A sigh of relief had left Nisha when she saw the tall Nord hadn't been injured when the bear had attacked him. However, that was little relief for what came after. Even the two swords weren't enough to take down this angry bear. She should have known that, what with the small piles of bones strewn around the bear's den.

But what a pity it would be, death by a bear when they had escaped a dragon? By Talos, this was something that made even Nisha's pride irk.

A growl escaped her and she held two hands out. Both of them were glowing a sickly red, and if Tucker or Hadvar had been free enough to see, they may have recognized what she was doing. The sudden draining of the blood caused the bear to waver. Nisha took this moment of uncertainty to continue draining the bear's blood through her vampiric power. That was not all, however. Her one hand stopped glowing red; she used it to grab the same dagger she had plunged into the old torturer's throat. Rushing forward, she plunged it into the bear's open mouth, hoping to piece it through. Letting go of the dagger, she shoved at Hadvar with her shoulder, not willing to risk the bear still trying to feast on the man.

She also wasn't willing for the bear to attack Tucker or herself anymore either. She stopped the draining completely as she grabbed the other dagger on her person, slamming it into the same place Tucker's first strike had first pierced through. Forcefully she pushed it in further until the blade was completely swallowed and only the dagger's hilt could be seen.

By this time, the bear was too hurt and drained of blood to resist. Nisha grabbed both her blades and pulled them back to her, panting as she shook the blood off of the blades.

"Poor bastard," she muttered to herself.​
 
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When the bear fell over, the life gone from its eyes, Tucker let out a sigh of relief. His abdomen hurt, enough that he was sure he was bruised, but it wasn't anything more than what he'd describe as discomfort. He was a Nord after all, built just as tough as he was tall. "Nice kill." He complimented Nisha, his way of thanking her as well. It was unfortunate that they had to kill the creature, but he wasn't willing to die today, especially not in a cave. He'd escaped death two times already, why would he let the third time succeed?

"Aye, you saved my life. Thank you." Hadvar nodded his head in agreement with Tucker. Both men didn't see the magic that Nisha had cast, they'd only seen her deliver the finishing blow on the creature. "We should get out of here, in case any other animals decide to visit the cave." For all they knew, that bear was not alone. He was the first to leave the cave through the exit.

Tucker took a moment to look over the bear. Had he the time, he might have buried the animal, but time was not on his side. Some other creature would likely return and that creature would likely consume the corpse of the bear. "At least it put up a good fight." He mumbled, placing a hand on the head of the bear for a moment before following Hadvar out of the cave.​

The sunlight blinded him for a few seconds as his eyes adjusted, having become accustomed to the dark. "Gah...I love the sun, but damn is it bright...!" It was bizarre how much clearer the skies had gotten now that the Helgen, and by extension the dragon, was far behind them. Perhaps it was an omen of the death to come, a sign of how grim the day would be. "I'm glad we're all alive though."

"Wait..!" Hadvar spoke quickly, shutting Tucker up as he crouched beside a large stone, partially concealing his presence. Tucker was confused at first, and he was going to ask why, but the answer became evident. The cry of the dragon could be heard as it flew away in the distance, it's large body easy to spot as it soared through the sky. "Looks like he's gone for good this time, but I don't think we should stick around to see if he comes back." *
 
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It wasn't too often the vampire was thanked, especially since most people she came in contact with ended up meeting her blade instead. She looked to both of them and gave a quick nod before once more collecting her arrow from the bear. Thankfully it hadn't pierced him too far in that the arrow was unable to be pulled out. Once it was out and the blood wiped out, she looked to the bones, wondering if perhaps there were any rags with perhaps some gold or other items about. One could call Nisha greedy for thinking such matters, but she liked to call herself an opportunist. It wasn't like dead folk needed any of their leftover equipment anyway. Besides, who didn't need a little extra gold?

The mention of sunlight brought both relief and trepidation, however. She looked towards the exit which the two men had already passed. She didn't wish to stay in this cave any longer, but going out in the sun was a pain, figuratively and literally. Letting out a small sigh, she reached back and pulled her hood over her head, pulling it forward so that her face was shaded from the sun. Once she was sure she was secure, she too headed out, just in time to duck, seeing the large, black dragon passing overhead.

"You're right," she muttered as she stood up, a frown creasing her forehead. "Don't know where that dragon is headed, but either way... I think we can all agree that with all the disastrous things going on in Skyrim, a dragon is the bloody worse." An even worse thought came to her mind, but she kept it mum for the time being. What if this one isn't the only one?

She looked to Tucker, unsure what his thoughts were on the matter, or what he even planned to do. She wasn't sure why she cared- in a normal circumstance she would have just left without saying a word. It seemed escaping the chopping block, running from a dragon, killing soldiers and fighting a bear was hardly a 'normal' circumstance though.

"Where do we go?" Maybe it was best to stick together, if only for the near future.
 
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"The closest town from here if Riverwood." Hadvar answered, turning to Nisha and Tucker. "M uncle's the blacksmith there."* I'm sure he'd help you out." With that, he started to walk away, pausing only to give them both a nod of appreciation. "It's probably best we split up, but thank you. I wouldn't have made it out of there without your help today. Good luck." And with that, the Imperial soldier was off, leaving the two of them.

Tucker watched Hadvar go and then looked to Nisha. "Well...Markarth is a long way from here. So is Winterhold, eh? Maybe we ought to do as he says, and visit his uncle." He had absolutely no money on him. Whatever gold he had was confiscated by the Empire when they arrested him as he crossed the border. He doubted that Nisha had any on her for the same reason. Hopefully, they'd be able to get some help from there.

"Riverwood is this way." He didn't need much of a sense of direction to figure it out. The town was a lot closer to Helgen than was comfortable. You could practically see it from the mountain path they were on now. He wouldn't be surprised if they saw the smoke from what remained of Helgen. He decided not to waste any more time, starting down the path. "He was right though. I don't think we'd have made it without each other. Thanks for your help. That bear was one nasty customer. Even with this armor."

Truth be told, he was grateful it seemed she had decided to stick with him. Surviving was a lot easier with someone by your side than all alone. And if that dragon came back, the help would be much appreciated. "It's hard to believe it...a living dragon. And it just happened to choose Helgen to attack." Dragons were supposed to be dead, yet one showed up out of nowhere today and technically saved their lives, before trying to kill them himself. "Just what in Oblivion is going on."

The country didn't need this, not with civil war already afoot.
 
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Once again she was thanked, and once again Nisha wasn't sure how to take it. She nodded before clearing her throat. "It's nothing, you helped me along the way as well." Which was true enough and made her feel a little less embarrassed at being thanked. She gave one last tug to her hood before hurrying after the taller man, her quick strides easily matching his long ones as they continued down the path that would eventually lead them to cross the river and enter Riverwood.

As the road came close to the river, taking a sharp turn down to meet the shore, there stood three tall stones to the side in a triangular formation. Nisha paused in her step, looking at them curiously. "Those look familiar," she muttered, walking onto the stone platform upon which these small monuments stood. As she came near to them, she noticed that each of the stones had a symbol on them. "Hm... that's the warrior... there's the mage... and that's the thief. Guardian stones." She turned around to look at Tucker, a slight smile on her face. "There was one close to where I lived. The Tower stone."

Turning back once more, she looked to the Thief zodiac. While her own birthsign was the Atronach, having been born on the 11th of Sun's Dusk, she couldn't help feel the Evening Star's birthsign, that is the Thief, suited her more. She had certainly mentioned it to her father, but he had told her that the Atronach was perfect for her and the gods had chosen for her to be born when she was for a reason. It was strange hearing a creation of Molag Bal speak of other gods with reverence, but then again, her father had always been something of an oddity.

"They say each stone gives the one who seeks its blessing a certain power." Nisha looked to Tucker, her expression hard to read under her hood. "What do you say to giving it a try? I feel our luck is high today."​
 
"I've heard of similar stones," Tucker observed each of the stones for a while, a thoughtful look on his face. The stones he'd heard of supposedly blessed people with odd abilities, like becoming invisible or reanimating the corpses of the dead. They had to be either magical or divine in nature, and he had no problem with either. Every edge he could possibly get was necessary in a world like this.

He couldn't help but smirk a bit after seeing her look at the thief stone. "That's definitely your stone. It's fitting." He remembered what she'd said about the dagger being her true weapon of choice, and the depiction of the thief carved into the stone was perfect for her. "I think I know exactly which one is perfect for someone like me as well."

He gave Nisha a rather wide grin as he slapped a hand upon the warrior stone, patting the stone a couple of times. "This one here. The warrior stone. Aptly named too!" He'd been born under The Warrior birth sign as well, so it was only fitting that he chose the stone. He didn't have any need for the other two anyway. He didn't cast magic, nor was he particularly good at sneaking up on people or picking pockets, thanks to his size. "Next time, I'll be able to take on a cave bear alone for sure."

"You lived near the Tower Stone, huh? What might that one bless ya with?" Tucker asked her, giving the warrior stone one more pat. He rather liked the depiction of the warrior carved into its face. While the hammer wasn't his style, the shield definitely was. It was a reminder that he needed to pick one up. He gave the stone one last pat before stepping onto the road once more.
 
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It was fun to see Tucker so oblivious to what actually happened when he touched the Warrior stone. Nisha was listening to him talk, but her eyes were on the sudden beam of light that extended from the stone to the sky, bathing the entire thing in a glowing, ethereal light. It was just like the one time she had sought blessing from the Tower stone.

And speaking of... As the light faded, Nisha looked to Tucker. "The Tower sign aids the one seeking its favour in... picking locks. Essentially for thieves, though it aids my kind of work as well." Being able to quietly enter a place, take care of her mark and leave without a sound and trace was a blessing indeed.

"I'll come along in just a moment," she continued, her attention shifting away from the Nord and back to the Thief Stone. She reached out and placed a gloved hand on the surface for a few seconds before removing it. Once more the there was a beam of light, but other than that, Nisha herself didn't feel any different; it was the same as when she had touched the Tower stone.

Turning away from the platform, she started down the path after Tucker, catching up easily. The bridge to Riverwood was easy enough to see now, in fact she could very easily see a redhead man crossing over it with her good eyesight. Just like with Helgen, she had never really paid much attention to the small village- no one really wanted people killed in small places like this. At first glance, it looked rather small and peaceful.

"I wonder if they have an inn," she mused.​
 
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Tucker had almost asked her about her work, but he opted not to, at least not for now. Any job that involved picking locks ended in one of two ways: somebody was going to die or something was getting stolen, and she'd somewhat excluded the notion of her being a thief. He didn't want it to seem like he was judging her, he'd only just met her after all. He didn't know her story, but he had to admit, she was piquing his curiosity more and more with every bit of information she did give him.

"Ah, finally!" While he couldn't see as well as Nisha, he could make out the bridge and the village itself. The sight of the thatch roofing was enough to make him throw his arms into the air, his grin from before returning. "I can't wait to take a load off my feet." He could travel longer, yes. He could even fight longer, but today had been quite the day for him. "I do hope they have an Inn, I'm exhausted." And that reminded him, he was also broke.

"Maybe the Innkeeper is nice enough to let a couple of wanderers with empty pockets stay for the night." Tucker couldn't help but chuckle at his own words. The town was small, far smaller than Markarth, but it had a rustic charm to it, one that Tucker could appreciate. The village only grew more peaceful looking as they crossed the bridge. It reminded him of Helgen, but without the fear and hatred the people had shown when the Imperials had arrived with him and the other prisoners in tow.

"Ah...before we head to the Inn, maybe we ought to speak to Hadvar's uncle first." The Nord suggested. The walk to Riverwood wasn't long, and the dragon had flown in a similar direction. Odds are they had seen the beast already, but he wanted to warn the town. It was likely they wouldn't believe Tucker or Nisha anyway, but the effort would be there surely. "He was a blacksmith, right? Should be easy to spot in a small town like this."​
 
"If you're worried about money, I have enough for a room, we can share." Nisha mostly needed it for the day anyway; nighttime was when she wandered about and usually caught her prey. Even as she said that, she seemed to realize that she hadn't actually seen Tucker take time to look around for gold off the soldiers they had killed. Maybe he was the more honourable type who thought the dead should be left in peace? She didn't normally steal their clothes, so she considered herself honourable enough. As for money and equipment... it wasn't like the dead needed it.

"Or what you said... though I doubt it." Nisha shrugged her shoulder. She didn't want to judge the innkeeper, but there was no point in keeping two weary strangers without taking money from them. Inns weren't run from the goodness of the innkeeper's heart, at least not as a primary purpose. "Unless you manage to draw in money somehow to make up for the room."

As they walked into the town, it wasn't hard at all to see the blacksmith's place, as it was rather close to the bridge. The hearing of a hammer striking metal on an anvil could be clearly heard, and once Nisha looked to the porch, she saw Hadvar was there as well.

"Oh, you two made it," he said in greeting, a pleasant look on his face. He looked to the other man, a fair haired and bearded fellow who momentarily laid down his hammer. "This is my uncle, Alvor. Uncle, these two are the ones I was mentioning. They helped me escape Helgen."
 
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"Thank god you've got money." Tucker gave her a smile. Then he looked a tad bit confused. "Wait...how did you get money?" Did they not frisk her down like they did him? They took everything from him except for the clothes on his back. He found it hard to believe that they wouldn't do the same to her. "Well, at least you have some. I don't think I'd be able to do much for money. Maybe do some tasks at the lumber mill here." He was big, strong and perfect for any jobs that they might have there.

He was pleasantly surprised to see the Blacksmith was so close to the village entrance. "Hello," Tucker greeted Alvor and Hadvar both, raising his hand for a small wave as he approached them, "Never been so happy to see an Imperial before. Your Nephew really helped us out."

"Aye, he told me all about your run in with the dragon. Thank you both for helping him out of that mess." The hammer slammed against metal once more, sparks flying from the contact and hitting the ground where they fizzled out. "Hard to believe it...a dragon...in Skyrim..." Though his hands were firm as he worked with the metal, one look into his eyes would tell Tucker and Nisha that he was visibly shaken by the news.

"The beast was huge and strong. Helgen no longer exists as far as I know." Tucker shook his head. He hoped that the villagers and their children had at least made it out, but considering what he, Hadvar and Nisha had to go through to get out? He didn't think it lightly. "Hadvar told us you might be able to help us out?"
"Yes, uncle, if you'd be so kind. I myself would love to stay, but I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what's happened. Please, feed my friends." Hadvar patted his uncle's shoulder.

"Of course." Alvor nodded his head in his nephew's direction before looking to Nisha and Tucker once more. "Please, make yourself at home, help yourself to what you might need, within reason of course...but I'm afraid I'll need to ask you a favor as well. But only after you've eaten and gotten some rest." He gave them a welcoming smile, which seemed oddly out of place as he hammered the metal he was working with once more, before placing it in cold water.
 
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Hadvar led the way into the house. It was a quaint little thing, a single spread out room that had a bed in one corner, along with a fire for cooking, a few side tables, and an almost imposing dining table with food served. It was about time for the evening meal, so it made sense. From what Nisha could see, there were stairs that lead to a basement, which she presumed was where there were more beds and perhaps storage place. Alvor had a wife and a daughter, so he would certainly need more space.

His wife Sigrid and daughter Dorthe were more than pleased to have visitors, and it wasn't long before everyone was seated around the table, digging into the bread, cheese and venison that was provided for food, along with tankards of mead and water. Nisha didn't eat much, but what she did she quite enjoyed. It was certainly nice to be out of the sunlight; she even pushed her hood off so to have a little air around her head.

The news was certainly shocking for Sigrid as well; both she and Alvor had worry etched on their faces. It made sense. Riverwood was a small village, and with Helgen down, there was no real defense if a dragon came to attack. The guards patrolling the city were trained to deal with human miscreants. Even vampires were a task for them, so how could anyone protect them from a dragon that could easily lay ruin to their thatched houses?

Alvor looked a little uncertain as he looked to Tucker and Nisha. He seemed a little uncertain about the curious looking woman, so his gaze finally settled on the large Nord. "I know it's too much to ask, but Whiterun- the Jarl needs to know about the dragon. Jarl Balgruuf is a good man, and he'll certainly listen to you. If you do this, Riverwood would be in your debt."​
 
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While Nisha didn't eat much, Tucker ate almost what one would expect a Nord of his size to consume. He held back a bit, not wanting to eat them out of house and home, but it wasn't much. Alvor told them to help themselves, and as long as he didn't say to stop, Tucker was going to eat his fill. When he did stop stuffing his face with venison, he washed it all down with a mug of mead, letting out a loud and satisfied burp when he'd finished. Dorthe found that hilarious, laughing escaping from the little girl's belly. His actions brought much-needed relief from the tension and fear that had filled the room.

"That was delicious." Tucker wiped at his mouth with a grin. "Can't remember the last time I had a meal this good." It was in part because it was the first meal he'd had since his near-death experience and because when he cooked for himself, he usually just threw something over the fire and let it roast. "Thank you, Sigrid, Alvor."

The Nord leaned back in his chair, patting his belly with one hand while picking his teeth with the other as he listened to Alvor's request. "Whiterun...not far from here...we'll do it." He told the man. "I don't want your town to suffer the same fate as Helgen, especially not after the hospitality you've shown me. And if we don't do something about that dragon, what's to stop it from attacking other towns?" Of course, he realized he was speaking for two people, one who might not want to tag along.

"Ah, unless you don't want to join me." He looked to Nisha. Winterhold was about the same distance from Riverwood as Markarth, but the trip was more than likely harsher due to the cold weather. He couldn't blame her if she'd much rather start on her way home. "It'd be nice to have the pretty lady and her bow and dagger accompany me a bit longer." He gave her a hopeful grin.
 
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Nisha blinked at the comment. Pretty lady? Was this man making fun of her or perhaps trying to make himself seem charming? Either way, she felt a hint of embarrassment and concentrated on finishing off the water in her tankard. His remark however had her thinking. She was wanted by the Stormcloaks as well as the Dark Brotherhood, and most probably others as well. Sure, she had been a lone wolf most of her life, but the one time she was caught, it was serious enough that her head would have been chopped.

"I'll come along," Nisha said, looking to the Nord with a nod. "Your brash style and my stealth would make quite the interesting team..." She had to make money when she didn't have marks to follow- bounty hunting was as good a job as any, and the civil war promised many bandits for the taking. She could already see it in her mind's eye- bandits wholly distracted by Tucker and his sword, having no idea where the arrows that were picking them off were coming from.

Once she was done her food, she stood up and excused herself to wash her hands outside. The air was cooler now, the setting sun hidden behind clouds, colouring them a maroon. She rested her hands on the porch's railing, looking at the guards passing by. One paused, looking up at her.

"You- you just came from Helgen, didn't you?"

Nisha nodded, guessing the guard must have heard the chatter between Hadvar and his father. "That would be right."

"Is it true then? There was a dragon there?"

"As true as I stand before you," Nisha replied. It was hard to tell what expression might have been on the guard's face due to the helmet he wore, but she could easily hear the trepidation in his voice. "We're going to go to Whiterun, to inform the Jarl."

There was silence before she heard a muttered "Ysmir protect us. Thank you for your help."

With that the guard turned around and started towards what she supposed was a tavern. She wouldn't blame him in the slightest.
 
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"Interesting alright. I hit em hard, and while they're busy trying to hit back, perfect time for you to get in a couple of good shots." Tucker nodded his head in agreement with her. Essentially, he was her meat shield, but he didn't mind that, not really. He might as well be, he was a mountain of a man anyway, and he could take it as well as he could give it. "We'll set out after getting some rest, eh?"

Now that the meal was over and Tucker had eaten his fill, he could feel sleep tugging at his mind. Whiterun was another walk, slightly more than the walk to Riverwood from Helgen. He could make it, sure, but he'd rather get some sleep to go with that food before heading out. Besides, they might encounter more battles along the way and he'd rather be at his best for those.

After thanking them for the meal once more and asking about the Inn, Tucker headed out after Nisha, stopping before her. "Alright...to the Inn? Alvor says its a nice place. Small rooms, but it's not like we're looking for maximum comfort, eh?" He cracked a grin.

"Thanks for tagging along again, would have been a boring trek to make by myself." Boring and dangerous, but he was more concerned with the boredom than the danger. He stepped off the porch, starting in the direction of the Inn, the building not too far from the house and wholly visible. "I've eaten enough that I'll sleep the night away with no problem!"
 
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Nisha couldn't help but chuckle at Tucker's words. He certainly had eaten enough, enough for two people at least. Well, she couldn't fault him; a big man like him probably needed all the nutrients it could get. As for her... she wasn't quite full yet herself, but the hunger she had wouldn't be satiated by human food. Something told her that Tucker still wasn't sure exactly what she was, and she was glad to keep it that way. Humans hated vampires, and rightfully so in her opinion- it was very rare to find those of her kind who treated others well.

It was times like this she missed her childhood friend; it had been years since Nisha had seen her.

"Sleeping Giant Inn," she read out loud, pointing up at the sign. "I wonder where the owner thought up that name from. Creative, that's for sure." With that said, she headed up to the porch and opened the old wooden door.

Inside was rather lively indeed. There was a rather handsome bard singing a song in the corner, a couple of men drinking at a table, Hadvar by himself at another table, a bottle of ale in his hand, a man behind the counter and and older fair haired woman who had a rather authoritative look on her face.

Nudging Tucker with her elbow, Nisha nodded in the direction of the woman. "I'm betting she's the one to ask about a room." She removed the satchel from her shoulder and handed it to him. "There should be enough gold in there for you to rent a room. I... have a small errand to run outside. I'll be back soon. Just make sure to tell her we'll share rooms. No point wasting gold and getting a second one when we're leaving in the morning."

Giving him a smile and a friendly pat on the arm, she turned around and headed back out.​
 
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"Right, got ya." Tucker nodded his head as he took the satchel. He waited until Nisha was gone before letting a snicker escape him. She probably just couldn't bear the idea of his handsome face not being the last thing she saw before sleeping. Ego aside, it wasn't like they had enough gold to spend like that anyway, that he knew. He wondered what errand she had to run in a town like this, but it wasn't any of his business, and he was too tired to be nosey at the moment.

"One room please, me and the lady'll share." He spoke as he approached the woman, pulling out a few gold coins. The exchange was quick and, just as expected, the room wasn't crazy expensive. In fact, it was surprising how cheap it was. Nisha would be happy to know that her gold wasn't drained too badly. "When she gets here, let her know which room is mine?"

The woman led Tucker to an empty room in the far corner of the Inn, away from the drinking men and singing bard. He thanked her before stepping foot into the room and closing the door behind him. He wasted no time in shrugging off his armor, throwing it, along with his sword, in a pile in the corner of the room. He appreciated all it'd done for him, especially with that bear, he still felt a dull aching where the cave bear had hit him, but wearing armor all day was painful in its own way.

Stifling a yawn, the Nord shrugged off his tunic and threw it to the side before flopping onto the bed with the grace of a blind bird in an attic, rolling himself up in the blanket until he resembled a giant caterpillar. Already he could feel sleep overtaking him, and he let it, grinning as he slowly drifted away.

After nearly dying a couple of times, he got to eat a good meal and sleep for tomorrow. Plus, he'd now be able to brag about seeing a dragon up close and living. Not too bad, not too bad at all.
 
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The sun had already set when Nisha exited the Sleeping Giant Inn. She let out a sigh before looking to and fro, wondering where exactly she would get her next meal from. There were plenty of humans, yes, but it wasn't as if they were bad people. She had her own code- she couldn't just attack and feed from those who hadn't done anything wrong. That wouldn't make her any different than the scumbag who killed innocents who made the mistake of travelling the roads at night.

As she stepped onto the road and started walking, she took in the sight of the few villagers who were still roaming and talking. Most of the banter was about the dragon, though a few words were about other more everyday talk. Nothing very interesting, at least not the sort of interesting Nisha would hope for. There was the one trader who was complaining of a thief stealing a somewhat valuable gold piece, and that would have been a good mark, had she not been set on going to Whiterun.

It was clear to her after a good hour that she wouldn't find what she needed here. Casting a glance in the direction of the inn, she prayed to whichever god was listening that Tucker simply remained put and didn't wonder where in Skyrim she might be. With that, she crossed the bridge and started following the shore, searching for prey out of human sight. It wasn't too long before she came upon a mine. She didn't know the name, but by the sight of the khajiit bandit standing guard before it, it was probably not filled with miners.

A couple of hours later a satiated and impeccably neat Nisha had returned to the inn, ready to rest for the night. She was shown to her room and immediately realized that there would be no place for her on the bed. Thankfully she wasn't a very fussy person, and a poke through the wardrobe in the room provided her with a couple of pelts and a cushion, which she set in a corner of the room.

As she closed her eyes and dozed off, she couldn't help feel some sort of comfort, though the trepidation of what would come tomorrow still lingered, plaguing her dreams.​
 
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Tucker awoke the next morning with a refreshed smile, a loud yawn leaving his mouth. He sat up, shrugging his arms free from his self-made blanket cocoon. Another day, another challenge. The night had been good to him, his sleep left him feeling completely recharged and full of energy. The trip to Whiterun would be nothing for him now, he just needed something to munch on while walking, maybe a quick breakfast before leaving.

He stood up and stretched, a small groan escaping as he popped his joints and loosened his stiff muscles. "Rise and shine, good morning." He spoke partially to himself and partially to Nisha, whom he didn't even check if she had returned to the room or not. He looked around for a bit, rubbing at his eyes as he did.

Noticing her sleeping on the corner of the room, he had to admit, he felt a little bad. She'd paid for the room and he'd taken the bed for himself without much thought. Next time, if there would be a next time, he'd offer her the bed, or leave it for her if she stepped out again. He wasn't completely without manners.

He stalked over to her and pushed against her moderately. "Hey Nisha, we've got to get a move on." He hoped she'd gotten enough sleep. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin someone else's rest, especially after yesterday. But if they spent too long sleeping then the dragon could show up at Riverwood any minute, leaving the town screwed. "Let's grab some bread and cheese and get out of here, eh?"​
 
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Tirdas, after sunrise, 18th of Last Seed, 4E201

Nisha let out a groan, momentarily unsure who was talking to her. She grabbed the pelt and pulled it up- wait... She didn't used pelts at home. Pushing the fur away from her herself, she looked up to see not her father, but the Nord, Tucker. Huh... I must have slept deeply. It had certainly been a while since she had... perhaps it was due to the confidence that she no longer needed to look over her shoulder for an enemy. She was sure if there was any malicious person nearby, the large Nord would be right in its face.

"Right," she muttered, pulling herself to a stand. She was still a little tired, but the blood from last night had satiated her. A little water to the face and some human food would certainly kick any tiredness away. Letting out a yawn, she picked up the pelts, folding them before returning them to the wardrobe along with the pillow. Once she was done with that, she ran her fingers through her hair, finger combing it until satisfied. It seemed yanking through tangles was just as good as water to the face, though much more irritating.

"You think they have a map to sell 'round these parts?" she asked Tucker, looking his way. "It would be useful to know where the roads are and setting our routes accordingly. You're probably used to it, but bandits like to ambush on the open road... it would make it easier for us to get them before they spot us if can mark out their more likely hiding spots."​
 
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Seeing that Nisha was awake, Tucker backed away from her, grabbing his boots and sitting on the bed. "Mornin'." He greeted, starting to pull his boots back on. "I'm sure they do. There's gotta be a general store or maybe even the Innkeepers will have some to sell." They also could go back and ask Alvor, the Blacksmith was sure to have one or two on him. "I know the general direction of Whiterun, but I'm not sure about what's in between. When I came down south I didn't exactly come this way." He told her, pulling his boots onto his feet.

"That's a good idea. I mean, I'm positive I could handle any bandits just fine but I'd rather not fight every little ass that thinks it's a good idea to jump us." Tucker nodded his head in agreement. They could stop them before they get jumped or even try to avoid them entirely. "A small town like this? It's path to Whiterun is probably riddled with bandits and thieves anyway." He scoffed a bit. He didn't like bandits, but then again, who did?

He stood up again, clicking the toes of his boots against the floor. "I'll ask the lady when I get some bread or something to eat." He wasn't starving, how could he be after a feast like last night? He just wanted to eat something that would keep him going for the rest of the day.

"I hope that bandits are the worst we run into again." He mumbled, grabbing his tunic from the floor. "That bear was pretty damn tough, he actually bruised me." He turned to the side and pointed at his midriff. A decent sized purple bruise stained his skin and the muscle beneath. "Give me bandits any day...though I totally would have got him eventually."​