To Chase a Dream ⇾ Aloy

one: a worrying brother and a cold beginning

A cloud of air escapes her lips as the teenager blows on her numb fingers and rubs her hands together. It does nothing against the air biting at her skin, but she has the right idea. Cursing her luck, she stumbles through the knee high snow, hating the feeling of her cold wet trousers sticking to her skin. All she can see is the forest below the white tipped mountains and the rapidly darkening sky. She has no idea where she is. The situation being that the ruin shut her out the second she stepped outside.

The orb that hangs of her belt beeps and clicks, talking to her in his own strange language.

Immediately the teenager's muscles tense up. She scans her surroundings, whipping her head from left to right and turning on her heels. Her heart hammers in her chest and her hands ball into fists.

"Orby, where are they?" She asks the orb that warned her in the first place.

A series of hums and clicks is his answer.

She immediately springs into action and starts to run down the hill while looking for a place to hide. "Why can't I go a week without encountering those blasted machines," she mutters while crouching behind a rock. She stays as still as possible, forcing her shivering to stop and focuses her hearing on the clicking and whirring of the approaching machines.

Orby beeps a warning.

"Yes, of course I'm aware that the Scrappers are approaching," Lorea whispers back. Refraining from putting the Orb in silent mode. "But as long as we stay still they won't notice us, so shush."

The pack of machines passes by. They scan the area but don't find anything worth investigating. When the explorer is sure they're gone she exhales a sigh of relief and continues her way home, or where she thinks that is.

The teenager wraps her arms around herself. "You know Orbs, I think we should pack some warmer clothes next time," she blows into her hands again. "You're so lucky that the cold doesn't bother you."

The orb replies but it is drowned out by a voice yelling her name. "Oh, no," Lorea mutters, eyes widening. She frantically looks around, begging for a way to distract the furious Nora storming her way.

Then he's standing before her. A head taller than her so she has to crane her neck to look him in the eyes. His brows are creased and arms crossed over his chest. She gulps and prepares for her demise. This is it. Not a death caused by a collapsing ruin. No, she dies at the hands of her older brother.

"Flek, my dearest brother what am I glad to see you! How was your day?" She smiles the brightest smile she can manage.

His frown doesn't falter. "We'll talk about this at home," he says, voice calm and devoid of emotion.

Lorea shivers he's scary when he's full out screaming, but it's worse when he's eerie calm. Her brother sees her shivering and hands her his warm hide. She wraps the large piece of clothing around her shoulders and follows him, her eyes pinned to his back.

~

"What if you got caught, huh? Then you'll be cast out and I would have to deal with mother and father alone! Do you understand how dangerous it is what you're doing? Everyone gets caught, it's only a matter of time before-"

He continues scolding her using his hands to prove his point, but Lorea is zoning out. It's always the same speech and she's sick of it. They both know she'll go out there again, probably first thing tomorrow. It's sweet to know he cares, but she can't help herself. She needs to know. She has to go out there and discover the secrets those ruins hold. She knows there are many and she's so close to cracking them.

Flek stops when Mother's Heart is in sight, but his sibling doesn't notice and walks right into him. "Lorea?" He turns to her and notices her faraway look. "And of course you're not listening to me!" Flek let's a frustrated scream in his hands before coming back up and exhaling loudly. "Fine, you know what? If you want to be outside so bad you can stay out tonight!" With that he storms off to Mother's Heart, leaving a baffled Lorea behind.