt Shane, she's just teasin' him.

Shane was mad as hell right now. He readied his stance and aimed for the girl. She stuck her tongue out at him. Shane fired at her, of course she ducked and it missed her. The man growled angrily as he readied another shot. Rick stepped in front of him, pushing the shotgun down. "That's enough," Rick commanded. Shane gave him a wayward look, but continued sneering at the girl.

Daryl was still looking at the girl, her attention focused elsewhere. He had no clue what she was staring at, but she seemed so captivated by it.

Then he heard it.

Hwonk! Hwonk!

Geese? Daryl head swiveled, searching for the birds. They were flying out of the woods on the opposite side of Hershel's property. Daryl glanced back up at the girl at the top of the tree.

She looked tranquil, at peace with the world. No emotions were displayed on her face. She just stared at the geese, ignoring Shane and Rick's argument down below.

The girl quickly raised her bow, releasing one arrow. Then another. And another.

Faster than those on the ground could comprehend what she was doing.

She never missed her target.

The girl loosed two more arrows at the flock of geese, hitting a total of five before they were out of range. She lowered her loaded bow and looked dismayed at the end of her hunt. The girl vanished back into the tree, bringing her backpack along with her.

On a branch some fifteen feet off the ground, she secured her bag to the trunk of the tree and continued down with her quiver and bow. She nimbly landed on the ground, ignoring the spectators' screams. Especially Lori's hysterics. She nonchalantly walked off in the direction of her kill.

One the girl was out of earshot, Lori rushed over to her husband, clawing at his arm. "Rick, we need to do something about her. She's dangerous. She could hurt Carl. We can't keep her around. We..." Lori continued babbling on to Rick, who was obviously ignoring her. Shane just glared after her.

Carol walked by Daryl, back towards the picnic table, giving him a small smile. "Best thing you've brought back so far," she whispered so only he could hear. Daryl smirked. No, the best thing he would bring back would be Sophia. But this girl, right now she was pretty damn close. He could see her striding back to camp, five geese in hand.

Everyone stopped to stare as the girl walked up to Rick, geese in hand, arrows sticking out of the geese's heads. Not their bodies, not their necks, their heads. Not even Daryl was that good. She yanked the arrows out of the birds, wiping them off on her pants as she handed her kill to the leader.

The girl smiled sweetly, climbing back up to her branch as the group stared in awe.

Before Shane could get a word in otherwise, Daryl strode up to Rick. "D'ya think she's still out ta kill us?"

Rick stared at Daryl.

"That's what I thought. I'm gunna take 'er huntin' in a t'morrow. See what she can really do. And ain't nothin' you can say can make me change my mind."

Shane looked disgusted when Rick nodded, still taken aback by the geese in his hand. "Yeah...that'll be good. Maybe you can...get her ta talk...or somethin'. Get her name at least...if she's gonna stay." With that, Rick walked towards the picnic table to lay the geese down next to the squirrels.

Daryl smiled, and sauntered over to the tree.

"Hey Bitch!"

She soundlessly dropped down to a lower branch, still beaming. She swung her legs over the side of the branch, enjoying herself. Yes?

"Be up before sunrise, we're goin' huntin'."

Her eyes lit up. Yes! Of course! It'll be good to get away from these assholes.

Daryl smiled again. She's a crazy bitch, but a damn good shot.

One of my fav chapters so far. Read/Review! ~Toni

Oh, and thank you to that last Guest review on Ch 6. It means a lot. I spent a good week developing her character before I began writing this. She has a whole backstory and everything. :D It's great!