[Continued from here | @quantum-shatter]
[ The boy’s eyes searched over the assassin’s shoulder at the words of caution, eyes searching for the dangers that he hadn’t seen yet. It seemed to him that all Talon was staring at were some trees- however, he took his word for it, and, after glancing behind him briefly, Ekko looked back in front of them. His feet stayed planted where they were, as he’d been told, but his muscles tensed and coiled up, fingers itching to unsheathe his weapon.
Talon’s words had surprised the Zaunite more than a little- figuring they’d never been so close, they’d never even been… particularly friendly; but he figured that, even for a killer, the man must have some morals if he was willing to protect him instead of letting him wander blindly into danger. He wanted to believe that. He would, for now.
Dark eyes flickering between the shadows of the forest, Ekko searched for what Talon had already detected. Living in Zaun, he’d developed above-average perception skills; though they were nowhere near those whohunted for a living, and he wasn’t able to pick out what he’d been warned against. His words were short and stiff, low next to the man’s shoulder, not wishing to distract. ]
          “What is it?”
Talon tilted his head as he stared into the darkness before him, his ears picking up the softest of voices - whispers, perhaps, or simply vague words, carried by the wind. He could hardly tell; not with the interference of swaying branches and, indeed, the other white noise of the forest: fading birdsong and the scuffling of nocturnal animals. Still, his hand itched to reach for the blade by his side, and he was not willing to ignore it at all.Â
“I cannot be sure,” Talon replied, his voice soft as, cautiously, he took a step in the direction of the voices, frowning as he struggled still to pinpoint precisely where the voices were. “The forest is muffling the sound too much.”Â
Talon did not bother glancing backward toward the child, although he held his bladed arm with more readiness than he had before, his stance now noticeably lowered - prepared should he need to strike, of course. He continued forward, tilting his head every so often to better catch the vague voices which grew clearer only incrementally.Â
“At best, we have chanced upon some travellers.”Â