The three girls survived the night with not so much as one biter even walking past their sleeping tree. To Jess and Sophia this seemed like a positive thing and were immediately cheerful but Char was different, she refused to let her guard down for one second. She had taken the second watch so was already awake and had finished her breakfast by the time the others awoke, she helped them both out of the tree before handing them both the last remaining food from last night.

'So Sophia' Char started and the little girl looked up to her smiling 'Can you remember what happened?'

'We were on the highway searching for supplies when a herd of walkers arrived so we hid as best we could. I was under a car. I thought they had all gone but when I went to get out one of them saw me so started towards me and then another so I headed for the woods. Rick came after me.'

'He your dad?' Jess asked

Sophia shook her head 'No he's the sheriff, my dad's dead' she stated matter of factly. 'Anyway so Rick found me and hid me whilst he drew the walkers away and told me to wait for him and that if he didn't return to head back towards the highway but I got lost on my way back and hadn't eaten or drank in two days so I guess that's why I passed out'

'Well you're lucky we found you when we did and don't worry, we'll get you back to your people okay'

'You promise?'

'Of course' Sophia got up to hug Char and then Jess before taking a seat back down. 'Do you remember which way you came from?'

Sophia began looking around at her surroundings 'No I'm sorry. Does that mean you won't be able to find my mom?'

'Not at all Sophia, it just means it may take a bit longer okay' Char reassured her before placing her backpack on her back and standing up 'Okay so this is the plan. We do still have a bit of food but it's all cereal and we need protein so I'm going to hunt for some rabbits or squirrel, there should be some around here but I want you two to go back in the tree okay'

'Charlotte no' Jess protested

'We can help' agreed Sophia

'No, now listen to me. I don't want to be gone too long cause I want us to have a full day of searching for your mom and everyone okay and no offence Jess but your foot is slowing us down. Do not get down if you see people or biters okay just stay hidden in the tree until I'm back'

'But what if you don't come back?' Sophia mumbled, the worry she held for Charlotte evident in her voice

'I will but just in case I'm a bit slow then I want you two to start searching for your mom in three hours okay. Jess you have some dried food so you'll both be fine and you have your knife'

Char then turned to Sophia 'Sophia, I want you to have this' Charlotte took the knife from the pouch on her belt and handed it to the girl 'You shouldn't need to use it but remember it's always better to be safe than sorry'

'Won't you need it though?' Sophia asked hesitantly

'Nah I prefer my bow and arrows and anyway everyone should have some sort of weapon'

Sophia threw her arms around the Charlotte 'Hurry back'

'I will sweetheart, now go on both of you get up in that tree'

At least an hour must have passed since Charlotte left the others in the tree but she knew that they would be safe with each other. In all honesty she was more worried about herself. She'd never been more than a mile away from Jess since the apocalypse started and was feeling more paranoid than usual. So far all she had managed to shoot was two squirrels but one of them was only a scrawny little thing so she knew that she had to find more before turning back. She decided that the best course of action was to head towards the stream, she's be able to fill up her water bottles and maybe catch a few fish if she was lucky.

Charlotte took off her boots and waded into the shallow stream, loading her bow and waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity to catch a few fish. A few fish started to swim to the right of her. She pulled the bow back, keeping her eye on her target before releasing the first arrow that pierced the fish in the eye

'Still a great shot' she mumbled to herself before repeating the action a second time and then a third, in total catching three fish which would be more than enough for their dinner tonight. She wrapped them up in a scarf and placed them carefully in her backpack. She was about to leave the stream and head back to Sophia and Jess when something caught her attention, out the corner of her eye she could see a deer grazing on the bank the other side of the stream.

She carefully placed an arrow in her bow and took a deep breath. Now that she concentrated on her target she realised that it must have only been a foal so internally debated about whether or not she could shoot it before realising that if she didn't, the biters would get to it anyway. She put all her focus into making this shot and as she released her arrow and it hit her target making the foal hit the ground she couldn't help but feel proud. Yes it would be difficult to carry back but it would be worth it. Once she cooked the meat it would keep for at least two days.

Charlotte was about to wade through the stream to retrieve her game but then noticed the rocks between her and the opposite side. She knew that if she took that route that she would be putting her life at risk and would most likely injure herself.

'Looks like it's the long way round' she sighed 'God I need to stop talking to myself, jeez there I go again...pull yourself together' she reminded herself as she stepped out of the stream and put her boots back on before finding a way around the stream and to the foal.

It seemed that luck was on her side for once as not ten minutes up the bank she found a small bridge that looked stable enough so began to walk across it, keeping an eye out for biters.

'Looks like someone found our dinner for us' she heard a man say as she approached the part of the bank where the foal would be.

'May as well take it, doesn't seem like anyone's around' another voice added. She watched them from behind a bush noting that there was 3 maybe 4 of them but it was hard to see from her position. As one of them pulled the arrow out she jumped up and yelled

'Back off that's mine!' Shit, idiot, why did you do that? she asked herself, not only have I put myself in danger of these men but also of biters that probably heard me.