―――― Rhiannon exhaled slowly as she gently draped a soft veil-like scarf about her head to protect her eyes and the back of her neck from the desert sun, her bracers, which had only fit her other body, temporarily left behind, though replaced with more dainty braided strands of string to replace them. Perhaps the notion was odd, that one who was blind would even bother with what she looked like, yet perhaps it was because she was blind that she found reason to care. If she could look, and act, or even pretend to be what others wanted her to be, if she could somehow make people like her without having to speak a word, it made her life far easier. If she looked capable, if she seemed like she could handle herself, people tended to leave her alone. Perhaps it wasn't so much in the case of the Pitt, where you were expected to shape up and step in, or being ignored or punished for not contributing, but where she had lived, where she had come from, there were far too many people wanting to "help" the pitiful little girl with no sight. Yet, in some ways, it was more than that. Her bracers, worn as they were, had at first been a way, as a young girl, to mind her steps. When she was younger, with more sight, she had been far more likely to leap and bound and ultimately crash with her lack of depth perception. The bracers, tight around her wrists, had been a subtle reminder to take smaller steps, and while perhaps she did not need them anymore, they had become somewhat a part of her over the recent years. The cloak or her scarves, too, served a more practical purpose in the Pitt, and her other jewelry? There was a necklace, the only thing she had really been able to keep when she had first been brought here due to the fact it was the only thing she had been wearing at the time. It was small, and dainty; a golden chain with a (as she had been told), blue gemstone hanging from it, its weight both familiar and faintly soothing. It had been a gift from her mother.

With a sigh, Rhiannon made her way out into the camp, no necklace dangling from her neck for the purpose of not causing herself a distraction. Funny to think how a necklace could be a distraction, but if the light caught it just right, and it glimmered or sparkled under the light, she would be drawn to the flickers of light in her vision. It was perhaps one of the few things that she could still "see", and at times she swore her brain was desperate for that stimulation. Hence, it was only for rare occasions, not only for that, but to avoid losing it as well. It was special, in a few ways, and she would not let the Pitt take that away from her, no matter how she grew comfortable here in her roles. Though, she supposed now, other than a few sticky-pawed individuals, she had little cause to worry for the safety of her adornments. She was a free woman. A free woman of the Pitt, and a loyal one to. Well, 'loyal' as Rhiannon could ever get to any one thing or place. She respected Nina greatly, and the woman had assured her a place as an Erudite, a healer, who could give back to this hell-hole that had enslaved her in the first place. Yes, she was still bitter, but in regards to that, she could stand to answer to Nina a lot more than perhaps she could have Stryker, who she truly doubted would have ever offered her such opportunity. He was a strong individual, and a good leader no doubt, but Rhiannon held a grudge like no other.

Her paws carried her carefully through the desert territory of the surrounding encampment, her little paws sinking gently into the masses of hot, grainy sand as she made her way along. She had no true purpose to be out here today. Often, before she had come out here with the inclination of simply walking away and never coming back, even if she died doing so. Yet, today, she had every notion to return before the sun got too high, and the sand too blistering hot, softly humming as her paws crossed a voidless expanse of sand, with no landmarks to guide her. Perhaps she'd get some herbs, to prove her worth to Ninazu. Or, perhaps, she might be fancied with a little afternoon nap in the shade of a large cactus. The hour stretched on under the desert sun as Rhiannon stepped along the ridges of the sand dunes, a desert mouse dangling lifelessly from her jaws as she listened to the occasional bird squawk or the shift of sand from some far off wind. Despite the tendencies of some of the Pittians, this place was peaceful, or at least, it usually was. This time, however, she froze in her tracks at a low hisss that reached her ears, her body going stiff as she slowly exhaled, tensing every muscle in her body. Where was it? It was close, the faint shift of sand near to her body setting off every alarm bell in her head. You couldn't ignore, or get out of the threat zone of a creature you couldn't even see. Nor did she want to make the mistake of stepping on it. She took a slow breath in, closing her eyes for a moment as she gathered her composure. The hissing continued on, louder as the snake warned her to leave its space, but Rhiannon had lived this life long enough to get a few tricks up her sleeve. The mouse in her jaws was gently tossed aside, barely enough to make it roll across the desert sands. As expected, she could hear the sudden jolt of sand as the snake latched onto the dead mouse's body, leaving her to quickly turn where she had heard the thud of a mouse's body and plant her paw at the back of the snake's head, rendering it immobile, or at the very least unable to turn its head enough to bite her. But as soon as she had touched the snake was the instant her body almost recoiled without a secondary thought. Why was it wet?! Her paws slowly shifted the other replacing the one presently on the snake's back as she brought it to her nose, which had until then been blocked by the smell of the mouse. Blood.

"You poor thing," she murmured softly, feeling the snake struggle beneath her paw as it also tried to chomp away at the mouse now stuck in its jaws. Rhiannon hesitated for a moment before she slowly removed her paw, only thanking the stars that the starving, injured snake was now far more interested in the gift of dinner than about her presence. She knew she could have left it- circle of life and everything- yet something about it made her pause, slowly moving to pull off the thin headscarf that had been protecting her neck from the blazing desert sun. Yes, circle of life but- she was here, wasn't she? Her paws moved, finding the edge of the wound upon the snake before she slipped the scarf around the thing, trying to ignore the warning hisses of the feasting beast as she lightly wound the scarf around, just tight enough to apply pressure without restricting it, knotting it neatly as she bit her bottom lip. She couldn't just leave it. It was such a driving, compelling thought, yet one that she couldn't answer. Why did she care? It was just a snake.

And she was just a girl.

Slowly, minding her actions, Rhiannon slowly sank to the ground beside the snake, backing off some distance to make it feel more relaxed. Its hissing stopped soon enough, and as she listened to its shifting body against the sand as it devoured the little mouse,  even so close enough to flick its tail against her outstretched paws, she had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, she had found someone to keep her company.

//I wrote this like over three separate days so sorry it's so rough ack. Feel free to reply if you really want but it's not necessary!