Author's notes: Hey guys. So I thought I might change the beginning of the story and where it starts. So this is the new version of the story. Hope you guys enjoy it ️ ️

Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes both looked down at the walker that they just cut open. Both of them were looking for Carol's daughter Sophia after a couple walkers sending her running into woods.

"This gross bastard had him a woodchuck for lunch." Daryl says.

"At least we know." Rick says, as Daryl stood up.

"Yeah, at least we know." Daryl says, Rick standing up while Daryl picked up his crossbow. Suddenly the two heard the sounds of rustling coming from a nearby bush. The pair quietly creeping over towards it.

Suddenly two German Shorthaired Labradors came jumping out of the bush, one black the other brown and white. The two dogs snarling and growling at the men. Rick pulled out his pistol and Daryl aiming his crossbow.

"Shadow! Banjo! Sit!" They heard a young woman say firmly. Both dogs sitting, they're eyes never leaving Rick and Daryl. Out from the bushes came the woman.

She was 5"4 with jet black hair and bright blue eyes, her skin a light colour. She wore a black shirt, black jeans, black gloves with spikes on them and combat boots. A tan arrow bag tied around her waist, along with a knife. Over her shoulder she carried a crossbow and in her right hand a bat with spikes in it. In her other hand were two chains.

"Sorry about them they can be protective at times. They wouldn't hurt you not unless you gave them a good reason to." The woman says, walking over to the dogs and clipping the chains on.

"Didn't seem like it to me." Daryl says.

"Watch yourself mister I can sic them onto you." The woman says.

"Alright take it easy you two. We've got enough to deal with." Rick says.

"Yep ain't that the truth. Surviving in this world is now becoming a total bitch." The woman says.

"Yes it is. But that's not the only thing for us."

"What do you mean?" The woman asks.

"A little girl in our group has gone missing, you seen her?" Daryl says.

"This girl she would be about 12, blonde hair?Wearing a blue shirt with a rainbow on it?" The woman asks.

"Yes, that's her. Where did you see her?" Rick asks.

"She came running to me. Told me about her group that was on the highway, I started to take her back when we got jumped by 7 walkers. The way to the highway was clear, I pointed in the direction and told her to run like hell. She did while I took care of the walkers. I went to catch up with her, she was gone. Being tracking her since." The woman says.

"Can the dogs track them?" Rick asks.

"They're not good at tracking people more better at tracking animals but it doesn't mean that we haven't tried. So far no luck." The woman says.

"You got a group?" Daryl asks.

"You are looking at it. It's just me and the boys." The woman says. "I can help you guys find her if you want me to." She adds.

"Your dogs wouldn't hurt anyone in the group?" Rick asks.

"Like I said they only hurt people that are a threat to me. They wouldn't never hurt anyone, even though they are hunting dogs. I had a to babysit a four year old once and she was pulling on their ears and tail, they didn't bat an eyelid." The woman says.

"As long as they don't hurt anyone they can come." Rick says.

"It's a deal." The woman says, the two shaking hands.

"You got a name?" Daryl asks.

"Amber, Amber Mead. And you guys are?" Amber says.

"I'm Rick this is Daryl." Rick says.

"Nice to meet you guys." Amber says. "The black dog is Shadow the other Banjo." She says.

"Okay it's starting to get dark we should head back." Daryl says.

"Hang on a second." Amber says dropping the chains. "Stay." She says to the dogs before walking back to the bush and pulling out a duffle bag. She opened it and put the bat into it before zipping it closed again. "Okay let's head back." She says, picking the chains up. The three walking back to the highway.

Out at the highway Carol waited anxiously for Rick and Daryl to return.

"Oh, god, they're back." Glenn says.

"But who the hell have they got them?" Shane asks, looking at Amber. While Rick and Daryl approached the group Amber held back a little.

"You didn't find her?" Carol asks.

"Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light.

"You can't leave my daughter out there on her own, to spend the night alone in the woods." Carol pleaded.

"Out in the dark's no good. We'd just be tripping ourselves. More people get loss." Daryl explains.

"But's she's 12. She can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything?" Carol says.

"I know this is hard. But I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there." Rick says.

"And we tracked her for awhile. Plus Amber seen her." Daryl says.

"Amber? The person over here?" Carol says.

"Yes come on over Amber." Rick says, Amber lightly pulling on the chains, her and the dogs walking over. Amber reaching over and lightly rubbing Carol's shoulder.

"We'll find your daughter, that's a promise. And when I promise something I never, never, never break it." Amber says.

"We have to make this an organised effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anyone. I've asked him to oversee this." Rick says.

"Is that blood?" Carol asks, looking at Daryl's blood soaked shirt.

"We took down a walker." Rick says.

"Walker? Oh, my god." Carol says softly.

"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia." Rick says.

"How can you know that?" Andrea asks.

"They cut the son of a bitch open, just to be sure." Amber says.

"How could you just leave her out there to begin with?" Carol asks, slightly angrily. "How could you just leave her?!" She demands, Amber's dogs letting out a low growl. Amber patting them, the dogs calming down.

"Those two walkers were on us. I had to draw them away. It was her best chance." Rick says.

"Sounds like he didn't have much of a choice, Carol." Shane says.

"How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child, she's just a child." Carol says.

"It was my only option. The only choice I could make." Rick says.

"I'm sure nobody does." Shane says.

"My little girl got left in the woods." Carol says before breaking down into tears, Lori and Andrea comforting her. Rick looking at the group before walking off. Amber sighing before clipping the chains off Banjo and Shadow. Shadow walking over to Carol and placing his paw on her leg, tilting his head and whimpering a little. Carol lightly patting him.

"They're beautiful dogs. What are their names?" Andrea says, patting Banjo.

"The one you have is Banjo. Shadow is the other one." Amber says.

"Cool names." Carl says.

"Thank you." Amber says.

The next day...

"Everyone take a weapon." Rick says, the group picking a weapon from the arsenal that Carl found yesterday.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about guns?" Andrea says.

"We've been over that. Daryl, Rick and I are carrying." Shane says. "We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea says.

"Alright let's put this to example." Amber says. "Someone goes bang with their gun and a herd of them happens to be walking by. Well guess what we rung the dinner bell for them." She says.

"Amber's right." Rick says.

"Yeah so you need to accept the fact to you will my be carrying a gun." Amber says.

"You get to tell me shit!" Andrea growls, Banjo and Shadow letting out a growl.

"Whoa lady watch your mouth. There are children present." Amber says, looking down at Carl.

"The idea is to take the creek up about 5 miles, turn around and come back down the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark. With Amber's dogs, if her scent is around they will pick it up." Daryl says.

"Well Daryl actually I was planning to take them to where Rick left Sophia. Carol gave me a spare shirt of her's and use it for them to lock a scent." Amber says. "If you want to take Shadow, he's a bit older then Banjo and a bit easier to control. He'll listen to what you say." She says.

"Alright, we'll take him." Darly says, Amber handing Shadow's chain to Daryl. "Just to let you know, anything happens to him, I will kill you." She says.

"I'll keep note of that." Daryl says.

"You better." Amber says.

"And you will be able to find your way back?" Rick asks.

"Yes, we will or Shadow will find us." Amber says before squatting down onto the ground. "You be a very good boy for these people, wouldn't you Shadow?" She says patting Shadow, Shadow licking her face. "Oh just to let you know he'll pull on the chain if he catches a scent of something. Taught them that so that the barks don't attract walkers." She adds.

"Okay thanks for letting us know." Rick says.

"Please bring her back, if you can." Carol says, Amber rubbing her shoulder.

"I told you yesterday I promise that we would find her. Carol I've never broke my promises before and I don't plan to start doing that because it's the end of the world." Amber says, Carol smiling a little at her.

"You are such a kind person." Carol says, Amber nodding her head.

"Good luck guys." Amber says, before lightly tugging on Banjo's chain, the two walking into the woods.