To Chase a Dream ⇾ Aloy

nine: the bandit camp and the bandit hunter

With a yawn Flek sits up and stretches out his limbs, his furs pooling at the base of his chest. He takes a quick glance at the rest of the still sleeping Braves before quietly gathering his clothes and sneaking out of the cabin.

The pleasant midday sun greets him, along with the usual cold stinging wind of the Nora lands, nevertheless today feels like a good day. He can't exactly explain why, but he feels it in his bones. He picks up his breakfast and in no time he's making his way over to the gate, ready for guard duty once again. He has grown to enjoy it. To be fair it is still boring, but the people make the job worth it, not the job itself.

While enjoying his brunch he stares out across the Nora lands, enjoying the way the blue sky stretches on endlessly. He can't peel his eyes away. Even when he hears the rungs of the ladder creek and someone comes up behind him. Even as his mate's arms wrap around his shoulders and presses a kiss to his cheek.

"Goodmorning," Varl mumbles, voice still heavy with sleep, which is incredibly hot in Flek's eyes. With droopy eyes he drops his chin on his boyfriend's shoulder.

But even that can't make his eyes sway from the sky, especially since a pillar of smoke rises from the ruins in the distance.

~

Many hours before that happened

Under the cover of the dark night Sparrow disappears into the dense trees, leaving the two sleeping girls alone. It will only be for a few hours is what he tells himself, as unease settles in the pit of his stomach. A slight limp marks his steps, his leg wound still not completely healed. If he continues on to be as foolish as he is it might never heal properly.

Meanwhile Lorea murmurs some words in her sleep, while the redhead sits at the edge of the cave, watching the man disappear into the night. She should probably do something about it, but she doesn't know these two people. This might be normal. She doubts it though, but the man is old enough to make his own choices. She'll see in the morning if Lorea agrees. Probably not, but that's a them problem. All she needs to focus on is rest and make sure she can go home at dawn.

Attempting to leave is exactly what she's  doing when Lorea practically jumps out of the cave, looking absolutely furious. She's muttering under her breath, seemingly talking to no one, but a series of clicks, beeps and hums come as an answer.

Confused, the redhead activates her focus and quickly finds a signal coming from an orb hanging off of Lorea's belt. "That Orb is talking to you?"

"Huh?" Completely oblivious to the other female behind her Lorea spins around. "Oh, Aloy!" She sheepishly smiles. "He's just giving me directions on where Sparrow went."

Aloy briefly considers walking away and leaving the girl, but she just can't. This small ball of rage and irritation, only reaching up to her shoulders, needs someone right now. The only person looking out for her just up and left without an explanation. It would be cruel. "I can help you with that, I'm a good tracker. Wherever he went, I can definitely find him."

And that's how Lorea was joined by Aloy, whose red hair is so familiar. If only she could remember from where. She ponders this as she follows Aloy. Blindly, maybe foolishly, trusting her.

While the world starts to brighten and wake up, the two females keep on tracking. Well Aloy tracks, Lorea is there silently being in awe at the skill the redhead has. She has never seen a tracker as good as Aloy, not even Talara is this good.