Savage World •••Daryl Dixon•••

Told Me To

Asher sat impatiently in her tree perch, watching the massive shuffle of walkers as they moved by. Her heart began to pound as she watched the front line of walkers as they passed the last place she saw Daryl. Wishing she could scream for him and ask if he was alright, she held her hands over her mouth and forced herself to breathe as they continued to slam against cars and move forward.

"Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay." Every breath she breathed out was these three words and she pressed herself against the bark as hard as she could to keep herself grounded in the silence. Asher kept her mouth covered until the back end of the walkers made it well beyond the headlights of the truck she kept her eyes locked on. Once her way was clear, she made her way down as quickly as possible and sprinted through the cars like a wild animal until she heard his voice. Unable to pinpoint exactly where she was hearing him, she growled in frustration and used the step board of a large jacked-up truck to swing onto the hood then onto the roof.

"Dixie?" She turned in a quick circle to try and spot him through the windows.

"Asher?" She turned to her left and caught a glimpse of his crossbow and shoulder through a window. Gauging the space between the cars, she crouched down and pushed off the edge like a frog to land on the roof of the other car. She didn't give him or T-Dog a second to react, she launched off the car and pounced on the Dixon brother's back- thankful that he wasn't wearing his crossbow like he was a second ago.

"What the shit?!" Asher wrapped her legs around his chest and curled her torso over his head so she could slide her arms down his front and press her nose against the top of his head, happily breathing in the faint scent of lavender and sweat.

"Dixie!" The two men heaved in relief and Daryl held the thin hands that clutched his shirt.

"You 'bout got yourself killed jumping on me like some little spider monkey." Their happy moment was ruined by Sophia's screaming shattering the sky. Asher let go and slid off so they could all three start sprinting back for the group.

"Sophia!" They rounded the last car into to see Rick's shirt fly off into the woods and Carol try to follow them but get stopped by Lori. Asher moved forward to follow after Rick to find Sophia, halted by Daryl gripping her wrist with a gentle firmness.

"She needs help."

"She's got Rick, she'll be okay. I'm not letting you get yourself lost or bit." Asher tried to yank her hand away, the man tightening his hold on her wrist.

"She needs us! Please!" Asher tugged harder, the man like a mountain.

"No, Asher." She lurched forward and slammed her fist against his sternum. It didn't hurt him much, he's felt worse. He felt it was more a cathartic release for her. Like with her father in the woods by Atlanta. Fighting back because she never could before.

"Why not?! Getting lost is a bullshit excuse and you know it. You told me to protect her! You told me to!" She punched him again, this time a little harder than the last. He didn't answer her, and she threw another punch. Daryl caught this one before kneeling to the ground to be at her level.

"You told me to look after her but I didn't. I hid in a tree and did nothing." Asher bit back her tears and forced herself to look him in the eyes.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart. I told you to hide. You did what you were told, but Sophia will be alright. If she gets lost we'll find her." Asher nodded and whispered out a faint yeah. "Good, now c'mon let's see that pretty smile." The corners of her lips lifted into a small smile before he pulled her to his chest.

"I'm sorry I hit you." Her body lightly vibrates with his chuckles.

"Twice, actually. But it's alright. I understand why you're upset and I'm not mad. I would've done the same thing." It was Asher's turn to chuckle and she tightened her hold around his neck.

"Looks like I'm starting to rub off on ya, Dixie."

"Yeah that's definitely it." They separated with a laugh and went to join the others waiting by the guardrail. Carol never moved, her gaze still locked on the very spot where Rick and Sophia vanished. Asher reached out and squeezed her hand in comforting reassurance.

"They'll be okay, she's smart." Carol shakily nodded and squeezed her hand back in mutual assurance. After a couple hours of nothing, Shane ordered everyone to continue what they were doing. Just to keep everyone occupied and hopefully to lift some somber spirits. Daryl moved to break off with the others, he needed to do something or waiting would make him lose his mind. He noticed that Asher didn't move and so he let her be, but Shane seemed to have other plans. The man walked up to her with a stern expression and a threateningly wide stance, making both her and him tense up.

"I said get going." Asher swallowed her fear of him and forced herself to look him in the eye. She couldn't rely on Daryl to keep swooping in and saving her. She had to be able to do this too.

"No." The burly man growled and stood taller over the small girl. Daryl moved to shove him away, but he stopped when she held up her hand for him to.

"What did you just say to me?" She turned to face him front on, fisting her hands to keep them from seeing her shake.

"I said no. I'm staying right here until they return." Shane ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes into a menacing glare. Asher maintained eye contact with the man, keeping her gaze flat and bland.

"I gave you an order." Asher slipped out her knife and held it to Shane's closest body part- that of course being his manhood.

"I don't take orders. Especially not from asshats like you. Try to tell me what to do again and I will do to you the same thing I told Ed." Shane growled angrily but stepped back and stomped away. Once he was gone, she unfurled her fists and stepped back with a shaky breath and wobbled legs. Daryl stepped forward and pressed his hand into the small of her back to let her know he was there and she was safe.

"What an asshole."