maskormenacelogs | she said always remember never to trust me

[ The animals had drawn Grey's attention. Since his arrival here, they always have. He's never seen any of them before, and they're fascinating.

Some of them are also frightening, especially at first glance. The horses are huge, and have sizeable teeth. He's wary of them, instinctively, but when he sees the girl going over to pet them, he inches closer as well. He hasn't quite worked up to touching one of them yet, but he's staring at it as if there's a story written on its face.

When the girl speaks, Grey looks up with the kind of surprised, open expression which says he thinks she's talking to him, and he glances towards the woods she's looking at. Turning back to her, he lifts his shoulders in a shrug. Brows knitting, he upnods at her. What does she mean by that, what does she think is out there? Should he be worried?

Concerned, he takes a step towards her, hopeful that she'll explain. ]

[She knows he's there, but her attention had been on the horses for the moment, until she notices his surprise. He seems a bit of an odd kid, but Kara is used to odd.]

Most horses don't get spooked for no reason. Could just be kids mucking around in the woods.

[It is Halloween, after all, but she isn't so sure she believes her own reassurance.]

[ Grey comes over to the girl. She says it's nothing, but she looks edgy about it all the same. He glances around. Grey doesn't know whether he should be wary or not. He thought this place was supposed to be safe, but then nowhere feels all that safe to Grey in this world. It's all too big, too open, and there are so many people. Anything could be happening.

Ordinarily, he'd use his tattoos to talk. He doesn't have the words for this question, though, and he doesn't think she knows him well to infer it from his face. So he pulls out the phone he'd been given here, write a message on it, and holds it up for her to see. ]

what are you afraid of ?

[ Should he be worried about something, too? ]

[That's curious, but it isn't the first time she's met people who don't speak, for whatever reason, so she only reads the question before turning her attention back to the skittish horse.

She considers saying that afraid isn't the right word, but this is a situation where her pride can take a back seat. It doesn't matter if some stranger thinks she's scared of shadows.]

We ain't very popular right now. Public places like this ain't safe.

[Which is exactly why she's here. In case something goes wrong.]

[ He knows they’re not popular. He’s heard the reports, heard people talking about import rights. For him it would be strange if this sort of thing wasn’t gone on, though. He’s used to being part of a group that’s not popular. That by itself doesn’t make him afraid.

But it clearly unsettles her. Lowering the phone, he waves to get her attention, before gesturing to himself and then to the trees. He’ll go and check, if you want? He can make sure it’s safe, for her and the horses. Anyway, if she’s right, it would be better to know. ]

[It doesn't take her long to guess what he means, and she nods, but-]

Here, just in case.

[Making sure to broadcast the movement as non-aggressive, Kara leans down to pull a knife from where it was holstered in her boot. Holding it by the blade, she offers the hilt to Grey, because it's better to be armed in situations like that, and she doesn't know if he has weapons of his own.

But he looks like the type to know how to use them.]

[ So she has a knife. Strangely enough, that seems to make Grey more comfortable with her, though despite that he holds up his hands. Shaking his head, he reaches behind him and brings his own knife out of the rope tie that keeps it hidden at his waist. He holds it up to show her.

Then he points at her knife, and gestures towards her. She should keep that, in case there really is something dangerous here. She should look after the horses.

Jerking his head towards the trees, he moves out to check on them.

But after a few minutes, he comes back with the knife still in his hand, and a perplexed look on his face. Shrugging his shoulders, he shakes his head at her. If there'd been someone there, they're gone now. Or they're good at hiding. He didn't pick anything up, anyway. ]

[An almost-smile twists at her lips as she sees his knife and tucks her own away. It's good that he's armed, and it leaves her feeling a little more assured as he heads into the woods.

By the time Grey's back, the man running the hay rides has realized that a strange girl is befriending his horses and has come to take them away, leaving Kara standing at the edge of the woods alone. If anything, she seems calmer without the horses around, like she has more concern for them than she does for herself.

So she just offers a shrug in return for Grey's.]

Thanks for checking it out. [She means that, pausing to light a cigarette now the horses are gone.] You got a name?

[ He comes back and the horses are gone. At first Grey's eyes scan around, clearly looking for them.

Then he registers that she asked his name, so he holds out his arm to show her a word that's written in larger letters than the others. 'Grey'. That's his name, and he taps his chest to make that clear.

After a moment he draws his coat off, and points out one of the words tattooed on his other arm: 'Where'? Where did the horses go? He'd thought she was looking after them. Should we be trying to find them?

Grey. [Just to make sure she's got it.] I'm Kara.

[The tattoos are curious; she's seen people who can't talk and find other means to get their messages across, but such an array of tattoos isn't anything she's seen before.]

Their owner took 'em back. They weren't mine.

[She goes up on tiptoes to point over to where the horses have been dragged back to their hayrides.]

[ He nods, confirming that that's his name.

Then he follows where she points. Not hers. That's a shame. She'd been good with them.

But does that mean she wants to go inside now? He tilts his head, motioning to where the party is and asking the question with his look. He's surprised she was out here alone, if the horses weren't hers. ]

[The silence makes her think of Rebecca, which is a little ironic considering all Rebecca does is talk, but she tends to rely more on body language when she's a fox, and it's a little similar to how Grey moves.]

Not much for that sorta shit.

[She's only here in case something goes wrong.]

[ Grey tilts his head at her. Is she planning to stay outside, then? Why? There's so many more people inside.

He steps a little closer to her. He doesn't want to leave her by herself.

He turns his wrist, and points at the word 'Please' on his arm. Then he tries smiling - just a tiny smile, a hopeful one. It'll be okay. She might even like it, if she tries. ]

[The smile is almost sweet; it seems like an expression that might not get used that often, so she's inclined to be a little gentler than she might be otherwise.]

You worried about me?

[ Grey takes another step towards her, nodding all the while. Of course he is. She wants to stay out here by herself. Is it because she thought there was something in the trees? He glances at them again, wondering if he’d missed anything.

But surely if there’s danger out here, she’d be better inside anyway? Inside is always safer. He gestures to her, beckoning. Don’t stay out here alone. ]

Okay, okay.

[It isn't enough of a problem for her to make a big deal of it, or to bother arguing.

So she crouches down to stub out her cigarette on her boot, then pockets it to toss away later (she doesn't like littering).]

Lead the way, kid.

[ Grey should lead the way? Well, all right. He tries to mostly stay beside her, though. He’s glad she’s coming, and he shows her the words ‘thank you’ on his arm. He casts furtive looks around the trees while they walk, just in case.

He still sees nothing. That’s going to really bother him later.

When they get inside, though, everything is warm and sweet-smelling. And crowded, all of which Grey likes. He sends a little smile at Kara. Isn’t this good, isn’t this better? ]

[The silent thank you gets a little shake of her head to dismiss it, since it really isn't necessary.

He's just an odd kid, this one.]

You want a drink?

[It's the least she can do after he checked the woods for her, and gods know she needs one, even if she's pretty sure they won't have alcoholic-anything at a fair aimed at kids.

That's why she bought a flask.]

[ Grey looks at her, and nods. He's assuming she means water. He takes it as an excuse to stay with her, too, instead of disappearing once they got inside.

He looks around, finally seeing a stall with cups, and bottles full of strangely coloured fluid that people seem to be drinking without ill effects. He touches her shoulder lightly, and points to the table. That's what she means, right? ]

[That's what she was looking for; Kara grins and heads to the stall.]

Ever had cider before?

[It's not a question she'd usually think to ask, but considering how odd this kid is, she has a feeling he might not have.]

[ Her instinct is right. He turns with a little frown, and shakes his head. A moment later he’s showing her the word ‘What’ on his arm. What’s that? Of the food items he’s acquainted with her, he is familiar with chocolate, candy, ice cream, tacos, and onion salt. And he’s fairly sure the latter isn’t supposed to exist. Anything else is new territory, but if she’s recommending it, he’ll agree. ]

It's alcoholic, makes your head fuzzy.

[For all that she's a heavy drinker with little regard for morals, she isn't a complete asshole, and giving someone booze when they haven't had any before is a total dick move.]

[ Grey wrinkles his nose and rolls his eyes around to her. His only experience of alcohol is watching Thomas and the others try to make moonshine in Newt's apartment. It had smelled bad, and if Thomas' reaction had been anything to go by, it had tasted worse.

But he remembers the Kronole addicts, on the Train. They'd barely been aware of themselves sometimes.

Grey shakes his head. He doesn't want to fuzz up his head. As they approach the drinks stand, he points at plain water instead, lifting his eyebrows in question. He can have that instead, yes? It's what he knows, it's familiar. It won't make his head strange. He'll stay with that. ]

'Kay.

[It's an answer she accepts easily, though she does think water is kind of boring and not really a fair trade for him having helped her out, so:]

Gimme a sec, I'll see if they have the non-alcoholic stuff.

[And she really only does take a second, heading to the stall and talking with the man behind it before she passes over money and gets two cups of cider in return. She offers Grey the non-alcoholic one.]

Tastes like apples. Watch out for the bubbles.

[If he's never had soda or anything before.]

[ She isn’t getting water. He sees that immediately, and tries to signal her again, but she’s already getting something else.

In fairness, though, the smell of the Something Else is appealing, like candy in a cup. Grey likes candy. So he drinks it, while she’s telling him to watch out for the bubbles, and then a second later he feels them tickling at his throat. He stops, immediately, coughing, and looking at the drink like it’s alive.

But it’s good. He flashes a quick, brief smile at her. Then he turns, angling his arm to point at the word ‘what?’, and nods at the drink. It tastes a lot better than the mess Thomas and Minho had made. He’ll keep this one, he likes it. ]

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