Some chattering started up around Gabby. It was the awkward sort you make with a stranger in a place you didn't precisely choose to be. [i][color=999933]Fitting,[/color][/i] she thought to herself, glancing around the caravan. [i][color=999933]It's not where I want to be, either.[/color][/i]

The young mage tugged some of her blonde hair away from her face, spotting an odd bit of movement out of the corner of her eye. A particularly shady looking individual with a shock of blonde hair so blonde it could have been white crawled into the back of the wagon full of... something. [i][color=999933]Great,[/color][/i] she thought to herself. [color=999933][i]We've got thieves crawling into our luggage before we've even left home. My, how [/i]impressive[i] our chances for survival are![/i][/color] With a heavy sigh, she hunched forward like a small, tired ape and marched around to the back of that cart, focus crystal clutched tightly in her left land. She'd at least make a good first impression on the caravan by stopping a bit of theft.

[color=999933]"Aaaalright,"[/color] she began as she circled around to get a good look at the intruder. She struck the most intimidating figure someone her size could. [color=999933]"You're either not supposed to be here or you're supposed to be marching along with the rest o[b]WHOA![/b]"[/color] Gabby's eyes spread wide open as she saw the unlucky fellow. [color=999933]"[i]Whoa.[/i] Someone [i]really[/i] did not like your face, huh?"[/color]

[color=999933][i]Wow, so much for first impressions, Gabby,[/i][/color] her brain snapped. [i][color=999933]You're great at this whole 'not making an ass out of yourself' thing. No, really![/color][/i]

[color=999933][i]Shutup, brain.[/i][/color]

Gabby cleared her throat and gave the scarred, eyepatch wearing hooligan a more careful look. He definitely had that 'hardened criminal' sort of look about him, like he stabbed people for a living or enjoyed a casual knife-fight after a bad game of cards. His clothes hung loosely on him - [i][color=999933]Those weren't made for him[/color][/i], thought Gabriela - but his hands were very clean - [i][color=999933]Like he just washed the blood off them or something,[/color][/i] she thought judgmentally. His face wasn't the sort that liked to smile, but Gabby understood that; what she was more concerned about at the moment was the prospect of this guy leaping off the cart to paint her face like Weld art: a bloody mess.

So, she had a spell ready to cover herself with a big, life-saving shield, just in case.

[color=999933]"So, uh, would you mind getting down from there?"[/color] she asked, clearing her throat again. [color=999933]"I have a club. Bang."[/color]