TWD - Zomboid - Chapter 292: Craving Chicken Stew with Mushrooms (Patreon)

As evening settled in, the two of them didn’t head back. Instead, they found a sheltered clearing in the forest and made camp there.

Luke casually gathered some dry wood and had a campfire going in no time.

Ellie felt like she was back on the road again. She sat with her back against a tree, constantly watching the darkness around them.

Even the occasional animal cry echoing through the forest was enough to put her on edge and make her glance around.

Night was always the most dangerous time.

“I can take the first watch, and you take the second. How about that?” Ellie suggested. “If we take turns, we can both get some sleep.”

That was how she and Joel had always done it.

One of them had to stay awake and keep watch. Otherwise, they might sleep too deeply and wake up with a walker right on top of them.

“Sure. Don’t mind if I do.”

Luke lazily settled down beside the fire and scratched his ass. “If you get tired, just sleep too. The forest’s huge. Once you’re worn out, get some rest.”

Ellie frowned.

“Just don’t sleep too deeply.”

Luke yawned. “My instincts are pretty sharp, you know. Even if something does sneak up on us, there’s no way it’ll get past my ears.”

Ellie looked at his drowsy expression, unconvinced.

As far as she was concerned, spending the night in the wilderness without keeping watch was practically the same as sticking your head straight into a walker’s mouth.

She couldn’t understand how Luke could be this relaxed. He acted as though entering the forest was the same as going home.

Were there really no walkers out here capable of threatening him?

Just then...

A sudden rustling came from the bushes at the edge of the clearing.

Ellie reacted instantly.

She sprang to her feet and tightened her grip on the dragon-head knife. Luke had taken the gun back, so the knife was the only weapon she had now.

She lowered her stance and stared hard in the direction of the noise.

“Easy, girl.”

Daryl emerged from the darkness.

A cigarette hung from his lips, and his crossbow was strapped across his back as he leisurely stepped out from behind the bushes.

He seemed quite pleased with Ellie’s reaction.

“Good instincts. Keep that up.”

Praise from Daryl was rare.

Ellie had seen him earlier that day. He had been standing near Merle and had even greeted Luke.

“You followed us all day. That’s some patience.”

Luke didn’t even turn around. He lazily raised a hand, signaling for Ellie to relax.

Only then did Ellie lower her knife.

She sat back down and hugged her knees, looking between Luke and Daryl as though trying to figure out what the two of them were up to.

Daryl walked over to the fire and casually tossed Luke a canteen. Then he found a rock on the opposite side of the flames, sat down, and set his crossbow beside him.

“How long has it been since we spent a night out in the woods?”

Daryl glanced at Luke.

“Hasn’t been that long. Three months, maybe?” Luke took the canteen, then tossed another one to Ellie.

“Feels like years,” Daryl said.

“Catch anything?”

“In the middle of the damn night? Where exactly am I supposed to find you something to hunt?” Daryl rolled his eyes. “You two made so much noise during the day that you scared off every living thing in the woods.”

“Let’s just crack open a couple cans and eat something.”

As he spoke, he pulled out two cans of fruit, pried the metal lids open with his hunting knife, and set them near the edge of the fire.

“So you didn’t catch anything. Fine. Why bother making excuses?” Luke pursed his lips. “And now you’re resorting to canned fruit?”

The old hunter just couldn’t admit he’d come back empty-handed.

“Canned fruit? Even a dog wouldn’t eat that stuff. It’s so sweet it could kill you. One can and I’d be ready to pass out.” Luke shook his head. “Might as well eat something with some real calories.”

He reached into his pocket and somehow pulled out several heavy cans of beef, casually tossing them over.

He had tons of the stuff stored in his backpack.

Daryl and Ellie both froze.

“Wait. You actually brought canned beef with you?” Daryl raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“And where were you keeping those?” Ellie stared at Luke’s pocket.

It was completely flat.

How had he just pulled three cans out of it?

More importantly, they had spent the entire day walking around, and she hadn’t heard a single clink from them.

What kind of mysterious power was this?

“What kind of decent person spends their time staring at someone else’s pockets? That’s what thieves do, kid.” Luke said it as though the problem was obviously Ellie’s poor observation skills.

Then he reached into the same pocket and pulled out several energy bars.

No way.

Ellie shook her head repeatedly, then actually reached toward Luke’s pocket.

There couldn’t possibly be more food in there, could there?

Luke slapped her hand away.

“Quit grabbing at things. Kids are always so nosy.”

Ellie pursed her lips and reluctantly pulled her hand back.

While Luke turned around to grab more firewood, she quickly gave him the middle finger.

With Joel away, Ellie no longer had any reason to hide her real personality.

She might have been young, but she had more than a little troublemaker in her.

Daryl burst out laughing.

“Ha! I like that.” He grinned. “Kid, who taught you how to fight like that?”

Ellie didn’t answer.

She might trust Luke to some extent, but that didn’t mean she trusted everyone else.

“Relax.” Daryl stubbed his cigarette out against a rock. “I’m not gonna eat you. I used to be the same way. Slept with one eye open. Heard the slightest noise and I’d be up with a knife, checking the area.”

“Before the apocalypse and after.”

Luke stayed quiet.

Daryl’s childhood had been miserable. He had grown up dirt poor in America with parents who were absolute pieces of shit.

The fact that he had still turned into a halfway decent human being was impressive enough.

Ellie relaxed a little.

“Who taught you to use a knife?” Daryl asked, glancing at the weapon in her hand. “Those moves you pulled earlier weren’t random. You knew what you were doing. Reminded me of a friend of mine, except she used a katana.”

That was genuine praise.

Ellie rarely received compliments from strangers, and her expression softened a little more.

“Joel taught me. He’s... a really experienced survivor.”

“Old hunter too, huh?” Daryl said.

The cans of beef bubbled over the fire, their rich smell mingling with the scent of burning wood and drifting through the night air.

Luke reached over and picked one up.

He angled it slightly toward Ellie, and for a second, she thought he was handing it to her.

Then Luke started eating it himself.

“If you want one, grab your own, kid. This one’s mine.” Luke looked at her warily.

Well, look at that.

He was protective of his food too?

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

Three minutes later, Ellie and Daryl were eating as well.

Ellie took a bite. The beef was hot, salty, and flavorful. Sitting beside the campfire somehow made it taste even better.

“Man, I could really go for some chicken,” Luke suddenly muttered.

“Turkey? That stuff’s everywhere.”

“Turkey? Hell no. That stuff tastes awful. I’m talking about chicken stewed with mushrooms.” Luke shook his head.

Daryl clearly didn’t see what the big deal was.

“Forget it. You people live in a culinary wasteland. There’s no point trying to explain it to you.”

Daryl: “...”