#bikeandarrow

[knivesovt]

Continued from here.

As excited and anxious as Sophia was to get back to her mom, she couldn't wait to see the others as well. They were her family now too, after all. So, the mention of not just one, but THREE of them getting hurt? She couldn't bear it. Her hold on Daryl seemed to tighten a bit, her chin resting on his shoulder as he explained to her what had happened to Carl. It was obvious that he was trying his best to break the news easily, assuring her beforehand that her friend was fine -- but the news still caused her stomach to turn. The only reason Carl was even out in those woods was likely to look for her. But he was okay, right? She couldn't carry that on her conscience. But what happened to Daryl? That was, without a doubt, her fault. He wouldn't have gotten hurt if he hadn't been out there, risking his ass to find her. A heavy sigh escaped her as she tilted her head, forehead pressing to his shoulder in defeat. " I'm sorry that happened to you . . . All of it, " she muttered quietly, then adjusted herself so that her hold on him tightening into a sort of awkward hug from behind, " I can't believe you went through all of that just to find me. It really means more than you know. " Then the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. " Wait . . . you said you fell on an arrow? " she asked, " and you're carrying me? W -- Where did it get you? " Sophia was suddenly very aware of her movements, not wanting to hurt the man any further. " You shouldn't even be out here, much less carryin' me around . . . c'mon, put me down. I'll be alright, I swear it. "

[heartsbreaking-migrated]

panicking wasn't an option, and more so, kat didn't want him to see her panicking. it didn't do them any good anyway. they had to get the hell out of her. she wasn't going to die here, not when they had a haul that would do so much good back home. she took a deep breath, drawing her eyes away from the door where she didn't have to strain to imagine the dead outside to look at daryl. she knew it was pretty bad if even he looked desperate.

"we don't have any other options, do we?" the only way was through the horde or up through the ceiling. "it's worth a shot, isn't it?" kat did worry about whether the ceiling would hold. how long had this place been in disrepair? how much mold was up there rotting it? if they got stuck up there it was only moderately better than if they were stuck down here. it could fall in through and that might be worst of all depending on how far they got.

while they'd split their stash among their bags, kat carried the bulk of it in her backpack. right now it was weighing pretty heavy on her. "so what's the plan? we gotta get the ceiling open, but i think- i think i should go up first. i'm smaller so if there's anything in the way up there or it's narrow i can go through and clear it from the other side."

REPLY to @bikeandarrow / daryl dixon *

[stillxxhere]

{{ @bikeandarrow hit the like for a starter from Rick}}

Rick is quiet a moment just watching the other who seemed to be pacing a good bit. It brings to mind a caged cat: a predator getting restless and antsy. And he doesn't like the idea of this man getting to that point because he still fears the archer is a flight-risk even now.

"Hey, Daryl!" he calls hoping the others pacing kept him from knowing Rick was just watching him which seemed inappropriate somehow, "Gonna go on a run if you wanna come along? Hershel is adamant about no one going alone for the time being and well, I don't think anyone actually wins a fight with that man these days."

[deadfault]

While  he  wasn't  given  the  whole  story,  he  could  gather  just  how  harrowing  it  was.  He  considers  himself  lucky  to  have  been  spared  those  details.

He  would  have  cared  more  so  if  it  wasn't  for  the,  mind  you  already  heightened  panic,  which  was  no  creeping  even  higher.  

Heart  beating  in  rapid  succession  he's  certain  he'll  pass  out  from  the  stress.  No,  no,  no...  you  have  to  breathe.  Stay  alive  as  Daryl  says.  If  Ben  can  only  be  thankful  for  one  thing  it's  that  he's  not  alone.  Better  than  that.  He's  still  alive...for  now.  

He  tries  to  regulate  his  breathing.  Focus,  focus,  focus.  Looking  around  the  ravine,  he  swallows  the  lump  building  in  his  throat.  

❝    Okay,...okay.❞      As  much  as  he  wanted  to  be  seen  as  an  adult;  he  wasn't  and  its  always  so  evident  in  hos  he  simply  cannot  handle  these  situations.  Still  this  time  he  has  to  try,  baby  blues  frantically  searching  for  anything  that  could  get  them  out  of  here  before  walkers  started  piling  on  top  of  them.  This  had  to  be  the  worst  place  to  be  cornered  but  thankfully  Daryl  is  certain  he's  been  through  worse...which  means  there's  hope.  Not  a  lot.  A  modicum  if  that.  How  is  he  so  calm?!

❝    God,  if  we're  cornered  I  --fuck..  Sorry  I  know  I  should  focus.  I  just---  don't  you  ever  get  scared  anymore?❞      Fingers  frantically  crazing  dirt  wall,  to  try  and  uncover  any  kind  of  leverage  within  the  confines  of  their  literal  tomb.

@bikeandarrow . CONTINUED

[mercyprevaild]

@bikeandarrow liked for a Lone Survivor starter

The last thing he expects is to come nose to nose with a crossbow seconds after he's safely inside the first house he could get into and has slammed the door shut. The ex-cop is out of breath, face pink from exertion and sweat pouring down from his hairline. His hat is gripped in one hand and his gun in the other.

"Woah- woah." Breathless and blue eyes wide. He can't exactly go anywhere with his back against the door. On the other side? The dead begin to growl and snarl, Rick can hear the faint sound of skeletal fingers scraping the outside of the door. Stuck between a rock and hard place, he doesn't have much choice but to quickly diffuse this situation in front of him so he doesn't end up in the one he just escaped or worse.

He breathes in deep and slowly, very slowly, moves his hand, the one holding the gun, "Look." His eyes dart down to his hand inching closer to the holster of his gun, "I'm... I'm gonna put my weapon away," He explains, calm and quiet, "Would appreciate you doin' the same."

[wexarethewalkingxdead]

Shatter Me || Carol & Daryl || @bikeandarrow

Carol couldn't remember a time when she'd been more determined that she was right now in this moment. She hadn't told the others of her plans to break into the Sanctuary to try and rescue Daryl because she knew they would try and talk her out of it. Or worse, some of them would offer to go with her. She couldn't let anyone else risk their lives.

Negan had already killed two of their own, and she knew that it wouldn't take much to make him do it again if she were caught. She knew that Daryl was valuable to him. He saw something in the man that made him think that he could break him, but Carol knew different. The man that she'd grown to love and cherish wouldn't break. Not for him. Not for anybody.

As her mind tried to remind her of what had happened in the woods with Glenn and Abraham, she shook her head to clear her mind of the memories. She couldn't let that in. Not now. Not yet. Not ever if she was being honest with herself. It was too much. The man had brutalized them beyond recognition, and she still saw it all in living color whenever she closed her eyes. The bile rose up in her throat at the memory. She put her hands on her knees and bent at the waist as she dry heaved into the weeds.

She had been just outside the Sanctuary for hours at this point as she waited for the right moment to make her move. She thought it was never going to come, but then it did. She saw the gate open and by some miracle, there was only one driver. He'd left the truck he'd come in unattended long enough for her to slip inside the gate and hide before he returned. Getting inside would be a different story, but she couldn't let the doubt consume her. She'd come this far, and she would see this through.

[wexarethewalkingxdead]

Carol hadn't wanted to leave the farm, but the herd that had blown through the farm had made the choice for her. For all of them. They'd lost Andrea in the process of everything else falling apart. She could only hope by some chance that the woman was out there somewhere and that maybe, just maybe, she'd luck upon her baby girl. She knew it was just a dream. Or maybe it was just the little gleamer of hope that wouldn't die within her. She remembered clinging so tightly to Daryl as they drove away, almost wanting to beg him to let her off and let the walkers consume her so that she wouldn't hurt anymore.

But she hadn't. Instead, she had gotten closer to Daryl in the weeks since leaving the farm. He'd been teaching her how to track and how to take down walkers without making a sound. As well as learning how to shoot when they were able to have target practice. She was a quick study and pretty good with a gun. Not so much with the knife, but she would get better as the days, weeks, and months went by.

So when he offered to take her on a supply run, she had jumped on it. Any time she could practice the skills he'd been teaching her, the better off she would be. She was tired of being a burden on the group and wanted to prove to herself that she wasn't useless like Ed had tried to drill into her over the years.

She was rummaging through the medicine cabinet when she heard him call for her from what sounded like the kitchen. She grabbed the two bottles of partial antibiotics and the pain killers and shoved them into her pack before she stepped onto the small back porch. "Where's the fire?" She stepped carefully onto the paving stones that someone had taken painstaking care to put them equal distance apart. Someone had cared about this lawn at one time.

"What is it?" She tried to see what it was that he was trying to show her so she looked harder. She saw a slight disturbance. "Walker?" she offered, knowing that she wasn't getting any better at recognizing the difference between human and walker.

@wexarethewalkingxdead gets a plotted starter

Leaving the farm was one of the hardest things Daryl has ever had to do.

It wasn't about the safety that it offered - there'll be other places like it out there, they just have to find it. It wasn't an emotional connection like he knows it was for Hershel, for Maggie, for Beth. No, it was about the same thing that this stay at the farm has always been about for him - it was about Sophia.

They were there to have a base while they tried to find her. They were there to organize a search for her. They were there so she would have somewhere safe to go back to once they found her.

Except they never did. He had days to track her down, and he failed. Now she was alone out there, the farm was overrun, and they were miles away. Her mom was miles away, having had to leave behind her daughter. He can't imagine how hard that must have been for her. He's honestly impressed that she even could. He supposes the choice being death makes things easier - at least while she's alive, she can keep searching.

It's what Daryl told himself when he had to speed away from the farm, and it's what he still does every time they leave. It might as well be just habit by now, he knows - the odds of her being alive when so many walkers were drawn to those woods, when it's been so long, are low. The odds of them finding her so far away from where she got lost are even lower. But he still keeps trying, and knows he always will, just in case.

There are plenty of opportunities to keep an eye out for her, with them being on the road. Supplies are growing more and more limited, and each time they go out scavenging, they seem to come back with less.

At least it provides good opportunities for him to work with Carol on everything she's learning. He likes spending time with her, and these little scavenging trips are good opportunities to put their lessons into practice. It just makes sense, he figures, to invite her along. No one argues, and that's good enough for him.

They're on a house in the outskirts of a small town when he notices it. He's scavenging in the kitchen (a few cans of beans, a box of hot chocolate, and.a couple of packets of Oreos) when the corner of his eye catches something out of place. There's a handprint on the edge of doorframe leading to the garden, like someone held onto it as they turned the corner. It's small enough that it could easily be a child's. It isn't blood, but rather dirt, which is certainly a good sign for the welfare of whoever left it, but it doesn't help him figure out when it was made.

He steps outside, just in case.

He kneels by the grass in the garden, just in case.

It takes him just a few seconds to spot it - the slight disturbance on the leaves that have gathered over the grass, like something small and light has passed through. Something small and light with two feet. Like a child.

It could be anyone. This isn't the forest by the farm, a small, distant piece of land where they had just lost her. Odds are that it's not her. It doesn't mean that he's not going to look, though.

He ducks inside for a moment, not wanting to raise his voice while he's outside. "Hey, Carol!" he calls. "Come out here a minute. And don't step on the grass. Wanna show you somethin'."

[savedpeople]

what crystal are you?

snowflake obsidian

you are all grit and closed fists. you refuse to let anything in through the cracks of your armor. you would burn the world to protect those you love. the heart of a warrior burns in your chest. and it also weighs your shoulders down. what is the price for being so strong? what have you sacrificed to make yourself feel safe? when was the last time you let someone see your soul? when was the last time you let someone see you and not just the masks you hide behind? not everything must be a fight.

tagged by: @mercyprevaild tagging: @thesnipersbees (Sky) @loyaltied (Kenny and/or Clem), @offeatherandbone (Raven) @bikeandarrow​ and whoever else would like to do this!

[knivesovt]

“ hey, hey… look at me, okay? you gotta get up now. you think you might be able to walk? ‘cause they sent for back-up, and if they find us… we cannot let them find us. understand? “ || @bikeandarrow for Sophia || Settling Dust.

          She inhaled sharply through clenched teeth as her hands pushed her body up off of the ground, fingers grasping onto the grass. As she tried to force herself up, it was immediately apparent that her ankle wasn’t in the best shape. She had to be the clumsiest girl in all of the apocalypse. Her gaze turned to Daryl as he spoke, and she nodded along, pushing through the pain that radiated up her leg. “ Who are these guys? ” she asked, her hand reaching out to grasp onto his arm for extra support, “ I -- I ran into one of ‘em before . . . are they bad? ”  When she had bumped into him, he seemed nice enough, talking to her in a soothing voice, through a closed door that she held shut with all of her might. He tried to coax her out, but something pulled him away -- walkers, maybe? Or other people? She didn’t really know, but she wasn’t going to stick around to find out. While he was away, Sophia had slipped away, venturing back into the woods once more, toward some place familiar.  While Sophia was definitely one to give people the benefit of the doubt, she knew by the tone in Daryl’s voice that she had been right to get out of dodge when she had.            “ Ugh, wait up -- ” she groaned quietly, reaching down to rub her leg momentarily, “ sorry . . . I think I twisted it. H - How far are we from camp? ”

[merlexxdixon]

Merle knows he's pushing hard buttons but it gets him honesty and he realizes that this is definitely important for the other. Right now, he has to get him up this damn hill and then figure out how to finish all this. But he can tell that Daryl's body is being pushed to it's limit.

He takes a ragged breath and keeps following, swallowing his own irritated epithets as he has to grip harder to keep from slipping himself. This was such a terrible place to be but he has to focus. "Yeah, no shit. Ain't no one as good a goddamn tracker. 'Cept me but that's 'cause I taught yer. So keep movin'. Ain't th' time ta powder yer nose."

It's not a good thought that there is a child in this mess alone but for the moment, pointing out the harshness of the reality wasn't going to help and he needs Daryl motivated and not defeated. "Can't save th' girl from here now can yer? Almost to th' top. Git goin'. Ain't yer learned nothin' in all these years? Some survivor if a damn climb is enough ta sideline yer. C'mon, Darylina. Move yer ass." It was important to Daryl however this ended which makes it imperative that Merle helps him see it through. There was enough bad blood and broken promises between them on his own end that he has to try and make up for it in small ways. He could figure everything else out. Of course the pain is still throbbing but he pushes through it because right now, he has to push through it or both of them might end up back down and that might be the end of them.

Not on his watch.

Merle is sure that he's one of the reasons that Daryl's had to be self-sufficient and in some ways it gives him an edge in this world and in others it twists guilt in him. But he doesn't have time for that, neither of them do if they want to live. And Merle has every intent of making sure that Daryl survives this world.

He takes a breath before reaching and pressing a hand out watching him start to back slide. "Careful," he grunts, "Slower, idiot. Ain't gotta move fast jus' keep movin' upwards. I ain't gonna be able ta catch yer so gonna need ta jus' push a bit harder. Know it hurts but can't let this get in yer way. Someone needs yer ta get yer shit together an' don' wanna fail do yer? Ain't yer th' one that said 'M th' only one who breaks promises made?"

He needles because he knows despite all he's going through, Daryl has always been fueled by wanting to prove Merle wrong so he uses it because he has to do something now before Daryl's body gives out. "Yer gonna be jus' as terrible as Ol' Merle? Is that how yer wanna be remember, Darylina? Thought yer always said yer were better'n that. So prove it."

[stillxxhere]

{{ @bikeandarrow liked for a starter from Hershel Greene}}

There was something to be said for watching Daryl get the appreciation that he deserves for what he does and the almost bashful responses and how reticent he is about it all. He gives a slow circuit to meet up with him out of sight. "You do know that you deserve that don't you, son?" he asks even though he knows the answer. It's clear how Daryl holds himself and how skittish the man still is.

"You do so much for this group and we absolutely appreciate your efforts. So just know that you have people who want the best for you even if you don't quite trust it would you? Also, remember that you do have people who will listen or even just sit if you need someone there and just don't need to talk. You aren't alone anymore. And we are very glad to have you, Daryl."

[bikeandarrow]

-> continued // @careol

               ❝   i   think   we   both   know   by   now   that   no   where   is   ever   TRULY   safe.   ❞      all   things   considered   though,   alexandria   was   proving   to   be   a   decent   place   to   be.      the   walls   held,   that   alone   was   a   step   up   from   being   out   on   the   road.      ❝   you   couldn’t   predict   what   the   people   would   be   like.      none   of   us   really   could.   ❞      tara   was   injured,   noah   was   gone…      deanna’s   son   also   perished   out   on   that   run.      and   then   there   was   the   issue   of   pete   they   had   to   worry   about   too.      there   would   always   be   SOMEONE   to   ruin   the   flow   of   good   things.      ❝   we   just   have   to   play   our   cards   right.      you   BELIEVED   in   this   place,   and   even   though   i   didn’t…      you   were   right.      @bikeandarrow,   you’re   the   most   CAUTIOUS   of   us   all.      if   you   thought   this   place   was   worth   it,   you’re   right.      so   don’t   BLAME   yourself,   okay?      we   WILL   prevail.   ❞

"No, no, these people are gonna get us killed, Carol! You know it, I know it, we all know it. Hell, even they know it, that's the whole reason they brought us here, 'cause they know they don't know shit! They're all sittin' around playing house while out there, the world kept turning without them, and until they catch up, we can't count on them for nothing. Can't even just stay out of the way right. Hell, they're so scared they won't even do nothing about that doctor! Community of fifty people, you know they gotta know."

They usually did, in Daryl's experience. Not that anyone ever did anything about it. Not for him, not for Merle, and as far as he knew, not for Carol either. Fifty people, and not so much as a word about it. And maybe he shouldn't have brought it up, maybe he shouldn't use it in an argument, but this was personal for him, too. He'd been there before - not where Jessie was, but where her kids were. No one should have to grow up like that.

Losing steam, he sighed, slumping a little as he leaned back against the wall behind him. "I don't think they're bad people. Most of 'em, anyway. And I wanna help them, I do, but... I don't wanna lose any more people, Carol."

[knivesovt]

List 5 songs you listen to and tag 10 followers.

Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

I Found - Amber Run

I'll Be Good - Jaymes Young

By My Side - Lund

Where's My Love - SYML

Tagged by: @deputygonebye ( I love this ! Got me listening to my playlist rn :'D )

Tagging: @bikeandarrow , @mercyprevaild , @notthedyingtype , @careol , @arcanigenum , @merlexxdixon , and anyone who wants to do this !! <3

[wexarethewalkingxdead]

𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

WHAT DOES YOUR MUSE SMELL LIKE? Sweet and savory.

WHAT DO YOUR MUSE’S HANDS FEEL LIKE? Carol's hands aren't quite as soft as they once were, but she can always show gentleness regardless of that fact.

WHAT DOES YOUR MUSE USUALLY EAT IN A DAY? Carol eats a hearty breakfast and a light lunch. She might skip either lunch or dinner depending on what the meal is for that day.

DOES YOUR MUSE HAVE A GOOD SINGING VOICE? Not really.

DOES YOUR MUSE HAVE ANY BAD HABITS OR NERVOUS TICKS? No.

WHAT DOES YOUR MUSE USUALLY LOOK LIKE / WEAR? Carol likes to wear khakis or jeans with a comfortable shirt and will wear a jacket or sweatshirt if it's colder outside. Her boots are functional as well as comfortable.

IS YOUR MUSE AFFECTIONATE? HOW SO? Carol is affectionate with certain people. Mostly her partner or the person that she's interested in.

WHAT POSITION DOES YOUR MUSE SLEEP IN? Carol sleeps on her side to start and usually ends up on her back or stomach. Just depends on how deep of sleep she manages to get to.

COULD YOU HEAR YOUR MUSE IN THE HALLWAY FROM ANOTHER ROOM? Absolutely.

tagged by: midniightchanged tagging: @murkyhazed @destruqtivist @doginthecorner @savedpeople @betaofthedead @mercyprevaild @bikeandarrow & anyone that wants to do this one!

[knivesovt]

" A pinky swear? " she giggled, her hand extending out to reach for his, catching his pinky with her own. She latched them together tightly, giving a good little shake before letting go. " Perfect, the deal has been sealed. No take backs. "

When Daryl assured her that her mother wouldn't be too strict with her, she smiled to herself. Her cheek rested against his shoulder, allowing her eyes to drift shut. " I hope you're right. I just gotta hope this Greene family is nice enough to let me ride one, " she added. Sophia had always been a wishful thinker -- she had gotten her hopes up time and time again, and often found herself being let down. God, she prayed that this time would be different. After posing the question to Daryl, her eyes fluttered back open, looking to his face, watching his expression as best as she could from her position. " You had a dog? " she sighed happily, as if she were imagining having a pet of her own in that moment, " I've never had any pets before. My dad wouldn't allow it, especially not in the house. He always said they stunk or that they'd make too much noise. Or they were a mess . . . not like my momma would have let there by any kind of mess in the house anyways. He just liked to ruin the fun. "

"Promise," he reiterated, looking to the side as much as he could to try and catch her eye. "Pinky swear on it if ya want. Kids still do that? Pinky swear?"

It would probably be the first time he pinky swore to anything, but he was more than willing to do it if it stopped her from trying to walk the whole way home. He was not about to let her get further injured if he could help it, no way.

He chuckled at her question as to whether her mom would actually let her ride. Carol was protective of her, sure, but Daryl understood why and appreciated it, even. Things would be different without Ed around, though, he hoped. And he didn't think she would be too overprotective, just scared of losing her little girl again. He couldn't blame her, either. "Nah, she wants you to have fun. Enjoy yourself. Think she'll let you ride so long as you get a good horse for startin'. None too skittish."

The thought that he could've had a pet horse as a kid was sweet, really, and he tried to imagine what that would've even been like. It was hard, considering the fact that he was sure his father would have either killed the horse by neglect, lost it gambling, or just outright sold it for money. "Nah. Too expensive. Picked up a job at a farm once, learned to ride there. Had a dog for a while as a kid, though. Huntin' dog. Loved that thing, really."

[knivesovt]

Sophia's level of concern for Daryl vastly overshadowed her concern for her own injury ; she didn't want him to push himself too hard and hurt himself worse because of her. After all, she was the whole reason he had gotten hurt in the first place -- she wasn't going to let this slide too. If he seemed too uncomfortable, she decided she would simply buck herself right off his back and start walking on her own . . . even if it did hurt like Hell. " I know, I know. I'll be fine though, " she reassured him, then nodded in response to his agreement, " you better promise -- I won't take no for an answer. " When the girl mentioned the animals back at the farm, her mood instantly switched up. Pure excitement radiating up at him as she smiled from ear to ear. " No way ! This is awesome ! " she giggled, fingers fidgeting together, " you think my momma will actually let me ride one or will I be locked up in the house for the next ten years? " Honestly, Sophia hadn't even considered how overprotective her mother was likely to become after all this. She wasn't going to let her little girl out of her sight again -- not after all this. " I always wanted a pet horse when I was little, " she sighed, then scrunched her nose at the thought, " my mom just bought me little plastic toy horses instead. Not exactly the same thing . . . did you have a pet horse? Is that how you knew how to ride? "

"Don't mind it now 'cause you ain't," Daryl pointed out, brushing off her concern for him because he didn't know what to make of it. It was Carol all over again - though at least he could make Sophia's concern make some level of sense. He was no good to her if he couldn't keep going, if he did hurt himself enough that they needed to stop, spend the night in the woods.

Carol's still puzzled him. Every day that Sophia was out there, she was in danger. Finding her as quickly as possible had to be their main priority, and yet she'd insisted that he stayed, she'd told him she couldn't lose him, too.

It made no sense to him.

"It's gonna hurt when you put weight on it. Gonna hurt more and more the more you use it. Could make it worse before we get you home if you're not careful, specially 'round here. Promise I'll let you know if I gotta stop and let you walk for a bit, though, alright?" Sooner or later, he knew, he wouldn't be able to keep going with the added strain of carrying her. Then they'd switch, let his wounds rest for a bit, and once he felt up to it again or once Sophia's limp got too bad, he would pick her up again.

"Don't think Hershel could say no to that if your momma says it's okay," Daryl offered, letting out a small laugh at where her head immediately went. "Just stay away from Nelly, she might throw ya. They got cows, too. Lots. Chickens. Lotsa animals for you to play with."