After Luna's escape from Daryl, she races through the dense undergrowth, her heart pounding with fear and adrenaline. She knows she needs to put as much distance between herself and the farmhouse as possible to ensure her safety.
As she runs, Luna's mind races with thoughts of Sophia and the rest of the group. She feels a pang of guilt for leaving her friend behind, but she knows she needs to protect herself first. With every step, she pushes herself to go faster, her instincts guiding her deeper into the forest.
Meanwhile, back at the farmhouse, Sophia watches with a mixture of worry and confusion as her mother and the rest of the group tend to Daryl's wounds. She can't shake the feeling of unease that lingers in the air, knowing that Luna is out there somewhere, alone and vulnerable.
She glances at her mother, who is busy apply a bandage to Daryl's injuries, and then at the forest beyond the farmhouse. The older man named Hershal had left the farm earlier, so her Mom had taken to caring for Daryl and Beth in his absense.
The sun was begining to set, its glow turning the fields an orangy colour.
Sophia's heart aches as she thinks about her friend, wondering where she is and if she's safe. It was not fair how she was here safe, with a full tummy while her friend was still in the woods.
"Hey, are you okay?" Carl asks, his voice breaking through her thoughts. She turns to face him, her expression softening.
"I'm just worried is all" she confesses.
Carl looks at her with concern. "I'm sure your friend is okay. She's a wolf, right? She can take care of herself."
Sophia nods, trying to reassure herself, before a thought clicked in her mind.
"Carl..." Sophia says slowly.
"Yeah?" He replies.
"I'm gonna go find her."
Carl looks at her with wide eyes. "What? No way, it's going to get dark soon. "
Sophia shakes her head.
"I can find her."
Carl's eyebrows raise, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. "Are you sure? What if you get lost...again?"
Sophia takes a deep breath, her resolve firm. "I'm going to find her, I know I can. I've been out in those woods with her."
Carl bites his lip, looking out into the woods. "You know I always thought it would be me who found you...I'll go with you, we can search for her together."
Sophia looks at him with appreciation.
It was at this point, that Lori came over to them both.
"Carl, Sweetie. Stay close to Carol"
"You too Sophia" Lori states as an after thought, noticing her standing by Carl.
"Okay Mom," Carl replies.
"Yes, Ma'am" Sophia replies.
Sophia looks to Carl.
"Now is our chance, while everyone is distracted" Sophia tells him, and he nods, his expression determined.
"Wait" Carl says.
Heading towards the RV. A few minutes later Carl comes out with a smile.
He hands Sophia a wind up torch.
"Just in case"
"Do you still have that knife?" Carl asks Sophia. Sophia nods, Carol had tried to take it a few times during the course of the day but each time Sophia refused.
"Good, let's go"
They sneak away, heading around the back of the farm house and into the forest. As they reach the edge, Sophia takes one last look back at the farmhouse. The light from the windows are a comforting sight, but she knows she needs to find her friend. She takes a deep breath and turns to face the forest, her resolve firm.
"We'll find her," Carl says, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Look, I got this" Carl says lifting his shirt up. Tucked into the edges was a gun, Daryls hand gun.
"You have your knife and I have this."
"Carl, do you even know how to use it?" Sophia questions.
"Well... no, but I've seen Dad and Shane use it" Carl replies, a look of determination in his eyes.
"Let's do this."
"Alright, but we need to be careful," Sophia says, a hint of nervousness in her voice. Her eyes glancing at Carl and the gun. Gosh she hopes they don't have to use it. Guns scare her.
The two children set off into the forest, heading forwards before veering to the left to circle back towards where Sophia last saw Luna.
The sun's last few rays were beginning to tricle through the trees edge, and the forest is filled with the sounds of the nocturnal animals coming out. The air is thick with the scent of pine, and the breeze is a cool relief from the humid air.
"So, you really think we'll find her?" Carl asks.
"Yeah," Sophia says, her voice full of confidence.
"I know we will. I just need to find her tracks is all."
As the darkness begins to settle in, the two children's footsteps slow. The forest is eerily silent, the only sound being the occasional snap of a twig or rustle of leaves.
"Here" Carl says as he points the torch onto the ground.
Sophia looks down and smiles, the paw prints are unmistakable.
"She went this way"
They follow the trail, careful not to stray too far from each other. As the last sliver of sunlight disappears, the forest is plunged into darkness.
Carls heart was beating heavily in his chest, his lungs tight with fear.
"Are you scared?" He asks Sophia.
"No" she lies.
The torch was barely visible in the darkness, casting a small circle of light on the forest floor. They were both acutely aware of every little noise, jumping at every sound. Sophia suddenly felt a lot more vulnerable being out in the woods with Luna.
The darkness was all-consuming, and the only thing they could see was the dim circle of light from the torch. The night sky was obscured by the dense canopy of trees, the stars and moon barely visible.
"C'mon, her tracks continue this way." Sophia said, her voice low. She didn't want to draw any unwanted attention.
The forest seemed to go on forever, the tracks leading them further and further away from the farmhouse.
"Do you think she's okay?" Carls says.
Sophia nods her head, before letting out a whispy "yes"
"She has to be"
It was at this moment, that a twig snaps behind them, the sound echoing through the trees.
"What was that?" Carl says.
His eyes widen as a shadowy figure emerges from the darkness, its eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Black blood slipping from its mouth, a low growl reverberating through its body.
"WALKER!" Carl yells, his voice filled with panic. "Sshh!" Sophia yells with a whisper.
The walker dragging its feet, its arms outreached. Sophia takes the knife, and pulls it out from its sheath.
Carl pulls out his gun, aiming it at the walker. "Carl, I got this" She tells him, her eyes wide.
"You can't shoot that, we'll attract attention."
"What am I supposed to do then?" Carl asks, his voice quivering.
"Let me deal with it."
Carl lowers his gun, his hand trembling. "Okay"
"Be careful."
Sophia's hands are shaking, her knife wavering. She takes a deep breath and steadies herself. The walker is close now, its growls becoming louder.
"C'mon, c'mon" Sophia whispers, willing herself to move.
Sophia rushes forward, her knife plunging into the walkers skull. The walker goes limp, its weight pulling the knife out of Sophia's grasp. She falls backwards, hitting the ground with a thud.
"Sophia!" Carl shouts, rushing over to help her up.
"I'm fine," she says, brushing the dirt off her pants.
"Let's just find Luna."
The tracks are easy to follow now, the paw prints clearly visible in the dirt. They press on, their footsteps hurried. The night is silent, the only sound being their laboured breathing.
The tracks lead them to a clearing, the full moon shining brightly in the sky. The clearing is empty, save for a few dead leaves scattered on the ground.
"Luna?" Sophia calls out. Her voice echoing through the forest.
Carls eyes frantically scanning the area.
"Luna!" Sophia cries out, her voice cracking.
Carl looks at Sophia, his expression filled with concern.
"We should go back, it's not safe out here," he says.
Sophia shakes her head. "Not without Luna."
"We can come back tomorrow, it's too dangerous out here," Carl says.
"No!" Sophia yells. "I'm not leaving her!"
Carl looks at her, his expression unreadable. "I know," he says softly.
"But it's not safe. We need to go back."
"Then go, go on then. Leave" Sophia says, her voice wavering.
"I'm not leaving without you," Carl says, his tone firm.
"Then help me find her."
Carl sighs, his shoulders slumping. "Okay."
They continue to follow the tracks, their movements slower and more deliberate. The forest is silent, the only sound being the occasional hoot of an owl or rustle of leaves.
As they reach a fallen tree, Sophia stops in her tracks.
"What's wrong?" Carl asks.
"Listen." Sophia whispers.
"I can't hear anything."
"Exactly," Sophia says.
"The forest is never this quiet."
Carls eyes widen. Sopha spotting a lower branch, nudges Carl.
"Up"
Climbing onto the fallen tree, Carl reaches for a low branch and hoists himself up. Sophia following suite, climbing up until they're both hidden among the foliage.
"What is that?" Carl asks.
"That's a fire"
"Oh no"
"What?"
"I've heard about this. There are people who live out in the woods, like survivalists. They use fires to attract people, and then they kill them. Shane used to tell me the stories."
Sophia's heart drops, her body tensing. "We have to go."
Carl shakes his head. "No way, we're not leaving."
"Carl, this is serious. We can't stay here. We can head back and circle round."
Carl shakes his head again. "No."
"What do you mean, no?" Sophia asks, her voice laced with exasperation.
"We can't leave her out there."
Sophia's shoulders slump, her gaze fixated on the flames flickering in the distance.
"We won't, we just need to find a way around it"
"Fine"
As they descend the tree, a rustling sound catches their attention.
"Stay low," Carl whispers, his eyes darting around.
The rustling gets louder, the sound of footsteps being dragged along the fallen leaves.
Sophia's grip tightens around her knife, her knuckles turning white.
"I think it's a walker," Carl says.
Sophia doesn't answer, her mind focused on the noise.
The sound is getting closer, the crunching of the leaves louder.
"We need to run," Carl says, his voice barely audible.
"We can't," Sophia replies, her voice low.
"Luna's footsteps pass straight into that camp. We run, we go around Carl"
"Okay"
Carls voice trails off, his eyes fixated on the trees. A dark silhouette emerges from the shadows, its eyes glinting in the moonlight.
Sophia's breath hitches, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I've got it."
Sophia runs forward, her knife poised. The walker stumbles towards her, its arms outstretched. She lunges at it, her knife plunging into its skull. The walker goes limp, its weight pulling her down.
Carl runs forward, helping her up.
"Thanks," Sophia says, brushing the dirt off her clothes.
"Come on, let's keep going."
The two children press on, their footsteps hurried.
As they begin to circle round, the sound of voices can be heard.
"I tell ya, I heard somethin'."
"There ain't nothing out here, ya drunk."
"I ain't drunk, and I know what I heard."
"Well, I don't hear nothin', so I reckon ya drunk."
"Whatever."
Sophia and Carl share a look.
"What should we do?" Carl whispers, Sophia places her hand over Carls mouth. Taking his hand in hers, she leads him backwards.
The two children move slowly and quietly, the voices growing fainter.
"We're not leaving, are we?" Carl whispers.
Sophia shakes her head, her gaze fixated on the fire ahead.
"No."
They continue to circle around, the light now non-existant. Sophia's eyes squint, trying to make out the shapes in the darkness. The torch remains turned off in Sophias hand.
"What is that?" Carl asks.
A figure appears from the shadows, its eyes gleaming.
"Shit, it's a walker," Carl says, his voice trembling.
Sophia grabs his hand, her grip tightening.
"No, I wanna do it." Carl says.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Carl replies, his voice laced with determination.
Sophia lets go of his hand, passing him her knife.
"Here," she whispers.
Carl takes the knife, his hand shaking.
"You can do this," Sophia says, her voice low.
Carl takes a deep breath, his grip tightening on the handle.
"I've got it."
He rushes forward, his arm outstretched. The walker stumbles towards him, its arms outstretched. Suddenly Carl panics, dropping the knife and turning to run.
"Carl!" Sophia hisses.
The walker continues its advance, its jaws snapping. Carl trips, his foot catching on a root. He falls face first into the dirt, his arms flailing, the walker landing ontop of Carl holding the head away with both his hands. Tears streaming down his face.
Sophia, grabbing her knife, stabs the walker in the head. It goes limp, its weight falling ontop of Carl.
