Groaning his head felt like he'd went twelve rounds with Tyson and he blinked looking up into the dim sky. He was pulling in slow breaths trying to figure out what the hell had happened when he heard the voices close by. He groaned again as he set up and a shadow came over him. Eyes focusing Mac's face was right there and his eyes were wild-looking him over.
Daryl cleared his throat looking around and panic set in as he realized how late it was, "Sophia?"
Mac made a face and then set back, "Shit."
Daryl shoved Mac to the side and climbed to his feet and took a second to get his bearings before heading over to the side of the road. He could tell his brothers were following him but he didn't stop. His worry for Sophia was winning out over his brothers being there now. He was walking quick despite the headache making it feel like his heart beat had taken up residence behind his eyes.
Coming to the tree Daryl looked up through it but didn't see her. "Sophia!" When nothing but silence met him he caught the lowest branch but Mac caught his arm.
"Your ass just got laid out aint no way in hell your climbing shit." Mac snapped.
He moved quick swinging up into the tree. Daryl lost sight of him as the light faded and he turned his eyes going around them and see Merle and Martinez both watching around them silent and stoic. Merle turned meeting his eyes and he gave Daryl a look before looking around again. He could hear Mac moving in the tree and then he was speaking low.
There was a grunt and then the tree was shaking and he heard a yelp. "Hold the hell still kid."
"STOP!" Sophia shrieked.
"OW what the fuck!" Mac barked. "Did you fucking claw me?"
"Mac shut up! Sophia!" Daryl called up there, "Girl come on down."
He seen a tiny little body appear and then her little face did, "Daryl?"
Mac dropped down and landed next to him rubbing his throat and looking up towards the tree, "She clawed me like a goddamn cat."
Daryl didn't say anything but Sophia was already moving down the tree more. She let her legs dangle and Daryl caught her as she started down. He tried to set her down but her little arms wrapped around his throat so tight he was having trouble breathing. She was crying against his throat and he felt eyes on him as his face burned red. He wasn't sure how to deal with an emotional woman let alone a kid.
He just started walking hoping that she'd calm down on the way back towards the camp. He felt her little body shuddering and it hit him how cold she felt and he cringed. Pulling her tighter to his body her little legs wrapped around him and she sagged letting him bear her entire weight.
"So little brother where'd you get a kid at?" Merle started walking along side him.
Daryl cut his eyes to him as he started up the hill. Merle wasn't being snarky but seemed curious instead. Daryl gave him a look and shook his head trying to get Merle to understand that now wasn't the best time. Sophia's breathing was slowing down and her little sobs had stopped but she was hiccuping against his throat and each time he heard Mac chuckle.
"You know Daryl shocks the shit out of me to say this but father hood looks good on you." Martinez snorted walking ahead of them.
Mac guffawed and Daryl felt like hitting them both but couldn't cause Sophia was wrapped around him like a vine and he didn't wanna chance dropping her. Getting there he walked straight for the fire they'd all but abandoned. He looked around and didn't see any signs of the men he'd seen for a brief second before things had went to shit. He knew without asking what had happened and just pushed it from his mind, things were different now.
Setting at the fire he looked over when his bigger pack was set next to him and he looked up at Mac. He squatted down and motioned to it, "She needs something on her before she gets sick."
Daryl nodded and Mac shoved Daryl's leather jacket at him. Sophia was in his lap refusing to move from him her little body slumped as she fought sleep. Daryl handed her a bottle of water and she drank it greedily. She was looking around her eyes going between his brothers and Martinez. Daryl draped his jacket over her and she pulled it tighter to her as she set the bottle down.
"You hungry kid?" Martinez looked over at her smiling.
Daryl felt her stomach rumble and she gave a sheepish look. Martinez stood and walked over squatting down in front of her holding out dried and salted venison to her. She licked her lips and her little hand came out tentatively and took it. She sniffed it and he laughed as she took a small bite then a larger.
She smiled at Martinez, "Thank you Sir." Her little voice was timid and soft.
He gave her a broad smile, "No sir...makes me feel old. Martinez is the name."
She relaxed more against him and Daryl felt fatigue hitting him. The events of the past few days hitting him hard. He hadnt really slept more than two hours he was sure. He'd been running on high alert being alone out there with just him watching this little girl. He hadn't allowed himself to rest or even bother with eating really. He'd made sure she'd eaten and drank enough water but he'd pushed himself harder and harder knowing that his brothers were close. But now, now it was hitting him and he felt himself starting to get drowsy.
Mac set down next to him his back against the same vehicle. They were boxed in completely on all sides. The heat on the pavement from the day and the small fire was starting to make his muscles loosen up and he slumped more.
"Have you eaten anything at all?"
Daryl grit his teeth and closed his eyes leaning his head back, "I'm fine Mac."
He felt Sophia move on him and lean against him more using his chest as a pillow. "I haven't seen him eat." Her voice was so low he barely heard her.
Mac growled in his throat and he felt something shoved towards him, "You're gonna run your ass into the ground." Mac snapped.
Daryl looked down at Sophia and she smiled watching as Mac forced more food on him. He ate it mechanically not tasting it as his mind raced on what to say to his brothers later about this girl. He knew that he had no idea where her mother was. There was no trail. They were on a road for fucks sake and by Sophia's own admission they had running vehicles. It was untelling how far that group had gotten or where they were headed.
Sophia's little body was completely lax against him and he looked down drinking the last of his water. She was sleeping her hand tightened in his shirt, she was clenching it tight in her fist. Her words raced through his mind. You're all that I've got.
"So what happened out there?" Mac spoke low.
Merle was setting on the hood of a truck watching out over them. Martinez was doing the same and Daryl let himself relax more. He didn't have to ride high on fight or flight reflex right now.
"Was tracking a doe when she came crashing through the brush with a bunch of those fucks chasing her." Daryl shifted her and got more comfortable. "When I caught up to her she was trying to get in a tree with some cornering her."
Merle moved closer listening as he'd recounted what all had happened. All three of them were watching him and Martinez swore under his breath, "She's fucking lucky, girls got an angle watching her back."
Mac nudged Daryl and he growled knowing Mac had a joke. "Shut it."
"You got an idea where they are?" Merle looked him in the eye.
Daryl shook his head, "Not a goddamn clue but I couldn't leave that girl there like that."
"No, no you couldn't." Mac's voice was low and quiet.
Daryl knew that Mac was thinking about the time Daryl himself had been lost in the mountains for nine days. No one had looked for him when that had happened and when he did make it back it was even more clear what a piece of shit his father was. He shook his head and leaned his head back again hoping his headache went away.
"You need to sleep you look like shit." Mac chuckled.
Daryl nodded already feeling that pull of sleep as the night sky and stars danced above them. His dreams were filled with flashes of blue moving through the woods and him running after it. The closer the got the further Sophia got from him but her laughter was loud and echoing around him in the trees.