lethalwlfβ:
βyeah..β ellie replied to him mentioning maria. the jackon leader always made sure everyone was in the loop it seemed she had a motherly eye for ellie and whenever she was heading on patrol she was extra loving with her words ( it made ellie want to return to jackson afterwards ). sneakers dragged across the ground whilst rubbing her nose and then adjusting the backpack by dragging thumbs along the straps.
mind wandering she couldnβt recall if she had been on that trail before and if she had it was in a memory she had pushed far back ( probably for any good reason that was ellieβs to have ). the green eyed girl titled her head, teeth nibbling a bit nervously though awkwardly at her bottom lip.Β βwhy did maria change the pairing today? i thought you were going with joel.β truth be told she wasnβt that curious but since it was changed last minute ( finding out the day before ) meant ellie wasnβt patrolling with dina which she had wished for. she always wished for that.
reaching out for shimmerβs reins as they headed to the gates that were being opened for them, ellie peeked at her uncle slightly with a childish expression though it was fast taken over by her regular resting poker face which rarely smiled these days.Β βdonβt get me wrong, i donβt mind patrolling with you.β
Honesty was the most suitable course to take in a conversation like this. Even if he created a decent lie about the switch up, Ellie wasn't stupid. "Well, Maria wanted me to check on you," Tommy answered once when climbed up onto his horse. He switched the reins from one hand onto the other as he settled into the saddle, glancing over at Ellie over his shoulder. "Don't say I said anything about it."Β
The route they were assigned guided them through evacuated neighborhoods and towns before connecting to the Grand Teton trails. The setting itself was an overabundance of abandoned houses, cars, RVs, and stores engulfed in snow. Most were looted for supplies and other necessities required for basic survival. Although, if remarkably fortunate ( or hugely desperate ), someone could discover something worth enough in the heap of debris that littered almost every building or remaining structure. Generally, however, the buildings were left untouched by those who got permission to go outside the wall. If they weren't stripped for supplies back then, there was a logical reason. Either it was the structure had nothing left worth taking to being overgrown with spores from the lifeless infected or infested with them. It wasn't a chance worth taking and wasting a life over to some.Β
"Well, thatβs a relief, or else this patrol would be a little...β He took in a deep breath before exhaling, βAwkward.β Giving Belle a faint nudge and click from the cheek, a sharp freezing gust greeted Tommy immediately when leaving the protection of the community. Sending a subtle shiver down his spine as they ventured out into the wilderness. It was quiet, it was peaceful - an uninterrupted ambiance. The only disturbance in the tranquil setting was the horse hooves crushing snow and ice with overlapping voices.Β
As they traversed through the trail, Tommy thought out loud as they cut through the forest, βItβs amazing what a full night sleep will do.β His eyes eventually fell back onto Ellie, giving a warm smile. With the rising numbers of infected sighting, sleep was hard to come by, especially for the Miller brothers.
