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Blurry worry consumed Clare. She nervously wondered if Teresa would sense the borrowed arm or even the borrowed blood. She worried about being discovered. Would Teresa be proud of her? Could she live up to expectations? Clare kept moving forward though. She knew Teresa would pitch camp not too far away, because little Clare would be exhausted. She remembered that fatigue. In fact, she felt it now.

First, she smelled the smoke and something cooking. The smell made her stomach gallop in disgust. When she came into Teresa's view, Teresa narrowed her eyes on the intruder. Timidly Clare asked, "May I join you? I…I don't have anywhere else to be." Teresa's intense glare remained, but she assented regardless.

Clare inched forward and planted herself on the edge of the camp, opposite from Teresa. Little Clare lay with her head near Teresa's thigh. Clare smiled inwardly at the peace on the younger's face. She wondered quietly if her future would remain the same. Would her current self change as the little one's future shifted? Only time would tell…

Before Clare could get too comfortable, Teresa inquired sternly, "Who are you?"

Immediately Clare responded, "A friend…"

Teresa narrowed her eyes further. She couldn't stand a smart ass. "I'm sure. You don't act like a Claymore, but I can sense a small yoki. Barely. Something's off with you." Clare didn't move, but closed her eyes under the accusations. She expected no less.

"I don't trust you," Teresa announced quietly. Clare kept her eyes closed…

"Can I travel with you?" Clare boldly asked. From the way Teresa was acting, Clare's request would be shot down. However, young Clare sat up. She glanced at both warriors. Her eyes lingered on Clare for a few moments before she turned to her mentor.

"Her eyes are just like yours," she stated the obvious. Teresa nodded slowly. Of course, they were both silver. Anyone could see that. Little Clare continued, however, "The same pain…exactly like I saw before in yours….like mine." Teresa sighed at the young one's words. She wanted to just shove the stranger away. At least she could protect Clare by shoving all threats far away.

She listened though. She drilled softly, "Don't you have any friends to go to? You can't be completely alone…so desperate to follow a couple of outcasts?" Clare slowly shook her head. She gazed at little Clare in wonder. She couldn't believe she once looked like this girl. Nothing really seemed like reality anymore. "What rank are you?" Clare shook her head. She didn't have one anymore.

"I'm renegade. I left a long time ago. Rank doesn't matter," she attempted to explain. Her usual stoic manner shone through, which probably led Teresa to more suspicion. Teresa sighed…she looked over at the child. Young Clare wanted the straggler to stay, so finally Teresa relented. She nodded agitated.

They sat in silence for a while, but Clare broke it. She inquired strongly, "How will you drag a human along. Will you offer her blood? Or will she suffer at the hands of an enemy?"

Teresa's head snapped to attention. Ferocity hummed in her eyes. The thought hadn't crossed little Clare's mind yet, because her eyes had widened. "Can I, Teresa? Then, I wouldn't-" Teresa shook her head immediately. She refused.

"Wouldn't you rather her take your blood rather than some filthy yoma!" Clare shouted angrily. She didn't want to lose her power. She couldn't…not until she fulfilled the mission completely.

Teresa flung herself from the ground and hovered over Clare's bent body. "I don't plan on searching for yoma anymore. I'm leaving the Organization! You needn't worry about Clare. I'll take care of her. She's mine, not yours." Clare chuckled at the irony. She was her own…

She stood to face Teresa eye-to-eye. She smirked, completely unafraid. "I wish it worked like that. Then, you both would be free. But you're an asset…they won't let you go that easily." Her smirk faded, but still she felt strange. She wanted to help her mother figure, but the woman refused any help! She wanted to huff and scream, but she merely snorted in frustration.

Neither of them sensed the being coming from the near brush. His voice called out mockingly, "Nuh nuh nuh…we can't have that. Can we, Clare." He smiled a dirty smile. "Your mission was to save Teresa for the Organization's use, but instead you saved her to forsaken them."

Clare angrily turned toward the handler. "I can't decide for her! Leave us alone, Rubel." She scowled at the calm man.

Teresa's eyes narrowed on the pale man and Clare. She heard the name, but nothing connected yet. Nothing at all. "Seems you're the only thing separating her from being the perfect soldier." He slinked forward. "I'll give you another chance, but part of the deal is that she stay under their control. If you succeed, they will quit hunting you…perhaps even cease hunting all the Ghosts of the North." Clare plopped onto the ground in frustration. Teresa and little Clare looked over in worry. Rubel took this opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

"Again I'll ask: Who are you?" Clare looked up weakly…completely defenseless