When Ocieros got back into the hut, Neris was gone. She'd probably run off to her spot in the woods, it was the space she could clear her head. It brought a small pleasure to his mind, the pond used to be his favorite place to relax. It was calming, and it wasn't too far away from the hut itself. In fact, after he got back from the first war, he had planned on using the spot to hide away from the village. He had yet to earn his title under the Church, or his moniker as Peacekeeper. But on his first trip back, he was pleasantly surprised to see the young little girl already there, asleep in the trees.<br/><br/>Turning his mind back to the hut, he fetched one of the chopped logs to throw into the small fireplace that provided the room with any notable heat. Now that he'd calmed down a bit, the cold really seeped in. It'd be a better night without Carmine here, but he hoped Neris would come back before it got even colder. Her tiny frame wouldn't be able to handle the cool, keep her warm enough this time of the seasons.<br/><br/>He ran a callused hand through his hair as deep sigh ran through him. The family was torn, and it wasn't even feasible to try and lie to say otherwise. But he'd silently wished that Joed and Carmine would've been the family for Neris they had never been. Part of him wondered if the two of them would have been better off leaving the drunkard and the whore. But knowing the Church's penance for war meant he knew if he were to take her, she might have lost the only one willing to take care of her.