When the horse moved her grip tightened, both with her fingers and her thighs. She managed to remain atop him with relative ease, but the horse was moving rather slowly. His gait rather smooth and rhythmic. Something she could fall into with a bit of time to learn it. "Like me?" She asked him, looking down at him from where she sat in the saddle with a confused look on her face. "I don't know...I've been told I'm a little different, but elves, for the most part, are kind and welcoming. Aelfmenn has more than just elves living in it." He said he wouldn't speak of her secret and Larkin gave him a small grateful smile. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry." She said after he spoke of the death or disappearance of his parents. She was lucky to have her brother after her parents had passed away. She couldn't imagine going it completely alone. Well...she sort of was now. But she had been raised in a home with a family. Her youth had been simple, easy. It sounded to her that Yngvald had always struggled and fought for what he had. He stopped his sentence rather abruptly which made the little hybrid's skull lean curiously. "If you had the choice you would be, what?" She was genuinely curious although he did seem hesitant to voice it.

"It does seem like an...eventful lifestyle." She agreed softly. She hesitantly released the horse with one hand and nudged her sleeve upward so that the obsidian tattoo on her wrist could be seen. Its meaning was rather well known across Oedir although there were slight variations here and there. Different owners and the like branding their property in different ways. "I was given this on my first night in Cendra, I didn't think I stood a chance. I couldn't...I wasn't strong enough to live through what those people do. Thankfully I didn't have to. But I still have this as a reminder." She let her sleeve fall back down and held the saddle horn with both hands again. "If you did want out, of what you do. I would try to help if you would let me. Everyone needs help sometimes."

She looked at the snowy expanse ahead of them and sighed softly. "It should just be spring all the time. Its a much more agreeable season."

'

He didn't accept her offer but he didn't straight up decline it either. His noncommital answer was enough to sate her. For the moment at least. "That's true. But it doesn't change anything." Larkin's thin shoulders rose in a small shrug. "It's like saying lots of people get eaten by bears. It doesn't make what almost happened any less scary just because I'm not the only one it happened too." Larkin often didn't realize when she was prying. Those little social cues just not sinking in like they should. She didn't think that for one moment she might come across as rude.

From her seat on Bran she could have sworn his cheeks turned pink, but maybe it was just the wind chill. "That sounds like a good dream." She commented with a smile although the words that followed made her frown. It was a shame that someone would judge him because of a bad moment. He was apparently very good also. He had saved her life and now he was escorting her home. A perfect stranger, a hybrid no less. Yngvald asked how she was freed from her chains in Cendra and Larkin hesitated before she answered. "Felix saved me." She supplied simply. Not wanting to delve into the memories.

He had retorted with fall and Larkin grinned, shaking her head a little. "But everything is so...loud in fall. Even the trees. And then the cold comes. Nope. I'm set on spring." She spoke as if she actually had some say in the matter. As if she could really change the seasons and her decision carried weight.

((We can timeskip anytime you like ^_^ I wasn't sure if you were ready yet so I left it out of mine.))

Her first thought had been that he was serious, that he could change the seasons. But thankfully common sense caught up to her before she said something that would make her look like a complete fool. "I wish you could though." She replied with a smile. It was almost too perfect that the wind wouldn't tear at their clothing as savagely and that the snow would calm. Maybe it was the power of wishful thinking. She stared down at the kind stranger as the small horse moved along. Her blue eyes eventually turning back to the path.

A few days later...

Traveling wasn't the most enjoyable thing for the little rabbit, at least not these days. But they made pretty good time despite the frequent breaks. Another morning was dawning, they weren't far from Aelfmenn now. They should arrive today, or so she assumed. Larkin stretched and sat up in the tiny shelter. She pulled her knees to her chest and sat her chin on them with a little frown. Her stomach did not feel well today. And the thought of riding...the gentle sway, it nearly made her ill just to think about it.

Larkin rubbed her face with a tiny discontented sound in her throat. It was still cold here, the ground covered in snow. But it was like summer compared to Krizala. Larkin looked to Ygvald, forcing a smile to try to hide her discomfort. "Maybe you should ride today." She said softly. He deserved a break anyway. He had been letting a complete stranger ride his horse while he walked. Larkin chewed on her lip and pushed her long hair behind her ears. Not moving from her sitting position yet, knowing that if she did she would get sick. And that was something she really didn't want Yngvald to see.

Larkin peered up at Yngvald as he readied Bran. Feeling her stomach twist and turn all the while. At his question she didn't immediately reply, her blue eyes closing as if to try to gather herself before she did speak. "I am ok, just...I get sick sometimes." She bit down on her lip and rubbed her face. Turning to the side so that she wasn't facing him if she did end up vomiting. She pushed her long ivory hair back from her face and pulled her knees to her chest. Trying to take long breaths but so far it wasn't helping.

"Do we have any water?" It probably wouldn't help but she would have tried just about anything at that point. She was sweating a little despite the cold, a testament to her twisting stomach. "And Bran was fine I just don't think I can handle the movement today..." Yngvald had turned out to be rather nice company. He didn't seem as wary of her now as he had been at first. Relaxing a little as the days went on.

"I don't know why the baby makes me sick...but I don't like it."

Larkin took the water when he offered it to her, pulling the top she would take a tentative sip and then a longer drink. Her blue eyes flicked between Yngvald and Bran. She gave him a grateful smile when he said she could take her time and that it was normal. "Thank you." She said and took another sip. "I think its normal, yeah...I've never been pregnant before this so I'm just kinda learning as I go." After about ten minutes or so when she didn't feel like she would get sick she climbed to her feet and handed the water skin back to Yngvald.

"Do you think you will have children one day? I mean...with someone. I don't think you can do it alone." She hurried to explain, feeling that her words left her sounding dumb but she only managed to dig the pit deeper. "I hadn't planned it but life has a way of surprising me.These days." Including with a human who was apparently an outlaw who would save her from a bear.

"Have you given it any more thought? Staying with my brother an I? Just for a few days so you can rest. I'm certain he wouldn't mind. You would be the one bringing me home after all." Her fingers searched for his as she walked beside him. Lightly capturing his own with a gentle squeeze. "Please? I owe the two of you that much at least..."

She smiled softly at his mention of a son and the familiarity of the very gentle bump. She tapped her chin with one finger when a question hit her though. "What if it was a daughter? It isn't something we can really decide...I don't think." His joke went right over her head and Larkin looked over at him with surprise. "That shouldn't be hard." She commented thoughtfully. "You are very nice, and nice to look at. Any girl would be lucky to find herself with a man like you." And she meant those words. Perhaps from her they wouldn't mean as much as if they had come from someone else, but she valued Yngvald as a friend now. Whether or not he considered her one.

"Is it easier without plans?" She asked him as if he had all the answers, as if she were not so much older than he. Although Yngvald for his few years was likely wiser than the little hybrid would ever be. Her fingers had curled around his and he didn't pull away. Though he rarely had, seemingly growing accustomed to her odd little quirks rather quickly. "Of course. I would love for you to stay." She smiled wide and worked her fingers between his own to lean into his shoulder with a soft sight.

"I am sure he won't mind. Elves are welcoming to others in general...I'm not sure why everyone thinks we-they aren't. And you saved me from that bear....thats no small thing." Walking and speaking with him was helping to distract her mind from her nausea. Thankfully. "I'm sure Bran would like some rest too." She looked over at the small horse fondly. He was such a gentle beast.