'The Walking Dead' recap: What happened during 'New Best Friends'

— -- The latest episode of "The Walking Dead" opened at the Kingdom, where a group of Saviors has come to claim their latest shipment. Henchman Jared, who previously scrapped with Kingdom lieutenant Richard, asks for his gun.

Richard looks to Ezekiel for guidance, but of course, he offers none.

A scuffle breaks out, with Morgan and his young staff student Benjamin placing a couple of key blows, before Morgan is struck and disarmed.

Gavin, the Saviors' apparent leader here, warns Ezekiel about Richard's behavior, and allows Jared to steal Morgan's beloved staff.

Daryl comes out of hiding when the Saviors leave, and dresses Morgan down for letting the Saviors get away. "If Carol was here, she'd lead us to them and kill 'em all." Morgan agrees: "That's why she left."

Daryl meets up with Richard, who is practicing with a bow. He presents Daryl with a crossbow. "I need your help," he implores.

They arm up and set off. Richard sets up a highway ambush with the intention of getting the Saviors mad enough to sacrifice a woman close to Ezekiel, in order to get the would-be king to rise up -- but Daryl realizes Richard is talking about sacrificing Carol. And with Saviors bearing down on their ambush spot, Daryl attacks Richard instead of the baddies. "If she catches so much as a fever," he lets the Kingdom soldier know it will be on his head.

At the compound of the lake people, now apparently known as the Scavengers, Grimes' gang is paraded out before their leader, Jadis. Rick asks the group to join them to fight the Saviors. Their leader refuses. A scuffle breaks out. Fr. Gabriel takes one of theirs at knifepoint, and makes their case -- and tells the leader Rick can do anything.

Jadis takes Grimes up atop a massive junk pile, and proposes maybe they'll team up, if Rick proves he's worthy -- then flings him off.

He ends up face to face with a walker armored with blades and steel plates. He attempts to punch it, and is hand is run through on one of the blades. Bleeding, Rick scrambles on the junk pile for anything to defend himself with and eventually creates an avalanche of junk to pin the walker down at Michonne's direction.

Using a piece of glass, he decapitates the walker and calls up to the leader. "Believe us now?! Tell us what you want," Rick bellows, before they lower a rope to him.

"Guns. A lot. Then we'll fight your fight," Jadis said, driving a bargain. She wants half of what they find. They settle for less. Jadis' gang drops the weapons they took from gang Grimes, and a bloodied Rick informs them they have a deal.

Ezekiel pays what he claims is an accidental visit to Carol, who was well aware his men were approaching, thanks to her tripwires. She sends them away.

Then, another knock on the door. Annoyed, she answers. It's Daryl! The friends share a long overdue embrace. "Why'd you leave?" he asks, heartbroken. "I had to," she says, teary eyed.

Back at the junkyard, Fr. Gabriel thanks Rick for having faith in him. Together, gang Grimes sets off to find their guns.

At Carol's, she asks Daryl what she fears the most. "Is everybody back home ok?" "They came ... we got 'em all, made a deal, everyone's OK," Daryl lies, not telling her about Abraham and Glenn, to spare her.

The pair eat together, and Daryl leaves, returning for one last hug.

Back at the Kingdom, Daryl bonds with Shiva the tiger, and urges Morgan to, "wake the hell up" and help them. "You didn't tell Carol what happened," Morgan says correctly, "because she'd be here if you did."

The next morning, Daryl decamps and heads to Hilltop to "get them ready."

"The Walking Dead" returns next Sunday, Feb. 26, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.