Light- Clementine/Louis, Clouis, Louisentine

Chapter 15

Thin wisps of cloud like fog escape his mouth as he exhales, the chill of the night signaling the coming winter. A lone owl gently hoots from within the trees as he walks through the forest, shadows of the night playing tricks on him, branches seemingly reaching towards him like walker hands.

"Come on, Louis. Come on. This is for Clementine." He whispers to himself, eyes darting around him, childhood fears creeping up at the darkness that surrounded him.

He could just barely make out the path in front of him as he walked, retracing their steps, or, uh, the horses steps, back towards the river.

His mind was tormenting him cruelly, picturing the worst possible scenarios for what he would find when he arrived.

Would he find Clementine and AJ's bodies, hardly recognisable as their flesh barely clung to bone whilst the walkers devoured them? Would he find them ambling along the shoreline, unable to avoid the hordes awaiting teeth, joining them in a life of aimless wandering? Or would he find nothing at all, forced to live the rest of his life not knowing what had become of them, to live with the knowledge that he had abondened them in their time of need?

No. No, he wasn't going to think like that. They were out there, they were alive, he knew it. He could feel it. He just had to find them first. And to do that, he just had to keep following the path.

Speaking of...

Where was the path?

A blanket of leaves laid across the forest ground was all he could make out as he squinted out to the darkness, panic rising when he's unable to find the path he had only just been walking down.

Fucking fantastic. All he had to do was follow the path, and he couldn't even do that right.

Unwilling to admit defeat, he tredges onward, heading blindly in the direction of the beach. He knew the area partly, he was sure it wouldn't be long before he stumbled across something he recognised which would send him in the right direction.

A low murmer catches his attention, standing out amongst the whisper of the gentle wind around him. Someone was nearby, likely more than one person considering they were having a conversation. He freezes at the sound, straining his hearing to pick out any words of the conversation.

Unable to do so, he moves quietly in their direction to get a better look. There were no living raiders on the beach when they left, but there was always a chance some had survived the explosion, or perhaps were nearby in the forest at the time of the explosion. If they had survived, being spotted wouldnt be ideal...

The voices were getting louder now. Louis looks out in the direction of the voices, making out three familiar looking shadows stood in a clearing, conversing with one another.

A break in the thick layer of cloud revealed some much needed moonlight, illuminating the area around him.

He had asked for a miracle. And it had been answered.

His heart jumps with pure joy at the sight of Clementine, Marlons bow still strung across her back, AJ and Tenn stood beside her as they talked, oblivious to Louis' presence.

Not for long, though.

His feet pound across the forest floor, breaking out into a sprint, wanting nothing more than to be by her side as quick as he possibly can. No words could describe the delight he was feeling at that moment, knowing she had made it. That he hadn't lost her forever.

Clementine startles at the sound of rushing footsteps, whirling round to face the oncoming threat. She barely has a moment to take in the figure, eyes widening in realisation.