01-02-2017, 01:24 AM
Rhae
It was cold. So cold. Her sides were already thin, and then the winter came and smothered the grasses. Thin and malnourished. Living in a wasteland would do that to a girl, especially when she went out of her way to try avoiding the others that lived there. There was not much grazing to be found, for certain. The few spots worth dining would be occupied, a dark culprit settled so comfortably on their throne. So, she looked a bit frail maybe. But she was working on that.
Today she'd slipped away. Finally, she was unnoticed, just as it had been before when Tioga was a steady protector nearby. Before the change in leadership. Before she was noticed.
Her entire body racked and quaked with the chill. She wasn't escaping, not really. Or was she? Was such a thing even possible? Could she escape that place for good? More trembles jerked her legs and she pushed on, burying herself deep within the Forest. Wide, blue eyes darted left and right, glanced over her shoulder anxiously. Always over her shoulder, as though she expected something to be there. A monster. Not today, though. Not just now. Only Rhae, chocolatey-coated girl with the pale hair and fragile eyes.
She paused when she came across a small clearing, hesitating at the edge of the treeline. Nobody was near though, and still she hesitated. Her weight shifted nervously, and again she looked behind her. Just in case. No, just her. Only Rhae. Hungry gaze fell to the clearing again, hoping beneath the fine dusting of snow would be at least a morsel of nourishment. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled in protest of her involuntary fasting. Yes, ok. Ok!
She darted in and immediately began nosing away the layer of snow. Hope filled her when she was so quickly rewarded with some brittle, damp grasses. Her heart raced, and despite not finding anyone thus far she felt like a doe in the sights of a hunter. One she couldn't see, couldn't smell. Eyes on her back, or possibly paranoia, raised the hair along her spine. She tried to ignore it, continued to eat. She needed this.
A twig snapped somewhere off to her right, and she startled with a small leap to the left. Eyes wide and fearful she watched intently with bated breath. Who's there, she wanted to call, but her tongue suddenly felt too thick in her mouth. Her throat closed. No, she could do this.
Who's there, she challenged, her voice only a little shaky. Not bad.
It could have been worse, right? Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she could continue to fill her body back as it should be. Her head lowered cautiously, ready to do just that as her eyes stayed trained in the direction of the noise. Just in case.