Dawn relaxed a bit. While they were all still very much strangers in this, the knowledge of someone having her back- even partially- made the situation just a bit less risky. She gave Drake a genuine smile from beneath her hat, then turned fully to Overreach as he approached. “Sounds like a plan.” She kept her expression relatively stoic as the thought of his Gift flickered through his head, immediately rebounding into her own before she could feasibly tune the thing out. Much like Drake, it seemed as if the man wasn’t too used to hanging around a telepath. 

[i]”I won’t say a word,”[/i] Dawn’s “voice” promised. While Overreach’s friendliness had been disconcerting at first, it had soon become almost refreshing. It wasn’t every day that you met someone so amiable in the ash, after all. Combined with the fact that he had already let slip his lack of weaponry, and she saw little reason to let slip his secrets.

Of course, it was always possible that he had his own mental Gift and was keeping her distracted, but that was an unfounded paranoia in this case.

With that said, Dawn settled onto the chilled concrete beneath her, swinging opening her pack and doing a quick check-up on her supplies before night fell. 

[hr]

The night had passed without event, thankfully. No slit throats, no standoffs, nothing. Dawn took her turns as night guard when roused, and, in the morning, as the sun’s flushed fingertips began to spread out along the horizon, took quiet sips of her water until the others had awakened. From then on, it only took an hour or so before they reached the little marketing settlement she had heard so much about.


It was an unspoken rule of the ashlands that no settlement could be [i]too[/i] well off. Prosperity attracted raiders like honey did flies, and even if a town managed to fend off that particular threat successfully, it was inevitable that one faction or another would gain interest in the place and “politely” convince the residents to convert. As a result, most towns one found among the dust were small, run-down, or both. 

This town was no exception. While it wasn’t in shambles, it was hardly anything luxurious, either. Stone and concrete huts huddled together alongside a dirt path, separated by patches of garden and fencing. In what spaces weren’t overtaken by the buildings there were stalls- each one stationed by gaunt-faced men, women, and, in a few case, children. All were shouting, hawking goods and services to any who passed. Past this make-shift market was a thin stream, and, past that, wall. The whole place was circled by cobblestone, in fact, and a handful of guards were stationed around the gaps. 

It was nothing to raise a brow at. However, as their little troop came marching to the front entrance, and were absently waved ahead by the woman standing by, Dawn found herself pausing mid-step before moving on.

She could sense someone like her. Like Eira. Another mentalist. And they- she- was inspecting them all right back. Dawn opened her thoughts to the person, giving gentle reassurance that they meant no harm, while quickly throwing up a shield around the parts of her mind she preferred to be left untouched. 

It was one thing to be friendly. Another thing entirely to let a complete stranger see all who she was and more. 

[@Hyro][@Claw2k11][@bmxbrat484][@Conch Shell VII]