"Just a passing samaritan," Dollar replied, waving his suspicion away with his hand like an old fart. "Girl looked like she had a knot in her back. Carrying too much tension in her shoulders, y'see. Somethin' you're familiar with, I'm sure."

The ground rumbled at the distant approach of machinery. The Forges sending out crews to hack the beast apart for meat, no doubt. Thry always were quick about these things. Inconveniently so, at times. Not that this was one of them. 

"I'm not gonna step on your toes, big guy," she sighed, letting her hands fall to her hips. She paced around Alex's left side, face fixed ahead while her eyes never left his face. "I'll get goin' out of your hair now, 'kay? No fuss. Just thought I'd get a look at our guest of honor before the big party is all."