South Tree * TWD

2. Understood

Lillian sniffled, bringing her shirt up to wipe snot from her nose as she paced the outside of her and her mom's tent for a while, the sun was finally starting to set. She managed to calm herself down while she paced. Her mom remained in their tent, Lillian wasn't sure what she was doing but she didn't want to be in there with her anymore.

"What's all that pacing over there for, little woman?" Merle called out to her. drawling her attention. Lillian looked over at Merle to see him sitting on a log with his brother, Daryl, sitting on the log next to him. They were both looking at the girl. Lillian shrugged in response, immediately tensing and regretting that movement. "Why don't you come sit? Help Daryl over here cook up some squirrel." Merle offered. Lillian's mom suddenly walked out of the tent.

"Go on, Lillian. They're giving you food, be grateful." Her mom walked past her, making her way towards the Dixon's tent. Lillian following behind her mom, pulling at the edges of her shirt nervously.

"Can i have.....?" Lillian heard her mom ask A question towards Merle. She watched as her mom and Merle both smirked towards each other, she looked at them confused. Did she not hear what her mom had asked for? Merle picked up a bag which rattled as he zipped it open. Invested, Lillian stepped closer to stand next to her mom but then heard a quiet whistled. She looked over to see Daryl looked at her, holding out meat on a stick.

"C'mere. Hold this while I start the fire." Daryl more demanded her to do as he stood up. Lillian looked over at her mom who was just looking down at her.

"Go on then little lady, make yourself useful." Merle urged as he laughed. Lillian quickly walked over to Daryl and took the stick with the meat out of his hand. She watched as he walked over to where Merle and her mom was and mumbled something but Lillian couldn't make out what was said.

"Oh relax yourself, Dare-bear. She prob'ly seen worse." Merle said sarcastically.

Lillian continued to be confused, but decided to mind her own business and looked away from the group of adults. She watched as people in the main camp looked like little ants with how far away they were. She considered asking Dale if he happened to have any picture books about sharks. She hadn't really talked to Dale before but she knew that he had books from what she had seen in his RV. That was something that Dale was very fortunate about, Lillian always thought. He had an RV, granted he basically shared it with everyone in the group now but i'm sure his bed is very comfortable.

"'ere." Daryl snapped Lillian back out of her thoughts, nudging her in the arm to take back the meat stick. She handed it back to him and he put it on a metal rack that was on top of the newly started fire.

"I haven't heard much from you, little lady. What're you about?" Merle with a playful, yet creepy tone asked towards Lillian. She looked at the man who her mother sat next to and shrugged. She wasn't sure why, but his look just kind of scared her. Him asking questions make her uncomfortable. "What you mute or some thin'?"

"She's not. She's just stupid." Lillian's mom huffed, rolling her eyes at the kid. Lillian hid a frown as she looked at her mom. She is stupid after all. Lillian always understood her mom when it came to being mean and mad at her and she thought maybe that would make her not stupid.

"She's a very shy kid, but once you get to know her she's annoying. Trust me." Lillian mom giggled at the end of her sentence. "She's a straight B student despite barely being able to read." She also threw out. Lillian began to get nervous and ashamed of what her mom was saying about her. She allowed her hair to fall in front of her face as she dropped her head, keeping her arms stiff at her side.

"Little lady can't read!?" Merle suddenly entertained by this fact, laughed almost too hard. "Well color me damned, so what you been doing sittin' over there with books that you can even read?"