This wasn’t smart. Mariana’s group would be furious if they found out; not only was she putting herself in danger, but she was threatening the lives of her friends as well. Still, Mariana felt no urgency to run. She was curious, fascinated even, with man before her,. Youthful gaze followed his hand’s path to the knife at his hip. Everyone had a weapon. If you didn’t, you were dead. Niko said that back before the dead rose, only special warriors were allowed to have weapons, and children were not allowed to use knives or guns because it was believed they would hurt themselves. Mariana couldn’t imagine a world were she didn’t need her knife.
Small fingers flexed on the hilt of her blade then slowly released moments after the man did the same. She looked up. The fire cast shadows around them and barely reached the trees above her head, but Mariana saw no sign of her occasional stalker-friend. “… no.” the truth fell from her lips and she was suddenly uncomfortable with the glaringly obvious fact that tonight, right now, she was alone. “… we don’t stay a group all the time. Griffin says it’s so we don’t forget how to be alone if something bad happens.”
caught between knowing that he SHOULD keep his guard up && wanting to relax so the girl would know it was safe to do the same , the only thing eric WASN’T feeling conflicted about was the fact that this griffin was an asshole . harsh judgment ! he would admit . but anyone who would leave a child of her age alone just to TOUGHEN her up deserved to be judged .
❝ that sounds scary , ❞ eric remarked , attention once again focused on the fire instead of the small figure . there was something u n c o m f o r t a b l e about being LOOKED at , && he thought that if the roles were reversed , he’d have wanted the random stranger to look away . ❝ but it seems to be working for you . ❞ he couldn’t deny that part , no matter how much he disapproved of the plan itself . she was quiet , she was armed , she was okay . ❝ did this GRIFFIN leave you with anything to eat or drink ? ❞
