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" I hate this.. Can we just sit down already? We've been walking for, " Brown eyes shot down towards her fingers, each digit twitching as she counted. How long had they even been walking for? Hours? Days? Weeks? It felt like a millennium since she had some real food and a place to sleep, that wasn't just a pile of leaves and a jacket. " Hours! I'm tired, mama. " Annie turned her gaze upwards, to the tall, redheaded woman walking along side her. All the while, a frown stayed plastered on her lips.The redhead returned the glance, and frowned almost immediately upon seeing the young girls expression. She'd sigh, shaking her head. " Hun, I'm just as tired as you are, but if we stop walkin', we'll never get started back up again. Remember the last time we set up camp? Took you an hour to get back up again, if that! I promise that we will stop. Just not right now. " While Martha refused to rest, she couldn't help but consider Annie's request. Perhaps they should rest. Stop for a bit. Being constantly on her feet could grow tiring for the little girl, and she didn't want that. Just as Martha opened her mouth to speak again, she spotted something in the distance. it looked like.. Smoke. Where there's smoke, there's fire. And where there's fire, there's a warm meal bein' heated up. Or.. Some careless pyros. " Annie, ye' see that? " Questioned the woman, pointing a finger towards the smoke." That time it wasn't my fault! I was too tired to get up, and you know that! " Scoffed Annie, her freckled arms crossing over her chest. " You didn't hear me complainin' when you went down by the river and refused to get out because the water ' felt nice. ' " Annie had a point. If anyone's guilty of wasting time on this trip, it'd be the both of 'em, not just her. That pouting expression on the brunettes face switched to one of pure bliss, at the sight of smoke in the distance. " Fire! " Turning towards Martha, Annie clasped her hands together in a pleading motion. " C'mon, mama. Can we pleeeeaaaase check it out? There could be some nice peoples down there. And food! " There was a possibility that Martha would agree, and they'd go. But that chance was.. Slim to none." Hey, hey now. I was sunburnt to hell. The water was soothin' the pain. You can't blame me for that either. And y'know what? I wouldn't have been sunburnt had ya not used the last bit of our sun cream. " Just like bickering siblings, the two could go back and forth with one another, blaming each other for the trip being longer than intended. However, whose fault it was wasn't the main focus right now. The smoke was. Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Martha thought over Annie's pleading. " I reckon yer right.. Or there could be a wagon of bandits waitin' to ambush anyone who's dumb enough to just walk in. We can check it out, but you stay close to me, y'hear? No wanderin' off. Hand me the bag. " " Well, what'd you want me to do? Just let myself get burnt up too? " Huffed Annie, maneuvering her arms around to slip the backpack that was on her back, off onto the ground - Allowing Martha to pick it up. Inside, was basically their whole lives crammed into little pouches and pockets. There were some weapons, ammunition, cans of beans, fruits, two jackets for the two of them, dried jerky, and some clothing for the little girl. Among other things. " I know the drill.. Stay close, hand on my knife, be ready to run if somethin' happens. You say it all the time. " " I say it all the time because the one day I don't, you'll choke up 'nd get hurt. " It seemed unnecessary to the little girl, but to Martha? It was life or death. She's been in situations where she had no clue what to do, and didn't want that for Annie. Scooping up the pack in one arm, she used the other to rummage about, looking for some... thiiinnngg. " Ah! " From the pack, a revolver was retrieved. The barrel was a shiny silver, it's rosewood handle carved with the initials B.T. " Alright then.. " Blue eyes went down towards Annie, head tilting towards the side. " Ready? " In response, Annie would return the nod, hand already on her holstered knife. " Ready. "With that, they were off, steadily approaching the smoke..
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As the pair neared the smoke, it became apparent what the cause was. A tavern, rustic yet oddly in a charming way. The lack of a sign was somewhat worrying, as that normally meant the area was long abandoned. However, there was a warmth coming from inside.. And light. Squatters were a possibility.
" Well, it.. Ain't a.. Wagon of bandits. " Jokes the young girl, the corners of her mouth curling into a sly grin. Even to Annie, the lack of title this tavern had was cause for some questions. How would people know what to call it? How would anyone find it in the first place, if it weren't for the smoke? Her hand was removed from the handle of her knife, and placed onto Martha's hand, which was given a firm squeeze. Almost as though she were reassuring the woman. " That it ain't.. " Agreed Martha, though there was still a look of defensiveness on her face. It was clear she wasn't all too convinced this wasn't some sort of trap. Or a simple case of squatters getting a little to comfortable. Either way, it didn't feel safe. Yet. The grip on her gun tightened, finger moving close to the trigger and she shuffled over to the door. She would lower her head and her voice, speaking in a tone that only Annie would hear. " I'm going to open this door.. You stay behind, stay quiet. Got it? " " Got it. "There was some hesitation, but after a while, the redhead pressed her boot up against the tavern's door and slooooowly nudged it open. Gun in hand, she was ready to shoot anything that made a wrong move, until..
Warmth enveloped her body, radiating from a burning hearth. No, it wasn't some ambush, or squatters. It's.. " A tavern. " A look of bewilderment was plastered on the older woman's face, thin brows knitting close together and forming a wrinkle in the middle. Seriously? That's all? All that suspicion and preparedness, just for it to be a poorly advertised tavern? Her gun was lowered, though it was never fully holstered, just in case. " Um.. " Wide eyes went down towards the little girl approaching behind her, her cracked lips stretching into somewhat of a smile. One of both relief and confusion. " 'Suppose you were right about the.. Nice peoples and food. Heh. Whaddya know. " " A tavern!" The little girl almost seemed to sing out her words, pure joy getting the better of her as she scooched pass Martha and fully entered the tavern. Her arms were stretched out towards the sides, as though she were hugging the room. " See? I told you it wasn't bad. You're too Pessimi.. Pess.. Pe- Pesimbis- " " Pessimistic. " "That.. You're too much of that! Now c'mon. I'm starvinnnng. " Reaching both hands to the redhead, she would grab onto her shirt, using it to tug and drag her towards the bar. " Yeesh, girl. I'm comin', I'm comin'. " Without putting up much of a fight, the older woman would follow close behind the younger, hand finally coming fully off of her gun as it was slipped back into it's holster. There didn't seem to be much of a threat in this building. Some drunken patrons, another man at the bar, among others. It was like any other pub or tavern she had been to, just lacking a name. " Raw chicken.. Weird.. " Mumbled Martha, brows scrunching again. Eh, everyone had their tastes. She shrugged it off, and instead turned her attention elsewhere, as she found a stool along side Annie." I already know what I want! Some beef stew, potatoes and carrots! Oh, OH! Can I get some tea with that? Sweet, none of that bitter stuff some of y'all be servin'. " Without much of an introduction, the little girl spewing off at the mouth about what she wanted to eat, to the bartender. Can you blame her? You wouldn't want to make simple small talk either, if you were as hungry as she is. Tip-tappin' at her thighs as though they were a drum, the girl scrunched her face as she thought. " Oh! Can you add butter rolls to that order? Wanna take some on the road. " Not like she was payin' for it, might as well go out. As punishment for the long walk.The more Martha listened to Annie ramble at the bartender, the hungrier she got. Her mouth watered, her stomach rumbling fiercely. While she wanted badly to scold the little girl for her rudeness, It's not like she was any better. So, she'd keep her mouth shut, for now. After Annie's order was made, it was time for the woman to order. In an attempt to sound.. Nicer, and mostly as a joke, she would put on the stereotypical ' sweet southern woman ' voice. " Why, hello there. Terribly sorry about my daughter, it's been a long day. Um, I'd like to have the same as her, minus the rolls. We're on a bit of a budget.. " At the word budget, a glare was shot towards annie, to which annie would respond with a taunting giggle. " Sweet tea does sound nice, so I'll have some of that as well. " The young bartender would nod, walking off to prepare their meal.
With that finished, Martha could finally turn her attention on the room around, taking in it's atmosphere and all the new faces. All the while, she stretched her legs out, joints crackling and popping assumably from old age. " Woo.. Shelter at last.. " 
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