Gross. Aren looked away when the girl threw up. The dogs were settled by her side, with a certain sense of loyalty about them, like a protective aura.

The girl slowly, and shakenly stood up, then her darkened eyes settled on him. He noted the purple hue of her eyes, and how large they were on her marble heart face.

"I'll try and make this painless. I'm sorry." She whispered, advancing with an iron arrow in hand. The Bandit Chief, now dead, had shoved two daggers into his calloused hands to kill, and cut Aren's binds. Talos, this looked like he was one of the Bandits to attack her.

"No! I'm no bandit! They were going to kill me as well! I haven't eaten in weeks." To prove his point, Aren lifted his shirt to reveal his ribcage, clear for all to see. "I'm Aren." This was all true, he hoped the girl's heart hadn't hardened in those precarious few moments in battle.

The Nord stopped. She shook, and slowly put her bow and arrows away. Her pouch was at her slim hips.

Handy thing, pouches. They can carry a ton of weight, and you don't feel anything until you pass the limit.

Anyway...

"I trust you. I don't know why, but I do." She helped Aren up. Her hands were cold, but soft in his own. "Now, let's get back to the camp, and you can stay for a while." She turned on her heel, and strode back to camp, glancing back, to make sure that he was safe. The dogs loyally followed behind her, sending sprays of that warm spring water.

Despite Cyrodil's recent colder weather, the hot springs were always a break from harsh winds and snow arguments. Their camp was on the lake, on a bed of rock.

The two made it to camp, where Alessi was fretting over them in her maternal way. Rosanna brought out a few pelts to make a bedroll, and Alessi started a pot with boiling water, to assure it was safe to drink.

Milk was in jugs, not yet sour. Rosanna handed him a tankard of it.,

"Milk drinker" he laughed. Aren was greeted by a puzzled glance. "Never heard it? It's an insult." she shrugged. Make fun of her, if he wanted. Rosanna certainly didn't mind, as long as there wasn't a fight. "When you go to a tavern, and order milk instead of mead, it means your weak. I don't mean it, but it still is a little...I'm going to stop talking now."

Slightly embarrassed, and a little impressed by her naïve nature, Aren focused on his tankard.

Rosanna gave him a good-natured smile and put some venison into the stew. Alessi threw in some leeks and potatoes, which brought Irin over with curiosity.

"Miss, you should hurry. Your friend here looks...thin." Alessi chirped, then cursed as she stuck her finger on a needle. She broke the peaceful silence between the three.

Rosanna had once lived in an almost-nomadic family, who moved from province to province almost every year. Her mother had been a well-meaning Skooma addict, her father a devout worshipper of Akatosh. As a result, Rosanna had grown up with Minders instead of Parents. Most of the time, it turned out they were using Rosanna and her family for their own, often evil, purposes. But Alessi had been around the longest, and came when Rosanna ran away. She was trustworthy.

"Mm." She looked down at Aren, smiling. He looked a little bewildered by this.

Bolyn and Kev came back, with fresh meat in their mouths from small forest game.

"Where's Crystal? Is she still hunting?" Rosanna inquired. She sat down, and started to carve a branch with a plain dagger.

"Who is this?" Rosanna turned around. Crystal was behind her, her hands jammed into her wide hips, her brown curls a little more wild than usual. Her green eyes were surprised.

"Aren." Rosanna responded, and sat down next to him. "He was captured by bandits. We saved each other." Crystal didn't like the looks of this young man, and Rosanna knew that. "Please, put some faith in him." Kev placed his shaggy head onto her slim knee.

"Fine. But just don't eat all the mammoth steak. It's hard to come by." Crystal liked him better now. Rosanna knew she liked to hide her emotions, but they've known each other too long to ignore it, much like a captain couldn't ignore clouds.

She smiled slightly. "I'll make the bedroll." And she started to sew, with rapid, practiced hands. Without much else to do, Alessi began to patrol the camp with Irin at her side.

"Don't you want to live somewhere more...lavish?" Aren asked uncertainly. The Nord lived in a hunter's camp. Aren was used to mansions in Helgen, with a bard and an armoury.

They were all sitting around the fire. Crystal, a beautiful and true Nord, was finished with his bedroll, and was sitting around the fire with a look of happiness. Aren noticed how that look was common amongst them.

"Why? I have a tanning rack, food, bed, and my dogs. It's all I need." The huntress, Rosanna, said simply. She looked to the others for comfirmation. She looked at him, and smiled gently, revealing straight teeth, not yet touched by nature.

Aren had a differant image for Rosanna now. She was quiet, thoughtful. Thought before she spoke, and avoided fights and conflict. She was...interesting.

"Tis true, 'tis true." Crstal said, stretchig her long limbs. She was the more outspoken, bolder of the two. Kev sighed his consent, belly up on Crystal's lap.

It grew dark, and Rosanna tanned a few skins before smoothing out a bedroll.

"I was making a tent fabric for you," she explained.

For an unknown reason, Aren didn't mind so much.