"Hey, Louis!"
Louis turned his head to see Glenn and the others returning from a supply run.
Glenn's face was covered in dust, but he seemed to be in a good mood, his eyes sparkling.
He walked mysteriously over to Louis's side and, like a magic trick, pulled a canvas bag from behind his back and handed it to him.
"For you."
"What's this?"
Louis took the bag curiously, opened it, and was immediately stunned.
Inside were several old books; the covers were dusty, but they were fairly well-preserved.
The one on top was The Chronicles of Narnia, with several fairy tale books underneath. Sandwiched in the middle was one that clearly featured a young Wizard wearing round glasses—
harry potter and the chamber of secrets.
Louis's eyes widened, and he suddenly looked up at Glenn.
"Back at the CDC, I heard Carl mention you were looking for magic books but couldn't find any. You seemed pretty disappointed then."
Glenn scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "This time when we went out for supplies, we passed a bookstore."
"It was half-collapsed, but I thought you might like these, so I took a look around."
"Had some good luck and dug these out from a corner."
Glenn shrugged. "They aren't real magic books, but in times like these, reading stories to pass the time isn't bad either, right?"
Louis's fingers lightly traced the worn spine of harry potter and the chamber of secrets, and he fell silent for a moment.
"Thank you, Glenn."
He looked up, masking his emotions, and said sincerely, "I really like them."
"Hey, it's nothing."
Glenn smiled and patted Louis on the shoulder. "Compared to what you've done for everyone, this isn't even worth mentioning. Cheer up!"
With that, he turned to help the others carry supplies. After a few steps, he looked back and winked at Louis:
"If there's anything else you want later, remember to tell me. I might not find real magic, but my luck in finding things has always been pretty good!"
This scene happened to be caught by Daryl, who was wiping his crossbow bolts nearby.
Daryl looked at the fairy tale books Louis was clutching, his brow furrowing with a complex expression.
After a moment, he put away his crossbow bolts and walked over to Glenn as if by chance.
"Hey, Pizza boy." Daryl nudged Glenn with his elbow, gesturing with his chin toward Louis. "What'd you bring him that junk for?"
"Narnia? You think that's what he needs to survive in this world? You don't still believe in Santa Claus, do you?"
Glenn was taken aback at first, but soon understood. "Oh, Louis likes that stuff."
"You sure?" Daryl snorted. "Lately, the kid seems more interested in how to take things apart and stitch people up."
"You'd be better off bringing him some mechanical repair manuals or human anatomy charts."
"Maybe." Glenn adjusted the box's position and continued, "But I still think he only learns those things to survive. While reading these..."
Glenn sighed as he spoke. "This is what he actually enjoys doing as a child."
Daryl curled his lip noncommittally. He was silent for a while longer before suddenly asking:
"Besides those crappy books, does he like anything else?"
"Huh?" Glenn couldn't keep up with Daryl's jumping train of thought. "What?"
"I mean," Daryl clicked his tongue impatiently, his gaze drifting. "Besides reading, has the kid mentioned anything else he's interested in?"
"Anything else?" Glenn paused, then tried to recall. "Actually, I think there is."
"When we were chatting at the CDC, Louis mentioned something once."
"He said he used to really want a pet owl, but his parents absolutely refused. He looked pretty regretful when he said it."
"An owl?" Daryl raised an eyebrow, his expression strange. "What kind of hellish hobby is that?"
"Who knows, maybe it's influenced by those novels." Glenn shrugged, not thinking much of it. "After all, in that book, owls are a Wizard's good companions."
Daryl nodded thoughtfully and said no more. He shouldered a box of supplies and turned to leave, as if he had just asked in passing... Two days later, in the early morning.
Carol was starting a fire in the camp's clearing, preparing breakfast for everyone.
A rustling sound came from the edge of the woods, and Daryl emerged carrying his crossbow.
He seemed to have had a good harvest today, carrying a makeshift cage woven from vines and wire, which held a fluffy, brownish-red bundle.
"Morning, Daryl."
Carol greeted him with a smile and naturally reached out. "Is this an extra dish for today? Let me handle it. We just ran out of squirrel meat, and I think everyone will enjoy some wild game."
With that, she reached for the cage.
Daryl's hand jerked back as if he'd been burned.
He looked at Carol with an indescribable expression, as if looking at someone completely unreasonable:
"No."
He shielded the cage and said crossly, "It's not for eating. It's for Louis."
"Huh?" Carol froze in place, watching Daryl's retreating back with a look of bewilderment.
A few minutes later, Louis, who was spacing out under the eaves over a book titled How to Build a Laser Cannon with Kitchen Supplies, felt his vision go dark.
A crude cage was shoved into his arms.
"Take it."
Louis scrambled to hold the cage, looked down, and was instantly stunned.
Inside the cage was an owl chick the size of a palm.
It was covered in warm red feathers interspersed with dark, fine patterns. On either side of its head stood two iconic, tiny ear tufts. It was staring with large eyes, tilting its head as it curiously observed him.
"Hoot?" the owl let out a soft cry.
Looking at the little fellow in his arms, a surge of immense joy welled up in Louis's heart.
He had actually always wanted to keep an owl; he just hadn't expected that this wish, unfulfilled before his transmigration, would be realized by Daryl.
He looked at Daryl, his eyes full of surprise. "What kind of owl is this? Is it for me?"
"A Screech owl. I found it in the woods."
Daryl looked away, pretending to check his boots. "I figured you wouldn't want to eat it, so I brought it back."
"But... why?"
Louis couldn't help but ask, "Why the sudden thought to give me this?"
"No reason," Daryl said, uncomfortably tugging at his collar, his eyes wandering. "You're always running around; you're a real handful."
"This thing has big eyes. From now on, let it keep an eye on you for us, so you don't get lost again."
Louis was taken aback, but after thinking for a few seconds, he understood.
This was probably Daryl's unique way of saying thanks.
He was thanking Louis for finding and saving him at the factory earlier, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly, so he came up with such a lame excuse.
So, he didn't call him out on it and just gave a bright smile.
"Alright, then I won't be polite."
Louis poked the little fellow in the cage with his finger and said half-jokingly, "Since you gave it to me, if we ever get separated again, maybe I can train it to fly to you with a message."