[Emera]

Loneliness swallowed her again.

"I told you it would,"

Ryan didn't have plans to stay and hide, the way she did. She wondered if she'd ever come off the highest shelf, if she'd ever be dusted off and allow herself to be handled again. Ryan was able to remold and become something like fine china after all he's been through. Emera wasn't so lucky. She was still scared, still fragile.

"Just a coward."

The orchestra of crickets was comforting, a white lulling noise that helped to drown out every subtle snap of a branch and the blowing leaves. Kept the voice quiet, too. Mostly. The breeze was numbing, though that was barely a problem for her as she took shelter within the abandoned fox-hole. The warmth within the small chasm in addition to the award-winning symphony helped her fall into a light slumber.

Ever so light.

Only a temporary escape.

And she would be faulted for it.

"wakeupwakeupwakeupWAKEUP."

Her eyes shot open, jumping and hitting the top of her stolen shelter. She gasped, both at the pain and from the startled alarm she had to awaken her. She felt mostly taunted by the voice, but it seemed now the voice was on her side. Warning here.

"Do you hear it now?"

There was no mistaking it; these were footsteps she was hearing. The wind could not be to blame, the pattern was too purposeful; these steps had a sense of urgency to them. And she wanted to run, she wanted to run really fucking far, really fucking fast. But she couldn't. It was too late.

They were practically atop of her now.

Her lips quivered and her mind raced and her eyes were frantic, wide, dancing in every direction, waiting for the steps to pass.

"Better hope they don't notice you."

They won't.

"They might. You shouldn't have fallen asleep."

They'll walk by.

"They're going to hear your heart racing."

Emera felt a pang within her, her ears were ringing loudly and her head stung. Was it because she bumped it to hard when she woke? The stimulation she felt was becoming too much, it was too loud.

"QUIET." Too loud.

"Now look what you've done."

▌note:

[Revolver]

He had no idea where he was going, all he knew was they had to get there.  

It had taken them long enough to get over the mountain pass, the snow was finally melting and it made traveling with a large stubborn ass that much easier to deal with.  Rev's ears were back, and jaw was clenched tight on the rope that dangled from his mouth.  At the end of that rope you would find an odd sight, Rev had found a small mule foal when he was younger, instead of eating it as others would have, he took it in, and raised it, and used her now as his pack mule.  If he found something he liked, he put it in the saddle bags that he had stolen from a human camp.  Humans had stolen Jameson once before, attempting to tame her and make her their pack mule.  Luckily, they had gotten as far as putting on a saddle pack before a fire broke out at their camp, and Jameson broke free, and returned to Rev.  

Jameson didn't talk, or couldn't, Rev wasn't sure which, but he was grateful sometimes but got awful tired of her braying at terrible times in the night.  

They were headed west, in the setting of the sun, following it's course, when suddenly the rope in Rev's mouth went taunt, and caused his head to whiplash.  Shaking, he spit the rope out, and turned to Jameosn.  "Dang nabbit Jameson- what the hell did I tell you about stopping like that?  You're gonna break my damn neck, and then where are you gonna be?  Huh?  That's right- dead. D-E-D, dead"  He said, but Jameson didn't pay attention, instead, she was focused on a bush, ears forward, and nostrils widening and contracting. She smelled something.  And then heard something.  A loud, frightened voice screamed out from inside of it, and Revs ears perked forward.  It was Jameson though who took action and stuffed her head into the bush, and when she was nose to nose with the other canine, she brayed, LOUD, and backed out of the bush.

"What in tarnation has gotten into you? Do you know how rude that was, Jesus, Mary and Joseph-"  Rev scolded her, before turning got the bush,  "Ma'am, I'm real sorry about that, she can be a real ass sometimes you know? She aint got no manners, I've tried teaching her, but it just aint working, she's real stubborn..."

[Emera]

After foolishly shouting, Emera was met with a soft, prickly nose. Her eyes crossed as it approached, and she felt her heart stop. First, it was too foreign to frighten her, but at the sound of the bray Emera shrieked in response, trying to force herself deeper into the shallow hole; further away from whatever frightening creature could make such a horrid noise. "GoawaygoawayGOAWAY." Tears began to fall, shielding her head with her front paws. Her throat burned from screaming, and it wasn't until she heard the peculiar accent that she finally allowed her nerves to settle.

She was just able to catch the end of his apology for his friends antics, she was still afraid to come out from the barrier of the bush that divided them. "It-t-t-t's ok-k-k-kay. An itch to leave began to come over her, and she inhaled sharply before slowly stepping out of the bush.

"That's brave of you,"

Unsheathed, she stared up at Revolver with a begging gaze. Please don't hurt me. He looked all the more frightening atop of his nosey steed. "I'll j-j-just be on m-my way." She took slow steps backwards, her skinny frame looked as though it may shatter with every step, "S-s-sorry to be a b-b-other."

▌note: ily @Gyr