She looked up at him with wide eyes as he approached, tensing. Up close, he would be able to see that her whole body was trembling. "I-I... I was j-just..." She raised a shaky finger at the wreckage of the scooter. "I-I...I was t-trying to fix the m-moped for my f-friend's b-b-b..." She couldn't seem to get this word out, and her brows furrowed, her gaze never leaving his bow, as if he would shoot her for being unable to speak. "Birthday. Birthday. Her birthday is on, uh... it's on Wednesday and I thought... I thought... I-I.... I regularly fix cars for the c-clan, so I th-thought I could get her this b-bike."
“In the city?” She seemed surprised by this line of questioning, but nodded, holding her hands over her heart protectively. “Yeah, that one was mine. At least... I think the one y-you’re talking about was mine. Don’t you guys work on cars too?”
“In...” She trailed off, looking uncertain on how to answer. “In the city? Why would I live there? Should...” She hesitated as if she were worried about the results of her answer. “Should I live there?”
He frowned. "I don't know. I don't think you're too threatening, but if you bring anyone else were going to have a problem," he said, trying to sound threatening. "There's no room for any more clans."
His threatening seemed to be effective; she looked absolutely terrified, her bright blue eyes welling up with tears as she watched him in fear. "I... I just... I just... I'm just looking for a gift for my friend's birthday. That's all."
He softened, looking surprised. "Are you.. crying?" He shook his head, sighing. "I'm sorry. You can keep looking since you seem fine."
“I’m... I gotta go home,” she said, backing away from him slowly, swiping away at her eyes hurriedly. “I can’t stay here...”
She frowned at him, equally observant, before turning and heading back to an old motorbike. She pulled two wires together and the engine roared to life. With one last fleeting look of terror at him, she pulled her goggles on and sped off, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.
He tilted his head, looking a bit confused before shaking his head with a sigh. "Working cars, huh? Jeez."
Emerson's gait was powerful and sure, and his frosty blue eyes scanned the forest floor as he walked, muttering to himself.
Rory was walking quietly, pulling her hood over her head nervously. She had gone looking for any food, keeping a basket held tightly in her arms if she came across any berries or herbs.
They would happen upon her almost faster than she would know what was happening. It was never safe in these woods; Emerson's clan had been made grossly aware of the patrols in here. Unfortunately for Rory, she was slammed to the ground with a jagged, rusted knife around her throat, her head pressed into the dirt. The clansman above her leered, his dirty teeth inches away from her face. "Took a wrong turn, love?"
She let out a short gasp, tears springing to her eyes almost immediately out of fear. She tried to move away from him, closing her mouth with a look of terror in her eyes.
He sniffed her cheek for a moment, his eyes wild and crazy with Plague. "I'm glad you came," he murmured, slamming her head down into the earth. "I was getting a little bored." Emerson broke through the brush and his eyes widened as he paused, analyzing the situation. There was a moment before Rory would feel the man fly off of her as Emerson threw him against the tree, moving swiftly.
