Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer was Created by Joss Whedon and is property of many companies but not me. The Walking Dead was created by Robert Kirkman and the show, which is the world I am referencing in this, is shared with Production Creators Frank Darabont and Angela Kang.

Author's Note: Mentions of animal slaughter for a few paragraphs, it'll be obvious it's about to happen. I understand this is a TWD/BTVS crossover so you're probably ok about it, but some people feel different when it's animals. Here is your heads up 😊
Author's Note Part 2 : You're not imagining it, you already read this chapter. I just went in and updated some grammar and verbiage. Nothing big.

Also I do understand the Greenes were Dairy farmers, not beef farmers, but I'm sure they had seen the end life cycle at some point. I rewrote who was teaching or observing so many times I just split the difference and called it a day, it does not read as smooth as either of the two other versions.

Happy New Year 😊 My resolution is to get some chapters in with more frequency than last year. Given I had 2 last year, I think I can manage that.

[20]

The breeze swam through open windows, curtains billowing as it entered, caressing the home's inhabitants before making its way back out the windows on the opposite side and into open air. Wiping down the bathroom counter, Dawn dropped the washcloth in the hamper, collecting the basket for her trip downstairs. The doors along the hall were open, Dawn pausing long enough at each one to see if anyone else had anything to take down but finding no one. Must've gone to take care of it already.

Lori was calling out after the kids to stay out of the back pasture as she got downstairs, confirming her suspicions, "You know nine times out of ten you tell a kid not to do something…"

"Carl knows to listen to me."

Pulling the washboard down from the shelf over the washer and dryer, Willow covered her laugh quickly with a fit of coughs, Dawn fighting a smile at how wide her eyes were, "Dust?"

Willow nodded, rubbing her chest a moment before reaching for the hard soap that had been out of her grasp. Willing it closer she smiled in satisfaction as it bumped against her fingers, and held in up in triumph, "Ok, now – basins?" With the washboard tucked to one arm pit and the soap in her hand, she nodded to the wooden tubs some of the cleaning supplies had been shoved into.

"Oh, I got it."

Both women yelled after Lori to stop before she could move to do so, Willow blocking her with her shoulder and upper arm, "We'll get it, you pick a spot outside and we'll bring it to you."

[Break, to the slaughter]

Peering through the door, Carl made sure the adults were focused on their task before waiving Sophia forward, darting around the building's perimeter and up the ladder to the loft. It was a full minute before he realized his friend had not followed, leaning to look back down at her with raised brows. Waiving for her to follow she shook her head in response, unable to talk for fear of being caught he rolled his eyes and tried to lean down as close to the floor of the loft as possible, watching.

The silence was unnerving, large body circling limply between Maggie and Daryl's hands as Rick stepped out of the large pan lipped slab beneath their feet, disappearing from Carl's view. Inching closer, his fingers gripped the loft's edge as Daryl and Maggie exchanged glances. Blood rushing through his ears he could just make out her directions, Daryl gesturing placement before following through.

Brown eyes slamming shut the youth failed to block out the moment, fingers interlaced over his mouth to keep from alerting anyone to his presence. Grit dripped into the red below, small flecks disappearing in the rush of liquid spraying out.

[Break, you may resume]

Stomach heavy, Lori sat on the patioed area off the house with a towel on the back of her neck, water soaking into the throat of her T as she ran clothes down the scrubbing board nestled between her legs. Spotting the young girl walking up, she paused, squinting against the sun, "Sophia, you ok?"

Two quick dips of her chin blonde tried rushing around her to go through the door to her and her mom's room, but Mrs. Grimes caught her by the back of her shirt, "Woah – no, you don't." When the set to the girl's mouth stayed stubborn, she pointed her to sit with her and nudged the other basin beside the chair, "Here, you can rinse."

Three shirts and two jeans in, Lori could not chew her cheek any longer, "Well, you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Nose twitching, Sophia twisted the denim out and ran to hang it over the fencing that went around the patio. "We went out to the back pasture," rushing as she saw her mom's friend scowl, she took the next piece of clothing as it was offered, "I didn't watch but, it … smells."

"And Carl?" The lack of response was enough, Lori taking back the basin, "Alright, go find your mom and let her know you're not feeling well. And Sophia," pausing the girl looked back at the open door, "next time we tell y'all not to follow or do something?"

"I will."

[Break]

"Man, they must be able to smell it the way they're acting," T-Dog kept his swings tight, arm coming down in short decisive bursts with the ax, knocking the walker as it ran into the fence line again and again. The old wood fence held against the bodies force, prepared to bear the weight of a wandering bovine, but enough of them and it would give.

"I'm sure they can!" Yelling down the way, Glenn searched the tree line but found no others for the moment, so far back from the road this side of the property was. The blood of earlier mercies marred the side of his pant leg, machete at the ready in his hand just in case, "Even back here we're too close to the house."

Taking the animal off property to kill had not been a possibility, no one wanting to risk herding it and getting swarmed and driving elsewhere when they had the ability here seemed wasteful. Gas was being rationed as carefully as possible, though the highway still had a seeming unending line of cars to choose from, "Just watch keep your eyes peeled, let me know if I miss something."

Both men looked each way along the fence line as they continued to walk it, making sure nothing had crossed over from in the interim. Working the area closest the shelter they expected any walkers to be come their way rather than the front of the property where the women were taking turns on watch.

It had taken a while for the red head to argue her right to keep watch in the beginning, the response that she was at a disadvantage true but not meaning she couldn't perform at all. Was she any less capable than Dale? Than Carol? Granted Carol chose other jobs over watch most days but when she did… While they often took shifts with other people, both Willow and Tara were glad to keep look out on the front together, able to communicate without being in direct line of vision or earshot as was needed when partnered with other people. Peaceful…

Willow nodded her agreement, both knowing the front was typically clearer over the back. The scent of the livestock seemed to draw the walkers from the trees though it was few and far between since winter. The group had discussed this was likely due to the cold slowing them down though they each hoped it was just because there hadn't been but so many people out in the countryside. Those that had been had already been dealt with when the barn had been opened…

Shaking her head, Willow cleared the thoughts away, catching movement near the house. Hunched amidst the cool crops, Beth and Patricia worked to pull any bugs that might have started on their leaves, checking their roots for potential rot or fungus. Walking by them, Dawn and Dale were talking over the passing of a list from one to the other

Uh oh, she has plan face.

Plan face? Tara looked over, studying the set of Dawn's face that did look rather familiar.

Mhm, just wait… Before Willow could finish the thought the young woman had flagged them both over, discussing the list of items the group had put together for scavenging, relying heavily on Beth and Maggie's opinions of where things could be found outside of the few stores they had already been in. Having been planning to grow as much as they could, a lot of the items covered containers or food for their livestock to keep from cutting into their own supply, other things such as soaps and hygiene needs stapled their list. Beyond that Patricia had very carefully written directions to a school that may have medical supplies, Dawn combing her fingers bac through her hair, "It's not immediate, but if we can I think we should see what we can find for Lori. We'll save it for last since it's the farthest, make a trip back here if we need to first."

Chewing the inside of her lip, Tara looked from Dale's thoughtful gaze to Dawn's determined one, "Who is going?"

"I was planning on asking Daryl but I know he's busy with Maggie and Rick, so maybe T-Dog and Glenn? We were going to take one of the cars though Dale offered to drive."

A small grin made it's way onto the man's face, "My RV has gotten us pretty far but I think it's best to conserve the gas for now."

"We could go, the guys have been busy at the back so it might not be a good idea to take them, but it's been calm on this front." Before Dale could decline, Dawn offered a compromise,

"Maybe one of each, Dale can you see which of the guys would be willing to come?" Making his way through the house, rather than around, Dawn waited until he was out of view,

"I know the search might be a little quicker with you but I think one of you should stay here, that way if anything happens we can get in touch with each other." Both of the women nodded understanding, the two communicating silently before they came to a decision, Willow leaning forward to press a kiss against Tara's lips,

"I love you." The brunette smiled, kissing her back and murmuring her reply, moving around her to make quick work of her hair to ensure it wasn't going to be easy to grab.

"Just take care of yourself and Dawnie out there."

Shielding her eyes, Dawn looked toward the house as the front door closed again, neither Dale nor the guards from the back fence appearing, "Daryl after all, I guess."

[Break]

"You sure you're best suited for this?"

Willow scowled at the man's assumption as he tossed his pack in the backseat beside her, arguing with herself about a reply until Dawn cut in, "If I had to put money on anyone in this car, Willow has it, hand down."

Daryl shook his head at the joke, shaking his head as the driver's side door clipped closed, he started the engine, "Whatever you say. Where to?"

[Break]

"Fan out, don't use those rounds unless you need them." One of the other men cursed at the Latino leading them for the day, mocking his impression of the governor. Arm raising, the dark haired man singled him out, "You want me to let him know you're questioning him, Crowley?"

The bandana-wearing rogue flicked him off, pulling his piece out from his under-arm holster and waiving to the mustached Asian man beside him, "Come on, let's get these biters in for the pits."

Martinez watched the two circle the small grouping in the high school lot, the FEMA camp disturbed since they'd last been by. From behind him, a large cloud of smoke billowed out in a whistle, "Governor aint gonna happy, he was depending on this place providing our entertainment for a while."

The observation had the mission's leader scowling, turning to face the rough jawed smoker, "Well it would be if we'd watched the place like I wanted after those guys ran up on the gates."

"Fuckers didn't make it far at least," Leftover guts and brain matter further on the pavement suggested whoever disturbed the high school's horde hadn't gotten far, "C'mon, see what's in the trailer, give us something out of this mess."

Martinez shook his head at the redneck's change in attitude. As the weather had warmed, he had begun to get anxious, looking to make excursions further out, trying to butter up the Governor so he would loosen the leash and let him out to look for his brother. Far as he was concerned, Merle was after a pipe dream, his brother and the group he'd been abandoned by had died in that quarry outside Atlanta. They'd dug up the graves they'd found, and while his brother wasn't amongst them, as far as Martinez was concerned, he was walking amidst the dead if not then than certainly by now.