Wanderings and Surprises

[wolfie]

He paid attention to what she was doing thinking that was an excellent idea. It wouldn't keep the juices in the meat though, and he wondered how to fix that problem. He had a feeling she knew what she was doing though and left her to the cooking. The skins wouldn't be ready just yet he had to leave them there shortly molding them into the shape he wanted. There wasn't much for something big, but what he had in mind would do nicely.

As she gave a vague story of her life he started to mold the two skins together, rabbit to rabbit and squirrel to squirrel. He took note of her from time to time more and more grateful that she was small.

"Was it because of your abilities that they didn't work out? What happened?" He asked finding this intriguing. She had said she roamed around but a few months in one spot was something. He did his best to stay in more than one place so nobody would be able to find him easy. He didn't think he had any enemies, but he didn't want to risk it.

Oh he heard her stomach alright. His was making small noises too. He heard everything and yet nothing in the forests just then. He took note that she was blushing but made no mention of hearing her stomach. He didn't even give her a look really just a side glance out of the corner of his eye. He was still working with the skins.

"Meat smells really good. Are you a skilled cook?" He asked trying to make these for her. He knew she would eventually realize what he was doing. Hael just hoped she would use them. It would make traveling for her much quieter for certain.

[Ycharley]

Orenda looked down. She figured it was only fair to tell him the truth. To tell him the story of the last couple of months to her life. "Well," She started out, her voice soft, haunting almost. Her eyes lowered below the flames, looking at the dark dirt below the flames.

"I went into a town and, well me and this boy had been getting pretty serious," She took a sharp breath, her heart was still very sore from the event, and even talking about it hurt like a physical pain. "But I had decided, I would never marry a man that I had to hide my abilities from. When I told him... I knew I had made a mistake," She paused, fighting the emotions back down, keeping them below the surface.

"I used my abilities to fake my death and erase his memory of me telling him. I set the building on fire and ran away, leaving Devin with the memory of me still being in the building," She spoke, her voice shaky as she mentioned his name. "I could hear him screaming, begging who ever was hold him back to let him go, to let him try to save me. I knew he cared for me deeply, but it could never work, he could never accept my ability, so he would never be able to accept me," She spoke, tears welling in her eyes. She was now looking through the dirt, beyond what was physically there.

She took a deep breath, collecting herself. He had asked and she had answered, that's all anyone could ask of her. "I'm half decent at cooking, I know I'm not the best, but my food is eatable and has flavor," She spoke with a shrug, her mind not really in the conversation any more.

[wolfie]

Hael heard her story and wanted to get up and go hug her hold her let her know everything was going to be okay. He stayed put figuring maybe these would be better in the long run. He was seeing the shape hoping they would be comfortable for her to walk in.

"Do you feel you made a mistake trusting me with it?" He asked hoping she would say no. Sure he wasn't someone she loved, but still he was someone who could be trusted. He hoped she saw that too.

"I accept you," he said not sure if it meant anything to her. He did though she was who she was and that was that. One couldn't change what they were made of, but one could change how they lived how they used such talents. He didn't say anything more working hard still on his little gift.

"Good I'd hate to think about eating something burned," he said teasing her a little. He wondered if maybe he should have waited until after she had cooked his meal to tease her about it. He just shook that thought off though pulling the newly made rabbit and squirrel boots away. He had some sewing to do but that was the easy part. He had them sewn up in minutes and almost ready to wear. They needed to cool a little before he gave them away.

[Ycharley]

Orenda shrugged, "You haven't went running off yet," She spoke her words soft. It would take her a little bit to return to her happy-go-lucky person she usually was. She would have to let the pain ease a bit before her mind would leave her alone about it. Some parts of her wish she had never went to that town at all, other parts of her just wished she had never told him. If she knew what she did now back then, she would have forgot her abilities and refused to use them for any reason. Maybe if she didn't use them long enough they would disappear, then they would have lived together, gotten married and she would have had a normal Connloathian life.

Yet again she shrugged, it was nice to have someone accept her, but she wasn't close to this man. Her heart didn't long for this mans acceptance. Her heart didn't belong to the man that sat in front of her, if he had said it before she had gotten onto her story, or after the memories had died out it would had meant much more, but now, it was basically worthless.

Orenda soon pulled the meat away from the fire, the aroma was mouth watering. For being cooked out in the middle of no where it was good. She definitely cooked better then most women her age. She cooked like she had been doing nothing else for thirty years or so. So she was definitely being humble when she spoke of her abilities in the kitchen. Her eyes finally rose up from staring at the dirt, returning to the fire as she offered him the meat. Letting him take what he wanted, he had been the one to catch it after all. 

[wolfie]

Hael left his project alone knowing there was nothing more he could do to them. The food was finally ready and he was hungry. He took some of the meat being conscious not to take too much. She needed to eat too.

Popping a piece in his mouth had told him more than he thought he knew. Sure he had teased her about her cooking, but this.. He hadn't expected such good food. He had a feeling he'd have to stop underestimating the woman he was travelling with. He was actually savoring a piece of meat. It wasn't something he had ever really done before.

Hael kept half an ear on the surrounding forest and half an eye on the cooling boots. The rest of his attention while divided when to her and the food. He wasn't sure what to say just then. He knew that nothing he could say would console her or help her with the loss. He knew what it was like losing someone you loved, but not in that way. He really wanted to engulf her in a hug. He had a feeling though she wouldn't accept something like that from him. He was skeptical that she would even accept a gift from him, but he planned to try.

"I don't plan on going running especially if you keep cooking like this," he said with a big grin on his lips. He knew it would take her time to heal he also knew it would take time for them to develop a friendship. He had plenty of that though - time.

[Ycharley]

She took the meat he left in silence. eating it slowly. It wasn't often that she had so much protein in her diet anymore. She looked up at his face. She could tell that he looked by the look on his face, which made her smile.

The light danced in her eyes as a small smile played across her face. She was happy that he liked her cooking. It had been a long time since she had been able to cook for someone and delight them with her abilities to cook.

[wolfie]

Hael noticed she ate in silence. It wasn't a bad way to eat although it might have been better if they were talking. He just wasn't sure what to say. The boots weren't cool enough yet to give or try on. He just ate in silence as well keeping his attention focused on more than her.

"So what's your next move?" He asked wondering where she would head next. He had a feeling she might be staying for awhile in the forest. He liked that idea wondering if perhaps he could stay in her company if she decided to stay here. He wasn't one for company before, but for some reason he thought it a good idea if they stuck together.

[Ycharley]

"I honestly don't know, I'll probably stay out in the wilderness for a while, let anyone who ever knew me forget about me so even if I see someone I knew they wont recognize me so they don't become a problem," She answered with a sigh.

The longer she sat there the more she liked it. She could sit there with someone and talk, she didn't have to be alone.

[wolfie]

Hael heard her. He was a little pleased to know she wouldn't be taking off for the next city yet. He also knew it wouldn't be easy for her in the woods. Nothing was ever easy in the forest no matter how hard you tried to make it easy. He had learned that many times over the years he had spent in the forest.

"You are welcome at my fire any time," he said knowing that might also include her good cooking. He wasn't dumb enough to say it though. He wasn't sure if she would take the invitation or if she preferred to be alone.

Hael checked the boots noticing they were cooling nicely. They weren't concaving in like some of the others he made had. This had been a good skinning. They were almost cool enough to try on. It wouldn't be much longer until he could have them tried on.

[Ycharley]

Orenda pulled her knees to her chest with a soft sigh. "I love how you call it your fire, Male egocentrism much?" She stated with a slight laugh. She was only partially joking as she spoke. She grew up in Connloath though, so she was very use to it.

She smiled softly, her bubbly personality slowly starting to return. "So," She started with a smirk. "Tell me more about yourself. If your going to hang around we shouldn't be strangers."

[wolfie]

"Ah so you don't like expressions.. noted," he said smiling over at her. He knew she was teasing him, and he did his best to continue with that. He meant nothing by what he said knowing she made the fire. He only helped catch dinner it wasn't much but oh well. He said nothing more about it.

"There isn't much to tell I'm a pretty simple person. I do what I must to stay alive and have grown up for awhile in the forest this is home to me. The jungle as some might call it was when I lived in a Lord's home learning what man did. I wouldn't go back for anything," he said shaking his head knowing he might not be welcomed by his older brother if he returned. They had a bad parting, and he wasn't about to change that.

"I also like helping others. These are cool enough would you please try them on make sure they fit? If the boots don't I can try to make them more your size I guessed by the look of your feet," he said picking them up holding them out to her. They were way too small for him and besides he had a set already.

"Do I get to learn anything of you?"

[Ycharley]

Orenda seemed surprised as he handed her the boots. She slipped the boots onto her feet and smiled; they were still warm.

"You didn't have to do this, its really nice of you, thank you," She spoke, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.

She settled back down on the ground looked back down at her boots, they were pretty, she liked them, and plus, they were warm. Orenda looked back up at Hael, as he spoke.

"Well, what do you wanna know?"

[wolfie]

Hael watched as she put the boots on it seemed he still had an eye for what size to make things. His adopted mother liked that when he surprised her with new shoes only if he managed not to kill something and make them out of the skins like here. He was glad that Orenda wasn't like her.

"Your welcome," he said not sure what else to say. He wasn't expecting her to kiss him on the cheek. He was in new territory when it came to her. He was more used to the animals around him lately. Even when he was in the Lord's house he hadn't become really used to other people they were just strange to him. They still were. He never understood why men did what they did.

He was still listening to the forest around them. There was a panther prowling, but she wouldn't come close to their camp. Hael knew she would respect the distance because he had sidestepped her before. It was like some game they played. She would get close but not too close, and he would do the same when she chose a spot that was hers for the day. He liked this game.

"Anything you want to tell. I'm not picky nor would I know the right questions to ask."

[Ycharley]

Orenda shrugged, she didn't know exactly what to tell him. She always preferred it when people would just ask what they wanted to know. She took a deep breath looking up, her fingers tapping the ground rhythmically as she thought, trying to decide what to tell him.

"Well, I have two older brothers and one younger brother and three younger sisters," She said looking back at Hael. "Like every other man in Connloath, my father was a soldier and my mother was a weaver," She continued.

[wolfie]

Hael listened to her speak. She told him something, but really it wasn't what he expected. He wasn't sure what to do just then. He could tell her about it, or he could ignore it. He just wasn't sure he could ignore this.

"Interesting, but that's about them not you. Although that does tell me to be careful of you your brothers might try something someday if I'm not watching my back," he said being able to read between a few lines. He understood being protective of family, but he had never felt that way before. It was something he envied her.

[Ycharley]

"My brothers think I'm dead and it must stay that way. So it will never be them you will have to worry about," She spoke with a sigh. She didn't know how to talk about herself and herself alone. How would she describe herself, all she was was what he could see. She was an open book, she always had been.

"Well, what can I tell you, I mean, I don't know how to tell you about myself," Orenda looked down. "Plus, I'm boring anyway, I can't be nearly as interesting as you, I mean, they say you can judge how interesting someone is by how many scars they have," She spoke with a small shrug.

[wolfie]

"I'm sorry," he said realizing that couldn't be easy on her. She truly had nobody in her life. He knew how that felt it was how he lived. Sure he could go back to the Lord's house try to make amends and live that life. It just wasn't for him though.

"I understand I'm not good at that either. I don't think you are boring. Pretty maybe, but not boring," he said smiling. He was hoping to get her smiling too he hated to see someone upset. He heard her talking about scars and sighed. He knew what she was referencing.

"That scar was more trouble than its worth. I got it sparing with my adopted brother he took the sword play too far one day. I was lucky he missed me mostly or I wouldn't be here talking to you today. Nothing really interesting about that," he said shrugging it off. Under normal conditions he would have made up some story to make the scar interesting to those listening. This time though he felt he should tell her the truth about how he got it.

[Ycharley]

"Sometimes the scar it's self is more interesting then the story that led it to be put in existence," Orenda spoke with a smirk. Orenda liked the way it looked on him, how odd that may sound. The scar gave him a rough handsomeness.

Orenda quickly looked down to hide the growing blush on her face. She was use to being by herself, so she had never had to figure out how to deal with her feelings and how to react to when feeling attracted to someone.   

[wolfie]

Hael wondered if that was true. Many had asked him about it as if it was something wonderful. He had made up so many stories that it seemed how he got the scar was something great after all. He hadn't stop to think about his lies or about the scar itself.

It was something he liked about having her around. She made him think more. Sure he liked helping others and he liked giving her those boots. There was just something about her and he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Why do you find my scar interesting?" He asked not sure if this was wise. She was looking down at the ground. If he hadn't known better he would have thought she was admiring the boots.

[Ycharley]

"Well," She started with a sigh. "With out the scar you would look completely different, and if it never happened you could be a completely different person. Everything that happens changes us, and even the smallest changes can impact our course in life greatly. Just as when you sail or plow a field, the slightest change in direction, though it might now seem like it at first, has the greatest impact if you look back," She said trying to explain with a sigh. She knew she wanted to tell him that she found him extremely attractive, but at the same time she didn't want to. So she stuck with the safest thing and completely avoided her feelings while describing the scar to him.