Nothing but salt

He couldn’t deny he was excited about eating something cooked. He spent most days eating maggots, dog food, raw rats, and lizards, fire was a gift as well as water.

He saw the skin around her eyes crinkle and he guessed she was smiling. “Bandits,” Max growled in response, his own eyes flashing, “Good scrap at those camps, not just Guzzaline.” The corner of him mouth twitched upward in a slight smile.

Rarely did he hesitate to raid Bandit camps, often more times than not, he’d come across some pretty great finds. Anything from canned food to ammo. But Bandits were dangerous and some even turned human flesh into leather. He had cheated death more times raiding camps that from anything else. It was the world they lived in now and he had to survive…and so did she.

Max glanced back up at the female and saw her eyes focused on the storm. He shifted with a grunt, his bad leg growing stiff. He stretched it out, unable to keep it bent any longer, and hoped he wasn’t invading too much into her space.

    Her eyes jumped to him at the sudden movement, hand darting to her waist, to the knife strapped there. When she realised that he was only getting comfortable, the muscles in her back relaxed and she exhaled slowly.

    “Injured?” She gestured at his leg vaguely. Even minor injuries could be fatal. Blood sickness, night sweats, and all sorts of problems could arise from even the most minor of scratches.

     She pulled her knife free and speared the lizard tail. She could stand to wait. Once upon a time she would eat first. She had provided the food, cooked it, prepared it. But it wasn’t once upon a time, and he needed to eat. Extending her arm, she offered the charred meat, dripping with fat, toward the stranger.

[ ☣ ]– Max hadn’t realized how hypnotic the sounds of cooking could be. The smells were intoxicating and for a moment or two, he was engrossed in watching the flames lick at the flesh. But not even the flames were as hungry as him.

The single word caught the mad man off guard and at first he thought he had imagined it. Share. But–but why? His mind scrambled for something he could offer, something as a trade for food. He mentally searched his pockets and found his hand dipping into the zipper pouch at his right breast. He pulled out a long thick piece of fire starting flint along with a striker.

“Here,” he said, tossing them over to the women. Catching the canteen of water as it slid over to him. “For when the gas on that thing runs out.” It was a meager offering compared to the food and water this half masked women had given him, but it was all he could give. He hoped it would be enough. “And…” He swallowed, his dry throat crying out for the liquid sloshing between his hands. “Thanks.”

     Her hand snapped out, a sand viper striking at the air, and she snatched the offering. She held it to the light of the flame, examining it. Then, with a decisive movement, she flicked it around her hand and laid it out beside the fire. An acknowledgement of his offering.

     “Should last.” She gestured at the flame. “But if not. Bandit camp nearby.” A bit of fat dripped off the tail, sending the flame dancing, illuminating her smiling eyes. “Guzzaline there.”

“ I can understand that. “ More or less. He still didn’t understand sharing with strangers, but it wasn’t his decision to make.

      Dubharadh

                        Independent supernatural OC                         10+ years RP experience                         OC, AU, Crossover friendly

     “You again…” he lowers his gun after pointing it on reflex when he heard movement. 

For a moment he studies the woman, unsure what to say. After all, she’d helped right? He was just far too tense at the time to linger after she’d cut open his muzzle. Seemed like the obvious thing to do–he hadn’t exactly been friendly to begin with. That was a rarity in itself in such a prime survivalist as himself.

    Pushing to her feet, she tested her weight on her injured leg, looking over at him. “Warriors protect. Help. No thanks. Just doing what fighters do.” She picked up her pack, setting it on the rock behind her.