Sophia's short hair flicks around the longer parts falling into her face before being pushed back as Harry sprints towards her mamma. Green blurs of trees are all she can make out as she tries to catch a glimpse of her surroundings with the speed Harry is traveling. She can feel the muscles of Harry's form shift under her as she straddles his back.
She had been nervous at first scared she would fall off but the second she sat on as a tickling sensation swept throughout her and suddenly her legs seemed to be stuck to Harry's tiger form. Sophia wonders if he'll let her name his tiger, she doesn't feel right calling Harry, Harry in this form.
Fisting the soft fur, she lets out a laugh trusting Harry to keep her safe, as they continue on.
The previous fear from the last few nights disappears as the wind blows past her.
———
Hearing a feminine scream makes him speed up his pace, spitting a loogie as he breaks through the foliage. He almost laughs as he catches the sight of the blonde bitches predicament, tempted to ask her how missionary with a walker is like.
Merle doesn't know why he insisted on going back to the group that treats him like shit. The only person he ever gave a rat's ass about was Daryl, not that he'd admit that to his pussy ass brother.
Merle stops before he was just about to reach the rug muncher, hearing the galloping of a fucking horse of all things with a pretty little thing on top a baseball bat swinging into the awaiting skull as the head rolls off it's shoulders, he amusingly watches as Andrea scrambles out from under the body only to shreak in fear as she hits his boots and scrambles away from him seeking comfort from Lori while they all look at the new comer.
He can practically see the boner in Chinaman's pants.
"You, are ya Lori!?" The authoritative tone as she addresses Harry's sister, which makes Merle Question if Harry was adopted, because how can two siblings be so different. Case in point the stuttering mess of bones and skin stares dumbly as she stutters out a reply.
"Names Maggie." The newly introduced Maggie says.
"You Rick's wife right? He's down at my Fathers farm. your son Carl has been Shot" Merle feels his eyes widen despite himself, watching as Lori seems to stare in shock.
"Come on, what are you waiting to get on!!" Maggie snaps when she doesn't seem to be doing anything. Lori snaps out her daydreaming and scrambles up the horse with Maggie's assistance. Just as they are about to speed off she seems to get s brain.
"Wait!" Lori shouts loudly into Maggie's ear, making Merle wince in sympathy.
"We have a doctor, can we please get him, the highway isn't that far, please!" She whispers at the end embarrassment at her emotional display despite the understanding circumstances.
"He's gonna have to meet us there but I don't know how y'all are gonna fit on Nelly?" Maggie speaks,
Merle feels his manhood fall as the whip shackles his ankle.
"That ain't gonna be a problem," Merle interrupts, wondering if he can still call himself a man with how whipped he is feeling right now, offering to grab the doc and bring him on the bike, hoping the old thing will survive the forest terrain.
After insisting they head off not wanting to deal with the hysteria of Lori, she gives him the direction and the others the directions to get to the farm from the highway. Turning to the two he gives them a terrifying grin just to see them squirm, maybe this nice thing isn't so bad.
———
Jenner doesn't know what pushed him to follow the others as they escaped the CDC.
He could care less if humanity dies.
why should they get to live while his sweet love wasn't? He was tempted to lock them up and allow them the chance at a peaceful death, with their last minutes spent in luxury instead of being ate by the dead, or murdered by a fellow living.
Then he had caught a glimpse of the blood samples, he had originally only did it for show, just to play with them, he knew none had been infected just purely on sight, one doesn't study this virus, without being able to tell a contaminated person on sight even in the beginning stages.
He never expected the single whim to change everything.
It's the blood sample of Harry Black that caused all of this internal torment. Jenner knows in his bones that this would have never been discovered beyond a slim chance. If he hadn't drawn their blood.
If he was religious or believed in the gods and those of the like he'd almost think a deity took pity on them.
Hearing the sounds of urgent steps coming out of the woods, Jenner snaps his head up as the sound of Merle meets his ears, deflating when he doesn't have Harry among him, but suspect with the absence of his brother they haven't given up, He watches as Merle surveys all of them before latching on to him
"Doctor jackass!, just the man I wanted to talk to." The tone in Merle's voice would cow a normal person, but Jenner has never been the most sane, even before the outbreak.
"How about we put your doctory shit to the test eh?" he can tell it's not a question by the severity of Merle's eyes.
Not one to be intimidated, he replies coolly, "Depends."
He doesn't mean that callously he just wants to understand, he may be a doctor but his medical expertise is limited, he's a Virologist for god's sake.
Though he sombers upon hearing that the one he needs to fix is Carl he feels a pressure he hasn't felt since his wife left the cure to him, he looks into the blue eyes of Merle knowing he can't deny trying, both for his wife, and because it's the least he can do for the man who will save humanity.
Though in Harry's eyes he'll be the true hero, should he create the cure.
——-
Daryl exhales letting his arrow loose hearing the faint whistle as it nails his target. Having decided to not waste an opportunity to hunt some small game.
Lowering his crossbow he walks up to the decent meal, his steps silent despite the terrains flooring. Kneeling down to pick up the rabbit he grasps the unfortunate thing by the ears. Two squirrels, and three rabbits, not too bad considering. Securing the rabbit he Slings his kills over his shoulder wiping off the arrow before he reloads his crossbow pulling until he hears the click.
Only to stall, tensing when the sound of an abundance of fleeing critters met his ear, before speeding past him. Daryl rises from his crouch standing to his full height as he brandishes his crossbow aiming towards the direction of the sound, his stance steady.
Only to relax when he hears the giggle of youth as the heavy feet slow to a stop.
"That was so fun!" The childish voice that he now knows is Sophia causes his heart to lurch. Despite himself, he wasn't sure if the child had made it all. Lowering his bow, but keeping it armed he allows his stance to be as non threatening as he is able, bowing he's an intimidating person.
He watches as Sophia springs towards him. He didn't think the child would be as carefree as she is with her run in with the geeks. Her bright grin shines as she twirls to walk backwards talking adamantly with Harry.
"Can we do that again!?, please!" She hops her voice making him wince as she raises it in her excitement.
"Shh, we have to be quite lovely." Harry's voice responds as he walks past the foliage that had hidden them from view.
"And yes Sophia, we can do that again sometime, when we are more secure." Harry says, the man's hair is more wild, his bound hair losing strands with every step there are a few twigs sticking out of the pathetic braid that somehow enhances Harry's soft features.
"Really!" She shouts in a whisper before dancing with a shimmy, only to stop as she catches the sight of him.
"Eep!" Daryl feels his lip twitch as she springs behind Harry looking like a spooked kitten.
"Uh, hey," he says with a wave feeling uncomfortable.
"Daryl? hey," Harry says, feigning surprise, feeling just as awkward. Knowing the man has been aware of his other form, having known Daryl had been watching when he had transformed the other time.
He doesn't know how to explain his situation, or where to start and there's too many other things, especially right now with Carl being critical.
"Did you hear that shot? Do you know if it was one of ours?" Harry asks after a moment of awkward silence, feeling the impatience of Sophia as she shifts behind him at the mention of the group.
"Yeah, I heard it. I'm sure every walker heard the fucking thing." Daryl states wincing as he sees the girly flinch at his words.
He watches as Harry reaches to pet the girls head who immediately relaxes upon his touch, pressing into Harry like a lifeline.
Turning on his heel he nods towards the opposite direction indicating towards the highway, "come on, I'm sure your mamma is worried sick." Daryl says as his way of an apology to the tiny thing.
Not seeing the fond look aimed at his back as Harry leads Sophia behind Daryl squeezing the small hand within his, giving the girl as much comfort as he is able, knowing she will only truly be satisfied when her mother holds her.
He doesn't know how much longer he can hold in his emotions behind his occulemacy shields. The only reason he isn't rushing towards his nephew is the instincts in him reassuring his person that Carl will make it.
When he has the chance he is going to down a calming drought, one of the potions he has been able to recreate in this world.
——-
Glenn carefully sets a bottle of water on the trunk, the message for Harry and Sophia sprawled in Carol's handwriting letting them know they'll return should they come back before they come back.
He hopes Harry was able to find the little girl, knowing from experience with joint scavenging that Harry is a beast when it comes to escaping the unimaginable. Looking towards the RV he can't help but pity the woman who he can hear crying within the cabin.
He doesn't know how to comfort the poor gentle lady, who has been through a lot of what he has seen is any indication, an abusive husband to an apocalypse that potentially takes her only light.
Yeah, Glenn can understand why she's sobbing in the vehicle.
He hopes Everything works out, but isn't naive enough to let it consume him.
"How much longer do you think Dixon will be out there?" T-Dog asks as he returns to the man's side.
Merle had demanded that they don't leave without his brother and not wanting to see what the repercussions the violent man could give they complied.
"Don't know, depends on how much he finds," knowing that the Dixons have a weird fixation with Harry, though he can't blame them, the man is a saint.
He'll be biting those words when Rick brings home a straggler.
"Honestly I just hope the girl goes out fast if she is dead." Andrea speaks coming up behind them, swiping at the bugs that invade her space, hating that she couldn't find one can of Off spray in any of the cars.
"Isn't that a little harsh?" Glenn asks, but agrees that he'd want it fast in the end.
"Who cares, it's the truth." Is all Andrea says on the matter before placing a teddy on the trunk.
Shaking his head, Glenn walks away from the car to start a patrol along the tree line feeling useless and not wanting anything to sneak up on them as the sun starts to fade. Feeling a creepy shiver run up his spine as he surveys the bleak forest before him, only to tense when the sound of something rushing towards his direction makes him freeze.
Raising hishis pistol, he points with a shaky hand belaying his resolve to keep everyone safe.
He knows that he is the most able in the situation should something attack, T-dog's injury limits his movement, and he doesn't trust suicidal Barbie beside him.
His finger tenses on the trigger as the person breaches the foliage of the tree line, the evening sun shining brightly on the red hair of the little girl who springs out of the forest with a loud, "Mamma!"
Glenn quickly lowers his gun, feeling a bead of sweat rub down his temple, feeling his heart race at the fact that he could have shot the little girl had he not been more controlled.
"Sophia, I thought I told you to wait." The sound of Harry makes the tension bleed alway.
"And don't scream!" Glenn withholds a chuckle, feeling amusement despite the tension from before, as Sophia seems to freeze before turning to the voice with a pout.
"But mamma!" She cries the feeling of being so close to her mother causing her to act out, subconsciously trying to vent out the repressed emotions as the adrenaline fades from her body.
"Sophia." The stern tone of Harry meets his ear making him shiver at the way it makes him want to stand to attention, he blinks when Daryl appears beside Harry not having heard the man's footsteps.
Fortunately for Sophia the responding cry of Sophia's name being called interrupts the lecture Harry had been about to give her, and everyone unlucky enough to hear it.
———-
The soothing massage from Jacqui isn't doing anything but irritating the bruises still healing from Ed, but the comfort is too sweet to let the woman know she's hurting her.
Plus the pain distracts her from the fact that her daughter is missing. It doesn't matter how short it's been, in this world seconds matter, one little scratch and her baby girl…
She lets out a dry heave as the thought overwhelms her, the cry rocking throughout her body as she clings to Sophia's backpack with it, the last of her belongings willing the scent of her baby to appear.
Wanting some type of relief.
She doesn't care what god she has to submit to to keep her baby but she'll do anything to make sure her child is safe.
"Momma!" Carol flinches as her mind torments her with the voice of her sweet Sophia, why must the universe be cruel.
"But, mamma!" The cry repeats and she ignores the nudging from Jacqui or her trying to get her attention.
"Sophia," she doesn't know what it was about the voice but somehow it broke her out of her hysteria to actually register the voice of her daughter.
She can't mistake Harry's voice, and she's never heard the man speak with such a stern tone towards her daughter.
She ignores the kind look from Jacqui as she pushes off the newly made bedding she did for her daughter. Rushing towards the door of the RV she slams it open, not caring, praying her baby is out there and she isn't hallucinating.
"Sophia!" She yells the threat of Walkers not a thought as she catches sight of her baby. The beautiful red hair she adores, the same shade as hers had been before the stress of Ed caused her to grey.
The man never left an opportunity to make fun of her premature greying.
When her little girl spins and the bright eyes of her daughter meets her gaze she sees just how different her little girl is, the dirt does nothing to hide the fact that her baby's nose looks just like the man standing behind her, it was one of her daughters insecurities having the same nose as her father.
She doesn't care, as the weight of her daughter meets her breast she doesn't care.
Clutching her baby to her chest holding her as close as she physically is able, she looks over her daughter's hair not caring about the dirt getting on her as she whispers thank you to the man who saved her daughter, the smile Harry gives her could outshine the sun.
She averts her eyes when Carl pops into her head the same bright eyes only darker on a youthful face smiling as Sophia and him share a cookie Harry had managed to bring back on a run with Glenn.
She only hopes Carl makes it out okay, if only for the man who saved her daughter, knowing just how attached to the boy Harry is.
A/n:
I don't know if it's realistic for a motorcycle to traverse through the woods but I find that in a apocalypse you cant be choosy.
What should Harry's animagus form be called?
I hope everyone is in character without bashing.
I'm not sure how I'll portray Lori, but Shane will most likely be the biggest antagonist (like canon) for the farm arc.
Not that I will but if another person were to be in the walking dead universe who do you want it to be?
I can come up with a hogwash reason if I need to haha.
The most realistic would be Sirius since people use the Vale as a portal.
I don't want to copy paste the other walking dead fics.
I want to get to where there is more action the first two seasons are just world building.
Anyways suggestions on the story are always welcome they help cog my memory and if I use a idea directly I'll try to give you the credit.