(IC) Lost In Dreams [Peter]

[ericthered]

Peter goes for the child. Kumar Groans: "I have a bad feeling about this. Get her quick and get out of here"

The child is behind a hut, wandering aimlessly, wailing a word again and again. Probably local for 'Mommy'. She's somewhere between four and five. As he gets to her, he hears marching.

The little girl looks at him, and throws her self onto him, gripping tightly, and stopping her cries for whatever. Though she is still crying uncontrollably.

[the_matrix_walker]

Peter takes the child and tries to sooth her, speaking in soft tones and shushing her...

"It's going to be okay, but you have to be quiet, shhhhhhh.."

He turns to Kumar... "They're coming! Should we run, or hide?"

[ericthered]

"Run." Kumar grimaces and holds his stomach "I'd rather hide, but that's a loosing proposition in the sack of a town. Or I could try to bluff them into treating us like one of their own. I'll call that plan B"

The little girl wimpers -- quietly, but not as quiet as he'd like.

The three of them head out into the woods. They hear sounds of shouting behind them, but don't see anyone. The are in the woods a way off when they hear crackling and smell smoke. Kumar is exhausted from moving quickly in his state, and stops, hiding in the bush. As peter stops, the little girl decides she's going to start crying louldly again.

[the_matrix_walker]

Peter bounces the child gently and speaks in the most soothing tones he can muster. "It'll be alright little one... please hush..."

[ericthered]

The girl starts sniveling. Its better than the alternative. Peter hears the shouts of the men in the town. They don't seem to be friendly. He senses the girl is about to cry again, but intensifies his efforts, and she quiets.

The men stay there for quite some time. After about an hour, they start moving on, marching out of the town.


OCC: sensative made that role succeed.

[the_matrix_walker]

Peter waits a while... letting the hostiles pass on and hoping a hiding villager will return to take care of his charge. He tries to keep her as happy and comfortable as possible under the circumstances.

[ericthered]

The hostiles pass on. The villagers don't seem quick to return to their homes -- or if they are, Peter isn't seeing them.

[the_matrix_walker]

Peter tries to find something in their rations suitable for the child... And does his best to are for her until the villagers return, or until Kumar has something to interject... He can't just abandon the child, but he doesn't want to carry her off too far from home either.

[ericthered]

Kumar notices Peter giving some of their limited food for the girl. He seems uneasy about it, but doesn't say anything. She enjoys the food -- if only he'd thought of that trick when he was trying to keep her quiet. But it all turned out well, it seems.

After quite some time, the villagers start to come back. Kumar prepares for the regular negotiation for food -- this time will be tricky, as they look just like the invaders. At least Kumar does, and Peter certainly doesn't look like a local.

[the_matrix_walker]

Peter gets Kumar to hang back, so they see him and the child first... just to help break the ice.