He slipped his hands in her pockets, and she would get the distinct impression that he was studying her, analyzing her carefully before giving a swift nod, turning and returning to the forest.
Lucy moved through the junkyard, her goggles over her eyes as she slung her leg over a rusted pipe. Ivy curled around the metal, and her fingers brushed them idly as she moved, her goggles beeping as she moved.
Jaz and Rory traversed silently, both carrying a backpack. Jaz slung a bow over his shoulder and held walking stick, jabbing it into the ground as they went. "Do you think we'll find anything?" Rory asked quietly. "Maybe. I've seen some deer a few days ago. If they haven't been hunted then we'll go after them."
She tucked her braids back into a bun, humming lightly to herself before her voice got caught in her throat. A large, broken down moped sat in front of her, leaning against the ground. She paused, excitement building up in her before she moved forward, sitting down next to it and pulling out her tools.
"Oh, okay. The new piglets we found are doing well. I've been taking care of them and I think they'll do good. "Oh? I'm glad to hear the new pen is keeping them together, especially now that they get some sunlight."
She slipped underneath the bike, her small frame slipping underneath it easily as she began to tinker with it. Her gaze was soft and sweet as she worked, regarding it as one might regard a new friend at a party where they knew no one else. Her fingers slipped easily within the wires and gears and she hummed while she worked, the clicks and creaks of the scooter speaking to her like her mother tongue.
They approached the junkyard entrance. "They were around here," Jaz said, scratching his temple. "I think we should check inside for tracks."
She paused, regarding the bottom of the moped critically. A spark caught the corner of her eye and she looked at it for a moment, her gaze tracing the wire before her eyes widened and she took a sharp intake of breath, rolling away quickly out from under the moped. It exploded within seconds. A fiery plume rose from the loud noise, sending sparks and flame into the sky. Lucy covered her head as the wreckage of the scooter rained around her, her goggles making a dent in her skin as she hid her face.
The two silenced at the sound, Jaz raised his bow. "Stay here, Rory. I'll check it out.' She seemed to want to protest but said nothing as he started toward the noise.
Lucy took a shaky breath, sitting up slowly and setting her goggles on her forehead as she looked over at the ruins, her brows furrowed with disappointment. "*squee!*," she muttered to herself, standing up. "*squee!*. That would have been perfect."
She froze, looking absolutely stricken in fear, instantly terrified. She had never encountered another person outside her clan and she had actually needed to psych herself up to go out on this particular occasion. Only the motivation of finding a birthday gift for Aisling had guided her. "Was it worth it?" she wondered as she stared out the arrow, shaking in fear. "Oh well; it's the thought that counts, I suppose..." "Lucy," she managed, evidently terrified, her bright blue eyes studying him.
