News of his sister had reached him, enough to leave him stricken and nervous at first. Even when he regained control, bit it back down, Dread had a hard time putting words to it. Stomach in knots, the anxieties that he'd beaten back over so much time rearing their ugly heads once more. If he was Kite, where would he have gone? Running off into the woods on three legs... leave it to her, to cause a scene like that. Not like he hadn't done the same. Fuck, man. Where would she have gone, if she was going to run off like that?
Mentally, he crosses off the places that harbored family. Valta, the Hallows-- she'd want to be far away from blood. Shit, maybe that meant Dread was the last one that should be looking for her, but the young man thinks himself a special case. Besides, it wasn't like he was just searching. Dread would tell himself that he was on assignment, that he was doing something important or constructive or... okay, any other lie he could tell himself. He's always been this way.
First light gave way to a shifting dawn, and Dread moved in Ashen's direction. With any luck, he'd make it and be on his way home before the day got too warm. Coming from the east with the morning sun, Dread eats the ground with each long step. Work hard play hard, the Raider lifestyle really was good for him. It's somewhere between here and there, that he catches her scent. Lope slowing to a jog, and then a walk, as the girl comes into view at a distance. Slip of a thing, wouldn't want to scare her off without cause.
Then, the way she moves, is what strikes him. Dread's brow lifted for a moment, not wanting to close in too closely. Was she lost, or moving as if through a dream? Fuck it, it would be more rude to stand and stare, trying to figure it out. "Are you alright?" At least if she was lost, he could probably give directions. Dread's tone was conversational, light as he could manage. Light as it ever was, a glimmer in the boy's eye. Maybe it's just the early morning sunlight.
Bard
