The sight of another living soul was a welcome one, and she was more than willing to lend a hand. Her gaze shifted to the dragon, who seemed to be watching her with a sense of curiosity rather than hostility. That, at least, was a promising sign.
As the hunter mentioned the challenging season for travel, she nodded in agreement. "You're right, Deepfrost is harsh, but sometimes life doesn't wait for the seasons to change," she replied, her voice carrying a touch of solemnity. "I lost my mother recently, and I didn't want to remain alone in the wilderness. I needed a change of scenery, even if it meant traveling in this weather."
Nim's gaze drifted to the sizable haul of meat and hide. "I'm happy to help; two pairs of hands are better than one," she offered. She was oblivious to his suspicion, unfazed by his tone or posture. Unlike him, she hadn't run into much trouble with other people. Most were happy to have aid, or share resources. It was hardly worth fighting when you could work together and both have a higher chance of survival.
With that, she dismounted from her horse and approached the reindeer carcass, rolling up her sleeves in preparation to assist with the cleaning and butchering. Not much time was wasted before she dug in. Her nimble fingers deftly worked to remove the hide, starting at the neck and working her way down the body. She kept a keen eye on the hunter's technique, making sure to match his movements and not waste any valuable meat.
As they worked together, Nim decided to try to break the ice further. "My name is Namythria, by the way, but my mother always called me Nim," glancing at the hunter, she asked with genuine curiosity, "Do you usually hunt with your dragon companion? It must be quite an advantage." She hadn't realized just how much she missed the company of another human.
As the hunter mentioned the challenging season for travel, she nodded in agreement. "You're right, Deepfrost is harsh, but sometimes life doesn't wait for the seasons to change," she replied, her voice carrying a touch of solemnity. "I lost my mother recently, and I didn't want to remain alone in the wilderness. I needed a change of scenery, even if it meant traveling in this weather."
Nim's gaze drifted to the sizable haul of meat and hide. "I'm happy to help; two pairs of hands are better than one," she offered. She was oblivious to his suspicion, unfazed by his tone or posture. Unlike him, she hadn't run into much trouble with other people. Most were happy to have aid, or share resources. It was hardly worth fighting when you could work together and both have a higher chance of survival.
With that, she dismounted from her horse and approached the reindeer carcass, rolling up her sleeves in preparation to assist with the cleaning and butchering. Not much time was wasted before she dug in. Her nimble fingers deftly worked to remove the hide, starting at the neck and working her way down the body. She kept a keen eye on the hunter's technique, making sure to match his movements and not waste any valuable meat.
As they worked together, Nim decided to try to break the ice further. "My name is Namythria, by the way, but my mother always called me Nim," glancing at the hunter, she asked with genuine curiosity, "Do you usually hunt with your dragon companion? It must be quite an advantage." She hadn't realized just how much she missed the company of another human.
