merle might have his flaws , and they might be many ( and daryl would know , having known his brother all his life ) but he isn't a bad man when it came down to it . and daryl knows merle better than even his brother likely realizes ----- they can be shockingly similar when it came down to it . he knows merle went after the governor to try and make things right . even if the group didn't fully understand , even if they saw the exterior merle put up --- the flaws ingrained from how they were raised , daryl knows where he'd gone and why .
he doesn't listen to any arguments rick or glenn or anyone else may have had for him , gathers his shit and takes off to track his brother down once he figures out what the fuck is going on . he takes his bike to where michonne had said merle had let her go , before following tire tracks just long enough to figure out just where merle had gone . he finds the abandoned car ---- the governor's men that his brother had taken down . and to his RELIEF , there's no sign of merle dead or dying ----- though for a few moments he worries the governor took him , until he manages to find a trail . there's blood , and he knows his brother probably got hurt in the altercation -- philip is a ruthless man in power .
he makes it into the woods , downing a few walkers on the way as he follows merle's trail . once far enough from the area the fight had gone down to feel safe in not being found by anyone living ---- daryl gives a whistle , one of the ones he and merle used hunting . if merle is close enough to hear it , he'll know it's him .