"Much better" Céline murmured. Now that Laura was done with her laundry and the rest of the gang were off doing whatever it was they usually did to keep occupied, she finally had the water to herself. The others in her little ragtag group were within sight for safety's sake but that's what Dandy was here for. The loyal little animal provided a faux sense of modesty but it was still better than nothing (she had to try). Céline looked over her shoulder to see what the animal was up to. Dandy waited nearby, tail swishing as the old gelding munched on the valley' dewy grass. It would be unfair of her to expect him to stay in one spot the whole time she bathed but as long as he remained between herself and the remains of the Johnson Gang she was satisfied. The young woman took a deep breath and began to strip. The cool morning air left goosebumps on her flesh but that did little to dampen her endeavor. Once out of her garments she folded everything into a neat pile and placed them aside where they would remain dry, then pulled her hair back into a bun with a small leather cord. Céline hummed to herself, a soft thrumming noise barely loud enough for even her own ears to catch over the rush of the creek. Timidly, she stepped into the cold water. She paused to allow herself a moment to adjust while her muscles tensed in anticipation before completely slipping in until the water was at her neck. Céline cringed and splashed her face until the initial shock passed and she could finally relax.

          In time, she convinced herself to stop idling and start scrubbing. The small rag she'd brought along required she put in much more effort than if she'd used one of those sea sponges from home but she was thankful for its softness nonetheless. Céline continued humming her lyric-less melody. Once satisfied that she'd been adequately cleansed, Céline stepped out of the creek and got straight back into her clothing even though still damp. Her attire stuck uncomfortably to her form but she couldn't complain. Céline smoothed out the wrinkles with her palms and then approached Dandy to run her fingers through his mane. "I appreciate your service, Dandy" she thanked. The little Fjord raised his head as he was chewing on a mouthful of greenery and stared at her but gave no indication he'd understood a word she just said. "Come." Céline clicked her tongue and started back toward where her new 'family' was gathered, Dandy trailing right behind.

[hr]
          Maverick was seated on a log near the dying campfire and was listening in on the conversations happening around him as he watched the charred firewood. Heading back into town was an alright idea if executed correctly but... cups? Come on, there were probably at least a dozen other things where they could spend money. Alexander's suggestion was decent enough but Maverick wasn't so sure if there was anyone present he'd trust to manage their treasury wisely. But considering they had yet to go completely broke, he figured Kacey knew what she was doing. But he kept his opinions to himself and reached out with a stick to prod the faintly glowing embers for no particular reason. Dodger unfurled from his [i]I'm-a-ball[/i] position and maneuvered to rest his head on his master's thigh. Maverick didn't shy away from the touch and instead rested his hand atop the dog's head. He would have stayed like that for a while longer until his boredom became too much to handle or something came up that demanded his attention; but suddenly, he felt the hairs on this back of his neck stand up on end and realized someone was watching him. Maverick remained put but picked up his head to have a look around. That's when his gaze met Laura's. The man scrunched up his face. "You got something you want to say?"