aeons_crackshot | Fallout New Vegas AU

Fallout New Vegas AU

3 years, 2 months and 10 days.

That's how long it's been since Annabelle came home to find the ruins of her family's caravan and her mother's body.

Long years, hard years, but she's managed to survive. She's running low on ammunition and lower still on food, which is why she's hunting geckos in the fading light of the evening.

Her trusty cowboy repeater is aimed at a very nice specimen. If it just comes a little closer......

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"But you are." He nods, ready to follow. "I guess that explains why you did not just run away."

"Or soil yourself." The deathclaw snickers a bit.

"It's a living," Annabelle says with a smile. "Get to see a lot of the world too, more than most ever will."

Annabelle snickers too. "Might have soiled myself if I'd eaten anything lately. You're damn scary!"

The campfire is still going, thank goodness! Annabelle adds some dried grass to feed the fire and starts butchering the gecko. "How long has your family been in this area, if you don't mind my asking."

Leander crouches again, paws resting on knees. "We aren't: I'm off scouting, the Clutch is a few days travel from here. Dad likes to know how far any dangers are."

Annabelle nods. "Makes sense. I wouldn't think there would be a lot of things out there that could endanger your family, though."

One deathclaw is serious bad news, a whole pack of them.....

"We still don't like being shot at, and that happens once in a while when humans think they can get away with that." He frowns, and rubs his snout with the back of a paw.

"Well, deathclaws DO sometimes hunt and eat people," Annabelle replies with a grimace. "Doesn't make it fair that folks end up shooting at you and your folks, though."

She frowns at him rubbing his snout. "Do you want me to have a look at that, see what I can do?"

"Look at what?" The deathclaw tilts head, puzzled. "It's the smell of smoke, makes my nostrils itch."

"Oh, sorry. I thought maybe you'd hurt your nose."

The gecko is...well, no longer raw, nor is it incinerated. By Annabelle's standards, that's really good. (A chef, she is not.)

Annabelle takes the gecko off the fire and lets it cool a bit.

"No. I was just thinking stuff." And there she is, having a chat with a nine foot tall killing machine. "You delivering something right now?"

It is indeed strange.

"On my way back to get paid for the delivery." "I hope." she mutters.

If you guessed there's a story there, you'd be right.

"...people don't pay you for your work?" Humans are really weird.

"They're supposed to," Annabelle complains bitterly. "But sometimes they try and cheat me, or worse."

The deathclaw raises an eyeridge. "Humans really are weird."

"I guess," Annabelle replies with a shrug. "It's hard when you're on your own, nobody's on your side, really."

She sighs.

"Yeah, I guess... life with the pack can be annoying, but being alone would be much worse." Yes, it's very rare to see even a deathclaw alone.

"...which way you're going?"

"That way," she says, gesturing with one hand. "I've got a few days left to go, provided I don't get stuck waiting out another sandstorm."

Leander gives a nod. "Hm. I'm going that way too, then left to the river then back north. You're going to... whats the name... Nelson?"

"Good guess," Annabelle says with a grin. "You know the area really well."

"Papers of one kind or another for the NCR folks in Nelson," Annabelle elaborates with a shrug.

"Hm." Leander nods, pondering. "Hm, would... well, would you mind company? I'm in no hurry to go back home."

"Not at all!" Annabelle replies with a grin. "It gets lonely on the road, and you'd be good company."

Not to mention that there aren't many things in the Wasteland willing to go near a deathclaw, which cuts down on unpleasant encounters.

"Yeah, scouting is boring, without someone to talk to." Leander rubs his nose again, shifting position to upwind from the fire. "The Wasteland can be way too quiet sometimes."

Like the times when nothing's trying to kill you.

Which is usually at least half the time, right?

Annabelle nods in agreement. "It can get to you, after a while. The...loneliness of if."

"Hm, yeah. The Pack can be right annoying, but it beats being alone by a lot." Leander shifts position again, laying down on his side.

"I'll take first watch," Annabelle offers. Not that she thinks there's much out there in the Mojave that's going to willingly come anywhere near a deathclaw, but you never know.

Leander just mumbles a thanks, before drifting to sleep, glad to get to rest first.

Funny, how the fiercest predator of the wasteland can be much less scary after a bit of chat, right?

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aeons_crackshot - 2012-07-27 18:07 (UTC) - Expand

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