I'll show you mine if you show me yours first

[airborn]

[Being small is probably what gets them past the Peacekeepers in the end. And quick, Rue amends in her mind. Can't forget about speed when it matters. Her ears pick up the sound of Ellie's footsteps just behind her, and Rue can't help the wave of relief that crashes through her. She knows if she hadn't caught Ellie sneaking out tonight, her friend would have gone foraging alone, under the delusion that Rue needs to be protected even when they're the same age.]

Come on, slowpoke, we're almost there. [Rue chances the whisper as they near the abandoned fields, when a searching glance around doesn't reveal any sign of white uniforms.] Did you bring a bag with you?

[If their luck holds, they'll be bringing home enough roots and other edible plants to feed both of their families tonight.]

Comments

[elliexir]

[ ellie trails behind rue, but uncharacteristically, takes more precaution than usual. that's not to say that she's not normally careful (she has to be in the districts), but she's slower, more paranoid, constantly looking around, acting as if there'd be a peacekeeper right behind her, and this all has to do with the fact that rue's with her tonight. they don't even know what will happen beyond the fence, and yet rue just insisted on coming out with her. she can't lie and say that she doesn't feel a tiny bit relieved at that, to have a friend watching her back, but she would have rather had rue back home, where it's safe and not risking her life... ]

[ she catches up to rue and whispers back. ]

Psh, never leave home without it. [ to show her, ellie shifts the empty and extremely worn out bag on her back. it's definitely seen better days, with all the discoloured patches and obvious sew jobs, but it does its job well enough that ellie is confident she can carry sand in it and not drop a single grain. ] You know, I could have just gone by myself.

[ it's not too late for rue to turn back... ]

[airborn]

[Like there's any chance of Rue letting her best friend go off and do illegal things on her own. Pfft.

She sends Ellie a grin over her shoulder.]

You could have, but that doesn't mean you're going to. ["Duh" her tone seems to say.] Besides, if you didn't want me to know about it, you shouldn't have talked to me about it.

[elliexir]

[ ellie lets out a small huff ]

It's not like I can keep anything from you. [ HUFF HUFF ] Besides, it might get reaaaaal spooky out there. It'd be daaaaaark, oooooooo.

[ she makes motions with her hands, moving her fingers around, imitating a ghost. she's just playing around now, she knows that wouldn't be able to convince rue to go back at all, but hey, might as well ]

[airborn]

[Rue reaches over and gives Ellie a light shove.]

You say that like they aren't always making us work at night when it's harvest season. Wish we had those night vision glasses right now, though. [She frowns, remembering how the peacekeepers had killed the boy who had tried to keep one of the night glasses. Probably not worth it to steal one, right?]

[elliexir]

[ ellie just returns the shove and sticks out her tongue ]

Yeah, but it's uncharted territory. We might just run into something insanely scary, and then you'd totally regret it and won't let me hear the end of it for a whole year.

[ okay, ellie's just playing around and whatnot. she seriously doesn't think rue is going to get scared by this terrible attempt of 2spoopy talk ]

[airborn]

I wouldn't let you hear the end of it for a whole year if you left without me.

[Rue replies back with a shrug that Ellie probably doesn't see in the dim lighting. She pauses and squints at something in front of her.]

I think I see the fence. The field's through here, right?

[elliexir]

[ ellie stops besides rue. man, she can't see shit. ]

I think so. [ she tries to peer in ] Okay, I'll go first and let you know if it's all good, all right?

[ or if it's not all good like if ellie gets electrocuted or something. wouldn't that be........ shocking, hahahaha ]

[airborn]

[Rue shifts the squint onto Ellie this time, hoping her friend feels the weight of the disapproving gaze even if she can't see it.]

Shouldn't I go first? I'm smaller than you are.

[Harder to catch and see, if there are guards, she doesn't have to say.]