bikeandarrow

[bikeandarrow]

It's not fair, he knows that, but sometimes he wishes she wouldn't ask for - well, for anything. He doesn't mind looking out for her, wants to make sure she has whatever she needs, but he knows what his brother will read as weakness and it's hard enough to manage him as it is.

If it were up to him, she'd long be gone, he's made that pretty clear.

It's out there now, nothing to be done about it, so he considers the question. They're heading towards water, have been for a few days, since it became clear that they're better off looking out for themselves than waiting for some kind of rescue, but it will be a while still before they reach it, at least a few hours.

His canteen still has some water in it, though, so he holds it out towards her.

His brother notices the gesture, he can tell, and Daryl can feel the disapproval in his gaze, but he ignores it. He's spent a good part of his life following whatever Merle said, but he isn't going to extend that to letting this woman die. And that, he knows, is exactly what would happen, even in Merle's slightly kinder scenarios where they leave her with some supplies.

Spurred on by his brother's attitude, he adds, "go on, should drink somethin'. Few hours away from the stream still."

@bikeandarrow didn't ask for anything heehee

HOW LONG had it been ?? A few days, a few weeks… a month ?? She doesn't keep track of time anymore. Not since the man had found her- SAVED her. Now the only thing on her mind is surviving. Well that and doing enough to keep Merle off her back, but she doesn't think that'll ever happen. She's useless to them, and she see's that. Daryl at least seems to have somewhat of a heart.

" Is there a stream near by ?? " She may not be good at keeping track of time, but she does know it had been a while since she'd taken a shower. Or had a sip of water, for that matter. Part of her wants to at least rinse the dirt off of her. The other part ?? Well it knows it's not smart to be caught with your pants around your ankles, so to speak. " I feel grimey. If not t' rinse off, at least for some water… man I'm thirsty. "

[bikeandarrow]

@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'."

[bikeandarrow]

"Classy news anchor, huh? Could see that." He nodded. He could actually picture it - the dog in a little suit, with a little doggy briefcase, heading off to work, then sitting in one of those studios, seeming serious and professional. It was quite the image.

But then the sound came, and all jokes were quickly forgotten.

He heard her calling him, but he didn't reply - he'd at least gesture, let her know that he heard her, and he was right there, but he needed both hands to hold the crossbow, and he didn't dare not be ready to take his shot. Replying verbally would just make it easier for them to be found, should it be a person out there.

So he also didn't tell her that they couldn't just go, that if this was an animal it could be a predator tracking them, and if it was a human - well, the same thing applied. Whatever it was had gotten too close - the only way they were safe was if it was a deer or some other animal that wouldn't try to make them its lunch.

The moment the man stepped out of the bush, Daryl knew that he'd been right. They'd never stood a chance at shaking their tail.

Hearing the man talk, he remembered the answer he'd gotten from Randall at the barn - he'd half hoped the kid had been exaggerating, trying to work some kind of angle that backfired monumentally, but it seemed like he'd gotten nothing but the truth. Daryl stepped protectively to the side, trying to hide Sophia from view.

"Y'ain't getting nothin', and you sure are hell ain't gettin' her. Hell, don't even look at her," he all but growled, holding his crossbow steadily aimed at the man. "You wanna do the smart thing? You walk away now, 'cause you ain't gettin' another chance."

He'd have friends nearby, people who could outnumber Daryl, end their standoff. Their best chance, then, was to somehow break away before the man had the chance to call for backup. All they needed was a distraction, but what? What could he use didn't risk testing just how twitchy the man's trigger finger was?

Paul the dog. She couldn't help but laugh at the thought, clearly amused by not only her own little jab, but at his response. " A bank, huh? " she giggled, shaking her head, " I was thinkin' somethin' like . . . a news anchor. Somethin' real classy, like Good Morning America. " She could remember her mom turning on the television bright and early, even on the weekends, catching up on the news while she cooked breakfast for Ed and Sophia. At the time, it had been more of an annoyance than anything for the sleepy child, but now? She would kill to wake up to the sound of a tv playing from another room. Then she heard it. That sound that made her heart sink down into the pit of her stomach. Something . . . or someone, was out there with them.

The girl made quick work of slipping off of Daryl's back, and instead, kept close behind him so that she would be out of his way . . . but also be protected from whatever was out there. " Daryl, " she whispered softly as he stepped toward the sound, her voice pleading. The thought of him venturing off to investigate, and something happening, was terrifying to her. It wasn't like she could just run off and go find help -- and she knew she wouldn't be much help if it came down to it. " C'mon, let's just go. " SNAP. The twig snapping was followed by the sound of leaves crunching, coming closer and closer. Sophia followed Daryl's lead and took another step forward -- though, she did so to hide behind him once more, rather than get closer to the source. " C'mon, " she begged in a hush voice, her worried gaze dancing around them, dreading the thought of seeing someone step out from behind a tree. Then, as if she had manifested it herself, it happened right before her eyes. A man stepped out from behind the brush, gun already drawn. " Well, well . . . we've been lookin' for you, " he drawled, his lips curling into a somewhat sinister smile as he appeared to look right past Daryl, at the blonde girl tucked away behind him. " See, you're with that group at that farm, right? The ones that killed a couple of our guys . . . really put a toll on our group, losin' people like that, " he started, turning his gaze back to Daryl once more, " the way I see it -- y'all owe us somethin'. Some kind of compensation for all our troubles. OR we could just do this the hard way . . ."

[bikeandarrow]

"Could have some other stash of water 'round here somewhere. Can't be too careful these days." People were getting worse and worse about strangers, he wouldn't put it past someone to have a decoy water pitcher that no one would be suspicious about just in case they needed to deal with some intruders - especially someone surviving out there by themselves. They'd need to be even more careful than big groups that could count on numbers in a fight.

She definitely talked a big game, and while he wasn't ready to believe the follow-through, he was reluctant to put it down to overconfidence. In a world like this, especially alone, overconfidence would get you killed. She'd made it this far, she knew her limits. She could pick her battles, she knew when to back off. There was no other way she could have survived aside from sheer luck. So what was it? An intimidation technique?

Or maybe she could follow through on it, and she'd booby-trapped this place. It would make sense, with the defenses he'd spotted on his way in.

"Name's Daryl. Dixon," he offered after a second of thought. Instinct told him to point out that she hadn't given him her name, either, but she did have a point - he was the one who'd showed up at her camp uninvited. It was only fair, he supposed, to tell her his name first. "Ain't lookin' for any trouble, neither. Just thought I should see who was out here. You got a name?"

He would be lying if he said it didn’t give him some sense of pride to hear her surprise over the fact that he’d gotten past her defenses. They were good, far better than most of what he’d seen before, especially from small camps with just one person, but noticing small details in the woods was second nature to him - the little man-made traps, discrete as they might be, stood out to him.

“Nah, just out huntin’. Was tracking a deer not too far from here, somethin’ spooked it and it took off. Saw your tracks then, figured I’d check it out.” He shrugged. If she was alone, she could need help, and if she wasn’t, they could either trade or that camp could turn out to be a threat. Either way, it was worth knowing about the new neighbors.

Eyeing the jug with a little suspicion, he hesitated before accepting the offering - she didn’t know he was coming, she wasn’t expecting to see anyone, so really, it’d have been difficult for her to sneak something in there. It was almost certainly just water. He poured himself a glass with a small thank you.

So that was where her lunch went! Kyleigh must have been stalking the same deer and just as she went to make that fatal strike it tore off in the opposite direction. Not that she was going to tell some strange man that she had failed to capture her prey. That would have held her over until the next full moon when she planned on going a bit further out to see just what she could find. Or who, depending on the wolf’s mood that night. Ignoring the fact that she was still a bit ticked off that he discovered her warning traps, she took stock of him and sighed. Too big to take out on her own, too smart to be captured, too clean to live like she did. Interesting.

He was right to check things out though, to want to know all possible threats around him. If she were to guess he had people to protect, perhaps a family even. Lucky him, but then again why should she care? She noticed his hesitation in taking the water, that was smart but Kyleigh didn’t believe in slow deaths like that. Quick and to the point, the reason why she didn’t use guns. Letting out a snort she moved to sit down in the chair and placed one of her knives in front of her.

“If I was going to kill you it wouldn’t be with poison in the water that I myself drink. Honestly you wouldn’t even see it coming, and by the time you figured it out it would already be too late. Don’t exactly feel like dragging your big ass out of here and dumping you in some ditch anyway. So since you’re already in my house, you want to tell me your name or not?”

[bikeandarrow]

"Paul the dog," he mused, biting back a laugh. When she put it like that, Merle Jr. did seem like a very funny name for a dog, not that he was about to admit that. "No, I like it. Good name. Sounds like he's ready to put on a little dog-sized suit and go work at the bank or somethin'. Real professional. A serious dog name."

This is it, then, he walked right into it, ignored all the exit signs and made all the turns straight into this situation - he was going to help Sophia get a dog. There was no turning back now, not without disappointing her, not if Carol was as on-board with the idea as Sophia seemed to think she would be. And he could see that, really, especially if Sophia asked now. After everything she'd been through, he was sure Carol would get her a whole ranch's worth of ponies if she expressed even the mildest interest in one.

"Miss havin' a dog. Could be good for the group, too. So if your momma is okay with you havin' a dog... don't see why you shouldn't. Yeah, I'll - " he stopped as heard it, too - a snap that could only have been caused by something bigger than a squirrel stepping on a branch.

Something big enough for them to have to worry about.

Daryl unstrapped his crossbow from its place hanging messenger-bag style over his front, glad that Sophia had already taken the initiative to hop down. "Yeah, I heard it," he confirmed, crossbow now at the ready, his eyes carefully scanning their surroundings. He didn't want to leave Sophia alone to investigate, and he certainly didn't want to bring her closer to potential danger.

"Don't know. Could be. Ain't a walker, that's for sure," he said, voice low, taking a tentative step towards the sound. The snaps were too close to each other for a walker, it wouldn't move that quickly unless it was actively chasing something. Plus, they'd be able to hear it shuffling at this range. No, it was either an animal or a human, and both could be bad news.

Sophia shrugged slightly when he assured her that the dog seemed to like his name, despite how unusual it was. She supposed dogs really didn't care, so long as they were being loved and cared for. But when he asked her what name she would have gone with, the girl perked up a bit. " Oh, I don't know . . . I always liked the name Rosie for a dog. I think it's really cute for a girl, but for a boy . . . " she paused, her hand moving to tap against her chin lightly, " maybe somethin' like Paul. " She couldn't even pretend to be serious then, her laugh escaping her lips almost immediately after. Daryl's mention of training the dog to hunt was just another perk of owning an animal during the apocalypse -- and a good selling point when she posed the suggestion to her mom and, more importantly, Rick. " You would help talk him into it? " she gasped, her grip on him seeming to tighten, " Listen, I think my momma would be SO on board -- you and her could help me nudge Rick into it, right? That would probably work out so much better than me and Carl tryin' to work our magic. " She had started to laugh, but stopped herself when she heard a twig snap in the distance, her head spinning around to look behind them. " Did you hear that? " she whispered, her heart already hammering out of her chest. It was probably nothing, but . . . it could be anything. Then another SNAP. Sophia carefully wiggled out of his grasp and tucked herself away behind Daryl, her hands finding their place on his back. " Is it one of those guys, you think? "

[bikeandarrow]

"Good, classic dog names." He nodded. Really, that was probably what most people would have expected a kid to choose for their dog, but when he'd found that little puppy and rescued it, decided to keep him despite the fact that he knew how his father would react, most of what'd been going through his mind was that he missed his brother. It'd just made sense, naming him after Merle. And he'd liked it a little that he knew Merle would have been none too happy to learn what MJ really stood for. "Just made sense at the time, I guess. Dog seemed happy with it, too. What were you gonna name your dog, if your dad had let you have one?"

"Don't think Carl would have the patience for a cat. Spook the poor lil' thing." He chuckled slightly at the thought, shaking his head. Carl really seemed like he'd do better with a companion than a cat that would likely want to be around, but not necessary with him, and certainly not on his schedule.

Would Rick go for getting the group a dog? It wasn't the practical choice, but Rick wasn't always practical, and with his kid and Sophia asking for one... if they could get some of the adults on their side, he could see it happening.

Lori would be furious, but really, at some point those two had to talk about their issues, about the Shane of it all.

"Guess I could train it to help with huntin'," he mused, and why was he encouraging this? "A herdin' dog could help make sure them cows and horses don't run off. Keep you kids entertained, too. Could talk Rick into it, maybe. You think your mom would be on board?"

There was so much excitement built up inside of her, Sophia felt like she could just burst at any moment. She couldn't wait to get to the farm, to see her family and friends, to meet these new people, to make new friends, and -- oh my god, the thought of having real food? That was enough to make her want to jump off of Daryl's back and take off running just so they could get there faster. But the conversation with him was enough to keep her head level for the time being -- a pleasant distraction from the painful cramps that plagued her empty stomach. " Merle Jr? That's a silly name for a dog, " she teased, scrunching her nose as she giggled, " gotta go with somethin' like Fido or Spot . . . maybe Buddy. " Sophia hadn't known Merle very well -- her mother had done her best to steer her clear of him. But from what Sophia had seen, he didn't seem like a very pleasant person to be around. Always loud and confrontational . . . kind of pushy too. It was Daryl's brother though, and he was still out there missing. She couldn't help but think about that fact as she rested on Daryl's back, after the man had just risked his life countless times just to find HER. " I could see her havin' a cat . . . but Rick and Carl? They would definitely want a dog, " she agreed with a chuckle, " maybe Carl and I can talk him into getting us one. It would be so fun to have a pet runnin' around, especially at a farm? It's perfect ! "

[bikeandarrow]

"Yeah, Beth. She's a teenager, must be somethin' like fifteen or sixteen." Not super close in age, but enough that her father would still remember what a twelve year old was like, how much something like learning to ride a horse could mean to her. Plus, maybe Beth and Sophia could get along - he didn't know either of them well, but Beth did seem like the type to look after the younger kids. "Ain't as close to your age as Carl, but maybe you'll get along."

He smiled a little sad smile when Sophia asked about the dog's name. Age could really put things into perspective. "Named it Merle Jr. 'cause my brother wasn't around much those days. Never told him that, though, far as he knows the dog's name was MJ. Was nicer than my brother, that's for sure. Better company, too."

The idea of having a dog at camp... Daryl had to admit that he liked it. It would be an extra mouth to feed, sure, and the dog wouldn't exactly be very helpful, but he supposed he could train it to help with hunting. If they managed to stay at the farm, then it would have plenty of space to run free, too.

But it would be a lot of work, a fair bit of food... it didn't make sense.

It just seemed like a nice thought.

"She don't seem like much of a dog person," he agreed with a small amused chuckle. "Maybe a cat. One of them real quiet ones that don't do much. Bet you Rick is more of a dog person, though." And if they brought a dog into camp, with the way things already were between those two, things could escalate quickly.

" They have a kid close to MY age? " she repeated, very obviously excited by the prospect of making another friend. Sophia had never really been one to have friends -- she had always thought it best to keep to herself, especially as a small child. Other kids would have sleepovers and birthday parties, and Sophia was terrified to ever bring any one over to her house, in fear of what her dad might say or do. But now? With Ed gone, it was a whole new world. Sophia could live without fear of prosecution for just being a KID. When she mentioned the fact that she had never had any pets herself, Sophia couldn't help but smile when Daryl shared his story about the puppy that he had found in the fence. She had seen stray animals before, out behind the grocery store or in random parking lots, but she never dared to rescue one herself. What would she even do with it? She couldn't hide it from her dad -- and unlike Daryl's dad, unfortunately hers was always around. " What was it's name? " she probed, her toothy grin shining back at him, " Imagine if we could find a dog out here and bring it back to camp with us -- Carl would be so jealous. I don't think Lori is the type to want a stinky dog jumpin' all over her. "

[bikeandarrow]

Being on the road isn't exactly ideal for this kind of training, Carol is right about that, but being on the road also necessitates that training, so they have to make do. Precautions aren't the same as a safe, sheltered range like what they'd put up at the farm, but they're something, at least. Enough that he feels comfortable bringing Carol out here.

"We're alright," he assures her. "Ain't nothin' close, did a sweep around the area. No tracks, neither, so if anything's come through here, it's probably long gone. 'n we're far enough from the others that if any walkers come here, they'll be safe so long as we don't draw them there. Ain't nothin' to worry about."

If the circumstances were different, Daryl would probably have agreed with her - it's not a good idea to do this when her head is all over the place, and it would be easier to just reschedule. But right now, it's a matter of safety, of survival. So instead, he takes a step towards her, his eyes trying to find her eyes. "Hey. I'm worried for us, too. It hasn't been easy the past few few weeks. But we're gonna be alright. You learn this, you can help keep watch, help go on runs, go huntin'. Can take you with me, teach you to track, if you want. But first you gotta be able to stay safe out here."

               it   does   actually   EASE   her   worries   a   bit,   to   hear   him   have   such   confidence   in   her.      it’s   not   his   fault   she   feels   this   way,   hell…      it’s   not   even   her   OWN   fault.      it’s   ed’s.      though   that   BASTARD   was   long   dead,   she   still   felt   his   shadow   looming   over   her,   his   harsh   words   still   floated   through   her   mind.      he   had   CONSTANTLY   brought   her   down,   DESTROYED   her   confidence.      suffering   something   like   that   for   over   twenty   years?      of   course   her   confidence   was   shot.

               ❝   easier   said   than   done   i   suppose…   ❞      a   nervous   chuckle   follows   as   she   looks   back   down   at   the   gun.      daryl   believes   in   her,   she   needs   to   focus   on   THAT   instead   of   her   fears.      ❝   are   you   sure   that   we’re   SAFE   here,   daryl?      i   know   noise   attracts   walkers,   i   don’t   want   to   be   the   reason   we   have   to   flee   AGAIN.      i   don’t   think   any   of   us   can   take   running   again.   ❞      shoulders   slump   some,   head   dipped   down.      maybe   she   can’t   do   this   right   now   because   of   all   the   OTHER   fears   swirling   around   in   her   head.      when   they’ll   find   shelter,   when   they’ll   rest,   when   they’ll   eat?      it’s   the   mother   in   her,   constantly   worrying   about   the   WELL   BEING   of   others.

               carol   doesn’t   even   realize   how   much   she’s   biting   her   own   lip   until   there   is   a   faint   metallic   taste   in   her   mouth.      bringing   a   finger   to   her   lip,   she   dabs   the   spot   and   sees   a   small   drop   of   red   on   her   fingertip.      ❝   damn   it…      maybe   we   shouldn’t   even   be   DOING   this   today.      my   mind   is   all   over   the   place,   i   can’t   seem   to   focus.      i’m   SCARED   for   all   of   us.   ❞

[bikeandarrow]

He would be lying if he said it didn't give him some sense of pride to hear her surprise over the fact that he'd gotten past her defenses. They were good, far better than most of what he'd seen before, especially from small camps with just one person, but noticing small details in the woods was second nature to him - the little man-made traps, discrete as they might be, stood out to him.

"Nah, just out huntin'. Was tracking a deer not too far from here, somethin' spooked it and it took off. Saw your tracks then, figured I'd check it out." He shrugged. If she was alone, she could need help, and if she wasn't, they could either trade or that camp could turn out to be a threat. Either way, it was worth knowing about the new neighbors.

Eyeing the jug with a little suspicion, he hesitated before accepting the offering - she didn't know he was coming, she wasn't expecting to see anyone, so really, it'd have been difficult for her to sneak something in there. It was almost certainly just water. He poured himself a glass with a small thank you.

“Wasn’t snoopin’,” he argues, though - well, an argument could probably be made that he was snooping, considering the fact that he hadn’t exactly just run into her completely unaware. “Followed your tracks over here. Don’t usually see no one ‘round these parts, especially not by themselves. Thought I should check it out. Gotta give it to you, though, you got a good security system goin’ here. Damn nearly got me a few times.” Maybe he should have tripped it, let her know that he was there, but he doesn’t know her, doesn’t know if she can be trusted or if she’d take him down on sight - he didn’t want to be caught by surprise. “Didn’t mean to startle you,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.

“Son of a bitch! No one’s been able to get around those so far!” No wonder she didn’t hear this one coming. He had either been a tracker or hunter his entire life or had some kind of gift that she didn’t know about. Either way Kyleigh wasn’t going to let on that she had been impressed by that fact, but she was. “You didn’t startle me. I just didn’t expect anyone to be here. Haven’t seen an actual living person in a long time. You looking for someone else or something?” Kyleigh thought that she was far enough away from the nearest little river that no one would be able to find her place. This man, he was the first person ever to be able to track a half lycan so she definitely needed to know more about him and wherever it was he came from. As she waited for an answer from him she reached over to the small table next to her and grabbed the jug of water she always kept there, pushing it towards him to show she meant him no harm for the time being.

[bikeandarrow]

He couldn't help but chuckle when she took him up on the pinky swear, not entirely sure what was involved in it but happy to let her take the lead. "Wasn't gonna take it back," he promised. "But now it's formal."

The Greenes hadn't been exactly the most accommodating, but they'd let him borrow a horse to go looking for Sophia, and the longer they stayed, the more they seemed to come around to their presence. Ever since the barn... something had changed. Hopefully they wouldn't make a big deal of Sophia wanting to ride. "They got a kid just a few years older than ya. I'm sure they'll understand you wantin' to ride. Horses could use the exercise, too. They get restless if they don't get to go out for a while."

Even after sharing the camp with Ed for a while, Daryl still didn't know much about the man - enough to know Sophia and Carol were certainly better off without him, but no real specifics beyond the fact that he was a violent man and, quite frankly, an asshole. The more he learned about him, though, the angrier he became at the man, dead or not. "They do all of that - most of 'em, anyway - but it's worth it. No way my dad would'a let me have one, but I found the little thing stuck in a fence. Was just a puppy. Needed a home, and my dad was hardly around anyway. Complained when he was, but - was worth it." At least until the day the dog made the mistake of coming to Daryl's defense, and Merle quickly found another home for him before their father could recover enough to retaliate.

" 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. "

[bikeandarrow]

"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."

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? "

[bikeandarrow]

"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."

Hearing Daryl's story, Sophia finally understood why he was doing what he was doing out here. She was lucky enough to have people out here looking for her, but he had never had that. He had had to find his way back home on his own, which was honestly what Sophia had anticipated she would have to do as well. Maybe she should have had more faith in the group, but after so many days out there on her own, she had begun to lose hope. Daryl was tough -- he had always been portrayed that way to her. But after hearing that small fraction of his past, paired with the injury that he had recently endured, it was very clear to her now just how tough he really was. He seemed to be the type that would rather just suffer in silence, which was something that Sophia was sure to take a mental note of. She was the same way, so she would be sure to keep tabs on him in the future, if only to make sure he was actually okay. When he waved off her attempts at getting him to put her down, Sophia sighed and rested her head on him once more. " I'm not worried about you droppin' me, " she huffed, fingers tangling together where they met at his chest, " I'm more worried about hurtin' your side there. Just . . . let me know if we gotta stop, okay? I don't mind walkin'. Like you said, it's a long way back to the farm, can't have you killin' yourself just tryin' to get us both back. Hurtin' yourself more isn't gonna do us any good. " Now that things were settled, the trip was filled with a little bit of comfortable silence -- if only for a few minutes, before Sophia cleared her throat. It had been so long since she'd had anyone to talk to, and she felt like she had missed out on everything since she'd been gone. " So this farm . . . you said they've got horses? " she mused, smile creeping across her lips, " You think they would let me ride one? I've never rode a horse before. Do they have cows too? "

[bikeandarrow]

"Wasn't snoopin'," he argues, though - well, an argument could probably be made that he was snooping, considering the fact that he hadn't exactly just run into her completely unaware. "Followed your tracks over here. Don't usually see no one 'round these parts, especially not by themselves. Thought I should check it out. Gotta give it to you, though, you got a good security system goin' here. Damn nearly got me a few times." Maybe he should have tripped it, let her know that he was there, but he doesn't know her, doesn't know if she can be trusted or if she'd take him down on sight - he didn't want to be caught by surprise. "Didn't mean to startle you," he adds, almost as an afterthought.

@bikeandarrow continued from this ask.

She knows it’s odd that she’s out here on her own. Innocent looking little thing like herself? But what this man doesn’t know is that it’s for everyone else’s protection. The half lycan is deadlier than the walkers that have taken over the Earth, but not a living soul knows her true nature. Rolling her eyes Kyleigh finally let her hand drop from the knife at her side, crossing her arms over her chest. “That’s funny coming from someone I found snooping around MY set up. How the hell did you find me anyway?” Her warning signals should have gone off, hidden from human eyes but loud enough that she can hear them from a mile away. Some way the man that smells like a bunch of other people made his way around them and she wants to know how. And more importantly, why it’s any of his business how she’s been able to survive this long all on her own.

[bikeandarrow]

The last thing he wanted was for her to feel guilty - it was why he omitted the fact that Carl had insisted on going searching with them, and had gotten shot while out there, doing a more thorough sweep with his father and Shane.

But it was hard to explain the horse without mentioning that he was looking for her, so he was just going to have to try and do some damage control, not that he'd ever been very good at that. He decided to go with a story that he thought might make her understand what finding her meant to him.

"'S alright. Sh - uh, stuff happens. Y'know, I got lost in them woods once, too. Yeah, I was younger than you, even. Spent nine days out there, tryin' to make my way back. Couldn't make head or tails of where I was, survived on what berries I could find. Probably lucky none of 'em were too dangerous. Found my way back, eventually, went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. Just... happens, sometimes." He didn't add that his father was off with some waitress, and probably wouldn't have cared even if he knew Daryl was gone; or that Merle was doing another stint in juvie and neither knew he was gone nor would have been able to help if he did.

He hoped, still, that she would understand that it meant a lot to him to have been able to find her. To know that at least someone was looking for her.

He had to bite back a curse when she picked up on the bit about the arrow - he'd hoped she wouldn't question it, but she was more astute than that. "It's fine, it was a few days ago. Your mom didn't let me come out here lookin' for you right after. Didn't get anything important, anyway, and it went clean through. Wasn't that bad." Well, it could have been worse, at least. "Just got me on the side, is all. I can carry ya, I promise. Not gonna drop ya or anythin'. We'll take turns, remember?"

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. "

[bikeandarrow]

"Woods ain't that big, was always gonna find ya. Just gotta keep lookin'," he promised her, smiling slightly. He'd told them, he'd told them all time and time again - they'd find her. He'd been younger than her when he'd gotten lost and he'd been just fine. There was no reason to think it'd be any different for her, walkers or not. She could run, she could hide - they couldn't just stop looking just because it'd been a while. "She's gonna be real happy to see you, she's missed you so much. But she's strong, your momma. She's alright. Gonna be better once we get you home safe and sound, though."

He got as good a grip as he could on her legs and grit his teeth as he stood, trying his best not to let on how much it hurt. He'd be fine, he knew that - he'd strained himself more before while still in earlier stages of his recovery. What mattered was getting her home safe.

A few tentative steps later, the pain started to ease, and he let himself breathe again, forging ahead more confidently.

"Sounds worse than it was," he assured her. "T-Dog got hurt at the highway, got a nasty infection, but he's good now. Then there were a few accidents after you got lost." He paused there, considering whether to tell her everything, then realizing that she would probably keep asking if he didn't tell her right away. "Carl's fine, alright? I promise. He's up and about already. But he got shot in the woods, huntin' accident. Bullet when straight through the deer, caught him. That's how we met the Greenes, they took care of him."

Then, a little more tentatively, honestly surprised that she would ask about him, he added, "got hurt out here, too. Took a horse out to look for ya, skittish thing got spooked by a snake and bucked me off. Fell on an arrow. Then got mistaken for a walker. But I'm alright. Hershel's good, is what I'm sayin'."

“ I’m just glad you found me at all, ” she admitted with a huff of laughter, her joy already beginning to show past her obviously tired appearance, “ I can’t wait to see my momma. She’s gotta be worryin’ herself to death … ” Sophia knew how protective her mom was of her, so knowing that she was lost out there was probably enough to make her lose her mind. She hoped that it hadn’t been too hard on her. Wishful thinking. Now that they had settled their travelling arrangement, Sophia carefully stepped up behind the man and placed her hands up on his shoulders before hopping on. She was careful not to wiggle around too much, as she made herself a little more comfortable. Arms moving to loop over his shoulders, trying to ease some of her weight off of his grasp. Then what he had said moments before really sank in, causing her brow to furrow in question. “ Wait … you said there’s a vet there? And he helped you and Carl and T-Dog? ” she repeated almost word for word, before daring to peek over his shoulder slightly in an attempt to catch a glimpse of his face, “ What happened to y'all while I was gone that you needed a doctor? Is Carl alright? ” Sophia and Carl had always been close, right from the start – she hadn’t even considered that something bad could happen to him, especially with so many people looking out for him. “ And you? What happened to you out here? ”

[bikeandarrow]

"Wasn't nothin'," he assured her, and though his search for her may have nearly cost him his life twice over, he still meant it. She didn't need to thank him for looking for her, he was never going to just leave a child lost in the woods - not in the old world, and certainly not in this new, meaner one.

He couldn't help the self-satisfied smile that formed on his lips when she confirmed that she had stayed at that house after all. "Knew it. Told ya, Shane," he muttered under his breath. This whole time, Sophia had been leaving them little breadcrumbs to follow, and it felt like he was the only one that could see them, that could accept them for what they were rather than just random noise in the woods. "Think I found that place just maybe a few hours after you left. Couldn't figure out where you went from there. But it's alright, you're safe now. Gonna get you back to your mamma."

If he'd just picked a different direction, looked a little more carefully - but it didn't matter. She was safe now, and all she'd gotten from this adventure as far as he could tell was a sprained ankle. She'd be fine. He'd found her after all.

"'S alright. We'll take it in turns, yeah? I'll carry you so you can rest that ankle. and when I need a break you can stretch you legs a bit. It's gonna be a couple hours' walk at this pace, don't want you on your feet the whole time. We got a doctor at the farm - he's a vet, but did alright with me an' Carl an' T-Dog. He can take a look at that ankle for ya." He crouched down and readjusted his crossbow, gesturing for her to hop on. A piggyback ride would probably make it easier for him to carry her, and it'd make it easier for him to have his crossbow ready fast if he needed it.

Was it stupid to be so worried about a doll? Probably, given the circumstances, but that doll was special to her. Her friend had given it to her, and it was the last time she was able to see her, so that doll was the last little piece of her that she had to hold onto. So, for Sophia to know that she was safe and sound was a relief. “ Thank you for finding her … for finding me. ” The thought of returning to the group had been what kept Sophia going for so long. She was starving and weak, but the idea of stumbling upon one of the others, just like she had stumbled upon that other group, was something that the young girl prayed for daily. And now that she could envision this new life on a farm? Sophia was reeling with excitement, just ready to be back with her mom and have a little something to eat. Her eyes turned to Daryl when he mentioned their efforts to find her, telling her all about the setup they had left for her on the highway and his searches out in the woods, tracking her all this way. When he noted the house that she had slept in, Sophia smiled and nodded, “ Yeah … I found that place, hoped to find somethin’ to eat there and I did – nothin’ good though. Better than nothin’. I wish I had just stayed there longer, but stayin’ in one place didn’t seem like it was workin’ out too well for me. ” She gently lowered her foot back down to the ground as he stood back up, meeting his gaze once more. He had always been the serious type – quiet and mysterious, but it was nice to see this caring side of him. She was almost certain that side of him was reserved for special instances, and she was honored to be someone deemed worthy of that treatment. “ Okay … but if I’m too heavy, don’t be afraid to put me back down, alright? It’s not gonna hurt my feelings. I can walk, but I’ll just need to use you as a crutch. ”

[bikeandarrow]

He could probably have phrased that better, Daryl thought to himself - of course she'd worry about her mom, about Carl, everyone she knew at the camp. It was easy to forget that while they were worried about her, she was probably worried about them as well. "No, no, everyone's fine. They didn't hurt no one, just - seem like bad news, is all," he assured her, offering her a small smile in the hopes that it would set her mind at ease.

Finding that doll... it may have ended with him being speared through by his own arrow and having to claw his way out of the ravine, but he didn't regret it at all. If he hadn't found it, it could be days before he found any other trace of Sophia. It'd been getting harder and harder to convince Rick and Shane to keep at the search, too. Sooner or later, they'd want to move on. "Helped, that's for the sure. But she's waitin' for you back home, don't worry. Your mamma's been tryin' to clean her up for ya."

Daryl nodded when she asked if they'd been out there looking for her this whole time. "Yeah, we've all been looking for ya. Waited at the highway for a while, hoped you'd find your way back there. Left you a note when we had to move on to the farm, been checking there since to see if you made your way back. Found a house, too - you hole up there for a while? Inside a kitchen cabinet?" He was sure, he was so sure that it was her. What were the odds that there was another child or fairly small person by themselves in this specific part of the woods? "You did good, survivin' out here by yourself this whole time. If y'can, hole up somewhere, wait for us to find ya. But if you gotta keep movin', you keep movin'."

She was doing well with the pain - and it had to be hurting - which probably meant she could handle walking. It didn't look too bad, likely just a sprain, but she still shouldn't be putting any weight on it they could help it. "Shouldn't walk on that ankle for too long, could make things worse. Could try to carry you, if that's alright? Might need to take a break before we get there, I ain't in the best shape right now, neither, but I can make it. But no matter what, I ain't leavin' you behind, alright?"

He could probably have phrased that better, Daryl thought to himself - of course she'd worry about her mom, about Carl, everyone she knew at the camp. It was easy to forget that while they were worried about her, she was probably worried about them as well. "No, no, everyone's fine. They didn't hurt no one, just - seem like bad news, is all," he assured her, offering her a small smile in the hopes that it would set her mind at ease.

Finding that doll... it may have ended with him being speared through by his own arrow and having to claw his way out of the ravine, but he didn't regret it at all. If he hadn't found it, it could be days before he found any other trace of Sophia. It'd been getting harder and harder to convince Rick and Shane to keep at the search, too. Sooner or later, they'd want to move on. "Helped, that's for the sure. But she's waitin' for you back home, don't worry. Your mamma's been tryin' to clean her up for ya."

Daryl nodded when she asked if they'd been out there looking for her this whole time. "Yeah, we've all been looking for ya. Waited at the highway for a while, hoped you'd find your way back there. Left you a note when we had to move on to the farm, been checking there since to see if you made your way back. Found a house, too - you hole up there for a while? Inside a kitchen cabinet?" He was sure, he was so sure that it was her. What were the odds that there was another child or fairly small person by themselves in this specific part of the woods? "You did good, survivin' out here by yourself this whole time. If y'can, hole up somewhere, wait for us to find ya. But if you gotta keep movin', you keep movin'."

She was doing well with the pain - and it had to be hurting - which probably meant she could handle walking. It didn't look too bad, likely just a sprain, but she still shouldn't be putting any weight on it they could help it. "Shouldn't walk on that ankle for too long, could make things worse. Could try to carry you, if that's alright? Might need to take a break before we get there, I ain't in the best shape right now, neither, but I can make it. But no matter what, I ain't leavin' you behind, alright?"