Okay who invited the blondes

The smell was putrid,the smell was always there, ever since she could remember and was something she had almost forgot. Or maybe it was a represent all she knew now was it floated around her, in her nose and burning her eyes as it had in the beginning. Any movement was stilled, try as she might with any strength she could muster, some force held her body still. Two bodies lurched before her, hunched and bulging spines, bones too large for the skin pulsated under false forms. The creatures feasted, fed and ripped apart a small body. Too small to sedate the hunger as one rose. She couldn't see the eyes even if she wanted to, as she tried desperately to turn, to run. Run as fast as she could away. Her hand reached then, reached for the familiar touch of another, to tug to pull away them both to safety but she still stood un moving. The standing monster lurched then, teeth and lips stained with the blood of an unlucky child in a blur..  

Daphne jerked awake, armor rustling from the sudden movement. Her silver eyes squinted at the purple haze of the morning around her, the sun had hardly begun to rise but visibility wasn't at all difficult. Her eyes traveled to her gear then, most of it coated with a thin layer of dew that had settled that night, her arms went up in a quick stretch and in the next instant she was up. Her small fire she had started the night before all but burned down to a dull crackle of embers and charred wood which went ignored as she sharply pulled the heavy sword, which moments ago acted as her support and promptly sheathed it to her back.

It had been about a day since she heard from her informant, she didn't get many requests and when she did they were done quicker then a new one could come in. She wasn't proud of that fact it was just a job, if anything it left her with a lack of things to do other then rest and train. Today was special though, Daphne had traveled further out of her district then usual on a trek she didn't make often and not as often as she wanted to. This trip almost always got her a complaint from her informant but that hardly stopped the fast walking woman. Daphne sighed as she followed the familiar path through the trees just a few feet shy of her resting site. She almost always arrived first which was something she was going to pick on her about when she got there. The group of trees wasn't large enough to call it a forest but it was enough to stay out of sight as she followed the path to another clearing. The Lake was still in the early morning, the clink of her shoes were the only sound being carried across the water which was just fine with her. Their reunion wouldn't be interrupted. Daphne allowed herself a long yawn, arms stretching up and rested behind her head, kicking a small stone back and forth a couple of times before sending in into the water. Waiting for her to show was always the worst part of the trip, she lacked patience and the eagerness to see her was worse then suppressing her speed. But the Claymore only sighed once again, sitting back on a large stone as she waited.

She didn't like sleeping. No, she hated it. It was something typically avoided until even her own body demanded it and she fell asleep from exhaustion. Her sleep was usually dreamless, and it was something she was thankful for. Stirring slightly from her short slumber, Andraste glanced at the remnants of the fire she had built the night before. It still crackled with embers that had yet to cool down and become ash. Blinking slowly, she stretched and slowly stood from her spot on the ground to retrieve her armor.

Adjusting the vambrace on her wrist, she slowly kicked dirt over the remainder of the fire to out it entirely. Her gaze turned to her sword then, pulling it out of the ground in a simple, fluid motion. The claymore felt like almost nothing to her every time she lifted it and wielded it. Looking up to the tree above her, she lifted her sword to cut the stem of an apple that was just above her, catching the fruit in her free hand before finally sheathing her sword to continue on a familiar path. There was no requests from the towns in her region recently, or so said her informant the night previous. She had no qualms about it, though. The idea of her now-precious time being wasted wasn't exactly a welcome concept. Andraste tuned out the sounds around her, taking a bite out of the apple she had taken with her for the trip. It wasn't long after that she finally came upon a lake, the sun that was barely over the horizon reflecting on the lake. She tossed the apple behind her, stepping out of the forest with another stretch and a relaxed sigh. Unsheathing her sword, she dug the tip into the ground and scanned the edge of the lake to find who she was looking for. Who she was looking for almost always arrived before she did and this time was no different, stopping her search when she finally spotted her. "You're here early!" She called from her spot, already moving to strip her armor.

A yawn escaped the woman as she leaned against the rock, her hand came up as she examined her nails before a familiar energy filled her senses. Daphne sighed, glancing over  to the figure who had just emerged from the tree line. The gaze held for a moment before she shook her head, leaning up and off the rock as she too removed her sword. "Early? No you're just late. As always." she laughed, swinging her sword downward with enough force to embed it within the ground next to the other woman's. Her silver eyes again flashed to her, watching as armor began to be removed. "you look good..almost had me worried with how late you were this time, Andraste" she teased. Admittedly she was worried, every time about the woman in front of her, what she was doing when they weren't together or if she was alright. Though she had no intention of vocalizing such a serious thought, not now.

Daphne followed suit of her companions movements, shoulder plates were the first to go and the heaviest followed by the back piece and belt. "I've had this junk on all night! my sword arm is sore as hell." she muttered, kicking off one boot, then the other. The grass felt good against her feet the ground being soft from the lake. She turned her full attention back towards Andraste, a smile spreading across her face as she went to grab the woman's arm with a tug towards the lake "How have you been?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at the woman as they got closer to the waters edge slowing slightly. "any Yoma giving strong number twelve problems?" she teased again, turning to face her with another tug at her arm and a smile

A small snort escaped the woman, her pauldrons coming off with ease and her vambraces following the same path to the soft ground. "Tch, I'm arriving on time constantly. You're just the early one." A smile came across her lips, her boots coming off after and again she stopped to stretch. Already she felt relaxed; any time the Claymore was able to sense her friend, she was able to feel at peace. A small laugh left Andraste this time, reaching up to take out what kept her pale hair secure. "Nah, you think so? You're looking better this time around. But remember, I wasn't late. You were just early." Another smile crossed her lips, a chuckle leaving her. She already knew how Daphne worried about her, although she tried to convince the other she just was just arriving on time. But it never worked.

Pursing her lips slightly, Andraste glanced at the other and chuckled. "You always sleep with your armor on! No wonder you're always sore. Take it off every once in awhile." She ran her hands back through her hair, attempting to get out any tangles that seemed to want to stay in her hair. Looking back up at Daphne, another smile was given when her arm was taken, the woman following without much hesitation. "Same old, same old. Nothing really changes, but it seems a little better now." Giving a small laugh, she gave Daphne's hand a small pat. "And yourself? I assume you've been fine." Glancing at the water, the slight chill of the lake was welcomed when the water touched her feet when she stepped into the lake. Her silver eyes turned back to the other woman, a smile still on her lips. "You know by now Yoma don't give me that much trouble. And I don't imagine they can match up to your speed, either." She chuckled again, giving the hand on her arm another pat.

The initial chill of the water surprised her but she brushed it off, it was later in the morning so everything had a slight chill not that it was noticeable to her anymore. Daphne chuckled at the response, watching her friend get into the water for a moment before sighing "I'm the same, I had to work with another one of us to clear out an infested town" she started, following Andraste further into the water. "Everyone is so uptight throughout all the ranks! Its a pain working with them...and they're slow." she gave the arm she had hold of a tight squeeze before letting it go completely once she was in up to her waist in water it wasn't long before she dived forward and out of sight.

Daphne grinned to herself watching the bubbles from her mouth float back up to the surface, she didn't go too far out but the lake was deeper then expected. Spinning in the water she popped back up with a slight intake of air to glance at Andraste and quickly running a hand through her short, choppy hair. "even taking your time coming in the water huh Andraste? I should have dragged you out myself" Daphne called, quickly ducking back under the water without another word. She pumped her arms with ease to make it back closer to the other claymore before popping up suddenly with a splash. A pleased and coy smile spread across her face as she splashed the other woman with her return. "too slow" she teased, pushing back on the lake floor under them enough to float back out slightly. There was nothing she enjoyed more then spending time with the other claymore, her longtime best friend and the closest thing she had to her now. Teasing the woman was simply one of the ways she showed her affection. Daphne sighed, floating slightly further out in the water "I heard something really interesting about one of our comrades...if you can catch me I just might share" she floated with ease, giving a mock yawn "..maybe" she finished, giving the other woman a seemingly lazy stare as she floated.