They approached the camp, still firmly holding onto one another.
An exotic looking woman dressed in a foreign warrior's garment, which fit perfectly over her hardy stature, squatted over an unlit camp-fire in the centre - snapping together two pieces of flint.
She lifted her head and looked over her shoulder towards the two women as they entered the camp ground, noticing the frightened looking young woman covered in grime and cuts, her hair ragged and smothered with twigs and leaves, desperately holding together Belle's overcoat. She place the flint down and turned to stand towards them, examining the stranger's frail body quaking beneath the thick linen.
"this is Mulan." Belle stopped before her, attempting to release their hands, but Ruby quickly entwined their fingers together instead.
"A pleasure." Mulan smirked, keeping sturdy eye contact with the young woman.
Ruby's eyes darted around the encampment; a well build make-shift shelter was placed inside hefty shrubbery, inside was a single sheet with a knapsack spread upon it. Mulan followed Ruby's eye line,
"It's a little cosy" she smiled "but we manage somehow." she turned to face Belle, replacing the smile with a puzzled expression.
"Um... Yes. This is Ruby. I was examining the track marks nearby, when I came across her..."
"I see..." She looked Ruby up and down, noticing the lack of attire as her bare feet buried themselves into the soft bark, and the dirt on her exposed pieces of flesh rippled in the sunlight.
"there's a river just there" she spoke delicately, slowly raising her arm to point through the mass of trees to their right, "and I'll get you a pair of breeches now." She walked over to their shelter and began searching through the knapsack. Ruby studied Belle as she watched Mulan, and jumped a little when she turned to look at her. Belle smiled softly, and looked into her eyes, which still shimmered with confusion.
"I have a spare shirt, I'll bring it to you once I've had a little word with Mulan. Are you okay to get to the river alone? It's right through there, you won't miss it" Her voice was so gentle, it mesmerised her, she felt safe when she spoke, and that somehow they had crossed paths before...
She nodded in response, and reluctantly released the grasp on Belle's hand, who turned and walked towards their shelter, shooting a glance back at Ruby as she left.
She pulled both her arms together, and wrapped the overcoat tightly around her chest. Looking down on herself with shame, she clenched her brow and fists and began walking in the direction of the river.
Mulan pulled a clean pair of dark breeches from the knapsack and held them out towards Belle, shining a smile up at her as she leant against the side of the shelter staring through the trees to where Ruby had ventured. Belle looked down, taking the breeches and kneeling beside Mulan as she threw a couple of books and clothing back inside the bag, stopping to pass a long red shirt over as well.
"where do you think she came from?" spoke Belle quietly, as though Ruby was still within earshot,
"I'm unsure. There are no towns for miles in every direction from here..." Mulan responded, shutting the knapsack and pushing it away.
"But wherever she came from, she is very lucky."
"Yes, I suppose. Although we don't know how she got all the way out here. Maybe she knows something of the beast."
"Maybe. But she seems very fragile right now, I shall go and find something for us to eat." Mulan strode confidently towards the campfire, picking up a sheathed katana which stood balanced against a tree stump, and a few coiled pieces of rope, and fastened them onto her sides.
"I will not be long." she smiled again as she glanced at Belle, then paced off into the forest.
Belle lay the breeches and shirt over her forearm and lifted herself. She stepped through the camp in the direction of the river, passing a mass of trees and shrubbery, until she heard the trickle of water hitting gently against rocks.
She slowed, not wanting to frighten the young woman, and peered through the branches to find a suitable place to put the clothing.
As she pushed an array of leaves aside with her arm she stood transfixed at the sight before her.
Ruby stood in the clear water, her back towards Belle. She ran her hands through her hair slowly, continuing down her face in a swift motion, and down onto her bare chest.
She crouched down and splashed more of the river onto herself, sparkling as it bounced against her soft flesh.
Belle swallowed hard, unable to stop herself, though she soon realised what she was doing and quickly placed the clothing down beside the river.
She stumbled, and fled back through the trees.
Ruby looked around, hearing twigs snapping and bushes rustling erratically, then noticed the neatly spread out breeches and shirt along a nearby rock.