Fandom Tale of Two Survivors { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

He looked over at Nate, his gaze studying the man beside him. "My group can be a bit fanatical and they live on the west coast so I would rather you know about them, to avoid them" Alex said, using that as a way to defend to himself why he'd spill his basic life story to a man he'd met just this morning. Alex blushed as he heard Nate's compliment that he was glad that Alex was there and that he had an amazing aim.

"They are not kind people, in fact they are probably as bad as hunters" Alex said with a bitter laugh. "In fact, they require men to shave their head and my hair still trying to grow back" He added, bringing a normal chuckle out. "I was to be a warrior and we were given different combat choices and I did better with the bow, so I was trained in using it" He said, trying to explain that his aim was good because the Seraphite's only accept the best. He looked over at Nate. "What did you do when you were in the Fireflies?" He asked, feeling his shell cracking the longer he spent beside Nate.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Fanatical. Huh. He wondered what the really meant now that the world was broken. Nate never lived in a world where there were multiple religions and frankly people who did not do exactly what people part of militias did. He had only ever known being part of the Fireflies and being against people like FEDRA. Occasionally, in their travels, they came across individuals or small groups of people who were not living exactly the same way as those he knew, but they were always exceptions. From what he could gather, he was pretty sure that this fanatical group was big enough to be like FEDRA and the like. It was interesting, and as much as he wanted to ask many more questions, he did not want to overstep. Maybe later he would find the chance.

Until then, there was always talking about the Fireflies, and he was more than happy to oblige with that. “I was training to be a medic back in the days when they were still there,” he answered with a proud smile. “I mean, I don’t think I am a great surgeon or anything, but I think I’m pretty good. My mama was a soldier- scout really, and she knew a lot of little things you could do to patch yourself up, so I learned those from her. And then I started picking up new ways to help people as I grew up. That was the coolest thing about being with someone who moved around a lot. We got to meet so many new people, and they all had different things they could do.” Excited now, he continued, a buzz in his words. “I even have a journal where I’ve been keeping different remedies and such for different things. Anything from physically putting yourself back together or using the nature and plants around us.” He almost laughed. “It’s come in handy a few times.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

As the pair walked, Alex was enjoying the breeze as it played with the hair that had grown back so far. He didn't want to bring his former group into the conversation, but it seemed as though it hadn't ruined their current situation. Companionship? Whatever this was called. As he walked, he looked around them, trying to imagine what the world would have been like. Would he have ever met Nate? Probably not considering they seemed to have come from opposite sides of the country. His gaze flicked over to Nate as he began talking about the Fireflies.

He could sense the excitement in his words as Nate talked. His words confirming what Alex had originally thought. The man beside him was training to be a medic. Having a warrior and a medic traveling together, what a combination. "That sounds interesting, my sister was training to be a healer in our group. I'm not sure if she ever made it though" He said. He looked over at Nate with a small smile. "So if I get hurt, I have my very own medic to put me back together" He said with a small laugh. "I can't imagine traveling around all the time, this is the most I've traveled in my entire life" Alex admitted.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Sister. Nate pocketed that as something to consider later. Alex left his fanatical group to include his family, and Nate wondered how much he had to go through to do something like that. Could Nate leave his family? He did not have any siblings, but he did have a mother, once, and he had Max and Ben who felt like brothers, once, and there were so many others throughout the years. So many people who meant so much to him. He was not sure he could leave them, even if he were stuck somewhere like that. Though, he was never persecuted for being himself. Maybe he would have left too. Maybe they would have come with him.

“Oh sure!” he laughed. “I have traveled so many places and learned so much that I bet you I could fix just about anything that happens to you. Well, within reason. I can’t fix you from getting bit.” It was meant to be a joke, and it was, but it fell harder than he meant for it too. Too hard for him and maybe even too hard for Alex. He did not know Alex’s past, well the intimate details of it anyway, and that meant he did not know if that would strike a wrong note. It certainly did in himself. “But I might be able to save you from other things. Got me a whole pack full of supplies.” He patted his backpack as they moved through the streets. He had a lot, and he really should be paying more attention in the hopes of getting more. The more he used, the more he was going to need. And if Alex just blew up a bloater twice, he was going to need some more supplies soon too.
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[icedthemoon]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

He had been wondering how his sister and brother had been doing. His sister was well on her way to becoming a healer last he knew and his brother was in training to be a warrior like Alex had been trained to be. It had taken everything in him to leave that night. It had been raining hard, which allowed him to sneak away. Stealing a boat was the hardest thing but he'd managed it somehow. Once he'd reached the mainland, it was easy to avoid the WLF by skirting the city itself. He still remembered how nervous he'd been traversing the large city on his own, nothing but his bow and arrows and half full backpack. He had gotten lucky to make it out of Seattle without running into infected.

Alex looked over at him, hearing the comment about not fixing being bit. "If you could fix that then you'd be the savior of the world." He said with a small laugh. He didn't know anyone who'd been bit, so it hadn't really effected him. He didn't like killing infected but it was either him or them and he would save himself first. He hadn't come this far just to sacrifice himself to a bloater or runner. "Speaking of supplies, we should be looking huh?" He said, he'd gotten so comfortable just walking that he had been forgetting the most important part to survival, looking for supplies to keep going.
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Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

He surveyed the area, slower now that they were out of the streets proper. They were still in a town obviously, but this was a more rural area. Unlike in the middle of the towering cities with buildings stacked on top of each other and high in the sky, this place felt quainter. That seemed a little silly considering that he was thinking about places long since abandoned. But that was just it. They were abandoned, not a killing field. Sure, the supplies were a little sparser, but it usually meant he could find more interesting things left behind. It also meant he found a lot less dead, and that meant a lot in a place like this.

“If I could do that, we wouldn’t be in this mess, now would we? Come on. Let’s check out this place. Looks as promising as any I suppose.” He jerked his head towards some sort of building that might have been a house and might have been a store. He was not sure yet. With these kinds of small towns, they all looked similar. Though there were other places to check, he thought he saw something shining somewhere deep in its overgrown depths. If something was catching the light of the sun, it was probably glass and most likely a bottle. That, he could only hope, meant alcohol, which was something he most certainly was in dire need of replenishment. After a previous encounter the other day, he was getting mighty low on his reserves, which was more or less worrisome. Currently, he was alright, but if they found themselves in another scrap, they might not be.

“Maybe,” he mused as he stepped over the broken doorframe, “we can find something to keep us entertained. I love finding old world treasures. Used to have a whole collection back home. Anything from fancy utensils to books and records. I don’t even understand what those are, but I got ‘em." He pushed aside a beaten table and plucked the bottle. Yep, alcohol. Great. As he stuffed it into his pack, he continued, “I mean, I guess I did. Maybe I’ll take up collecting again some day.”
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex followed Nate over towards the house. He slowly made his way through, looking for anything that he could use. He found sharps, nails, a few cans. Perfect for nail bombs, and he found some glass bottles that he could use for molotovs. He looked over at Nate, head tilted slightly. “Old world? What do you mean by that?” And here is where it was going to get painfully obvious out under a rock Alex had lived.

He ventured forward, snagging a few arrows that he saw shot into the wall. They were in good shape and he stored those away. He needed a good hand to hand weapon. His eyes caught a glint and found a crowbar. That’ll work just fine. He had remained close to Nate even as he searched, making sure they could still talk to each other in case things went bad.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

“Yeah, you know,” he brushed some dust aside as he pulled open several drawers. Empty. “Stuff from before the world went all, um,” he threw his hands up, waving them around like that was somehow going to draw the words to him, “catastrophic? I mean, I wasn’t around for then, obviously, but I have heard so many stories, and found so many things. Like… oh! Like this!” He pulled out an old rectangular and gray device from inside the drawer. “This thing apparently played music? I don’t know how it could possibly do that. I thought you needed a cassette tape for that, but apparently in the old world, the before, you could plug this into… um the wall somehow? And then it would play music for you! I think.” He tossed it up and caught it again. He laughed a little and then shoved it into his backpack. Was that going to help him survive? Nope, but it sure would be fun for his collection. New collection? New one, since it did not so much have an old one.

He moved along the place, picking up a horribly old pair of scissors, a couple of old snack bars that would suffice if they were feeling a little worse for ware, and a couple of old rags that he could probably work to get some use out of. He was pretty sure they looted the place as much as possible now. He moved to the edge of the old building and turned back to wait for his partner. He kind of liked that. He missed having people with him, and he felt pretty comfortable with Alex around.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex had straightened up listing to Nate. His attention was drawn from where he’d been searching to look at him. “Oh. I see.” He stepped over a fallen door, seeing the object in his hands. “I knew the world wasn’t always this way, but I didnt know the word” He added, his eyes watching the device curiously while he listened. His heart did a weird thing in his chest at the man’s laugh. Shaking his head, he looked away.

He looked for a few more minutes and found some cloth and some bandages. Good to have on hand. He stuffed them in his bag before he walked over towards Nate. He didn’t know why, but he was enjoying traveling with him. It was nice, talking and learning about the other. “We should hit the border in a few days, but there were some hunters camping along it when l had come through the first time” Alex had been extremely lucky he hadn’t gotten caught having snuck past them at night.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Nate nodded, taking in the information and considering the best course of action. “Hmm, okay, Hunters can sometimes be reasonable people.” He narrowed his eyes then shrugged. “But not usually. We will probably want to avoid them.” His lips pulled into a warm smile as he addressed Alex, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for the warning.”

He pulled away his hand and began walking down the street once more. “Thankfully,” he began again, “we have a couple of days until then, so hopefully we will be able to find more supplies to be better prepared. As much as I would prefer to sneak around them, sometimes, that is not an option.” He sighed, remembering several unfortunate occasions as such. “But until then, we should probably find somewhere to camp soon.” He eyed the crumbling town around them. “Though perhaps not here. If I were a hunter coming this way, I would check these buildings.” He was not a hunter and was proud not to be, but he knew many warriors who had all the right trappings. He traveled with them. Though he may not have them with him anymore, he still learned much.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex looked at the hand on his shoulder. “These guys seemed to be more aggressive. I was fortunate to slip by at night” Of course, that was his biggest strength. He was very quiet, stealth was his forte. He didn’t deny that he liked the hand on his shoulder, and looked away when it was gone. He nodded at making a camp. The structures were out considering it was a prime target for hunters.

“If we can sneak around them I’d prefer it. I try to not kill people” Alex said. “Let’s go further up, maybe we can find a place just inside the tree line up there.” Alex said pointing further where the first met this small town. It made more sense to duck into the woods, hunters don’t usually think to check there. It would be better to find a cave or something but bushes would work too.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Nate followed the line of Alex’s gesture and nodded again. “You’re right, that is a great idea.” The slight smile broke into a large one, crackling across his face and crinkling at the sides of his eyes. “If we move a little further inside the trees, we may be able to avoid them altogether if they are coming by. I would so much prefer to not engage with them. I don’t know if you can tell, but I am not much of a fighter. I can, I mean,” he quickly amended. “If I have to. All the fireflies are taught to defend themselves, but I hate it.” He shook his head as they walked that direction. “I wish that people could live more peacefully together. There are so few people left. I don’t understand why we are always fighting. Isn’t there enough of that with the infected?”

That was always the sticking point when it came to whether or not he would become a soldier or scout like his mother. She did what she did to survive and also to protect her people. He loved that about her. He saw her as nothing but a hero, and he never had any doubts of her intentions, but he did not understand how someone could be okay fighting and killing all the time. That was why he ultimately decided to train as a medic. If he could save someone, that was worth so much more than killing them. His mother once told him that sometimes you had to kill one person to save all the lives that that person would take. Like many of the philosophy’s of his friends and Firefly family, he knew what they were saying, and he agreed in the sentiment, but he did not agree with the actions. There had to be another way. There was always another way.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex turned to see Nate’s smile get bigger and he felt the weirdest twinge in his heart. He heard Nate talk and he nodded. “I feel safer in the forest, it’s natural” Alex admitted. “If we can get far enough away, we might be able to bypass them. It might make more sense to move through the forest. I can fight, I was training to be a warrior, so if we have to, I can handle it” Alex said. He heard Nate’s comment about not working peacefully.

“There is always going to be people more concerned on gaining what they can for power or even survival. I don’t think there is any peaceful place left” Alex added, turning towards the trees. He sighed, there was no peace anymore. It was coming down to kill or be killed, and even his own people weren’t against killing if they have too.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

He furrowed his eyebrows, and his lips pulled in a little. “Do you think so?” he asked far more genuinely than he might have meant to. This was a topic he frequented with whoever would listen. “Do you really think there is no more peace?” He moved towards the trees, though his legs were slower now that he was so focused on the conversation. This was a common occurrence, though not one that Alex would know yet. He would surely learn this about Nate quickly. When Nate fell deep into thought and dialogue, the rest of his functions slowed and disappeared.

“I know that there’s nothing we can say to change the minds of people like those hunters or war-hungry FEDRA. Maybe not even your people?” He hated to overstep, but it seemed pretty clear that Alex had little love for the brutality of his own sect. “I know that it;s hard for people like that to find a peaceful way to live with others, especially when their beliefs are so potent. But,” he paused there, staring at the trees as they neared. “I hope that one day, we can find something like peace. I think we deserve that.” He loosened his expression, and his smile slipped back onto his face. “I haven’t known ya very long, but I think you deserve it.” His small smile grew into his toothy grin, and he reached up a hand to fix the glasses that sat crookedly on his face.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex looked at him. "Yes, I do. It's hard to imagine peace with what I've seen. People have changed, it's hard to find true peace anymore." He said. Alex looked at him, noticing he was walking slower. "Are you okay? You aren't hurt are you?" He asked, slowing his own steps so he could walk and look at Nate at the same time. He didn't know that was how the man was and so he was concerned that the man was injured and was hiding it. "You can't change my people's minds, its so ingrained in them. I don't know how I got away without it effecting me." Alex admitted.

"If we find a place that has peace, then I'll stay and build my life there, but I won't hold my breath" He said, before his eyes widened. He thought that Alex deserved peace? Really? Wow. There goes the twinge in his chest, watching as Nate smiled, fixing his glasses. He had no idea what the feeling was, but along with the twinge, his cheeks grew hot. Turning away, he made his way to the tree line, scouting for something that would provide shelter and safety for the night. He found a section of bushes that hid a small piece of forest floor from view. "Nate! I think I've found our camping spot for the night" He called softly to his companion. He walked over to the bushes, stepping around and nodding, this would keep them out of sight of the road.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

“No, no,” Nate said, his voice moving slower as his thoughts overwhelmed his systems. “No, I just…” he laughed at himself as he forced his legs to move at their original pace. “That’s just how I am sometimes. You gotta remind me to move it sometimes. I hope I don’t slow you down too much.” He shoved one side of his mouth down to make a frankly goofy grin as he shrugged.

Then he found himself slowing again as they reached the trees, because he was so distracted watching Alex as he scouted. His words made him pause, his smile fading from so large to smaller and thoughtful one. Could they really find a place of peace? That sounded like something out of a story parents tell their children to make them sleep better. One day, we will have peace in our world. He wanted so badly to find that for not just himself but also for everyone else, Alex included. What Alex must have gone through, getting those kinds of scars both physical and mental, had to have been terrible. He could not imagine. One who dealt with that deserved to find peace.

“Look at you at it again!” he called as he pulled himself from the visions of what might have been and what could be. He jogged over to him to inspect the area. “I think you’re right.” He bent down to test the sight. He stood up, bent down, stood up, and down again. “This is perfect.” He pointed towards him. “I am definitely keeping you around.” He chuckled to himself than began to pull items from his pack such as the sleeping bag he had had since he was a little boy. It used to be so big, and now it mostly fit like a normal person’s. Parts of it were tearing at the seams, but it worked. Between tape and crude sewing, it was going to make it for at least a little while longer.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex nodded, glad that he wasn't injured. "I'll just let the infected get you so I live" He laughed, hoping that Nate took it as joke. He was growing more comfortable around the man, and it both fascinated yet scared him. He didn't want to get too close, just in case he lost him. He thought about peace, and thought if it was even possible. He hoped they'd both get peace but he didn't know if that was a dream or a possible reality. He looked over at Nate who'd been watching him scouting before jogging over.

He watched as Nate tripled checked the sight line of the area and he shook his head with a grin on his face. This man was a constant source of entertainment. "Oh, so I'm only good to have to find safe sleeping spaces?" He asked with a laugh. Alex pulled his pack off his back, grabbing the old slightly torn blanket he used to sleep on. He pulled off his outer jacket, rolled it into a pillow and set it at the top of the blanket. "I'm definitely ready to get some rest" Alex commented, laying down on his blanket on his back and head on the torn jacket. He turned his head to look at Nate who had an equally old sleeping bag.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

“Well, yes, that is exactly what you are good for if you’re going to use me as bait to save yourself.” Nate pushed off his shoes and slid into the sleeping bag, nestling himself until he felt warm enough. For now, the weather was not so bad. He was almost certain that the weather would continue to be relatively reasonable at least until they reached Seattle and found whoever these Washington Liberation Front people were. If they had Fireflies among them, then everything was going to be alright.

He stretched out his arms nearly smacking into one of the bushes and then laughed at himself as he corrected. “Oops.” He yawned rolling onto his side as he pulled his arm back in. He peered over at his companion. “Maybe you should leave me for the infected. I would probably draw less attention to us.” He chuckled to himself as his eyes grew heavier now that they stopped moving.
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[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex had laughed, a real one, when he heard Nate's comment. His eyes glanced over at Nate while he got comfortable in his sleeping bag. Alex had a bad habit of staying awake even when he should sleep, so he'd probably keep watch for a bit. His attention was drawn when Nate hit a bush with his arm and Alex laughed lightly. "I'd rather save you for the hunters" He said softly, before noticing his companion was asleep. Alex sat up on the blanket, crossing his legs and sighing. He didn't know where they were going, but he was finding himself enjoying Nate's company. It made his heart do flips every time Nate laughed or smiled or just did something adorable.

He sighed, looking out into the forest as darkness claimed it. He laid down, resting his head back on the jacket. There were so many unknowns in this world of theirs and he knew so little of them. He could fight people and he could fight infected, but beyond that? He knew as much as a child would. That's what happens when you're stuck in a religious cult, on an island away from everything.

Before Alex knew it, the sun was dancing on his face and he blinked open his eyes, slowly coming too and realizing where he was. Sitting up slowly, he looked around, his eyes landing on Nate. He leaned over and gently shook the man's shoulder. "Nate, wake up" He said softly, just in case something or someone was around.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Nate had not planned on falling asleep so quickly, but the world was dark under the cover of trees, his sleeping bag was cozy and familiar, and he was in company that though was new he felt pretty safe with. As he drifted, he thought of people like Ben and Max. People like his mother. People he lost, and people he missed. At least he had Alex, whoever this person really was. Someone who had a limited knowledge of the world but still enough wits to save himself from who knows what. The world was so full of great people. He fell asleep on that note.

He slept pretty well through the night, only occasionally waking up to the darkness to close his eyes once more and sleep. When he felt the gentle push against him, and the words slowly filtered through his ears and into his mind, he finally was able to blink the sleep away. The light was beginning to filter through the leaves and branches, and for just a moment, Nate was blinded by the beautiful scene of the sun reaching down into the forest around them. He pulled his attention away and towards the source of his waking. Ah, yes, Alex. A very Nate like smile pulled at his lips as his eyes settled on him. “Oh, hello, my friend,” he said so quietly it was nearly a whisper. “Did you sleep well?” He stretched out his arms and reached for his glasses that he sat beside him. He would be sorely upset if he ever lost or broke them. They already were working less well than they used to, but since they were not exactly being made anymore, he would have to find something better, and he had yet to do that in his travels.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex was satisfied seeing Nate wake up. Good, they could get a good start towards the border. "Hello. I slept okay, and how about you?" He asked, watching the man grab his glasses from beside him. He stood from his makeshift bed, unrolling his jacket and throwing it on before folding the blanket and sliding it in his pack. "We should get going" Alex said, not wanting to rush him, but they still had a days walk after today to get to the border of North Dakota and Montana.

He didn't see anything in the woods but he kept his eyes peeled for anything that could be out of the ordinary. He kept his gaze on the wildlife. It was peaceful in the woods this morning. Alex didn't like standing still for too long, it opened up the ability to be jumped. "I know we just woke up, but I still have a bad feeling that something is going to happen at some point." He added, his gaze continually darting around.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Nate took another moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the new day before squirming his way out of the sleeping bag and rolling it up. “Like a baby,” he mused. He strapped it to the top of his bag, rummaged around to make sure anything he may quickly need was on the top, then took another moment to put on his shoes. Once he was ready, he stood up and made his way over to his new companion.

“That is because you, my new friend, are terribly pessimistic.” He chuckled at his own words as he hopped over a large stone. “But you’re probably right. You do seem to know this area better than me. Would you feel more comfortable traveling the tree line instead of through the towns and cities? We could have more cover this way.” He peered out into the world that was waking up around them. No signs of danger yet, but he had traveled much over his years, and there was always danger. “Could quell your cynicism.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex simply rolled his eyes. "I'm not a pessimist. I'm a realist" He said, crossing his arms over his chest, though he followed Nate as the man hopped over a large stone. "I think the tree line would give us a better advantage, but if we come across a city, we should definitely search for supplies" Alex said, walking slowly along through the forest. "I'm not a cynic, I just don't trust others" He said, the unspoken fact that he trusted Nate hung in the air as they walked.

"I just feel better in the forest, it was how I was trained as a warrior" Alex admitted, his gaze looking over at Nate with a small smile. He would probably always feel more comfortable in the woods. It was part of him, nature and would always be. "In fact, I can even climb in and shoot out of trees if I had too" He said with a small laugh, it had been his favorite way to stealth kill, climb up and shoot from a tree. It's harder to find where you're being shot from too.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Nate followed Alex along the line of the trees, observing the view and how it changed from inside the forest like rather than out. That was an interesting difference that he would never have considered if he were on his own, and he was intrigued by the fact that this was how Alex was raised. Intrigued and wildly curious. He wanted to see how someone was created into this kind of person. What made someone more comfortable in trees?

“Okay, a realist, sure. You be a realist, and I’ll be an optimist.” Nate looked up into the trees and thought about it. “Or you can be a monkey man, and I’ll be just your normal, average human. Really, who did I randomly find in that city back there? Are you going to always amaze me?” He pulled his gaze back to watching outside of the tree line, searching for anything that could be a danger or alternatively would aid them in their journey.

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Alexander Brennan
Former Seraphite | 19 | Current location ;; North Dakota

Alex looked over at Nate, yeah he could see the man being an optimist. It seemed to fit him well. Then he snorted a laugh listening to him. "Let's just say that my people were very much into nature." He said, which wasn't wrong. The Seraphites were very much against technology and lived off the land instead. If it was natural and they could use it then they did. They lived in log homes, animal pelts were used for everything from bedding to clothes. They harvested their own food and it was probably the only thing that Alex had liked.

He looked over at Nate with a small true smile on his face. "Just stick around, I'm sure I can amaze you more" He said with a light laugh. He looked through the forest, pausing as he heard something. "Hold up, stay here" He said softly. "And be quiet" He added. Alex crouched down, moving further into the woods. His steps were quiet as he walked, his eyes trained ahead hearing the steps closer now. He hid behind a tree, looking around it. Oh that's perfect. He'd been getting hungry and really wanted to save his store of canned foods. In the clearing stood a medium sized deer. He wasn't that far from Nate, and with so few humans, the animals weren't as skittish as they used to be. He pulled his bow out quietly and nocked an arrow, aiming and sending it flying right behind it's shoulder, hitting the heart and dropping it.

Alex grinned, putting his bow on his back and walked over to it. He pulled the arrow out, checked it, cleaned it on the grass and slid it back into his quiver. He looked around, they were a little further into the woods so if they lit a campfire here, it shouldn't be as obvious. And they could enjoy breakfast without depleting their resources. "Nate!" he called just loud enough for him to hear. "Come here" He added as he started gathering small sticks and wood for a fire.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Nathaniel Matthews
Former Firefly | 21 | Current location ;; North Dakota

As Alex bounded away, Nate watched him, staying low as he attempted to determine if there was a danger. If Alex came from a group of survivalist type individuals, then it only made sense to let Alex scout ahead. It was interesting though. He had not met a lot of nature-based societies and groups in his travels. Many had natural parts of their living situations, but Alex seemed different than those. He seemed less in touch with the way that the rest of the world worked. Nate was not judging, of course. He was simply intrigued. And fascinated. Wildly fascinated.

Though he should have been watching for any potential threats, he could not help but watch as Alex surveyed something that Nate could not see. He was supposed to stay there, but it was so hard to not know what was going on. If he moved just a little bit, get a better angle, then that would not be too bad right? He carefully, concentrating fully on not making any sound, moved a little closer to where Alex went, moving himself up onto a larger boulder and leaning further out. Oh, a deer. How had Alex known? That was also fascinating! He watched as Alex aimed and shot with perfect aim once again.

“Do you do that just to amaze me so soon after? ‘Cause you’re doing a mighty fine job of that.” He hopped off his ledge and quickly joined Alex gathering materials for the fire. Once they had the fire and were enjoying a nice, hearty breakfast, he shook his head. “You are beyond impressive. I wish I had aim like that, but it is certainly not one of my strong suits. I don’t have a whole lot of them, but that is certainly not it.”
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