𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | TWD [Book 1]

II. The Weight of Resentment

"I would not risk that." Shane states, making Daryl sigh since he knew it would be enough food to last a while for the group.

"That's a damn shame. I got some squirrel... about a dozen or so. A couple of bunnies, too. That'll have to do."  He shrugs, showing off the squirrels and bunnies they managed to capture.

Suddenly, the head of the walker starts to move its teeth, the blonde girls gasping out, but their fear ends when an arrow flies through the air, Daryl taking a step to the side as it pierces the walker's head.

"You nearly shot me!" Daryl exclaims, the women walking out of the woods with a roll of her eyes.

"Your tantrum distracted me." Madeleine states, the silence surrounding the group as she looks around, noticing the satisfied expressions on their faces.

Rick remains in a state of shock at the sight of her and he takes her more mature figure in. The image from the last time he had seen her was burned into his mind, but he can tell just by simply looking at her that she has changed.

A smile breaks on his face as she keeps glaring at Daryl, the two of them not looking away from each other before she rolls her eyes. Madeleine's eyes rapidly widen at the sight of the person she never thought she'd see again and before she can process it, the word leaves her mouth.

"Rick." She blinks a few times, the name seeming foreign coming from her own lips and by the looks on everyone's faces, she knows she's not hallucinating the man in front of her.

"You know him?" Daryl seems confused about the stranger, whilst everyone is looking between the two of them after having heard the story Rick told them the previous night, growing content at their reunion.

"I'm her father." Rick concludes, walking over to pull her into a warm embrace, but she's too stunned by the revelation of him being alive and doesn't hug him back.

After a solid minute he pulls away, brushing the hair out of her face and she takes a step away from him still in utter disbelief of his presence.

"You're alive." She breathes out and he nods his head with a smile, the two of them contrasting their moods as she has a blank stare in her eyes like he's a stranger to her.

She gives in and looks away when Daryl begins to call out his brother's name, making a move to walk back into the camp, not caring about the reunion of the Grimes father and daughter like the rest of them. Although, Rick awaits for her to say anything to him, even ask him how he's still alive, but she simply brushes past him and walks back to the camp.

"Where's Carl?" She questions, the Korean man approaching her and throwing his arm over her shoulder but her instant glare causes for him to hold his hands up in defence.

"He's okay. He's with Lori."

"You made it back in one piece?" She acknowledges, Glenn grinning at her and she rolls her eyes at his continuous joyful demeanour.

"I knew you cared." He teases and she arches her eyebrows at him who chuckles. "We barely made it. Rick... I mean... your dad?"

She shakes her head at his words as they reach the camp, Daryl keeping on calling out for his older brother as they trail behind him.

"Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up."

"We're gonna have a problem." Madeleine hears Glenn mutter under his breath which makes her lightly curious about what happened during their run.

"Daryl, just slow up a bit. I need to talk to you." Shane calls out, causing for Daryl to snap his entire body toward him.

"About what?"