—🏹—

I follow the strange dog named Snowy towards his farm, he seems to be around my age, maybe two years older — He might be around my age but a fool for easily trusting somebody like me. It could easily get you killed.

So I kept my guard up at all costs.

We made it through the forest towards a clearing. I could see a farm in the distance. It was practically in the middle of nowhere."Welcome to The Green's farm." He announced. Cheeky.

"Thanks." I mutter. "So where's your people?" I ask.

"Right now." He replies. I raised an eyebrow just when we saw a brunette woman with hair as short as a boy collecting vegetables from a garden. Snowy let out a bark to alert her, the woman lifts her head up to stare at us.

"Daddy! Snowy's back and he brought a friend!" She shouts with a southern accent like Daryl's but lighter.

Friend is an understatement.

The door opens up for an elderly man to step out along with a middle-aged blonde woman and a younger blonde, "Snow, you can't keep bringing new friends here." The old man said.

The shepherd let out a whine with a wag of his tail.

The old man sighs, "Let's have a look at her." With a reluctant grunt I walked over to him. He examined my body before saying, "Aside from being underweight and in need of grooming." Well it's hard getting a spa treatment these days. "Otherwise she's healthy as a young horse."

Did he just compare me to a big four-legged skittish animal?

"She needs some food in her diet if she's gonna survive out here." The old man said before heading back along with the other females.

With the door closed I turned to look at Snowy, "...And who was that?" I ask him.

"That's Hershel," He responds. "He's the man of this farm."

I scoff, "And I thought males were the "main dog" of their property." I snarked.

"Oh! Well, he was here first. Anyways the brunette woman was Maggie, she's his eldest daughter."

"She looks mean." I comment.

He chuckles, "She is, but once you get to know her—She'll warm up to you."

"And the others?" I went on while laying down on the floor.

Snowy did the same, "There's Beth, his youngest daughter and Maggie's half-sister. She's a sweet but shy thing."

"She your owner?" I ask.

He let out a questionable grumble, "Somewhat. I'm more of a family dog. How about you?"

Just when that question slipped the door opens for the woman named Beth came out with a plate in hand, I could smell the meat radiating from the plate — She bent down and placed the plate down.

The plate was filled with raw meat, veggies and a chicken bone. Now this is a meal.

I began to devour it whole while Beth headed back inside, I continued to scarf down my food when my ears perked when Snowy said "Wow, you really were hungry."

I really was.

The plate was licked clean when I finished my meal, I haven't eaten anything this good since the C.D.C., at least my stomach was satisfied.

◤──•❉🏹❉•──◥

Later on that night, I basked in the moonlight while staring at the stars—Part of me hoped that the others and Daryl are alright while the other half hoped that Sofia is alright and safe wherever she is.

I turn my head to see Snowy clutching a raggedy but soft looking blanket, he drops it while saying "I thought you might need this since it's cold out." He grabs it again and places it over my body the best way he could.

"Thanks." I mutter.

He lay beside me as we looked upon the stars, the quietness both soothes me but makes me tense up in thoughts about a walker appearing at any moment. "I love this." Snowy says aloud. "Watching the stars, it makes you feel like there's no problems in the world but you know there is."

"I never get to see the stars." I told him.

"Really?" He asked. I nod my head in agreement. "Why's that?"

"It's just...the way I was raised I guess. I was raised in a shitty home where I was only taught how to hunt and attack on command. There's no such thing as star watching, I guess that's just the way I am." I told him.

There was a beat of a pause before Snowy spoke up "You know who you remind me of?"

"Who?" I ask.

He looks up at the stars, "See that constellation?"

"Constell—wha?" I was puzzled.

Snowy chuckles, "Constellation." he replies. "It's where a few groups of stars formed a figure that took upon meaning. Like that one." His nose points at a particular star.

I follow his eyes to see a group of stars that looks like an animal, a stick animal. "That's Leo, he's a lion."

"So you see me as a lion?" I teased.

He laughs, "Nah. He's a representation of natural-born leaders and powerful forces and confidence and ambition allow them to seize the moment and conquer challenges with grace and poise." He explains.

My eyes widen at that, nobody ever tells me that. I only see myself as a stupid dog only used for hunting and tracking.

"But you barely knew me." I told him.

"I don't need to get to know you to see what you are." Snowy told me.

Huh. I guess he's right.

I didn't know what I was doing but I slowly leaned my head on his paws as we both continued star watching.

◤──•❉🏹❉•──◥

The next morning I helped Snowy out with his chores by chasing chicken back into their pen, I gotta say...I hate chickens—I had pecked at me for literally doing nothing.

"Nice one, Nyla." Snowy comments. "I gotta say you're a natural born farmer."

I scoffed at that, "Thanks. But I'll stick to hunting." I blow a chicken feather off of my head.

"To each of their own." hew comments.

"I'll drink to that." I comment. "So how old are you?"

"Oh, around two to three years." He replies. "And you?"

"A year." I responded.

"You're lucky, you still have a whole life ahead of you." he told me.

"Yeah and it ain't lookin' pretty right now." I said.

Then, in unison, our ears perked up at the sound of shouting for help — My eyes locked on to see Rick holding Carl in his arms, "Rick?" I mutter. I can see Snowy looking at me confused.

"Help! Please, it's my son!" Rick screams out.

I rush up to Rick with Snowy beside me, "He's shot!"

Shot at? How?