In their surprise, the other two men sprang to their feet, regarding the strange girl with suspicion. She ignored them, however, upon realizing her victory and continued to reveal each of their identities, as they had obviously not intended her to know. "And you are Dan Kelly," she continued, "And Steve Hart," she paused shortly, returning her gaze to the man that sat at her side, gaping at her dumbfoundedly. Her lips curled into a victorious smirk. "And that leaves Joe Bryne."

"Aye," said Ned, being the first to regain his composure. "We are the Kelly Gang. If you don't mind my asking, how do you know us by name? I have never met you before."

She shrugged, nonchalantly. "Well it's kinda hard not to know ya." she said. "Yer wanted posters are everywhere." she crossed her arms over her chest, smirking at them admirably. "Ya know, you lads are very popular among the constables."

"Ned, this isn't good." said Joe, having overcome his initial shock.

"I know." he replied, rubbing his newly grown, bearded chin. "What exactly are they sayin' about us lass?"

"Callin' you thieves, said you murdered some constables." she replied, casually.

"Well they're partly right." Ned decided.

Shrugging off the would be unnerving informtion, Joe returned his attentions to the girl; a much more captivating topic in his mind. Leaning on his elbow, his eyes studied her in such an enticing way that she found herself feeling, if possible, more uncomfortable than before.

Ignoring her obvious signs of discomfort, Joe twirled a strand of her hair that had come loose from her bun flirtatiously around his finger. "What be your name, pretty one?" he asked, slyly, earning several bemused stares from his company.

"Kara." she answered, slightly confused as to why he was more concerned with her name than he was with the fact that he was now public enemy number one.

"Kara Wallace." he mused. "Fine name. I would tell you mine, but it seems you already know it."

Ned rolled his eyes knowingly, nudging Joe away from the poor girl who looked scared of out her wits in response to Joe's forwardness. "I would be careful, Miss. Wallace. Joe has quite a liking for the women."

"Aye," agreed Steve, "He has them all over, how many exactly are there, Joey?"

Joe blushed as the girl looked between the bickering men. "Shut it." he muttered, glaring at each one of them in turn.

Ignoring the others, Joe continued with his flattery, smirking at the young girl with amorous gazes and advances. Although he wouldn't admit it at the time, there was something more than just lust that attracted him to the young girl, something that made her different from the others, something that made his heart leap in his chest each time that her striking blue eyes met his bold brown ones. She was very young, seemingly no more than sixteen, but nonetheless she was captivatingly beautiful. Her skin was smooth and softly tanned from the harsh Austrailian sun. Her hair was a gorgeous, light shade of brown, which had been curled and neatly arranged atop her head in a fancy bun, a single tindral lying neatly upon her collarbone. Although she was quite filthy and disheveled, she was mesmerized with her.

Shaking his strange, foreign thoughts from his head, building up a protective wall against his emotions with his sly demeanor. Breaking his gaze from the girl, his eyes met his partner's, an excellent idea coming to his mind, that would much benefit the Kelly Gang, as well as himself. "Ned," said he, "It could be good to keep her around. She's been in the outside world, she could give us valuable information."

"Oh?" she inserted, raising her eyebrows challengingly. Her unprecedented interruption dumbfounded him, for he wasn't used to being cut off by a woman. "And what makes you think I shall give you any information? And even if you did manage to get me to give you the information you seek, which you won't, how will you know it isn't false?" she cocked an eyebrow, challenging him farther. Crossing her arms over her chest defiantly, she set her jaw in determined rebelliousness. "Do you boys really need another reason for your arrest?"

Curling his lips into a devious smile, Joseph Byrne traced a finger down her trembling arm with a lustful gaze. "Persuasion, if necessary." He purred.

"There will be no need for that," said Ned, catching his hand and throwing him a death-stare. "Miss. Wallace is a lady and she will be treated as such. If she should recognize any place as her home or close to her home she has my permission to go at her own will." His gaze hardened. "Is that understood, Joe? While Miss. Wallace is in our company, she will be under my protection."

"I am not you captive?" she asked, clearly confused. Ned shook his head, looking upon her with kind eyes. Kneeling beside her, he offered her a friendly smile. "Nay, you are not, Miss. You shall be our guest." He replied, looking about his party as if challenging them to claim otherwise, his gaze lingering on Joe in particular. "And you shall be treated as such." He paused, allowing her to calm down a bit before he regarded her again. "Would you like a blanket? It is cold and we should all be getting to sleep soon, we have a long ways to ride tomorrow."

She nodded. "Aye," she replied, accepting his offer gratefully. Fretfully, she glanced at her fingers. Normally, she would've continued with her obstinance and decline anything they might offer her, lest they use their 'kindness' as bargining points in the future for her cooperation, which she'd by no means give, but something about Mr. Kelly seemed, dare she say genuine? Whatever it was, his kind voice or gentleness, she felt she could trust him...for now. Not to mention, the night was quickly growing colder, if she were to continue with her stubborn approach, she'd most certainly be in for an uncomfortable night. "My hands are beginning to go numb." she admitted, submissively.

Joe clenched his jaw angrily as he watched the exchange commence. He didn't know why, but suddenly he harbored a short lived, intense hatred for Ned. He watched enviously as Ned took the girl's small hands in his large ones and began willing warmth into them with the traction of his hands, pressing his lips to her dainty palms to offer his warmth.

Unable to help himself, he jumped up before Ned could get to his feet and scrambled to retrieve the blanket she'd requested himself. Proudly, he strutted over to her, diregarding Ned completely as he wedged between them and proceeded to wrap her in the thin blanket, smiling smugly, knowing that he had provided her with what Ned had not.

The tension between the two men, however, did not go unnoticed by Kara, who looked between the two questioningly, meeting Ned's equally questioning gaze. Deciding to ignore Joe's strange change in attitude, she quietly thanked him before setting about making herself comfortable for the night as the other men had began following the suit, rolling out their blankets and fluffing their pillows as they had suddenly became aware of just how tired they truly were.

Truthfully, Kara was grateful to have the opporunity of sleep, for since she'd been abducted, she had, by instinct, forced herself to remain alert at all times (with the exception of her being knocked unconscious, as she could not help that). Although she certainly found the Kelly Gang to be more civil than the robbers, she couldn't help her lingering discomfort and suspicion. Knowing better than to find herself vaunderable with stangers, she waited until each of the men had fallen into a deep sleep before she allowed herself to close her eyes and welcome a much needed sleep.

However welcome the sleep was, it proved to be of the uneasy sort. Tossing and turning, the young girl was plagued by nightmares and shivers. Clinging desperately at the moth-eaten blanket for what little warmth it had to offer her, she struggled to find comfort as terrifying visions of being taken against her will massed about in her mind accompanying the fear the she'd never see her family again.

In her afflictions, a troubled sound, somewhere betwixt a scream and a moan escaped her lips, waking the man who lay nearest to her. Joe Byrne glanced groggily into the darkness, uncertain as to whether he'd imagined the sound or not. His eyes searching about him, his gaze immediately falling on the young girl who lay a few feet away from him.

Noting her intense shivering, he acted upon instinct, his thoughts far from carnal (for once) as he went to her aid. Without so much as a second thought, he leaned over her, carefully laying his own blanket upon her, over the one he'd already provided for her. He moved to return to his own bedroll when she rolled to her side, facing him, and in her troubled sleep she grasped his shirt, desperately clinging to him in response to whatever demon afflicted her.

He was surprised at first at this action. After a few moments, he decided it best to submit to her grasp, allowing her to bury her face into his chest in her fright. Truth be told, Joe Byrne was shocked...not by her sleep-induced advances, but at the rush of pleasure and utter contentness that coursed through him at the small, innocent gesture.

He was clearly preplexed. How could she effect him so when the contact between them was so innocent and limited? Hell, he hardly felt such emotions when he was intimate with a woman! But this...this was different than the lust he was so familiar with. This was a different kind of desire. This was longing.

Absentmindedly, he swept a rogue strand of her hair from her face as he snaked his arms around her small waist, unable to help but smile as she molded her small frame to his, resting her head upon his broad chest. Taking her as his responsibility, he offered her what comfort he could give, holding her close to him, warming her with his body as he held her in his protective embrace. Enjoying the closeness he rested his head on hers and slowly allowed himself to drift off to a pleasant sleep.