"Name?" Sasuke asked keeping his blade on the man's neck.
He has already figured out his identity from the clothing and familiar face, the short haircut and all. But he played along.
"Henry"
"Sure and i'm Dwayne Johnson. whatever... Henry, care to tell me what you are doing here right now?"
"Does it matter?"
"It changed things, yeah. and i would advise against turning violently and smashing me with that crossbow"
Daryl stiffened, that was exactly what he was thinking about doing now.
"I don't read minds, anyway...what is a survivor doing here alone in the middle of nowhere".
"Can ask you the same"
"Fair enough, hungry?"
"Why, gonna invite me to your little picnic?" Daryl spoke sarcastically at the stupid question.
"A rude fellew, you have to be careful with your tone while talking to strangers. People got one hell of a short temper those days. Well...i did my duty toward guests" with that Sasuke withdrew his blade letting the man stand up to face him.
"You can keep going on your safe travel. Just don't wander near us again because i won't be having a conversation next time"
"You sane?"
"Haha, do i look otherwise?" Sasuke looked at him finding his stunned expression funny.
" i don't know. But i'm sure i wouldn't be letting a random guy sneakin' near my place off that easy, or inviting him for a fucking happy meal."
"Mhm understandable. Tho you won't be asking that once you realize i can kill you right here ten times over in two seconds. Anyway Henry, nice getting to know you. My offer still stands though" Sasuke waved walking ahead uncaring, first...he is able to kill the guy way before receiving the stab in the back.
Second?...it's fucking Daryl, that guy isn't such a man who backstabs others for no reason.
' fuckin' great, have i met another lunatic? ' he tried, hard to just ignore it all and walk away but Daryl was curious.
About the guy and what lies ahead in the area where light was seeping from.
"There you are boy, what the hell did it take you- the fuck is that?"
"Billy meet Henry, Henry this is Billy one of my friends."
"Don't worry he's alone and i'm locking into him. May give us reliable intelligence and he isn't that of danger to us" Sasuke whispered in one breath before looking back at the wary Daryl who was squeezing his crossbow, finger lingering beside the trigger.
"I don't mind you keeping that crossbow, but know this. You as much as raise it chest level aiming it to anyone and i will have you screwed" Sasuke knowing mere verbal threats won't impress turned and launched 10 kunais within a blink at Daryl whose instinct took over to raise his crossbow but he stopped.
Tensed and even terrified from what he saw from the corner of his vision.
He confirmed by looking around him and his hands shook a little not moving an inch.
Gleaming sharp objects.
inch Above his head, right beside his shoulders, both sides of his neck, straight under his groin, both sides of his waist and knees.
10 knives were pierced into the tree to his back missing him precisely by a breath and he knows, it was calculated and not a mere mistake or lucky throw.
"Sorry for that but i needed my threat to be taken seriously, c'mon we got meat and drinks" Sasuke walked over pulling his kunais, well...bar the one near the man's groin area as that would be awkward then patted him on the shoulder to walk with them.
Billy too just kept his hand on his holster. as Sasuke said, with that kind of vigilance and excellence with weapons, messing with them would be a death wish.
Soon Sasuke and Billy returned with Daryl trailing behind them and Sasuke introduced him to the group.
Obviously they all looked at the haggard man with a weapon warily but with Sasuke here they didn't overreact and just let him sit beside Sasuke as Jenny offered him a plate with meat and some beans on it while Morgan filled him a drink.
Daryl took the plate somewhat awkwardly from the kind-looking woman and cast a look around.
They were a small group, smaller than the one back in the camp, but more...sharp.
The men here were all armed with heavy firepower. And geared up in protective outfits.
The black man who gave him a drink had a rifle on his back and was holding a hunting knife in hand, another revolver beside him.
the bearded man has two Glocks and a tomahawk strapped to his hip.
The girl nearby the knives-man had a hunting bow with a quiver holding at least 15 arrows. He only has less than 6 on him.
And lastly, the man who sneaked on him like a ghost and came close to killing him many times over just like he said...
The only visible weapon on him were what looked to be a sword strapped to his hip and those knives.
But Daryl felt it. He was a dangerous fighter who had that awareness, the same he acquired only from surviving years in the wild.
He observed him earlier while walking, this man with soft features didn't produce the least sound even in this place that is filled with twigs and dry leaves on the ground.
That alone spoke volumes to what kind of guy he is.
"...and this beautiful lady here is Ciri" Sasuke finished introducing others and himself, his true name to the man who ate slowly and silently with eyes up and ready for anything.
Ciri smiled waving her small hand at the man, she didn't seem to fear him or anything unlike the kids back in the camp, and even some adults.
"Daryl Dixon" Daryl said, he felt weird to being called with another name after all and corrected it.
"You were wandering alone son? In the wild?" Morgan asked, the guy looked rough, and his disheveled and dusted appearnace spoke of the harshness he experienced out there.
"Yeah, was around hunting. Meat isn't easy to come by those last weeks" Daryl spoke a little comfortable now enjoying the meat on his plate.
They got two innocent looking kids, people like them ain't bad and ruthless.
At least he wanted to believe so.
"I agree, this is our first too since long" Billy said watching sasuke help Ciri cut her part.
"You are travelling?" Daryl asked, his eyes caught the scene of a van and an armored military car parked nearby, that just made it clear how better geared this group is.
"Yeah, left a town we were staying at. Sasuke didn't want to risk entering through the city so we found this place to spend the night"
"That was the right call, Atlanta has fallen, it's all walkers in there"
"Really?" Morgan asked in concern, Rick...does that mean the man searching for his familly walked straight to his death.
"Nothing to do about it morgan, Rick is a cop, was...i trust a man like him has what it takes to survive. We can go search for him once we find a stable and safe place. And it's not dawn yet" Sasuke said already knowing what was Morgan worried about.
He can't just say for sure that Rick will survive with no evidence backing his claim, or scratching it as a gut feeling. Thus he can only stretch the matter.
"Well you guys should rest, i will take the first half, Billy then Morgan" Sasuke said telling them about the watch duty.
He turned to Daryl then asked if he have a tent to use and sleep on.
"I can sleep in one of the trees"
"No need for all that trouble, we have spares" Billy said and goes to retrieve one for Daryl, others already had theirs perched close to each other.
"I know you won't feel comfortable soon to sleep so i guess we will be keeping each others company until sleep comes knocking"
Daryl didn't reply to Sasuke, he watched as the man who was few years younger kissed the blonde little girl on the crown of her hair and bid the sisters and others goodnight.
The older one cast a look at Daryl, probably worried before smiling at Sasuke and retreating to their tent.
Soon all left sitting around the campfire were Billy, Sasuke and Daryl.
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[Author here: today's chapter was a bit shorter than usual (1,400 words) so tomorrow there will be 2 chapters...stay safe]