Arrowhead ➳ Daryl Dixon

f i f t e e n

"Change into these." A voice said, awakening Presley from her slumber. She hadnt wanted to fall asleep, but her eyes had betrayed her anyways. She had fallen asleep in a small bedroom with a single locked door- no windows. Though, she had seen a vent underneath the bed.

The man handed her a change of clothes. Dark wash jeans and an old Beatles t-shirt. She dragged herself out of bed, reaching for the knife that was usually tied at her waist. She frowned when she didn't find it. "What if I get attacked? You are keeping me here and expecting me to just what, stab him with my fingers?"

The man snorted. "You won't get attacked- not in here by walkers. Now hurry up and change."

- - -

Daryl sat in the back of the room, dead silent. The entire council was rambling about the issues with Presley and Mika's abduction.

"Why them, of all people?" Rick asked, running his hands through his hair. He always seemed uneasy whenever Carl wasn't at his side, as if he expected the boy to get attacked during that time. "I mean, I kind of understand why they took Presley... She's of some value, but why a kid?"

"To reason with us, perhaps." Hershal said quietly.

"It was the governor." Michonne intervened. "Only he would think to use A child and a young girl to reason with our group."

"How do you know? How do we even know if they're alive?"

"She's alive. Presley, I mean. They drugged her. I didn't see Mika, though." Maggie said, her voice soft and injured. "I was right there... The second she heard that gunshot she pushed me down and took off running... She went over the hill and I couldn't see what happened. I-I should have helped her." Her shoulders shaked.

"It wasn't your fault, Maggie." Hershal hushed his daughter.

"When are we going after them?" Daryl finally spoke. The group remained quiet, not saying a word. He frowned and threw up his hands. "Don't tell me we're just going to leave her with those assholes to get raped and beat- again."

"We're not... But we don't even know how far away these people are. We can't really spare the fuel at this point." Lori said quietly.

"Oh shut up. We all know you have ain't liked Presley from the start... Just because your son would rather talk to her than you."

Lori turned, as if she had been struck. "I would like to see you raise a kid at this time!" She seethed. Rick said nothing, his mind to blurry with his own thoughts to process what was going on.

"We are not leaving her and that little girl!" Daryl stood up so fast his chair knocked into the wall behind him. "What if that were Carl?"

"But it's not Carl. It's a stranger, and a little girl who is probably dead." The group remained silent during the two's bicker, looking between the two with wide eyes.

"Fine then, I'll do it myself." He spat.

"No you won't." Michonne stood, casting a glance at Lori. "I liked Presley. She's a fighter... Nevermind we need little kids around here... To brighten the mood ya know."

After Michonne, most of the council agreed to helping Daryl. Even Rick nodded. Lori glared at them, her hands clenching into fists. "Why am I even a part of this council if none of you will listen to me? This is a death trap!"

"Then I'm going towards my death with a high chin and clear conscience." Michonne said boldly. "And you can sit here."

- - -

Presley was greeting by the governor, just moments after she had changed into the clothes. She leaned away when he went in to grab her elbow. His hands clenched and he grabbed her arm roughly.

"You will not defy me, little one." He hissed.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want." She seethed. It only took a second before a hand connected against her cheek. The force was so strong she dropped onto the ground, but her mouth did not emit a sound. She refused to give him that satisfactory.

"Hit me all you like, sir." She said, standing to her feet. She refused to hold her cheek, despite the throbbing. "I don't have anything else to loose."

"Nothing but your life." He agreed, motioning for her to go forward. The raven-haired girl moved forward smoothly, her blue eyes already darting around for an escape route. There were men everywhere. They glanced over at her, their eyes thirsty at the sight of a female. She felt like crumbling under their gazes. Instead, she pretended not to notice.

"Welcome to Woodbury." The governor said as he pulled open two large doors. She squinted at the light, taking a few minutes to adjust. The sight before her looked like a dream... Or a memory of the past. It stopped her in her tracks.

A woman walked down the street, a dog on a leash. A man stood in a yard, holding a small shovel in his hands. No trash littered the streets, grass was freshly cut. The girl was tempted to pinch herself and make sure it was all real.

"How.." Was the first thing that came out of her mouth. She didn't understand how this land could be so... Untouched. These people continued their lives as if nothing had happened.

"It took a lot of work." The man behind her said, "but it's come out to be quite nice. There's a gate a few blocks down, and the entire neighborhood is surrounded by a fence. We're already working on expanding the place."

Presley was amazed and impressed- in spite of everything. She wouldn't admit that, though. Not to this man.

"Don't worry, sweetheart.. If all goes well, you'll be back in that nasty little prison in just a few weeks. In the mean time," he slung his arm over her shoulder,"You're all mine."

Automatically, the girl recoiled. She ducked and flipped his arm off of her, turning and facing him with dark eyes. When he reached for her again she dodged. The anger in his eyes was evident.

"Come here." He hissed, grabbing her arm and hauling her into another building. Despite her struggles, he wouldn't slow or even loosen his group. The situation not only hurt her rib cage- but hurt her pride as well as he beat her. She knew this was only the beginning.

- - -

"I have a lead." Michonne admitted. The woman actually seemed nervous, for once in her life. The way her hands gripped the steering wheel made Daryl know that she was actually afraid. "There's a town about an hour drive from here. In the center of the town, where there would generally be a bunch of stores and shit, there's a fence. I didn't get too close, but it's obviously man made. None of the material is even the same. They used tires and rotting boards... I couldn't even find a crack to see through."

Daryl remained quiet, waiting for her to finish. He wanted to find the little girl and Presley, but he didn't quite know why he wanted to find them so bad. Presley had been kicking up fire from the moment he had saved her from the woods... And Mika was so young. It wasn't fair that she had gotten torn from their grasp.

The council had agreed to search for the two, but they wouldn't send out massive groups to do so. They would send two patrols out a day, two to four people per group. Daryl had been selected to be on the first patrol, and he had intended on going alone. Instead, Michonne had insisted on attending as well. Why? He didn't understand. Michonne and Presley were so different, but in ways, they were the same.

Michonne was more quiet and sneaky, but Presley was more outgoing and outspoken. Still, they both figured out things that weren't visible to the average person. One thing was for sure; if they wanted you dead, you were dead.

"Let's go, then." Daryl said, earning a surprised look from Michonne. She hadnt been expecting him to agree to go along. At this point, however, he was willing to do anything to find those two girls.

- - -

This isn't my best chapter... Lol. For sure.

Tell me what you thought, anyways. :)