Daryl huddled underneath the wool blanket he managed to scrounge up. The cold sipping in and underneath it even as he pulled it closer. He could feel the goosebumps rise up on his skin every time the wind would hit. The dark sky up ahead told him the storm wasn't far off, and where was he? Stuck out in the middle of it.
"Where the hell you goin?"
"Huntin!"
"Bullshit, you're runnin away. Finally found what you been lookin for your whole damn life and you runnin,"
A pause, a brief one as Daryl stood at the bottom of the steps, chewing on his lip taking in his brother's screwed up face. "Just keep an eye on... Them."
Merle's narrowed his gaze at him, but Daryl turned away. Heading out the fence before another word was said. That was a day ago, now he looked to the cloudy sky and wished he'd taken his brother's advice. Wished he was sitting around the large fireplace with the rest of them instead of staring into his measly fire that gave very little heat and kept threatening to burn out. Daryl poked at the thing again, adding another twig to feed it some more. The flame flared to life for a mere second before edging back down to that barely there glow.
Daryl let out a frustrated huff as he shoved away from the thing. Finally deciding to just let it die out and scoot closer to a nearby tree. Moving so that the trunk provided some shelter from the wind, and he was able to huddle under his blanket, a blank stare going out to the woods. There wasn't a sound to be heard. Not animal, human, or walker. Daryl guessed that should be some small fortune. If he made an attempt to fight the damn geeks now he'd probably lose, and it wouldn't be pretty. Lord knew what the group would have to say to him then. He had no doubt there would be an earful when he returned as it was.
Letting out another heavy sigh, he settled back, wrapping the blanket around him so more and leaned his head back. Not really attempting to fall asleep, but looking to rest for even a moment. To make his mind shut off, if it would shut off. Be easier if there was a small weight at his side, warm and soft. Daryl's eyes flashed open again as Merle's words, "you runnin away..." sounded in his ear again.
"Ain't runnin from nothin, asshole," he muttered into the dark. Resting his head against his arms, he looked into the night. Letting it lull him into some kind of peace. Not the kind he could relax, and possibly even sleep in, but a familiar one all the same as he strained to hear above the wind. To pick up any kind of sound that would tell him if something was coming closer. Stayed like that for he didn't know how long, his muscles steadily growing stiff and sore as he refused to move. Determined to finish out this night and maybe head on home. Hopefully get himself some kind of deer or hog. Something to show for his disappearance. It'd make the grumbling all that more bearable at least.
The clouds didn't let up for the night, though, thankfully the rain didn't come either. Not until early morning hours when a few drops woke Daryl up from whatever stupor he managed to put himself in. The cold water running down his back and into his shirt, causing him to shiver as he stood and stretched. Hoping to work out those muscles that knotted up in the night, and knowing that moving would do that better than anything.
Daryl rolled up his blanket, shoved it into his bag, praying he wouldn't need it again tonight and grabbed his crossbow. Determined to head home, but as he got further from his makeshift camp sight the rain fell harder. Running down his face and into his eyes, causing him to stop on more than one occasion to wipe the water away and take stock of his surroundings. There was definitely no point in hunting in this. Anything worth catching would be hiding in some shelter. Much like he should be, but he didn't see anything that would work. With a grunt, he shifted his crossbow and continued on. Tracking through the rain for several more minutes, keeping his head low to keep the rain out of his face, while keeping his ears peeled for any unusual sounds.
Rushing water caught his attention first as he continued on, spotting the raging river as he moved a closer. Noting the steep incline to get down there, and the even rougher water moving downstream. Resting against the tree close to the edge, he watched it for a minute, taking a breather. Needing the moment to rest his still sore legs. Tracking all day yesterday, and then sitting in a ball all night did nothing for him. Just made him feel his age as he attempted to make his way back.
Shuffling caught his attention next, and he turned, eyes narrowing to see through the rain and the forest. Hoping to spot the dead before it spotted him. One of the good things about rain storms, it covered his scent. Making it harder for the walkers to sense him, but it also made it harder for him to see them. Crouching low, he looked through the underbrushes, just glimpsing the decaying legs shuffling past him. Not taking any notice, and Daryl sunk closer to the trees. Hoping to keep it that way. Sure, one walker wouldn't be much of a problem for him. He could take it out easily, but he didn't forget the herd that took out T-dog, not all that long ago, and he cursed his stupidity.
'Yet another reason to listen to your older brother, dumbass.' Daryl closed his eyes, forcing his breaths out low just in case and opened them up again to see that the walker had passed. It's shuffling feet moving further away, and he moved to stand up. Ready to take off again when a low moan caught his attention just behind him. Causing him to whirl in his spot. His boot slipped on the mud, and he stumbled back, almost catching himself until he felt his ankle collide with a branch and he went flying backwards. Slamming into a protruding rock that made him curl and turn as he continued sliding down the muddy bank. Hitting several more rocks and sticks, feeling each one take a piece of him before rolling him off the steep side, and submerging him into the rushing water.
His head slammed into the rocks at the bottom, and the pain shot down through his spine. Causing him to gasp, allowing the water to feel his lungs, burning them as he gulped for air. A useless motion, he knew, but an automatic one all the same as he attempted to tell up from down. His vision blurred, making it harder to tell so he kicked out. Using his arms and legs to just move. To do something.
With a supreme effort, he forced his body to move. Even with his lungs screaming for air, and the pressure inside his head telling him to just lie down, he kicked to the surface. Emerging long enough to take in a gulp of air before he was dragged under again. The water flowing over and around him, twisting him until he couldn't make sense of where he was going, or what was happening. Rocks, and logs slammed into him from every direction. Every time he turned, his body was taking another blow. One that could easily be his last, though he knew he had to keep kicking. Had to keep moving, and somehow he managed to resurface again and again. Taking deep breaths to keep his lungs from burning whenever he was pulled back under. When he surfaced again, he turned in time to see a log flowing into the river, planted somewhere along the bank, and Daryl kicked out for it.
His fingers just barely brushing across the limbs before he was swept off again. This time, he managed to stay above the water, using what strength he had to swim toward the shore. Even as his muscles protested every move, his side aching from the strain and his pounding head threatening to take him out any minute, he continued pushing. Shoving himself closer until he was nearly there. Could feel his feet slipping against rocks as he kept moving. He lost his footing on a particularly slippery rock. Submerging himself yet again as he was once again swept into the current. Closer to the shore this time. So much so, that his fingers continued to slide across branches, each one giving away until his body came to an abrupt halt.
The strap around his center tightening, shoving out what air he managed to save as his crossbow caught on something. Causing him to just float there for a moment before he was able to look up. A branch, a long one, lay floating in the river. The crossbow caught between the claw like limb, allowing him to just hang there. With a last ditch effort he grabbed a hold of his crossbow, muscles protesting as he pulled himself closer. His fingers slipping on the crossbow several times before he managed to grab a hold of the log and pull himself closer and wrap an arm around the log. Using it to brace himself against the raging river so that he could untangle the crossbow. Finding it a much harder job than he was willing to deal with at the moment. His aching head protesting every moment he sat attempting to focus on the weapon until finally he chanced a sharp tug and felt it give way and he was able to pull himself toward the shore. His breaths ragged, and labored. Coming out more as gasps as he crawled onto the bank and collapsed. The surrounding trees giving him some cover from the still pouring rain as he lay there. Resting for just a moment as his eyes closed. His vision steadily growing blacker now that the adrenaline wasn't pumping through his veins.
A stick cracking caught his attention just as he blacked out. With only enough energy to turn his head, he noticed a mop of blonde hair stand over him with a gun raised. The woman froze feet from him, looking behind her as Daryl let his head fall back.
With his vision all but gone, and his head pounding, he only managed to gasp out, "Beth" before everything went black and he collapsed.
So, I know this is short but it's been a busy week. My apologies. Hope you enjoy it and I will get something more then this up next week. Hopefully you enjoyed it all the same and I do hope you don't want to hurt me right now. Someone mentioned they just needed a little nudge, but...yeah...anyways.
Thanks for commenting and following, it's very much appreciated!