Things certainly weren't going as planned, but at least the woman seemed to lighten up when she mentioned she'd brought an offering for the pack. Yet somehow Orin suddenly worried that the small gifts she had gathered weren't going to be good enough for this woman. She brought them as a show of peace and kindness, but with winter ahead d'Arte could not spare too much of their stores, so she had brought a modest amount. Enough for someone to enjoy, but not enough to go around. Still, the woman was waiting for the gifts, and maybe that would turn this around some.
Orin nodded once, slowly, and then slipped out of the saddle. As she turned to the saddle bags she could hear the sound of hooves clopping on the ground and knew that someone else was coming. Nervousness suddenly took hold. What if this other reacted the same way as the woman? And now she was off her horse. She looked up at the saddle... Could she get back on in time to get away? She swallowed, mustered her strength, and reached into the bags to retrieve her offering.
When she turned back around she was astonished to see Vox coming up behind the woman. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Mars was here! It would be okay! Well... maybe... She looked at the woman's face and she was still none too pleased with her presence. Her smile for Mars melted that instant, and she moved slowly towards the Sawtooth woman, cradling the deerskin bag she retrieved from the horse's pack and carrying it carefully in her arms as though there was something very fragile inside.
Mars said something on her behalf and Orin perked up. Things would be okay! She reached into her bag to pull out the thing inside, still walking toward the woman but now with more confidence. She held her hand out and in it was a single chicken egg – which explained why she carried the bag so gingerly. The unseen contents of the bag consisted of a half-dozen more eggs and a few bulbs of garlic. She was feeling relieved now as she walked over to the woman, Mars here to vouch for her. As she held the gifts out for Charm her excitement overtook her and she spoke to Mars.
“I can't believe you're here! I didn't know where you'd gone. I've been worried about you, wondering about you ever since I came back. I- ahh!” She didn't see Axel bringing up the rear, nor did she notice the bumbling sheep when he came around Vox and came right up in front of her for a greeting. She stumbled over the animal as it bleated its happy hello, and yelped as she saw the egg she'd been holding soar through the air straight at Charm. “Oh no... look out!” But the warning was probably far too late.
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