She was stiff and it was incredibly sore, but now that she had eaten and slept her back was so much better. It was frustrating that she had to rely on him so soon for her life, but she was caught unaware by the wannabe raider. It was his fault really, that's what she thought to herself, if she hadn't been thinking of him that whole time she wouldn't have been caught out by such a rookie mistake. She stared into the dwindling shadows, daring them to move or waver, but to her disappointment there were nothing but rodents and insects dwelling in their safety. She huffed and looked back at the picture she had found herself lingering on, the book itself was a beauty and clearly cared for. She wondered if at one point it had been Hawke's or had he salvaged it from the manor that he had been squatting in. Privately, the idea of living in his dead Master's manor made her squirm with unease. To be constantly reminded of his past all around him, surely he had been brought to Kirkwall before, he must have stayed in that place as a slave... If not, living there would have brought poison that would seep in slowly with it's subtle reminders of a life once lived. To find that the wolf that she had dreamed of was nothing of the mighty warrior she had conjured in her mind was shattering, but on the other hand, the realisation that he was just a man hit her hard. Especially the attraction. Sure, he had years on his face, the fighting had taken it's toll. He was nothing compared to the idealistic portrayal her twelve year old memory remembered, she sighed. The picture was of two elves, the man adorned with antlers and furs, lying next to the woman who wore flowers and ribbons, it was raw and sensual. Biting her lip she looked over at her sleeping companion, was this book about... sexual things? Or was that just the way she was interpreting it? Either way, it was enough to make her blush and feeling the blood rush over her chest and cheeks made her squeak involuntarily and bury her face in the book. 'Gods, woman get a grip,' she scolded herself quietly.
'Are you alright?' She stiffened as she heard him speak to her. Shit, she thought. 'Though apparently you are calling yourself woman, so that must be your name,' he added in amusement as she slowly lifted her head to glare at him. 'Your face is red, are you feeling unwell?' He said moving towards her, he wasn't sure why she had her face buried in the book, but he thought it best not to ask. 'Do you have a fever? Your neck and chest looks blushed as well,' Fenris said simply.
'Stop looking at my tits, you perv,' came her simple reply as she threw a nearby stone at him. 'I'm fine! I just... Saw something I didn't expect to see in a book,' she said clumsily. Not wanting to admit that it was the idea of sexual interpretations that made her go pink. He raised a brow as he caught the stone and flicked it to the side, she did look a lot better than the night before, healthier at least. She could do with putting on a few pounds, but that was the life of a thief for you. 'What are you learning about theory or something? Did you not get enough practice with Hawke?' She teased in an attempt to change the subject. She wanted to throw the book back at him in defiance, but didn't want to damage the book.
'Very funny,' he says dryly. He gets up and walks over to her, taking the book from her fingers. She hung on ever so gently, but let it go. 'It is about the romances and traditions observed between different cultures. It is an interesting concept and read,' he says conversationally. She makes a scoffing noise as he turns to put it in his pack, but he catches the sight of her biting her lip as his back is turned.
'So the elf one...' she mumbled. 'Is that... customary? With the furs and flowers?' She asked unable to help her curiosity.
He laughs a little, surprising himself at the thought that crossed his mind. 'Interested are we?' He teases back to her, finally able to get back at her for all the teasing that she does to him. 'I mean I am an elf and you are as well,' he says leaning against a tree. She scowled heavily at him, but he noticed the increased reddening of her face and throat. 'There aren't a lot of flowers around this time of year,' he added, allowing himself a moment of frivolity. 'I mean I could probably and literally hunt down some furs and antlers,' Fenris smirks, watching her anger grow.
'Ugh!' She says pulling a face. 'Enough, enough! Gods, you ask a simple question,' she scolds. Stiffly she got up and kicked the cloak that she wore the night before, it was filthy, and utterly useless. She was still wearing his shirt, it would have to do. Well, she wasn't going to give it back, that was for sure. 'I just like knowing things that's all. I know how to do it, I mean... Well... I was a slave. Enough said,' she said defensively. He hadn't asked but she was clearly trying to clarify. 'Everyone knows how to do it, I just wondered if that was supposed to be the tradition or some shit,' she muttered to herself. Admittedly she was no stranger to the concept of sex, she had even used her body a few times to get what she wanted, but she had never allowed herself to go as far as sleep with anyone. She couldn't trust anyone enough. Not that she was inexperienced by any measure.
Fenris took pity on her for a moment as he rooted in his pack for a brooch so that he could make a cloak of the thicker blanket. 'It was seen as a custom once upon a time, in the tribes. To be adorned and one with nature, yes,' he explains as he watches her kick soil over the fire, clearly she wanted to keep moving. He moved closer to her, her arms were crossed over her chest, to preserve warmth and provide some security he guessed. 'Here, wear this, it will keep you warm,' he said simply.
'I don't need any more of your help,' she said bitterly. 'It's your fault I'm like this in the first place. Then you go showing me lewd picture books,' she said with a miniscule tease in her tone. She snatched the brooch from his fingers. 'I would crack a joke about how Hawke gave this to you for a service or something, but my heart isn't really in it this morning. I hurt too much,' she sighs shrugging the blanket over her shoulders painfully. Fenris rolled his eyes, but at least she was a little more to her usual self. Something told him that she was only one step away from mocking him relentlessly for the rest of the journey. 'Come on, the sooner we get to Stark Haven the better,' she muttered as she began to walk over their abandoned campsite. Something was bothering Fenris and it kept nagging him as he slowly followed after her. She was so concerned about him getting out of Kirkwall, spent weeks annoying him, stealing from him and making him pursue her. Yet, now that they were travelling together she couldn't wait to get rid of him. It was confusing and he was determined to find out what she wanted from him. There had to be something, you don't go through all that for nothing.
'How was your injury my fault?' He asked randomly as they walked along the trail, in unusual silence, especially for her. 'You told me to meet you at the gate and then you were late, I needed no assistance from you, so why are you placing the blame at my feet?'
She sighed and looked at the sun which was now high in the sky, the trail around them had blended into the coast and the view, in a different circumstance would be breathtaking. 'You ever think of something to be so great and then reality hits and it's totally unsatisfactory and fucking disappointing?' She said brushing her hair from her eyes. A quick glance at Fenris' face said it all. He knew exactly what she meant. 'That's why. I dawdled on the great and it became a fucking pathetic realisation,' she sighed. 'Come on, let's just keep going.'