[ Geralt watches after her for a few moments as she moves away. A deep chill sank into his blood the moment he saw that hawk above and it's not left him since. Without the shining sun, the air cools quickly. Were he alone, he'd be riding into the night. Roach has some strength left in her; he's spent most of the day on foot, searching the area. But Ciri looks like shit, her horse looks like shit, and she can't see in the dark as he can.
He lights a small campfire nearby, just to get them through the night. Digs around for some crusted bread and dried jerky, finds a clean cloth in his pack, and goes over to where Ciri is by the stream.
His boots scuff the dirt as he crouches down beside her. He hands her the cloth and unwraps the food between them. He doesn't need to ask to know she hasn't eaten. Or that she will probably tell him she isn't hungry. She still needs to eat. ]
He's in good hands. [ Is he trying to reassure her or himself? Both, perhaps. Geralt looks across the trickling stream. The ride ahead seems to stretch into the distance. He glances back at Ciri. He doesn't want her to think he doesn't want to hear it, what happened. To misunderstand his putting it off as a signal that he quietly blames her or would rather not deal with what she might've done. That's not it. It's only that he knows it'll be better spoken about when she isn't exhausted. When it's not so fresh. ] We can talk after you've rested.
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He lights a small campfire nearby, just to get them through the night. Digs around for some crusted bread and dried jerky, finds a clean cloth in his pack, and goes over to where Ciri is by the stream.
His boots scuff the dirt as he crouches down beside her. He hands her the cloth and unwraps the food between them. He doesn't need to ask to know she hasn't eaten. Or that she will probably tell him she isn't hungry. She still needs to eat. ]
He's in good hands. [ Is he trying to reassure her or himself? Both, perhaps. Geralt looks across the trickling stream. The ride ahead seems to stretch into the distance. He glances back at Ciri. He doesn't want her to think he doesn't want to hear it, what happened. To misunderstand his putting it off as a signal that he quietly blames her or would rather not deal with what she might've done. That's not it. It's only that he knows it'll be better spoken about when she isn't exhausted. When it's not so fresh. ] We can talk after you've rested.