Thorned Hammer

Forgotten History

Indeed Tess was freezing, hugging her knees to her chest and resting her chin atop them as she tried to keep the chill from her bones. Wasn't doing much good though, and the constant shivering and muted complaining around them wasn't helping her in the slightest. Catching movement though out of the corner of her eye she noted Richard shifting beside her. Seeming to shift closer to her actually. Was it that obvious she was cold? That was embarrassing,
Keeping this thought to herself though, she nudged a bit closer to Richard in return until her shoulder bumped his. Once there the pilot stilled, staring blankly over her knees out at the encroaching blackness of the night.

Marcus blinked up at Rin when she approached, hands pausing in their nimble examination as if tensing. Gradually they returned to the task and he watched her take a seat beside him.
"Good." He exhaled softly, tucking his feet further beneath himself once finished with the gun. "Thats something then." Carefully he set the gun aside, resting the butt of it in the pine needles around the base of the tree and the barrel against the trunk.

Forgotten History

Lol well I aim to please, I'll get working on it right away

Forgotten History

Sure! Can do!

Forgotten History

Sure! Oh, oh ideas...thats going to be fun:)

Forgotten History

Thats okay I didn't really know what to say either,

We could skip to a camp for that night? Or a fight?

Forgotten History

"Yeah, I won't be going to far." Marcus said, looking around as people started to move and chatter among themselves. "Just maybe a mile or two. We can't keep running blind into these woods. We need a sense of direction." She would be safe if she stayed with the group, so he hoped she wouldn't argue with him on this. "Then I'll come right back."

Tess got to her feet when everyone else did, leaving Marcus and Rin to themselves and heading in the opposite direction of Richard. That was something she couldn't deal with right now. Her focus needed to be on getting out of this alive with as many other people as possible. Emotional gooey messy stuff could wait till later, as could apologies if there needed to be any.

It was hours later that they finally broke for camp, the dark making it to dangerous to keep going at this march and the cold making it trickier for those dressed for the beach. Their camp was small and it's occupants huddled closely together for warmth, a fire being to risky at this time. They were gathered in the shadows of a rock outcropping, The four having agreed it was far more favaroable to sleep with something solid at their backs in place of just more forest.

So here they were, crowded in like penguins against exhausted and trembling civis. Tess was uncomfortable being so close to so many strangers, to so many people who kept looking at her and the others hopefully like they were supposed to 'pow' just turn into super heroes. It was just so weird, weird enough that she took comfort in sitting near to Richard. She hadn't spoken with him since their encounter by the stream, doing her best to convey her apologies to him through actions and by staying close to him as best she could while they continued through the trees. That would have to do for now. Until she figured out the whole word things.

Marcus sat apart from the others, having found a convenient tree near the rocks to put his back against while he crouched with a new rifle across his knees. He had come across a few unfortunate UKD sweepers when he scouted ahead for the others, and had come back with three tac vests, another gun beside the one he had now, and a scope but now sniper. Better then nothing though.

Quietly he was busying himself with cleaning and examining it, looking for any sign of wear and tear or damage. It was better then dwelling. Dwelling had always been his downfall in the field, and had often been able to keep from doing so by relying on his Squadmates. Cas would drag him into stupid conversations, Chad would chime in just enough to get Cas worked up enough for a fight, then Kyle would take Cas's place while the he and Chad would fight for real. It was a weird system. But it worked for all of them, looked to all of their needs for the damaged minds. But they weren't here now, and Marcus needed to be alert while the other's rested. So he pushed all thoughts of his Squad aside, struggling also to keep from seeing that empty door way again he had hoped so fervently to see Cas come racing through, and just cleaned his gun.

Forgotten History

Marcus paused for a momrnt there, but only a moment. "For now, i want Rin to.". He decided, nodding in agreement with himself. "I'm going to scout ahead, we can't afford to be running blind anymore."

"Human. Soooo much fun isn't it?". Laughed Tess bitterly, wiping her face with a corner of her shirt. She straightened up when Rin said it was time to go, figuring she was right. "Ok, ok you're right. We probably should start looking for cover for the night. Right?"

Forgotten History

"be accurate then.". Marcus said decisively, accurate would be worth more then a jumpy finger. "I'm going to need you to guard our right flank as we keep moving, can you do that?"

Tess shook her head, taking a seat beside Rin and folding her hands in her lap. "No, I haven't.". She sighed. "I just, I don't want you all treating me with kid gloves. Cause then I'll never get that chance. I don't want to be a burden, and it for a moment felt like you all already saw me as one"

Forgotten History

"well we won't be going with suppressive fire.". Sighed Marcus, they just didn't have the amo for that. "Only shot if youve got a clear target, controlled bursts at most. You much if a sharp shooter?"

"You can stop looking at me like that you know.". Tess said quietly after a bit, having felt Rin's eyes in her. "Like I'm about to break. Im not, you know."

Forgotten History

Pleasantly surprised to hear this Marcus nodded his approval. Good, so there was some experience here at least.
"That's a start then," he said aloud, befire gesturing to Richard's weapon. "How much do you have left in that?"

Tess had recovered her composure by now, and was weaving through the survivors doing her best to boost moral. But by the time she had finished she looked just as beat as she had earlier. A grime set about her face, she tugged her hair back and up before looking to Rin. "Are we moving again soon?"