"Seems to be the only place with water," she noted, then slithered a little closer. Gauging Warrior's reaction and the fact that he wasn't snorting and pacing away from her, Vee tried to approach. If allowed, she coiled up about an inch from the crook of the horse's elbow and ribs. Not actually touching, but enough to absorb his warmth and for it to somewhat constitute cuddling.

Warrior continued, though, describing places that were apparently not full of bones. She flicked her tongue in consideration. "... games?" Her head tilted. "But... they come in here and hurt themselves -" Vee would've looked confused if she could. Games were supposed to be fun, and people that played them were fun and nice. At least, she'd thought so. "The other things sound nice, at least." The closest thing to a forest she'd ever seen was the distant Dead Marsh. Mind the name.

"Maybe... we can go together? Buddy system to make sure we stay safe?" Mirage and Quentin watched each others's backs; perhaps... they could do the same. Vee'd been awake for all of a half hour, and she was already more than a bit terrified of being left alone again.

Which, coincidentally, was related to the next topic. Vee stopped tasting the air for a moment, turning away and shuffling through the sand while coiled. The admission tasted like her venom, "I can't help it. Not... the babies, anymore." She glanced back and forth from Warrior, unable to make eye contact. "I don't have to eat that many, though. Just one every once in a while and I try to be fast and painless about it -" By Hydra, she couldn't breathe, talking a mile a minute -

@Warrior

They could go together. Warrior offered Vee a sort of equine smile, dipping his head with a soft exhale of warm air. "That might be... an adventure. We'll do it--but I want to wait a little while longer. To see if Quentin and Mira come back. I'm... a little worried that they haven't, but maybe we'll see them, and they'll be able to tell us things, maybe important things."

He looked out at the raging sandstorm, again, and sighed.

"...Looks like this isn't going anywhere any time soon. You can rest close, if you want. Hopefully if anything crawls in it'll bite me first, but I think I might sleep?" he suggested, and glanced to her.

He was feeling, too, the gentle presence of the stone all around him--the rock of Hydra, warm and solid, and somehow it was a reassuring feeling. It was lulling, and he was tired; and he said nothing more of snakes and mice.

horse stock: colourize-stock.deviantart.com

@Vee

Wait - "o-oh," Vee faltered, if only slightly, "of course. Of course - maybe they'll come back with directions?" Turn left at the femur, go through some hellish gates, watch some bloodshed... seemed to be what the caves were like. The dynamic duo could give them advice on what to avoid, at least.

The rattler shuffled maybe an inch closer, and nodded gently at the horse. "I'll watch, don't worry," she assured, then put a grin in her voice, "if anything comes in, I'll bite them first." See whose venom won out. She settled in to do just that, staring out into the storm.

If only she knew what might be on its way.

exit?
@Warrior

Warrior offered a gentle laugh.

"We'll see, I guess. But you don't need to stay awake. I'm usually okay," he told her. Granted, part of that was down to dumb luck--and part to his size. Even three-foot spiders were usually hesitant about messing with nine hundred pounds of horse, and he never slept where the Eyehooks or Sandworms would spot him.

For now, it didn't matter; as long as that sandstorm raged, he doubt anything would be wandering looking for prey, and if something came looking for shelter, it would be unlikely to engage them. His senses would keep watch, half-aware even as he slept; he offered the snake a nudge, and then curled his head around to sleep.

horse stock: colourize-stock.deviantart.com

exit Warrior