Dixons Little Shifter (Daddy Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 2: The Highway Hope

It had been about a week, since Sophia ran away from the highway. Luna was really good at finding food in the forest, and she and Sophia had become close friends. They helped each other and walked together, even though they never found Sophia's group. Every time they got close to the road, there were too many walkers, and Sophia was starting to feel frustrated.

Each time there after they got close to the road after retracing Sophia steps, but they always got pushed back into the forest by a group of walkers. Sophia was missing her mother a lot and the consuming of stream water had been giving her a tummy ache. A feeling had settled in Sophias gut that her family and group was no longer on that highway now.

Although she was glad to have her new friend by her side. It had also been several days since a loud bang was heard echoing through the forest. Sophia wanted to follow the noise but Luna was unsure the exact location so steered Sophia away and kept close by a stream instead.

Setting up camp a slight way away from the stream, Luna had disappeared into the branches, hunting for some food. Keeping within shouting distance of Sophia, while Sophia gathered wood, trying to start a fire. Luna came back with two squirrels and some wild berries. Luna made quick work of the first squirrel skinning it, and preparing the meat, Sophia watched, frustrated at not being able to get the fire going. Luna looked at Sophia who was watching her every movement.

"Can I show you?" Luna asked her friend. Sophia nodded her head. Sophia was a quick learner and in minutes they had the fire roaring, cooking the squirrel. Sophia also wanted to be able to learn how to skin, but she was still very timid around the meat and blood. Sophia had never killed anything living before, and the prospect that she had too in order to survive was unsettling.

After dinner was over, they sat huddled together high above in the trees. It was a clear night, the moon was almost full, as the light danced around the trees and leaves.

In the days that followed, Sophia had become more confident in her abilities to take down walkers. When looking for shelter, Luna had found a couple knifes. One small pocket knife that since has been cleaned and used to properly skin their kills and the other Sophia carries to take down the walkers. The first time for Sophia had been scary, but following Lunas example, she kicked the walker from behind, bringing it to its knees before slamming the sharp blade through the head. Feeling as the skull squish onto the floor, it was softer than Sophia expected. Reminding Sophia of pumpkin carving at Halloween time. Lunas rule of thumb for the walkers became, 2 is fine 3 or more run to survive.

It seemed like there were more walkers around lately. Luna was sometimes scared, but she tried to be brave for Sophia.

One afternoon, Luna had set up camp with Sophia, just north of a stream, where Rick told Sophia to stay. Sophia was having a nap in a tree, while her friend was hunting. It had become a ritual that Sophia would stay high up and safe, as Luna explained she was able to catch more. It was during this brief separation period, while Luna was watching a Squirrel scatter in the distance, when she spotted a man with a crossbow. Luna quickly kept her back against the bark of the tree, hidden amongst the leaves. Briefly a description of man with a crossbow crosses Lunas mind, but she decides to hang back, not knowing if this is the same man that Sophia spoke about.

She watches the man with the crossbow, his back towards her. He is looking down at a walker, a large arrow sticking out of its head. He is mumbling under his breath, pulling the arrow from the walker. Having sensed another presence, the man's blue eyes darted around, hearing a rustle in the trees. Lunas heart pounded in her chest, her muscles tense as she leans back into the overgrowth of the trees. Luna was scared, she didn't know if he was a friend or not.

He stands, arrow cocked and ready. His blue eyes searching for the noise, but his gaze is distracted as the squirrel Luna was hunting crosses his path, the arrow embedding in its head.

Luna let out a silent sigh of relief. Unsure on whether this had been the man Sophia spoke of, she wanted to discuss it with her first. Not knowing the intentions of the man in front of her, she slowly backs away, heading back to the camp towards Sophia empty handed.

Sophia had woken from her nap, when Luna arrived. She looked down through the leaves of the tree where Sophia slept and spotted her friend. Deciding to keep quiet about the man, Luna waved at Sophia, hinting they should get moving. If the man was part of her group, then he would go back to the group later. Lunas focus on reuniting Sophia with her mummy.

Making their way back to the highway, they were getting closer to the road again, Luna could tell. The trees were becoming sparser and the smell of tar from the heat of the sun was tickling her nose. But alas, as both girls stumbled onto the highway, the road obscured with broken and rusty cars, there was no sign of Sophias group.

Hearing a rustle behind them, Sophia turned swiftly, she was a walker, its face rotted with black goo running down. Sophia has just enough time to unsheathe her knife and stab the walker through the head. The force of the blood had knocked the walker backwards and onto the floor. Luna smiled proudly, before sensing Sophias disappointment.

"We'll find 'em, Sophia. S'not safe in the open." Sophia nodded, her eyes shining with trust. She took Luna's hand, squeezing it tightly. Luna's brain thinking about the man with the crossbow, perhaps he wasn't part of Sophia's group and just a passerby. She brushed it off.

"Together" Sophia states. With a flick of Luna's tail and a nod, both girls turned their backs and headed back into the woods. Both missing the sign and small pack of belongings on a car for Sophia, telling her to wait on the highway.