"So." I nodded to Luke, who was tuning up the radio. "I'm going out there with Daryl. We check out Alphas land, radio to you our position. And then wait for someone to come and get us?" I asked, leaning on his wooden table.
I dropped Judith and RJ off and went back to hilltop to take a look at our plan.
We take a look at the land tonight, then tomorrow we set up camps and get our defenses up. We attack after.
"Correct." He nods, "Glad you understand, Daryl just is winging it. So you can watch out for him." He nods, smirking after the joke.
"Excuse me squidward?" Daryl storms over.
"Just because he plays instruments doesn't mean he's-" Luke interrupted me, laughing, "Hey, at least the jokes not about my nose."
"What you say to me boy?" Daryl glared.
"Daryl oh my god!" I laughed, "He was joking!"
He glared at us, crossing his arms his eyes were like daggers into our souls. "Let's go Isabella."
"Oop, King Neptune is calling." I whisper to Luke, who cackled in response, tuning up the radio.
-
"We gotta drop the motorcycle off about two miles off." He says, squinting as he thought he nods to himself, stopping the motorcycle.
I jump off, grabbing my backpack I situate my knives on my belt and my gun. I feel something in my pocket, I fish in it, and find a drawing RJ drew of me. Wearing a cape.
"Let's go." Daryl nods. "We can look at things later."
"What's got you in a bunch ol' man?" I smiled.
"I'm not old, I'm in my 40's..." he whispers, "it's just- the last time we went on something like this... I don't know. It's hard to explain." He shrugged, "We just got a break and now we're back in war. Both of us fighting on the front lines, we can die." He whispers. "You are lucky." He grumbled.
"Me? Why?" I cocked my head.
"They didn't get to meet you, look at ya. They didnt get to analyze every aspect of you in a single grunt. We made contact with them, Bell." He shrugged. "I think what I'm trying to say is, is I don't want to loose you like I lost Rick."
I paused. A unexpected wave of sorrowing pain washed over me. Making me pause for a moment.
"Sorry Isabella." He grumbled, "I... god."
"It's fine, don't be upset about it." I nodded, "Anyways, it's felt like we walked forever—"
5 large sticks carved into spears stuck across the gravel in front of us. I nearly step over it.
I never fought these people, only when Lydia was with Alpha. I talked about boundaries but I didn't expect this.
"Careful." Daryl nodded, pulling me back, "They always watch. Be careful."
I nodded in agreement, pulling out my knife for a sense of protection. "How do you presume we get from here to there?" I asked, Daryl simply grins.
Oh no.
"We have a mud trail that goes across this border and down under the bridge." He nods, "That will be safer, more quiet. And fun." He grabs my arm, taking us down the hill under the bridge.
"Jesus Daryl!" I whispered harshly, seeing my bare knees and shorts getting soaked, "I shouldn't be grossed out, but this is just a lot."
He snickered silently, helping me kick my way through the mud, "Careful with every step you take. You don't know what's in here." Daryl nods.
"I feel dead grass and rocks, that's it." I replied grimly.
Daryl suddenly stops, kicking something off his leg in restraint. "For god sake..." he grumbled, letting go of me.
"Is it a walker?" I asked, digging through the mud by his tugged leg. "I can't get a good kick on it." He groaned, "It's clawed it's rotten hands on my ankle."
I dug until something grabbed my hand. "There's more than one in here." I groan, grabbing my knife I plant a blade into Daryls walker, then mine.
"Jesus..." Daryl whispers, "Isabella GO." He whispers, tugging me as fast as possible through this mud.
I looked down, multiple different walkers are purposefully dug into this mud. It was a trap.
"Go." Daryl whispers, trying to speed me up by literally nearly dragging me. Stabbing the nearest surfaced ones as did I.
"Daryl wait." I whisper, flicking the muddy and bloody guts off of my knife I sunk my blade into the walker that grabbed my ankle head. Then Daryl starts getting grabbed, then me again.
"Oh no no no." I whisper, "No."
"Stop freaking out." Daryl groaned silently, "I'm not freaking out, you are." I whisper, stabbing the heads.
Daryl grabs my hand, kicking his way through as he drags me along.
"How much farther?" I asked.
"Right here." He says, grunting as he jumped out of the mud, pulling me up my arms.
"Thanks." I panted, "Good refresh." I smiled to him. "Yea." He shrugged, putting his knife back as did I.
"Hello." A low growl radiated deep into my bones from behind me.
Daryl slowly grabs his knife, "We meet again, Daryl." The man smiled.
"You glad to see me?" He growled, "I ain't."
He turns around, but once the blade came into the- he's HUGE!
He grabs Daryls hand, taking his knife as Daryl grabs another. Making a sharp attempt to puncture this 6'5 man.
I grab my gun, pulling out one of my smaller knives I grab Betas arm. Tugging I shoved my knife into his hand.
It didn't even go through.
My breath hitched as I looked up at Betas eyes. He didn't even seem to look at me as he grabbed Daryls head, the blade still in his hand he pulls Daryls head to his knee, knocking Daryl onto the floor.
I grab my gun, holding it to his head.
"On your knees." I said grimly, "Now."
"I heard stories about you..." his monotone crackling voice echos. I still see that blade in his hand...
"From whom?" I glared, "I only met your leader once."
"But you'd people talk... especially metal arm man." He growled, "He talked about you, never used your name, only used The Protector." He smiled.
I cocked the gun, hearing Daryl crawl on the ground. Holding his face in pure agony, "How do you know it was me?" I hissed, cocking my head, "Many people have names here."
With a grunt he pulls the blade out, but when he does Daryl scrambled to his knees. Then Beta punched me in the gut, a lingering sharp pain in my side.
"Your 3 inch throwing knife? That was cute." He growled, wrapping his hand. "Follow me, and quickly."
I hunched over, holding my stomach. Then feeling a hand blade sticking into my side.
"Oh god." I whisper, wrapping my hands around the blade. I close my eyes. Taking deep breaths.
It's going to be fine, don't pull it out.
"W-We need to go." Daryl stuttered, holding his head.
"We came here for a reason." I held the blade almost like I was trying to hide it. But not from Daryl.
"You got stabbed." He glared, "I got a knee to the face. We go or we die."
I paused, looking at my blood soaked hand. Nodding.
I was slightly hunched as I used the trees for support. Daryl next to me as he held his face, we encounter the bridge and sticks.
Then a small piece of twined string slipped across my throat, tugging me back onto Alphas borders.
I calmly held my side, Daryl shockingly turns around as he held his cross bow to his eye. It wavered back and forth unsteadily.
"Y'all think you smart enough to sneak onto my land?" Alpha smiled, Beta on her side, "I wouldn't want to try to kill us, Daryl." She growled, "We have that Army we talked about. And it will be released. But if you pull that unsteady trigger, it will be released sooner." She smiled.
I coughed, holding the blade. "Daryl, tell the others I'll be okay." I nodded, "Tell Judith and RJ I'll be back soon."
"If you do come back soon, might come back later than anticipated." Beta growled.
"I'll make a point outta you." She whispers to me, taking me deeper away into the forest from Daryls shocked and fearful face.
I'll fight my way out of this, if it's the last thing I do.