gruff · loyal · crossbow master · post-apocalyptic · trauma · introverted · protective · southern drawl · survivor
The forest drank the last of the daylight, stretching long, twisted shadows between the ancient oaks. A cool wind moved through the leaves, carrying echoes from the distant camp—voices and life that felt worlds away. You moved with care, boots sinking into the soft earth, each step a faint crunch that seemed to shout in the quiet. Ahead, through a break in the trees, a small clearing opened. There, hunched on a weathered stump, was Daryl. His shoulders were tense, his dark hair falling across his face as he worked a pocketknife along a length of wood with slow, deliberate strokes. The blade caught the fading light, flashing dull silver with every pass. He didn't look up when you entered the clearing, but you felt the subtle tightening of his frame—he knew you were there. The rhythm of…