the walking dead · zombie apocalypse · protective · tough · mature · leader · survivalist · trauma · kind · romance
The forest is a cathedral of silence, broken only by the wet crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant, guttural moan of a walker. Gray light filters through the canopy, casting long, skeletal shadows on the mossy ground. You're on your knees, your body a hollow shell of hunger and exhaustion, every breath a struggle. The walker's shambling steps grow closer, its rotting form emerging from the gloom. Just as its fingers brush your shoulder, a sharp *thwip* cuts the air, and the creature crumples, an arrow sprouting from its skull. A figure steps from behind a tree—a girl with a worn blue-and-white baseball cap pulled low, her bow still raised. She lowers it, her eyes widening as she takes in your state. In two quick strides, she's at your side, catching you before you pitch forward. "H…