Willow’s brief glance rewarded her with one thing, a bowl on a far table that looked to be filled with iron coins in the shape of crisps.
Meanwhile, the first tankard she threw bounced off of Diligence, causing him to recoil momentarily. When the next tankard came sailing in, a gout of orange magma erupted from his neck, melting the container into slag. The artisan hissed with errant heat as he kicked over another table. He seemed to revel in the chaos, but at the same time suffered from his fit of rage.
He began an approach, leaping over tables and bounding at her.
“That all y’got?” roared Diligence, his boot sundering a bench as he leaped towards Willow, “This all your masters’ got? I’m disappointed. I’ve met playard bullies with more teeth than you.”
There was only one more table that divided the two of them, and the artisan stopped short of it.
“Speakin’ of, say a table and a boot leave a train station at 90 miles per hour, travelin’ towards tha’ same loud-mouth on tha’ same rail,” he stopped just to give this posit, before giving the table a fierce kick, sending it flying up in an arc. In the same motion, he loped into a dash where he charged his leg up, swinging at Willow, as the table came down above her, “WHICH ONE CRASHES FIRST!”
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Well, as a recovering bully I take that as a compliment,” remarked Willow as she circled while watching Diligence’s approach with a cautious eye. Rolling her shoulders, she heard a light pop from the arm she’d landed on. As it so happened, Pewter made her less fidgety, and this motion was intentional as Willow felt a bit fidgety about not being fidgety. It also helped her get a better idea of how hard she’d been hit that first time. With Pewter numbing her to a degree, if she didn’t actively think about how hurt she was then she likely wouldn’t notice. Sure enough, she’d been swat with a table, but the damage was manageable.
When Diligence reached the last table Willow watched to see how he’d act. He was pretty darn durable, not to mention capable to barfing magma; so the way she figured it her best bet was going to be countering his strikes. Once the Artisan began his question, Willow could only cock an eyebrow. Thankfully though the Artisan more or less explained precisely what he had planned, so once the table and the boot were in motion Willow reacted smoothly. Burning Mithril, she leapt into the air with her eyes set on the table. Getting just above the arc Willow dropped Mithril’s burn and flared Pewter as she slammed her boots against the object to divert its flight and send it crashing down onto the Artisan. The momentum of the table was still enough to also send Willow flying back a short ways. Dropping Pewter back to normal, she landed in a controlled tumble.
“Don’t give spoilers, bud. Like me saying, I’m gonna kick your right knee so hard it'll bend backwards,” Willow called as she found her feet and blitzed towards Diligence. Rather that throw a kick at the man’s leg though, Willow grabbed a bench and swung it at his head instead. Releasing the diversion, Willow juked to the side and began to run towards the bowl of chips; leaping bits of detritus and debris along the way. “This is the strangest fight I’ve been in, pretty sure,” the Brit call over her shoulder to the demi-god.
When Diligence reached the last table Willow watched to see how he’d act. He was pretty darn durable, not to mention capable to barfing magma; so the way she figured it her best bet was going to be countering his strikes. Once the Artisan began his question, Willow could only cock an eyebrow. Thankfully though the Artisan more or less explained precisely what he had planned, so once the table and the boot were in motion Willow reacted smoothly. Burning Mithril, she leapt into the air with her eyes set on the table. Getting just above the arc Willow dropped Mithril’s burn and flared Pewter as she slammed her boots against the object to divert its flight and send it crashing down onto the Artisan. The momentum of the table was still enough to also send Willow flying back a short ways. Dropping Pewter back to normal, she landed in a controlled tumble.
“Don’t give spoilers, bud. Like me saying, I’m gonna kick your right knee so hard it'll bend backwards,” Willow called as she found her feet and blitzed towards Diligence. Rather that throw a kick at the man’s leg though, Willow grabbed a bench and swung it at his head instead. Releasing the diversion, Willow juked to the side and began to run towards the bowl of chips; leaping bits of detritus and debris along the way. “This is the strangest fight I’ve been in, pretty sure,” the Brit call over her shoulder to the demi-god.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
That table crashed into Diligence and broke over his body. He took a moment to recover, throwing spars of wood and metal fittings off himself. If he hadn’t been recovering from such a hit, he would have been more ready for the bench. Without a head, it struck right on his iron collar and broke over it. More flecks of wood and metal burst off of him as a plume of heat burst from his shoulders.
Willow was almost clear, but the enraged artisan leapt and grabbed her ankle as she leapt over another broken piece. The bowl of iron potato chips was just out of reach.
“Where ya goin’? Ya just got here!” asked Diligence in an oddly steady and warm tone, finding his footing. The Allomancer found herself pulled back and swung over the artisan into another table, spreading plates and food everywhere, “Aren’t ya worn out runnin’ y’mouth?”
Before she could recover, he yanked her another way into a bench.
“Have a seat! Sit a while!”
Then he whipped her back onto the table, shattering more plates.
“ENJOY THE HOSPITALITY.”
Then with a growl of exertion, he pulled her leg and threw her bodily into the direction she was egressing moments ago, right into the bowl of chips.
“TAKE A LOAD OFF!”
Willow was almost clear, but the enraged artisan leapt and grabbed her ankle as she leapt over another broken piece. The bowl of iron potato chips was just out of reach.
“Where ya goin’? Ya just got here!” asked Diligence in an oddly steady and warm tone, finding his footing. The Allomancer found herself pulled back and swung over the artisan into another table, spreading plates and food everywhere, “Aren’t ya worn out runnin’ y’mouth?”
Before she could recover, he yanked her another way into a bench.
“Have a seat! Sit a while!”
Then he whipped her back onto the table, shattering more plates.
“ENJOY THE HOSPITALITY.”
Then with a growl of exertion, he pulled her leg and threw her bodily into the direction she was egressing moments ago, right into the bowl of chips.
“TAKE A LOAD OFF!”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Uh oh,” was all that Willow managed to say before she was swung around like a toy. This way and that she crashed about with her only option being to brace herself. Pewter or no, this hurt; and the metal kept her mind clear and undazed so she could experience every moment of it. At some point during the series of swings Willow lost her hat and found herself wondering how Miss Smith never seemed to lose hers. The thought quieted as she was sent flying.
Moments passed before Willow got to her feet. Stretching her neck she confirmed it wasn’t broken, but she was bleeding in several places including a mean looking cut to her right temple. Lifting her hand, Diligence would see the bowl of chips as the allomancer reached in, grabbed a couple chips, and crumpled them in her Pewter enhanced grip before dropping the bowl.
“Just wanted some snacks. Ya gotta work on you hosting. Coming off as a little over bearing,” Willow chided as she popped one of the metal chips in her mouth and swallowed. Pewter helped, but she could still taste a bit of blood as the metal cut into her throat. Grabbing a nearby tankard, she tipped back whatever was inside it to help wash down the chip, as well as the taste of blood. Grimacing at the liquid, she tossed the mug to the side before focusing on Diligence again, or so it seemed.
“Now where were we? Oh right,” “Willow burned every reserve she had, save for the Clever metal. Upping Mithril, she leapt, straight up and tucked in her legs. Flaring the sizable Iron reserve, she pulled on what she’d actually been focusing on; a nail from a broken piece of bench just behind the Artisan. Pewter was doing its thing, and with a Flare of Brass Willow soothed the Artisan’s confidence and courage.
Now, one thing the allomancer had been theorycrafting once she’d obtained Mithril as a new metal was how it would synergize with her mobility metals. Pewter was obvious, she’d be able to leap incredibly high. As for Steel, and in this case Iron, she had some real fun. Both Steel and Iron were balancing acts. If she Pushed on something lighter than herself, it would go flying; on the flip side of that, if she Pushed on something heavier than herself she would be the one going flying. One big game of What Weighs More, especially if she was Pushing and Pulling on someone. With Mithril, and logically it’s sister Metal, Willow could change the variables. Pulling on a nail normally? Willow would need to duck. Pulling on a nail when she was weightless? Diligence would need to duck.
Sure enough, Willow shot towards Diligence’s stomach like a cannonball, and then, just before contact, Willow Flared Pewter before dropping the burn on Mithril and Iron; and to add to the fun, she burned the Clever metal. The Brass Duralumin Flare washed Diligence in a wave numbing his certainty and courage, and with her Pewter Duralumin Flare she lashed her metal capped boot out in a stone shattering kick at his midsection. She didn’t have a quip for this moment, not that she would have had time to say it.
Moments passed before Willow got to her feet. Stretching her neck she confirmed it wasn’t broken, but she was bleeding in several places including a mean looking cut to her right temple. Lifting her hand, Diligence would see the bowl of chips as the allomancer reached in, grabbed a couple chips, and crumpled them in her Pewter enhanced grip before dropping the bowl.
“Just wanted some snacks. Ya gotta work on you hosting. Coming off as a little over bearing,” Willow chided as she popped one of the metal chips in her mouth and swallowed. Pewter helped, but she could still taste a bit of blood as the metal cut into her throat. Grabbing a nearby tankard, she tipped back whatever was inside it to help wash down the chip, as well as the taste of blood. Grimacing at the liquid, she tossed the mug to the side before focusing on Diligence again, or so it seemed.
“Now where were we? Oh right,” “Willow burned every reserve she had, save for the Clever metal. Upping Mithril, she leapt, straight up and tucked in her legs. Flaring the sizable Iron reserve, she pulled on what she’d actually been focusing on; a nail from a broken piece of bench just behind the Artisan. Pewter was doing its thing, and with a Flare of Brass Willow soothed the Artisan’s confidence and courage.
Now, one thing the allomancer had been theorycrafting once she’d obtained Mithril as a new metal was how it would synergize with her mobility metals. Pewter was obvious, she’d be able to leap incredibly high. As for Steel, and in this case Iron, she had some real fun. Both Steel and Iron were balancing acts. If she Pushed on something lighter than herself, it would go flying; on the flip side of that, if she Pushed on something heavier than herself she would be the one going flying. One big game of What Weighs More, especially if she was Pushing and Pulling on someone. With Mithril, and logically it’s sister Metal, Willow could change the variables. Pulling on a nail normally? Willow would need to duck. Pulling on a nail when she was weightless? Diligence would need to duck.
Sure enough, Willow shot towards Diligence’s stomach like a cannonball, and then, just before contact, Willow Flared Pewter before dropping the burn on Mithril and Iron; and to add to the fun, she burned the Clever metal. The Brass Duralumin Flare washed Diligence in a wave numbing his certainty and courage, and with her Pewter Duralumin Flare she lashed her metal capped boot out in a stone shattering kick at his midsection. She didn’t have a quip for this moment, not that she would have had time to say it.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Don’t know when to give up, huh? I’m startin’ t’--”
The headless Diligence wasn’t ready for the person sized bullet that struck him in the gut. In fact, he looked as though he were opening up to catch her. Catch her he did, but not before the vicious strike to his gut. He grabbed her arms, ready to throw her, but the faceless visage belied the severity of the strike.
“-- like you…”
A glottal noise signified the weakening grip on her arms as the artisan sank to the floor. Blistering air heaved out of the ethereal space between his shoulders. Then, with a heave, a pour of magma spilled forth with a guttural groan. It spread just onto the floor, hardening on impact, and building a small mound of metal.
The effect on Diligence was immediate, as his muscles began to wither and his form thinned out. It was if someone had tilted him over and his life had spilled out of him.
Yet, his hand shot out again, grabbing Willow’s leg..
“That...” groaned Diligence, “... all you got…?”
A sharp hiss exited from his neck as he gripped her tightly, “... You hit… like a… nerd…”
Diligence hit the floor flat over the mound of metal that had poured from him, unconscious.
The headless Diligence wasn’t ready for the person sized bullet that struck him in the gut. In fact, he looked as though he were opening up to catch her. Catch her he did, but not before the vicious strike to his gut. He grabbed her arms, ready to throw her, but the faceless visage belied the severity of the strike.
“-- like you…”
A glottal noise signified the weakening grip on her arms as the artisan sank to the floor. Blistering air heaved out of the ethereal space between his shoulders. Then, with a heave, a pour of magma spilled forth with a guttural groan. It spread just onto the floor, hardening on impact, and building a small mound of metal.
The effect on Diligence was immediate, as his muscles began to wither and his form thinned out. It was if someone had tilted him over and his life had spilled out of him.
Yet, his hand shot out again, grabbing Willow’s leg..
“That...” groaned Diligence, “... all you got…?”
A sharp hiss exited from his neck as he gripped her tightly, “... You hit… like a… nerd…”
Diligence hit the floor flat over the mound of metal that had poured from him, unconscious.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Momentary panic welled up inside of Willow’s chest when Diligence grabbed her. Without Pewter, the Artisan could crush her head like a walnut. As the man started to pass out her worries left, but only for a moment. Even before Diligence had a brief resurgence Willow was already beginning to topple as well. The enhanced Flare that the Clever metal created had used up all of her Pewter in one go, and without that reserve she could feel the aftereffects of every hit she’d taken. Head swimming from the repeated slams against various tables, she lost her balance and fell to the floor.
“Way ta get knocked out by a nerd, ya dweeb,” Willow mumbled in a daze as she clumsily began to fish around for the pouch she’d stored the last Pewter nugget in. This drove home how much of a gamble that new alloy was. If she didn’t finish a fight in one blow she could be effectively knocking herself out if she ran out of Pewter late in the game; not to mention bleeding was actually a concern again. The concept behind it seemed weird, but Miss Caoranach had said allomancer in the old days could fight with a knife in the heart until they were almost bled dry. Without Pewter though, she was just a normal teenager with a bleeding head wound and a lacerated throat from swallowing a small iron plate. Big pluses, big minuses.
Sighing a raspy sigh of relief, Willow pulled out the nugget of Pewter as her vision was going into a tunnel. Placing the nugget in her mouth, she tried to work up the ability to swallow it. With clenched fists and grinding teeth, the Brit found the grit to eat the nugget. Her throat felt like it was on fire and she could feel tears form in the corner of her eyes as the rough piece of metal exacerbated the damage caused by the coin. Then the reserve lit up, and Willow immediately began to burn the metal; relaxing almost instantly as the pain left her body and her had cleared up.
“I think I’m gonna be the first person in the friend group to die…” Willow said to no one as she stared up at the ceiling. If metal poisoning didn’t get her, then the fairly regular damage her body was taking would do it. She found herself believing the sort-of statistic Miss Caoranach had also told her; that allomancers had an average career length of five to ten years before dying from one thing or another.
Rolling onto her side, she pushed herself up and stretched. Quite a bit more popping from her joints. Looking around, she located three things. The first was her hat, which she picked up and brushed off before putting it back on her head; in part to hold a handkerchief to the cut on her forehead. The second was the nearest meat pie that hadn’t been ruined in the fight; or at least was recognizable as a meat pie still. The third being another tankard to wash it down with. Items in hand, Willow schlepped back over to Diligence. Crouching by the Artisan, she reached down with the hand holding the pastry and prodded the man’s shoulder with her pinkie finger.
“Ooooooi. Wake up sleepy head. We still got diplomancy to conduct. Fair warning, my next idea for waking you up is dumping this tankard on you,” Willow said, her voice still sounding raspy and worn.
“Way ta get knocked out by a nerd, ya dweeb,” Willow mumbled in a daze as she clumsily began to fish around for the pouch she’d stored the last Pewter nugget in. This drove home how much of a gamble that new alloy was. If she didn’t finish a fight in one blow she could be effectively knocking herself out if she ran out of Pewter late in the game; not to mention bleeding was actually a concern again. The concept behind it seemed weird, but Miss Caoranach had said allomancer in the old days could fight with a knife in the heart until they were almost bled dry. Without Pewter though, she was just a normal teenager with a bleeding head wound and a lacerated throat from swallowing a small iron plate. Big pluses, big minuses.
Sighing a raspy sigh of relief, Willow pulled out the nugget of Pewter as her vision was going into a tunnel. Placing the nugget in her mouth, she tried to work up the ability to swallow it. With clenched fists and grinding teeth, the Brit found the grit to eat the nugget. Her throat felt like it was on fire and she could feel tears form in the corner of her eyes as the rough piece of metal exacerbated the damage caused by the coin. Then the reserve lit up, and Willow immediately began to burn the metal; relaxing almost instantly as the pain left her body and her had cleared up.
“I think I’m gonna be the first person in the friend group to die…” Willow said to no one as she stared up at the ceiling. If metal poisoning didn’t get her, then the fairly regular damage her body was taking would do it. She found herself believing the sort-of statistic Miss Caoranach had also told her; that allomancers had an average career length of five to ten years before dying from one thing or another.
Rolling onto her side, she pushed herself up and stretched. Quite a bit more popping from her joints. Looking around, she located three things. The first was her hat, which she picked up and brushed off before putting it back on her head; in part to hold a handkerchief to the cut on her forehead. The second was the nearest meat pie that hadn’t been ruined in the fight; or at least was recognizable as a meat pie still. The third being another tankard to wash it down with. Items in hand, Willow schlepped back over to Diligence. Crouching by the Artisan, she reached down with the hand holding the pastry and prodded the man’s shoulder with her pinkie finger.
“Ooooooi. Wake up sleepy head. We still got diplomancy to conduct. Fair warning, my next idea for waking you up is dumping this tankard on you,” Willow said, her voice still sounding raspy and worn.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow’s finger pressed against strained, thin muscle a few times before her prodding inspired a sudden gasp in Diligence. The artisan, much reduced, slapped his hands against the floor, pushing himself up in a haggard, defeated motion. Literally deflated, he drug himself over to one of the toppled tables, and began scooping a pile of rock and crusted metals into his collar. Each lump of mineral seemed to bring new light within the vacant space within.
Then, he turned over, and with a loud hiss, a blackened, metal skull erupted from the collar. Diligence patted this forehead, showing just the barest emotion on his face for the first time since the fight started.
“Fuckin’... hate this part…” groaned the skull, chittering its teeth, before turned over on this hands and knees. Another wave of magma flowed over his head, “... burns like… hell…”
When the molten slag washed away, a fresh-faced, gaunt Diligence rose to look at Willow.
“You look like garbage,” commented the emaciated artisan, running a hand through new, unkempt hair, pulling out flecks of dark metal, “but so do I.”
He looked around at his wrecked hall, and the wide, empty chamber, deathly silent. The weary look in his eyes gave off a forlorn sense of loss, beyond just the fight itself. Though, he didn’t seem to linger on the feeling, as he snatched up another hunk of rock and metal and sunk his new teeth into it.
“What are you, five-hundred? Y’look Smart’s age,” grunted Diligence, “She’s only a couple years older than me, and I’m tha’ next oldest by fifty years. Which would make you as old as tha’ world itself.”
Another loud chomp punctuated his words, "And I think I'd know someone around here that's older than me."
Then, he turned over, and with a loud hiss, a blackened, metal skull erupted from the collar. Diligence patted this forehead, showing just the barest emotion on his face for the first time since the fight started.
“Fuckin’... hate this part…” groaned the skull, chittering its teeth, before turned over on this hands and knees. Another wave of magma flowed over his head, “... burns like… hell…”
When the molten slag washed away, a fresh-faced, gaunt Diligence rose to look at Willow.
“You look like garbage,” commented the emaciated artisan, running a hand through new, unkempt hair, pulling out flecks of dark metal, “but so do I.”
He looked around at his wrecked hall, and the wide, empty chamber, deathly silent. The weary look in his eyes gave off a forlorn sense of loss, beyond just the fight itself. Though, he didn’t seem to linger on the feeling, as he snatched up another hunk of rock and metal and sunk his new teeth into it.
“What are you, five-hundred? Y’look Smart’s age,” grunted Diligence, “She’s only a couple years older than me, and I’m tha’ next oldest by fifty years. Which would make you as old as tha’ world itself.”
Another loud chomp punctuated his words, "And I think I'd know someone around here that's older than me."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Pfft, off by a bit in the wrong direction. ‘sides, it’s rude ta ask a lady her age,” came Willow’s response followed by a brief chortle. The teen had stood, and while Diligence drug himself to some food she righted a mostly intact table, pulled over a bench, and sat lounging with her back against the table. Thanks to Pewter she felt fine enough, but she reckoned the Artisan had a point about her appearance; a matter to which she shrugged and continued eating.
“It’s a bit of a long story at this point, so I’m gonna sum it up best I can for ya. But I am going to stress that I’m on your side in this, so, open mind, open heart, and no closed fists. ‘kay?” Willow began. Continuing, she explained the gist of how she ended up in this realm, her interactions with the other Artisans, as well as her talk with Percy. It was a lot to explain, and she imagined a lot to take in; especially with her book end statement. “So yeah, I’m a human. Here to hopefully change things for the better. The odds of that would be a whole lot better with you helping out; even if just by setting me up with some metal to eat.”
“It’s a bit of a long story at this point, so I’m gonna sum it up best I can for ya. But I am going to stress that I’m on your side in this, so, open mind, open heart, and no closed fists. ‘kay?” Willow began. Continuing, she explained the gist of how she ended up in this realm, her interactions with the other Artisans, as well as her talk with Percy. It was a lot to explain, and she imagined a lot to take in; especially with her book end statement. “So yeah, I’m a human. Here to hopefully change things for the better. The odds of that would be a whole lot better with you helping out; even if just by setting me up with some metal to eat.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Ugh… Why didn’ ya lead with that?” groaned Diligence, having sat silently, eating various hunks of metal strewn around the regular food. The more he consumed the more his original mass seemed to restore itself, but the weariness remained. He did not move from his spot on the floor. “Hey! I’mma human! Lookit me! The Guide tol’ me to unfuck this situation. Please he–...”
He snorted, stopping himself, “Yeah I wasn’ gunna’ listen either way. Probably for tha’ best this happened.”
With a loud thump, he threw his head back against the table, staring up at the ceiling in thought. He scratched at his jaw with his dark hands, peeling off flakes of minerals and metal that must have been used to constitute his face. Flicking away the chaff of his restoration, he slowly began to pull himself to his feet, no longer emaciated, but not fully back to his old self.
“Somethin’ tells me you don’t eat metal like I or my people eat metal,” guessed Diligence, eying the regular food Willow chose to eat, “What with you swallowin’ the bits instead a’chewin’m like y’doin’ now.”
He gave himself a few more seconds to think before adding, ”So, I give you some metals that y’can choke down. I send ya on y’way. What’s y’plan from there? Y’gunna just walk up t’the Forgotten’s Grove and hope ya can sucker punch Vengeance like y’got me? I wasn’t even trying to kill ya after the second swing, what makes you think y’gotta chance killin’ somethin like Vengeance lookin’ like trash after one fight, huh?”
He snorted, stopping himself, “Yeah I wasn’ gunna’ listen either way. Probably for tha’ best this happened.”
With a loud thump, he threw his head back against the table, staring up at the ceiling in thought. He scratched at his jaw with his dark hands, peeling off flakes of minerals and metal that must have been used to constitute his face. Flicking away the chaff of his restoration, he slowly began to pull himself to his feet, no longer emaciated, but not fully back to his old self.
“Somethin’ tells me you don’t eat metal like I or my people eat metal,” guessed Diligence, eying the regular food Willow chose to eat, “What with you swallowin’ the bits instead a’chewin’m like y’doin’ now.”
He gave himself a few more seconds to think before adding, ”So, I give you some metals that y’can choke down. I send ya on y’way. What’s y’plan from there? Y’gunna just walk up t’the Forgotten’s Grove and hope ya can sucker punch Vengeance like y’got me? I wasn’t even trying to kill ya after the second swing, what makes you think y’gotta chance killin’ somethin like Vengeance lookin’ like trash after one fight, huh?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“You’re sharp,” Willow conceded. “As for my performance, I still beat you while only using a fraction of my arsenal. You help me with stocking up, and I’ll be able to fight at one hundred percent. As for the specific plan for Vengeance, one of the Metals I can use is particularly effective against wraiths; which Mister Cax… The Guide? Believes should translate to Vengeance themselves. Beyond that… I’m hoping more to help Vengeance, rather than kill. They’re one of you? Aren’t they?”
Popping the last bit of pastry in her mouth, Willow stood and stretched; no popping joints. Wiping her hands on a bit of cloth, she finally took a moment to fix her hair; what with two comments close to each other about her appearance. Looking off towards the entrance, she wondered how far her companions had gone, and at what point she should go let them know she was alive.
Popping the last bit of pastry in her mouth, Willow stood and stretched; no popping joints. Wiping her hands on a bit of cloth, she finally took a moment to fix her hair; what with two comments close to each other about her appearance. Looking off towards the entrance, she wondered how far her companions had gone, and at what point she should go let them know she was alive.