More Than expected: (Closed Thread)

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The playful, teasing look on Celaena's face faded as she listened to Taurean speak, a bit of sadness showing in her eyes instead. She couldn't say that she blamed him for not wanting to place trust in others after all that he had been through in his life, the death of his family and his life as a slave, the betrayal of past lovers such as Shyra, but did he truly believe that any person he began to trust would eventually do the same?

At the end of the day you're still alone. That weighs on some, he had said about his way of living. Did this lonely life really work as well for him as he claimed, or was it weighing on him as well? Had he really lost sight of all goodness in the world?

No. She didn't think that he had. That's not what she had seen in him so far anyways, in the little glimpses past the persona of 'Brandon' that he had allowed her to view since meeting him. Not in the way he had warned her about the Despurdens, had helped her escape, not in the way the had allowed her to join him as his partner now... though he had done so under the warning that he would kill her should she prove to betray him.

She wanted to tell him these things, but didn't think he would truly listen and believe them if she did. When it came to Taurean, actions definitely seemed to speak louder than words.

"Perhaps I will try to keep believing in just one small rainbow or two then," she told him softly as she gave him a slight smile, reaching a hand up and brushing her fingertips affectionately along the side of his face before a distant ruckus of shifting rock and men's shouts were heard down below them, causing her smile to grow and for her to laugh slightly.

"Sounds like your trap worked."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean nodded. “I did not mean to discourage you from chasing rainbows. I’ve just found that not enough of them hold pots of gold at the end of them to make it worth the quest.” He shrugged.

Her touch sent fire through him. It was gentle and made things inside him stir in ways that a hardened assassin should never admit to. Fortunately, he was spared from having to react to that by the sound of the shifting rocks below. “Aye, sounds like it did. Which means our time is limited.” He shot her a smirk, “And the coffee break is over.”

He rolled to his feet, and it actually looked less than graceful for the typically poised assassin. He silently offered her a hand up. “Keep up,” he said gruffly. Though the hand that helped lift her was far gentler than his words suggested.

Ever the contradiction between word and deed, he led her through the trees, guiding her to step on rocks and places less likely to leave tracks. He was searching his mind for where they could hide, could they stay just ahead of their pursuers.

“I’m open to suggestions about where we will bed down for the night,” he commented. They were wet, tired, injured, and running on empty. Not for the first time he wished he had his pouch of holding on this trip, he typically did, but he had been forced to leave that and some of his other gear in one of the neighboring towns, could he ditch the despurdens long enough to reclaim some of his things? He hadn’t expected the betrayal that had kept him from his things. However, he was thinking too far ahead. “Keep an eye out for small animals, we will need dinner,” he commented as they moved, as he waited to see if she had suggestions. He was loathed to go back to the cave they stayed in the night before, though honestly had considered it.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena had found herself having to try and suppress a little smile of amusement she'd noted the contrast between Taurean's gruff reminder for her to keep up with him and the gentleness of his hand as he helped her up from the rocks, and then again as he helped to lead her through the wood and point out the best pathways for her. She wasn't entirely successful however, a hint of a smirk turning up one of the corners of her mouth despite the seriousness of their situation.

Unfortunately she had no ideas for where they might rest for the night. She'd never traveled through this area before and didn't know of any good hiding spots from their pursuers, nor had she spotted any thus far. Though, as luck would have it, not long after he'd advised her to keep a lookout for any small animals they might be able to make a meal out of, her ears caught the sound of a slight rustling of leaves and she turned to spot a hare hopping away from the sound of their footsteps and towards the cover of a great tangle of vines climbing up the side of an especially large and ancient looking tree.

"There's dinner," she announced while at the same time raising her bow and firing an arrow in a single, fluid motion.

The arrow hissed through the air and hit its mark, the hare stopping and flopping to the ground beside the vines. She walked over beside the tree and crouched down to retrieve her prize. It was then as she was right beside the tree and glancing up at the vines that she realized with surprise that the giant tree before her was in fact... hollow? She rose slowly, her hand reaching forward to part the tangles a bit further so she could better peer inside.

"And maybe a spot to bed down for the night as well?" she asked, turning over her shoulder to glance back at Taurean, "Come, tell me what you think."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean lead them through the trees. They covered ground swiftly. They were far superior woodsmen than their pursuers and he hoped that would help them.

He watched her fluid motion of taking the Hare. She shot like an elf, and despite warrior not being her primary life path, the innate ability and years of training elves had showed. He gave her a nod of approval as he approached. “Quick reflexes.”

He crouched beside her to inspect her finding. “It would be cramped, though probably no more so than the way we slept last night, with the need for shared warmth making it more of a necessarily to share body heat as last night.” His tone was matter of fact. He gave nothing away that he found that thought quite appealing. He wanted to be near her. She was worming her way into his defenses.

“Clean the hare, I will build a small fire. We almost don’t dare to have one, but I will allow one long enough to cook the food. He reached to his belt and handed her a knife hilt first. She had her daggers, but this was a different shape with a blade that would be more conducive to skinning and cleaning the animal.

He went about gathering wood, leaving her to the task he’d set her. He did not need to tell her to bury the leavings far from camp, he would do his best not to micromanage her. She was not a complete novice and he would make an effort to not treat her as such.

It was soon that he had a small fire going, in a small clearing that was actually not very close to the tree, it was a precaution he had thought of, how to protect them further. It would provide some protection if they found the fire, they would hear them tramping to the fire and have warning before they were found in their tree hide away.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

"Clean the hare, I will build a small fire. We almost don’t dare to have one, but I will allow one long enough to cook the food."

Celaena had looked down and briefly examined the knife as Taurean had handed it to her, noting the way it was shaped and instantly recognizing it to being superior to her own daggers for the task of skinning and cleaning the hare. She then looked back up at him and gave a quick nod and a small smile of thanks for him having loaned her the tool before she went off to complete her task without any questioning on her part.

She might have been brought up in comfort and privilege, all of her meals prepared for her and served on a silver platter no less, but she had been on her own for long enough now that she had learned how to fend for herself when she needed to, though some things having admittedly been learned the hard way. She shivered as she recalled the time she'd made the mistake of not disposing of the remains of her kill far enough from her camp and the result had been a scavenging wolf coming to dig them up and surprising her in the middle of the night. Though that had been a while back now, early on when she'd first been fleeing through the Elven lands and avoiding taverns for fear of being caught, it was a lesson not easily forgotten.

She made her way into the wood around them, a good distance from the tree where they planned to sleep that night. She kept herself aware of where he went to make the fire though, keeping her back to where he was in the small clearing and her eyes scanning through the trees ahead of her from time to time as she worked. She did her best to try and not let her mind wander, not wanting to take too long, tried not to think about the implications of his observations of their sleeping arrangements for that night. The closeness due to the size of the hallow... The need for them to share their body warmth.

She accidentally pricked her index finger with the point of the knife and sucked in a soft hiss of breath through her teeth at the sting as she saw a thin line of blood form. The cut was small though, superficial, and so she kept working.

"Stupid girl," she scolded herself softly.

Once she was done she quickly turned some dirt over the blood and innards of the beast to burry them, cleaned off her hands in a nearby stream, and then made her way back to him in the clearing where he'd made their small cooking fire.

"All done," she announced with another small smile to him as she handed over the hare for his inspection.

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean had not been idle while she was off cleaning their dinner. In addition to starting the fire he had selected a suitable stick to use as a spit. Yet another knife had cleaned that stick of its bark. He rested it in the forks of two other branches over the fire. Inspecting his handywork he allowed himself a simple nod of respect to his handywork.

Accepting the Hare, he gave a nod of approval to her work too, and even one of his slight smiles. “Spitting the hare, Taurean rested it over the fire. He squatted down on his haunches, occasionally turning the hare. “I allowed the fire because there are fires all over this forest thanks to that idiot. There’s a chance, if even small that they think that’s what’s going on here too. Fool set half the forest ablaze, and I’m not actually sure that’s as hyperbolic as it’s meant to be.” This was almost a speech by Taurean.

His eyes took in Celaena, studying her, seeming to consider her, the fire light reflected in his gray eyes. She had stuck with him this entire day. Though the sun hadn’t even set, they had already been through much, and without having eaten much yet in days, they were both hungry. Yet, she had not complained once. That was curious to him. She had lived a pampered life, yet, it seemed that she was made of sterner stuff than most. He seemed as if he wanted to speak, to say something to her, but he did not, at least not at first.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena had watched as Taurean had inspected her handiwork with the hare, noting the nod of approval he gave it, her own eyebrows then raising slightly with surprise as she noticed his small smile as well. She had not known him long, but from what she'd been able to gather of the half-elf assassin thus far, this seemed like high praise in his book. A small smile of her own tugged at her lips in response.

She looked over the work that he had done with the fire and spit while she was away as she listened to his explanation of why he'd allowed the fire. His was much better than hers usually was and she made a mental note to ask him to show her his technique some other time in the future as she nodded in agreement to his words.

"The damage caused is certainly a shame, though I can't deny that I will be grateful for the hot meal it means for us," she commented as she squatted down beside him in front of the fire, mimicking his stance and crossing her arms and resting them upon her knees as she gazed off into the flames.

She hadn't really had anything to eat since the night before at the tavern before her kidnapping and, while the action of the day had been a distraction before, she could now feel her empty stomach growling in protest. It was then that she felt his eyes upon her however, and as she turned she suddenly found herself distracted again.

He was watching her, examining her, the light of the campfire flames reflecting in his eyes and making them the most entrancing mix of blazing fire and icy gray. It seemed for a moment like he was about to say something to her, but then remained silent, still watching her.

"Yes, Taurean?" she asked him quietly, gently encouraging him to speak whatever it was that was on his mind as she met his gaze.

 

[The_gladiator]

He shook his head at her question. He thought to deny that he was planning to speak, or wanted to speak, she would see right through it. He seemed to consider her for a long moment. “It was nothing important. Your presence has triggered many thoughts of my past.” He explained. He made no mention of whether that was a good or bad thing.

He seemed to consider her for another moment then spoke. “There is one positive memory of Kierielle that I have kept with me. There was a woman, The Lady Rosenda or rosewyn, something like that who made sweet cakes. She used to pay me with some of her cakes in exchange for helping her fetch water from the stream and sometimes even I watched her ovens while she would take some of her cakes to the market. I believe her daughter sold them for her.” He wasn’t sure why he told her this. Was he asking if the woman still lived? Did he even care? It seemed a strange thing to bring up, but perhaps the flames reminded him of the ovens so long ago.

He reached to turn the hare yet again, it was starting to smell good, and he reached into his pouch to sprinkle some spices onto the meat. He could eat it bland, but why, when a bit of pepper and salt would increase the flavor.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena smiled slightly as Taurean shared the memory with her, thinking over it for a moment as he paused to season the hare. Once more she felt her stomach give a rumble as the scent of the meat wafted to her.

"Rosenda...Rosewyn..." she murmured softly as she mulled the names over and stared into the flames.

She could not remember having known or heard of any bakers by those names...but wait! There was a...

"Roselynde?" she remarked and then smiled as she remembered and turned to him, "Do you mean the Lady Roselynde? Her daughter's name would have been Alinor."

She smiled broadly and gave a little laugh.

"Yes, I remember them too," she told him and then sighed in memory, "Oh, her cakes were wonderful! When I was younger and needed to go run an errand with my mother she would sometimes bribe me by saying we could stop and get a small one for me on the way home if I behaved myself and 'acted like a lady'."

She rolled her eyes at that, then added, "I mainly spoke with her daughter over the years since she is the one that would usually be at market, but I do remember Lady Roselynde seeming very kind."

She paused, a memory coming to her.

"One time when I was in the market with my mother, I wandered off while she'd stopped to look at fabrics for a new dress and wasn't paying attention and I went to join a group of children that were playing nearby instead. I accidentally got some mud on my dress while playing with them and she was furious when she saw, scolding me for going off to play and complaining that I'd stained the pale blue satin that she'd had specially ordered for me. Needless to say I did not earn my reward that day, and I was so terribly disappointed and sad as we passed by the stall of cakes, Lady Roselynde being the one there that day for some reason... but when I arrived home and changed out of the dress I found one of them tucked and hidden away in the pocket of my skirts."

She smirked at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"She must have snuck me one as I'd walked by without me noticing."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean listened to her musings and then nodded as she threw out the names. “It must have been.” His eyes actually widened with surprise as she continued.

“No, it was not her who put the cake in your pocket. Though she did have a hand in it getting there.” He explained. As he pulled the hare off the fire his expression was thoughtful. His knife split the portions in half and he handed her hers with a soft admonition to be careful of the small bones.

“I am the one who put the cake in your pocket,” he said, “I was light fingered even at that age. The lady was displeased that it was I that so got you in trouble that day. She told me to make it right. She failed to specify how. Stealing her cake to give to you was probably not what she had in mind, but that was what I did.” He shrugged ever so slightly. “It seemed right that I get you a cake at any cost, Afterall, it was I that stained your dress with the mud. I was the child the others were picking on, and I got fed up and started slinging mud. He did not sound apologetic. “They all got in trouble for dirty clothes that day, but it was only you I felt wrong for getting in trouble. You’d never insulted me that day, you just got caught up with the others.”

Taurean busied himself with eating then, just to stop himself from talking more.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

“No, it was not her who put the cake in your pocket. Though she did have a hand in it getting there.”

Celaena's head cocked a bit to the side at Taurean's comment, her brow furrowing in confusion as she watched him take the hare from where it had finished roasting over the fire and served her a portion, not understanding his meaning. How could he know? She gave a nod as he gently reminded her to watch out for bones, waiting in silence and watching him with questioning eyes as she waited for an explanation.

The one he gave was not what she had been expecting.

“I am the one who put the cake in your pocket.”

Her eyes widened in surprise then, almost doubting him for a moment, but as he continued she could not deny that his memories of what had occurred aligned with hers. Yes, there had been a boy there that day, one of the ones just a little older than herself, that had gotten angry at the others and been the one to start flinging mud, she and her dress getting caught in the resulting crossfire.

She searched his face as he began to eat, trying to remember what the boy had looked like; but it was so long ago that she could not remember his features, only his anger, and that the others had not wanted him to play with them for some reason that she had not understood at the time and had teased him relentlessly to try and get him to leave. Of course now she understood what the reason must have been.

She almost opened her mouth to tell him that she was sorry, that it was not fair that he'd had to endure such things as a child just because of who had fathered him, but she caught herself and stopped, remembering how he'd hated such sympathies before.

She was quiet for a moment as she too began to eat her food before finally deciding to tell him softly instead, "I should have said something to try and make them stop."

"I might not have joined in," she continued, her tone apologetic, "But it was wrong of me to have just stood by and done nothing."

Attempting to lighten the mood and ease the awkwardness she smirked at him then and gave a little shrug.

"Anyway, it was horribly uncomfortable to play in, that dress. You did me a favor by ruining it."

 

[The_gladiator]

He grunted at her words. Gray eyes came up and fixed her with a gaze that started off warm with anger and then cooled to the ice of indifference. “It was not your job to take care of me. Clearly I managed.” He stated, “Do not trouble yourself to worry about me. As I said I won that night, they all got in trouble for their ruined clothing.” It was unclear if he was happy about this, or simply felt justified in the karma that found those children.

He lifted an eyebrow at her next words. “It was beautiful, but nothing for a child to wear when they might go off to play with other children. Your mother thought she had a china doll, not a daughter?”

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena sighed inwardly at the shifting moods she read within Taurean's gaze and lowered her own eyes downward to her half of the hare that she held in her hands instead, focusing on her meal and not that steely gaze of his. It would seem that he was determined to interpret any caring that she expressed for what he had been through back then as negative, so she wouldn't press the issue, as frustrating as it may be.

It shouldn't be frustrating, she suddenly realized as she picked at the meat, grateful to have something warm in her belly again. Why did it bother her? It shouldn't. They were colleagues of sorts now, yes, but still practically strangers. It shouldn't bother her that he didn't want her sympathies or kindness in regards to that part of him. But it did for some reason, and the realization of all of this frustrated her all the more.

“It was beautiful, but nothing for a child to wear when they might go off to play with other children. Your mother thought she had a china doll, not a daughter?”

She gave a humorless laugh.

"I'd never thought to express it in that way, but that is exactly what she seemed to have thought," she agreed with a nod as she picked the last few little bits of meat off of the hare and finished them off, discarding the bones into the flames and then sucking the last bits of juices and flavor off some of her fingertips before wiping them off on her breeches, " Or at the very least she certainly seemed to think that she had a very different kind of daughter than what fate had actually handed her."

 

[The_gladiator]

"Elves are so perfect," Taurean commented. They want everything to be so neat and orderly. Neverminding things like the whimsy of youth." He finished his own food and after a moment kicked dirt over the flames, the inviting light fading away. His strong hands shattered the sticks he was using. They had been useful but he did not want someone to recognize them for what they were, a spit.

"Come, we can rest soon," he offered, "Thanks to your watchful eye." the compliment wasn't direct but was present. He seemed determined to leave behind the discussion of their childhood, at least for now. "At this rate who knows what we will meet tomorrow." he said, only half joking.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena could not help but smirk a bit at Taurean's comment about the orderliness of elves, their need for perfection. Yes, there were many things that she may have missed about living amongst her own kind, but those certainly were not on the list of them. Perhaps if it had simply been 'the whimsy of youth' as he'd put it, something she could have outgrown, she could have managed to meet their expectations of her and the role she was to play and things would have ended differently, but she'd always had far too much spirit for her family's liking, had always felt caged in, even if her cage had admittedly been a gilded one.

Like him though she was ready to leave the subject of the past behind them for now and she rose when he beckoned her to come; his rare, small compliment not going unnoticed and causing her to smirk again, this one showing more genuine amusement and looking less rueful than the one before it.

"At this rate who knows what we will meet tomorrow."

Finally, at this, a small laugh of genuine mirth finally escaped her again.

"I shudder to think," she replied in a dry tone, smiling at him as she brushed herself off and then turned and began to make her way back up the path toward the hollowed tree where they would be spending the night, "No dragon lairs nearby I hope."

 

[The_gladiator]

“Just a few, but we shouldn’t need to encounter them… though that is starting to feel like famous last words.” He stayed in step with her as they headed for the tree. He didn’t say much else seeming to lapse back into intraspection, which seemed to be a common occurance for him. Or else that’s how it came across to others, in truth he was silently watching everything around them.

When they reached the tree He knelt down to examine the tree. “It will be close,” he finally commented. “You will be in my arms again.” He didn’t reveal how much he liked that thought, but there was a slight smile visible.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

“Just a few, but we shouldn’t need to encounter them… though that is starting to feel like famous last words.”

Her steps had faltered for just a moment at that. She had only been joking about the possibility of encountering a dragon in the wood. Was he teasing her she wondered. He didn't appear to be. As he fell quiet again her eyes turned outward, examining the wood.

She was grateful when they reached the tree, watching as he crouched down and gave another examination of their sleeping arrangements for the night.

“It will be close,” he finally commented. “You will be in my arms again.”

Her eyebrow arched a bit at the little telling smile of his and she found a hint of a smile playing upon her lips as well.

"So 'Brandon the Blackhearted' is a snuggler?," she teased playfully as she bent down and began to crawl into the hollow of the tree through the shielding vines, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean shook his head. “Brandon the blackhearted doesn’t like much of anything or anyone. He might even kill you for suggesting such a thing. Fortunately for you, Taurean seems to like you a bit, and I’ll let you’ll live for knowing my secret.” He spoke. It even sounded like a joke, not a threat, well, almost.



He pushed through the hanging creepers and found himself pressed close to her already. He pulled the sword from the belt; without a proper scabbard he didn’t want to sleep with it. He lay it just within the opening, taking her hand and laying it atop the hilt, so she would know where it was. “Encase you should need it,” he told her. His fingers were tight on her wrist, and yet, also gentle, and he let his thumb briefly brush along her skin, before he let her hand go again.



His eyes glowed with the telltale light of the heat sight of the elves. It would disappear when he closed his eyes, which he did as he lay back. Allowing her the space to come to him and lay down. They would have to touch to lay down both, but he would not force that on her.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

Celaena had given a little chuckle at Taurean's remark about letting her live as she settled into the hollow and made room to let him enter as well, her eyebrows arching a bit with pleasant surprise. It was the closest to a truly joking tone that she'd heard from him yet.

As he'd crawled in she'd unslung their pack from her shoulders and set it and the bow beside the opening of the hollow, their bodies pressing and brushing against one another with all of their shuffling. She'd stilled as he'd taken her hand and guided it to where he'd placed the sword, though not in fear, tingles moving up the length of her arm and leaving gooseflesh in their wake at that little brush of his thumb before he'd released her and moved back, or at least as much as he could in the small confines of the hollow, and laid himself down for the night.

She smiled slightly to herself as he made room for her in invitation to join him, but otherwise did not try to coax her. It was all the invitation she had needed though, not nearly as hesitant as she had been the night before as she shifted nearer and reclined herself back, shifting down onto her side as she did so that they were in the same position as when they'd shared the hammock.

 

[The_gladiator]

Taurean could feel her settle against him. She was facing away so probably could not see his slight smile. This time he did not hesitate so long to put his arm around her and press her closer, he was less reserved than before. He still did not touch her in an inappropriate way, he just did not seem to be as worried about touching her this time. Perhaps the fact they were clothed had something to do with it.



“Perhaps one day we’ll do this in a bed,” he murmured near her ear, her hair lightly brushing his face. “You know after a proper meal and a bath. I might even be able to cover you in a proper blanket and have a pillow for you one day. Ah, but dreams are just that. I’ve slept in worse.” A moment later he added as he shifted a bit, “I just can’t quite remember when.”

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

With her back to Taurean, Celaena doubted that he saw the small smile that likewise had appeared on her face as she felt his arm quite quickly come around her and draw her closer as she settled in against him. The feel of his breath brushing against her ear as he spoke sent a shiver through her and made the hair at the nape of her neck raise, a slight laugh of amusement escaping her at his words before it was immediately followed by a soft and wistful sigh as she imagined her basic but still fairly cozy little room at the inn she'd left behind, and then the soft feather mattress and pillows she'd left behind back at her home in Kierielle long before that.

"Mmmm, don't tease me with talk of such things right now," she told him with a groan of raw yearning as she squirmed slightly and tried to get comfortable even as roots and small bits of bark pressed up into her, "Gods, what I wouldn't do for a hot bath and clean linens after the day we've had."

 

[The_gladiator]

"Spoiled you are," he teased, "This is absolutely perfect." he leaned back and promptly grunted as a stick jabbed him in the ribs. "Yep, it's just great," he said but that last was brovado and clearly self depricating as he put the lie to his own words. "I'd tell you that it could be worse you could be naked on this ground. And yet, having you naked would be decidedly more enjoyable for me, so the thought does have merit. A man can dream." and he imitated her little sigh. That whole exchange was a bit out of character with what she'd seen from him so far, it hinted of a more playful side that might be hidden beneath the layers of the different personas he wore.

"All that being said I should probably stear clear of sleeping with business partners. Look what the last one got me. I mean, I'm willing to blame all this on Shyra, sticks, bark and all of it. Though she brought you and I together, so maybe I should thank her." Even that comment suggested that he didn't find her company unpleasant.

 

[BlondeAmbition4RP]

The playfulness she could hear in Taurean's tone surprised Celaena and she found herself smiling to herself in response as she lay beside him in the dark. She couldn't know for certain of course, but she had the sense that this was a side to himself that he did not often let others see, not even as Taurean. She knew for certain based off of the stories that she'd heard of the half-elf assassin 'Brandon' that it definitely was not a side of that persona.

"Perhaps wait until after we've dismantled her Dispurden sex ring and collected the money from the Duke to thank the likes of Shyra for her part in us coming together," she teased him with a grin as she gave him a playful nudge in the ribs with her elbow.

She shifted a bit again before at last stilling, finally seeming to find a somewhat comfortable position for the night.

"Besides," she added with a smirk as she shut her eyes and leaned against him and let her body begin to relax, "This is only our first day as partners. You might yet grow sick of me and decide to throw me to the wolves."

 

[The_gladiator]

“Fine then, I’ll thank her when she’s behind bars, or better, lying at my mercy dagger to her throat.” That was decidedly less teasing in nature and much more earnest. He wanted to go on, to muse as to why some women could be so trecherous yet bit his tongue. Instead latching on to her comment about his attitude towards her.

“You have kept up much better than I expected. But you might be right, I may yet leave you behind. We will just see how useful you continue to make yourself.” And then he too closed his eyes wanting to sleep. However he was wrestless. He took deep breaths trying to fall into the calm stillness of the hunter at the least, even if he was unsure if he could sleep.