[center][color=9e0b0f][h1]Everett Wilcox[/h1][/color] [i][u]Location[/u]: Wilcox Lands [u]Interacting With[/u]: Nina Jelen [/i][/center] [hr] [hr] True to form, Aunt Louhad the horses ready to go. That woman was amazing. Around the saddle horn hung a bag. Everett didn't know what was in it but fair to Midland said was it something to eat. As Everett walked to made his way to the horses, his mind did something pretty odd, it wandered away from his task. His mind never wandered away from his task, he was too obsessive for that. Yet, something in him made him go back to that red jacket. It needed to be cleaned something awful, her clothes were as ragged as his, only Nina weren't by choose. He hurried ahead to make sure he got to talk to Luella alone. [color=9e0b0f]“Do something about that jacket, get it cleaned up or something.”[/color] Luella Marchbanks gave Everett a look that would kill anyone else. Yet Everett was unfazed by it. He simply climbed the and nodded towards the approaching Nina. Luella scowled at Everett knowing he had won this round. [b]“You lucky I like you boy.” [/b]she said quietly as Everett took the horses reins. [b]“Food in the bags boy."[/b] Everett mouthed a thank you and trotted off to get his companion Dags. Nina looked at Luella and thanked her for the food and looked at the horse. It was obvious she had never ridden one before. [b] “Sweetheart, Imma need yah to leave that red jacket here. It stands out too much in the woods, bobcat might mistake you for a wounded elk or the like.”[/b] Luella lied. Nina nodded and handed her jacket over to Luella. [color=d86c00]“Thanks. I forgot. Habit I guess.”[/color] Nina looked at the horse again and paused. [color=d86c00]“Uh… how do I get up?”[/color] She turned to look at Luella, since Everett had walked off to get Dags. “Just like in the cowboy movies sweetheart. Give her a kick and she'll do the rest. Pull the reins to stop her. Now you remember, don't let that boy push you around. Stay close to him, and listen to him you'll be fine.” Luella said as she took hold of the jacket. [color=d86c00]“Thanks Luella. I’ll keep what in mind.”[/color] Nina turned back to the horse and bit her lip. She gripped the saddle, and hoisted herself up, or tried. After two more attempts, she was finally up on the horse, but looked rather nervous about it. She gripped the reins tightly, and looked around for Everett. The collection of Dags didn't take long. He was happy to see that Nina could get in on the horse by herself. He was happy to have someone along, but he thought that someone self sufficient was a bit much to ask for. Maybe he was wrong. He trotted over to Nina and pushed to her shoulder playfully. [color=9e0b0f]“Don't worry, your gonna be fine. Worst case scenario is a moose or grizzlies attack. This time of the year odds are only… nine to one? Sounds right, come on.” [/color]With that Everett kicked his horse and lead her off into the woods. [color=d86c00]”Goodie.”[/color] Nina kicked her horse, and took off after Everett. They rode single file for what had to be twenty minutes. He didn't expect Nina to give a monologue, but she had been really silent. Everett however had been singing to himself softly while looking for tracks. It was then he noticed something. “Nina? Nina you hear that? “ Everett said as he stopped his horse and began looking around almost in a panic. Nina looked around, and paused. [color=d86c00]”I don’t really hear anything Everett… what is it?”[/color] She stopped her own horse, and looked over at him. [color=9e0b0f]“That's the point, nothing, no birds or squirrel or anything for that matter. Its just silent. There's something else in the area. Come on.” [/color]Everett said he turned his horse in a different direction and trotted onwards. Nina turned her horse in the direction that Everett had and frowned. [color=d86c00]”So when it’s too silent, means there’s something going on huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”[/color] She spoke softly, to make sure not to alert anything else as they trotted along. [color=9e0b0f]“It's not always a certainty but yeah there's a there's a good chance.”[/color] Everett was hoping to find some tracks. Nina bouncing up and down in the saddle could push a few elk away but tracks were always the key. Either way there was a campsite just up ahead. In just a few short moments it came into appearance. It had been used for some time, as a result, the leafs had gathered all over the site. Thankfully only a little TLC was needed to get the place back to peak. The center of the site held the fire. Medium in size and tripod over it. It was used for the Dutch Oven that was in the cabin across from the fire site. The cabin want anything special. Just a wooden structure a door and two windows. Even in size it was pretty small. Though Everett knew for a fact that more than a few people could sleep inside. Everett hopped off his horse and tied it to a tree. He intended on building a fire. The easiest way to get the human scent off of them. If something was around Everett didn't wanna make things too easy for them. Nina took a bit, but she soon got off her horse and looked around the campsite and smiled a bit. There was something about the smell of the woods around her that soothed her a bit, it seemed.[color=d86c00]”Anything I can do to help?”[color] She asked, moving close to Everett, but not that close. Everett walked inside the cabin and came with kindling and a rake. “Sweetie if you don't mind. Gather all the leafs up and get ready to burn them.” Everett said as he handed her the rake. [color=d86c00]”As long as you’re the one lighting the fire, done.”[/color] Nina took the rake from Everett and started raking up the leaves. After a bit, she had a large pile and transferred them over to the fire pit. Everett slung the backpack off and grabbed a fire steel. Scrapping his knife against the steel. The sparks flew and caught fire. Everett was just happy that the leaves were dry enough to catch fire. It took a few minutes Everett but got the fire going. Through the crackling and pops on the fire Everett still couldn't hear anything from the wildlife. Normally he wasn't worried, but right now he had girl that had never shot anything in her life. That could be an issue later but more than likely it wouldn't be. As the fire started poping and crackling, Nina found herself more drawn to it. However, she pushed the urges down and looked over at Everett, and found herself asking him something. [color=d86c00]”So… uh, did you see that weird eclipse last night?”[/color] She was trying to keep her mind off the fire and what she could do with it. [color=9e0b0f]“Yeah I did, it was weird ever since then, I've felt… great, could be cause it's been sunny the last few days but I dunno.”[/color] Everett said as he stretched his arms out, soaking up the sun that came through the trees. He closed his eyes and for a moment was lost in how much he enjoyed it. It wasn't until he opened his eyes that he started to panic. I'm his hands were two bright yellow orbs. When he realized it. He panicked quickly showing his hands behind his back. They glowed so bright it was almost blinding. Nina was staring at Everett the entire time. [color=d86c00]”So, glowing hands. That’s also new.”[/color] She said, taking it rather in stride. However, the fire flamed up for a bit, and she turned around and made a gesture and it calmed down a bit. She then turned to Everett, blushing a bit. [color=d86c00]”Uh… you’re not the only one with an interesting new set of skills.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“So I don't have to tell you I'm the second coming of Jesus H. Christ? Well thank my Dad for that.” [/color]Everett said as he tried to shake the orbs off his hand. A few a few shakes he got frustrated and tried to fling one into the woods. It was almost like he didn't expect the orb to go anywhere, let alone explode. It wasn't the dirt flying or the force of the blast that rocked him. It was the silence after the blast. That and the sound the tree breaking in the woods. He quickly looked over and saw the tree was gonna fall close to if not on top of Nina. Instinct took over as he rushed her and tackled her out if the way. He landed directly on top of her. He didn't know what to say or do as he laid on top of her. Inches away from her face. Even the ever cool and collected Everett was blushing.[color=9e0b0f] “... So uh, come here often? It's a nice place… really calming and the like?”[/color] His voice was calm but it was easy to see he wasn't. Nina was blushing deeply under Everett, as she looked at him. [color=d86c00]”...Uh....not...really.”[/color] She wasn’t sure what to do, or if she even wanted to move. [color=d86c00]”So… good to know. Those orb things you can make can blow things up.”[/color] She could feel his breath on her face. [color=9e0b0f] “I blew up a flock of pigeons and tombstone the other day… So you got fire I take it?”[/color] Everett prided himself on containing his accent. There were moments where it came out much more than he wanted, and right now it was in full swing. Nina had to chuckle. [color=d86c00]”Y’know… your accent is cute when you don’t hide it.”[/color] She looked away shyly and bit her lip. [color=d86c00]”But yes, it seems I have some talent involving fire now. I burned Petyr’s and mine breakfast to crisps this morning without meaning to.”[/color] She turned to look back up at him. Everett couldn't help but laugh as a song came across his mind. He couldn't place the name of the movie just that a Jamaican crab was telling to kiss that girl. Who was he to argue with that? He pressed his lips against hers for our as second or two. He jumped to his feet and realized that that the one if horses were gone and so was Dags. His smile went away and we replaced by fear. He couldn't lose Dags. Not now, not this way. He screamed for Dags as he ran to the edge of the campsite. He screamed and shouted for his best friend to come back. He didn't know how long it took for Dags to come running back. Just that it felt like a lifetime. All the pain, suffering and tears went away when Dags shoved his paws on Everett's shoulders and started to lick his face. Nina set her hand on Everett’s unoccupied shoulder and looked at him. [color=d86c00]”Um… I think we need to talk but I can tell that this isn’t the moment. I’ll go see if I can find the other horse. Take care of him boy.”[/color] She gently ran a hand along Dags head, and gave him a loving scratch behind the ears. [color=9e0b0f]“No let me. It won't take me long I know exactly where it's heading.”[/color] [color=d86c00]“Well before you leave…”[/color] Nina reached over and pulled Everett down and gave him a kiss. [color=d86c00]“If you don’t come back, I’m telling your Aunt on you.”[/color] Everett smiled and softly said [color=9e0b0f]“promise.”[/color] He turned to his best friend and gave him a loving look. ‘Stay with the girl Dags. I need her in one piece.” With a loving scratch behind the ear of his wolf. Everett mounted his horse and winked at Nina. He took off at a gallop. Searching for her horse. His obsessive mind kept drifting back to Nina. One phrase did draft across his mind more than once. Swiggty swooty.