River's strong brow furrowed. She was lying. He wasn't one to miss her cleanliness, the smell of smoke and meat coming off her. Her clothing. She wasn't from around here. She was dressed too well. While it was true the village women took care of their men's clothes, no one owned something as nice as what she wore. Perhaps River, but that was his knight's uniform and admire. Still, River said nothing of his observations. It was none of his business. Unless....unless she was with a group of troublemakers.<br/><br/>River studied the petite girl, her features stoic. There was a cold calculating look to his stare. He had a village to protect. One he had recently failed and lives were the price. River's saw tensed and then relaxed a few times, veins in his neck moved with the muscle. Should he take her in? He sighed, his shoulders drooped and he shook his head. River couldn't leave a little girl out in the woods, alone. Even if she was lying. "Come on." He motioned with his head towards the way he had come. "We've got a village about 4 miles back."<br/><br/>River turned and started heading back. When he felt that the girl wasn't following fast enough he turned to her. "Come on, little girl. You wanna be left out here?" Something told River she wouldn't have minded. "How old are you?" He eyed her up and down with a scrutinizing eye. "13?" He chuckled, a warm rumble in his chest, at his own little joke. "There's a family that can take you in when we get back.