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Leytera

Leytera shivered, cold to the bone. Her insides quivered, but she didn’t dare move. The others had been long gone, and that other girl, the one who hated Leytera, was clearly not interested in helping Leytera stay warm.

Even so, she was grateful for the blanket and the small amount of body heat.

She shivered again and she was sure she heard Yila grunt in disgust.

I can’t do anything about it, brat!

Leytera shook her head and gritted her teeth, attempting to fight through but failing. A tear formed in her eye as the cold brought out some deep-seated pain she hadn’t known was there.

Then the entire group was back. With more people.

Lovely. Just what I need. More strange warriors who want to kill me.

Can I just go home now, please?

Nope.

She knew that wasn’t going to happen, so she had better just suck it up and deal with it.

Even though she knew she couldn’t.

Yila’s brother Niarok, the one who had at first seemed extremely threatening, approached Yila and Leytera’s huddle.

Yila scooted away from Leytera with a terrifying amount of speed.

Leytera tried not to let it bother her, but she couldn’t help it.

She didn’t understand why Yila hated her so much, especially since they were about the same age.

Niarok sat down between the two of them, and Leytera snuggled up close to him. His body was much warmer than Yila’s, and he also didn’t seem like he wanted to kill her.

He even produced a second blanket which improved matters greatly.

Then her eye caught on one of the men. He was hardly older than her, and his left (it’s left, right @emily-waldorf ?) pantleg was very… limp.

She caught her breath.

He was missing his leg.

Her heart leapt into her throat and pity burned her, but she tried hard not to let it show.

Until she saw his face flush, and she realized she’d been staring.

She snapped her head away, but the picture of the empty pantleg was burnt into her memory.

Why didn’t I notice that before?

Because she had been hiding in the corner like a scared child. Of course! How could she forget?

Coward.

She shook her head. Some of the people were arguing. Niarok was carrying on about three conversations at once, and Leytera couldn’t help marveling at how seamlessly he did it.

She couldn’t help admiring him.

He was kinda handsome.

Leytera tried very hard not to slap herself.

Now is not the time!

Again the man missing the leg flashed before her eyes, and she found herself searching him out in the crowd. He was leaning heavily on his crutch like he was going to fall down, and she leapt up.

The tall guy with the curly black hair was crying on the shorter guy’s shoulder, and about half the people were trying to comfort him.

Niarok was handing him herbs.

And he was glaring at the man missing his leg.

Leytera’s face heated but she knew she shouldn’t even try to defend him. The man could make mincemeat of her terrifyingly fast.

“What was your name?” Curly-hair choked at the man.

“Quin. Quin Miller,” the man said, clearly embarrassed. Leytera wasn’t sure if she should help him or not.

But compassion won out.

“Can I help you to the fire?” she asked quietly.

The man looked at her, and his cheeks were visibly red.

Great job Leytera. You’ve gone and embarrassed him more.

“S-sure,” Quin said, although he looked hesitant.

His eyes flashed briefly to the man named Lorcan, but he wasn’t looking. He seemed to breathe an audible sigh of relief before nodding to Leytera, who slipped her arm under his unoccupied arm.

His muscles were strong beneath her hand, although he wasn’t much taller than her.

He leaned heavily on her, and she helped him sit on a tumbled rock close to the fire.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Can I get you something? A blanket perhaps?” Leytera said.

 

@emily-waldorf feel free to change anything that was un-Quin-like! Also, do you have any ideas where you want Leytera and Quin’s relationship to go? Awkward acquaintances? Friends? Romantic? Just curious!