Those Who Hunt Monsters IC

Marshall was bringing up the rear of the group. Not because he could not keep up, but because he had made a silent commitment to watch their backs throughout this mission. It was his little way of making up for his behavior. He did not expect Livia would be all that impressed by an apology, though he intended to give her one eventually. Still she seemed like the type that respected action more than words, so he was intent on keeping everyone here alive and safe, even if it meant throwing himself in harms way. It was all part of his new and improved view on life. He had spent far too many years living strictly for himself. And he regretted nearly all of them. Now was a good opportunity to earn the trust and respect of a few of his colleagues and he intended to make it work, even if he had to die for it. At least he will have died for something.

He caught up to the cute little firecracker with the red hair as she was struggling to get her boot back on her foot. She seemed to be a perpetually angry person, though it certainly seemed to give her a drive few of them could boast of. He looked down at her with a small smile on his face. If he had ever had kids, he would have liked to have one like her. She was a mess, no doubt about it, but she was a fighter.

"Hey kid." He said in his deep rough voice. "This is only the stroll on the way to the fight. We haven't even got to the hard part yet. You sure your up for this?" He was deliberately trying to get her fired up so she would push herself a little harder. He braced himself for the verbal assault that would likely follow.

"Hey kid."

The words made Josephine freeze in her tracks. Her head turned slowly, her teeth ground down tight, "What did you just say to me?" She demanded, pivoting on her heel. She readjusted the still too heavy backpack. She stomped towards Marshall, her feet losing traction every once in a while and her arms flailing out to maintain balance. She nearly wasted herself twice more. She recognized the well seasoned Marshall as an experienced Ranger and a Blackheart. However, between her mud problems, her aching stomach, and her predisposition to temper tantrums, she was blinded to the fact she should respect and admire Marshall. So, instead of asking for his mentorship, she poked his chest with her dirty finger.

"I'm up for anything!" She argued, "More than you'll ever know!" She poked him again for good measure. Her cheeks burned, her eyes turned a tumultuous green. She stared down Marshall, her chest heaving up and down as she breathed heavily. There was a fire in her eyes, a determination to prove herself.

Well, I guess it worked. He thought as he looked down at the excitable little pup. She poked him in the chest and looked up at him defiantly. It was a struggle for him to maintain his typically gruff composure. He fought back a grin and held her eyes with a scowl on his face.

"What I know might surprise you kid. Besides there's nothing wrong with learning to walk before you run." He could no longer hold back the grin so he turned and walked away slow enough for her to keep up. Hopefully she had not noticed how much fun he was having getting under her skin. He strolled slowly even though the mud did not really bother him. His powerful Blackheart legs trudged through it with ease.

"Let me give you a little advice kid, and you can take it or leave it. That spunk of yours will get you far. You will certainly need it before this mission is over. But I suggest you learn who your enemy is and who your friends are. You are going to burn yourself out fighting us before you even lay eyes on an ogre."

He trudged along slow enough that she could keep up if she wanted to or choose to walk alone.