Savage World •••Daryl Dixon•••

Walker Eyes

"So, how'd you chance a run in with the Dixon boys?" Asher looked down from her perch atop a car that Glenn was ripping apart for anything useful. They had decided to try going further into the car backstop looking for goods. Asher would clear out any walkers and keep watch for any that could sneak up while Glenn raids and gutted the vehicles.

"They uh... found me actually. In the basement."

"You hid in a basement? I'd have gone for the attic but to each their own I guess." She bit her lip as he spoke, thinking if she should just follow his idea of her story or share the truth.

"That's not quite it. I didn't hide in the basement. I was... prisoner in the basement... of my own home." The man stepped out of the car and stood to look at her with a lifted brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Asher bounced on her tiptoes with uncertainty. "You can tell me, I won't say a thing to the others. I swear." She rattled her fingers against the metal bow in silent debate.

"It was from before all this, the scars and ribs. I know everyone knows about them now, gossip travels fast during the apocalypse. The basement I was prisoner in, that was my entire life. A double team of torment every day for thirteen years. Dad kicked my spine into my stomach while mom stabbed at my mind with hateful words. That all ended when the shit hit the fan in Montgomery and they locked me in the basement to die. A few hours later, Daryl and Merle came through the house and found me. They saved my life in more ways than one. It's something I can never repay, not in a million years." Glenn listened intently to her story, his heart hurting with every word. The things she's already been through, the things she's already seen.

"Shit, I'm sorry Asher. But for what it's worth, I think you saved them too. At the very least Daryl." She scoffed and scanned the trees again before returning her focus to the Asian.

"By what? Crying?" Glenn shook his head no and motioned for her to follow him to another car. Asher jumped on the roof and tapped on the glass of the driver side with the end of her arrow to check for walkers. Nothing moved so she nodded for him to open the door and look through it. He did and a long dead and rotted body slumped free.

"Oh jeez that is foul."

"Are you sure we should check this car? It doesn't look like much is even in here." Leaves rattled in the woods, causing Asher to whirl around with her bow immediately up and pulled back for the kill while Glenn cocked back the hammer of his gun and followed suit in taking aim. A walker shambles free from the trunks, half of its arm hanging by sinewy threads. It's entire lower jaw was ripped clean of its rotted flesh and simply bare bone.

"Fuck. You are one ugly ass woman." She released her arrow and smirked when she hit the walker through its left eye.

"Perfect bullseye. Well, walker eye anyway." She quickly jumped down and ripped her arrow free of its skull. Another twig snapped and she instantly lifted her bow to draw back and fire, stopping when she saw it was just Daryl and Rick coming out of the woods with somber faces. Lowering her weapon, she slid the arrow back into the quiver and tightened her grip on the bow.

"Anything?" Rick looked over at the girl before running off to the others, Glenn quick to follow him. "Dixie?"

"We can't cover enough ground, so we're formin a grid search of the creek. C'mon, Rick'll explain it more." She nodded and started to follow after the broad biker, who smirked as he looked her over.

"Nice vest." Asher tinted pink and tugged on the hem before she smiled back.

"Thanks, my dad gave it to me." Pulling off her bow, she shrugged off the vest and handed it back to Daryl. "But I think it's best suited for someone else." He took it back and slid it on over his shirt, lightly shaking his shoulders to make it fit just right.

"Thanks, sweetheart. Still pretty warm." They shared smiles and she slipped her hand into his as they grouped up with the others.

"Okay, we go in groups of two or three and go up the river before crossing and coming back down on the other side. Stay close to your partner, keep the other groups in your eyesight. Be back before sundown, we're not losing others in the dark. T-Dog, you and Dale stay back and fix the car. Pick your groups and let's get moving." Everyone split off and moved into the woods heading for the creek, Asher sticking close to the tall biker's back.

"Dixie?" She ducked under a low branch that Daryl moved around. He hummed and glanced back at her to let her know he was listening. "Thanks for letting me wear the vest." The man stopped for a second before reaching out and gently ruffling her hair.

"Ain't no big deal, sweetheart. You needed it more than me anyways." Asher lightly laughed and ducked away from his ruffling hand. "Let's keep goin, got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall." They travelled through the day but found nothing. Every hour they spent without a result the more tense and depressed the group became.

"Lori! Lori Grimes?!" Everyone whirled around and held up weapons against the strange woman riding on horseback screaming the name of one of their own.

"That's me, who are you?" She turned the horse back the way she came and held out her hand.

"I need you to come with me! Rick sent me." Lori reached for the woman, stopping when Glenn grabbed her arm to keep her from running off without them.

"Lori, we can't trust her! We don't even know her!" Asher ducked down and tucked herself next to Daryl's side as he lifted his crossbow up in a threat.

"Rick needs you! It's Carl, there's been an accident. He's been shot."