I`ve had to adjust the timeline to fit both my story and the tv show, Sorry for any confusion.
Time Line
Day 0 - Global Outbreak Occures
Day 2 - Amy/Andrea met Dale
Day 3 - Unusual sightings appear on the news
Day 4 - Rick gets shot
Day 5 - Guillermo closes the retirement home / The CDC courtyard is over-run
Day 10 - Shane informs us that Rick is dead
Day 13 - Walkers overwhelm Atlanta
Day 15 - We leave Kings County for Atlanta
Day 16 - Bombs fall on Atlanta
Day 17 - Quarry Camp is established
Day 19 - My heart breaks when I catch Lori and Shane in the woods/ I move into Daryl`s tent
Day 21 - The Dixon Brothers start teaching me to survive
Day 30 - Power and Gas lines stop working
Day 53 - I hunt my first deer/ Lori suggest to post signs on the interstate 85 to warn people about Atlanta
Chapter Four
One month later or Day 53...
Daryl was right, I did end up throwing up after my first skinning lesson - twice actually and now after a month I had adjusted to the sight and smell as I skinned rabbits and squirrels.
Currently Daryl was leading the way as we silently followed a trail of deer tracks or at least I think they are deer, as I haven`t quite gotten the hang of the tracking part yet. My arms were aching as I continued to hold Daryl`s cross-bow up - Daryl silently raised his arm up as signal me to stop. I paused mid-step before he gestured for me to move over to him and that`s when I saw it.
My breathe hitched at the most amazing sight ever.
A beautiful majestic doe grazed in a small clearing, it stood peacefully as it stood slowly chewing its food. Unfortunately my brain kicked in as Daryl crouched down beside me, immediately a calm haze fell over me - almost like Daryl was my own personally security blanket.
Looking back at the doe I raised his cross-bow that he pre-loaded for me as I aimed at the poor beast. If it wasn`t for the basic need of fresh red meat I would of hesitated more but the knowledge of how happy the group would be when we bring this prize back outweighed any guilt I felt at ending this poor beasts life - not to mention at having a full belly tonight.
Daryl brush against my side as he adjusted my aim slightly before whispering next to my ear;
"Remember to breath slowly out when firing"
God it was hard to concentrate when the guy you`re crushing on is a hair breathe away from you however I shook it off as the need to please him was more important.
I aimed and as I slowly released my breathe, I fired. To my disappointment it hit the startled creature in the chest, it wasn`t a kill shot as the doe cried out in pain before darting away.
"Shit bricks" I cursed as Daryl snatched the cross-bow out of my hands as he quickly reloading it before he too disappeared. I quickly followed after them , it only took half a mile of sprinting before we came across the injured beast. It was panting hard as it collapsed in painful exhaustion.
Daryl paused next to the injured animal, "Come here" he grunted as he shouldered his cross-bow and unstealthed his buck knife except he held it out to me handle first.
I grasped the knife tightly, "What?"
He moved so both of his legs so he was basically straddling the beast - which would stop the animal in-case it had one last burst of energy and tried to escape as he held the doe`s head back.
"You wanna be a hunter well this is apart of it. Your first shot wasn`t a kill shot so now you have two options; First you can shot again or you can break it`s neck and slit its throat." Daryl instructed me.
My hands grew slick with sweat as my knuckles turned white, I stepped forward but paused; "Ho-ow do I stand? How do I break it`s ne-eck?" I spluttered out
Daryl looked up at me, "Come stand where I am," I did as he said as he moved back so his chest pressed into my back, "Grip its head back so you expose its throat and in one swift movement you slice it`s throat." He instructed me.
Leaning down I whispered, "I`m sorry you have to die so we can eat. Thank you." Quickly I ran the knife across the poor creatures throat and instantly warm blood spurted over my hands as it soaked the ground.
Daryl murmured "Good girl" as he helped me lay the now dead creature on it`s side to help the blood drain away.
Getting praise from Daryl made my self-esteem rise and my heart swell as I failed to smother a wide grin.
"Pass me the rope, I`ll string it up and gut it here so it`s easier to carry back." I handed him the rope from my back-pack and watched as he expertly tied the does back hooves together before throwing the other end of the rope over a head high thick tree branch before he secured it about a foot of the ground.
Quickly scanning our surroundings for walkers before zoning back in as Daryl went to work on gutting the animal all while giving me tips and helpful reminders because next time we catch a deer I`ll be the one doing the cutting.
About twenty minutes had passed before he grunted me to dig a hole for the organs and other yukky bits so we could hide the smell as much a possible to avoid walkers sniffing it out. After that all we had to do was to wait for the blood to stop dripping.
"You did good today" Daryl grunted as he scanned the woods for trouble
My heart did a tiny flutter, "Thank you"
Forty minutes passed before Daryl was satisfied as he lowered the deer and tied all four hooves together and just before he could shoulder it I stopped him,
"Let me help, I can carry your cross-bow" I held out my hand.
He handed me his beloved weapon as I shoulder it and my bag as we made our way back to camp. Conversation was practically non-existence but it didn`t phase me in the slightest because that`s just how Daryl was, he didn`t need to fill the silence with chit-chat which I admire that about him. I wasn`t that great around people either, years of bullying and lack of friends will do that to a girl. Besides I had an amazing view that kept myself occupied which was Daryl covered in dirt, sweat and carrying a deer with his biceps bulging under constant strain, not to mention his backside.
I could feel myself blushing at the thought of him catching me keeping him out, 'Oh god those muscles' my entire body tingled excitement as we hiked the entire way back to camp with my eyes 90% of the time staring at his backside.
_Several hours Later_
Majority of the group sat around the embering fire with gratitude and praise on their lips as they had just finished filling their tummy's with meat.
I sat awkwardly beside Carl as he licked his greasy fingers as I ducked my head hoping to avoid another round of people thanking me for the meat and yet they skip Daryl who without his help we would have starved weeks ago.
"I`d like to raise my glass to our provider tonight - Annalise your done amazingly well today and congratulation on your first deer hunt." Dale smiled at he raised his water bottle as everyone "Hear heared" me.
"It was really Daryl who did most of the hard work" I tried again to get them to show him some praise but he simply shot me a dirty 'Don`t you dare' look so I sent him a small smile in thanks.
Night had fallen quickly and along with a sudden burst of rain that had us all scampering to our tents. Carl who had taken to sleeping with me every second or so night laughed as we collapsed onto our beds.
"Eww yuk we brought mud into the tent" he grimaces at our dirty boots.
I kicked mine off with little trouble, "Oh well I clean it up in the morning, wanna read for a little while?" I asked him. We were currently half way through the 5th Harry Potter book as during one of my scavenging hunts with Glenn I`d found more books that Carl had taken a likening to like Percy Jackson, Goosebumps and some of the Roald Dahl books.
Having gotten ourselves comfy I cleared my throat before I read aloud,
Thirty minutes later...
Umbridge: "You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, is that correct?"
Snape: "...Yes."
Umbridge: "But you were unsuccessful?"
Snape: "...Obviously."
[Ron snickers just as Umbridge leaves. Snape whacks him over the head with a book.]
Carl laugh as I playfully whack him over the back of his head, after our giggles have died down I grimace, 'Darn, you do not have to pee, you do not have to pee' I repeat this in my head for approximately five minutes before I give in and place our bookmark.
"Sit up buddy I gotta go pee. Do you need to go?" I ask him as I retie my boots and slip on a semi-water-proof jacket.
"Na I`m good" he chuckles, "Have fun getting wet."
"Oh your a funny one you little brat" I stick my tongue out at him playfully as I quickly open the tent and bracing for the cold before zipping it up tight so Carl doesn`t get too cold. I ran as quickly as I can to the RV, I am completely drench as I storm into the RV as I blurt out "Sorry gotta pee" before going into the bathroom as I hear both Andrea and Amy laughing at me.
After doing my business I left the RV quickly as I didn`t want to leave Carl by himself for too long. However a flash of light from the Dixon brothers truck caught my eye as I pause halfway back to my tent. Curiosity got the better of me as I wondered over and as I got within a meter or so I recognized Daryl sitting in there, I paused again as my eyes flicked over to Merle`s tent 'Must have argued again' I thought to myself, guilt ate at me as I wish I had found another tent on the last few trips with Glenn but somehow I keep forgetting to add it to the list as it wasn`t fair to be still using Daryl`s after all this time and now to know that I`m forcing him to sleep in the cab of his Ute. 'No that simply wont do' I approached the opposite side to were his was sitting and quickly opened the door to his surprise and got in.
"What the hell are you doing?" He growled to cover his fright.
I crossed my arms in defense, "You`re not sleeping in here, come and share your tent with me. Also next time I go out with Glenn I remember to find another tent so you can have yours back."
It must of been the poor lightening because I swore Daryl just blushed, "I ain`t sharing with ya."
"Why not it`s not like it`ll be weird cause Carl is there too." I too blushed a little at the thought of it being just the two of us. My crush on his still going strong.
Daryl frowned, "Na princess I`m fine here."
"Nope sorry wrong answer, now get your butt into your tent or I`m camping in here with you and sending Carl but to mom`s tent." I blackmailed him.
He scowled at me "Ya aint staying in here."
"That`s right because your coming with me." I grinned in triumph, he moaned and whinged but in the end I won and within fifteen minutes or leaving Carl I was back into our warm tent.
The rain had ease off slightly so Daryl was slightly damp were as I was drenched from the waist down so as I made Carl sit up and move over onto my bed so Daryl could have his for the night I spoke, "Alright I need both of you to close your eyes while I get changed."
Carl groaned but did as I asked whereas Daryl blushed and rolled over so his back was facing me.
I quickly changed into my sleeping shorts and removed my bra and got under the covers so that Carl was on the edge, then myself with Daryl on my other side.
"Carl did you wanna read some more or try and sleep?" I questioned him, hoping that if he wanted to read that Daryl didn`t mind.
Carl eased up and looked over at the resting hunter, "Wanna hear about Harry Potter Daryl?"
"Sure kid."
One hour later
[In the Forbidden Forest]
Umbridge: You have no business here, centaur. This is a Ministry matter. [A centaur takes out an arrow and places in on his bow] Lower your weapons. I warn you! Under the law, as creatures of near-human intelligence- [The centaur fires its arrow] Protego! [makes a shield and the arrow falls on the ground] How dare you! Filthy halfbreed! Incarcerous!
[She casts a spell causing a centaur to be wrapped in a rope and fall to the ground. Hermione tries to free the centaur but is unable to.]
Hermione: Please, please stop it! Please!
Umbridge: No, enough! I will have order!
I paused as I felt a headache brewing behind my eyes, "Do you guys mind if we stop here, I`m getting a headache." After my head injury which had healed nicely except for the scarring I tended to worry every time I`d get another headache thinking it might be a delayed damage to my brain.
Carl blinked his sleepy eyes at me "Okay sissy,"
Daryl grunted as I slipped our bookmark into place before whispering into Carl`s ear "I think we have Daryl hooked onto Mr Potter" I said loud enough for the man in question to hear as Carl giggled, "Maybe yeah."
Daryl scoffed "Gonna take more than that kid."
After that Carl was asleep with in minutes with myself too dozing off into the dreamworld were life was normal and our family was still together.
End of Chapter Four.
Thanks to everyone reading this and for the few who reviewed
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