Once In A Lullaby
"So why do they just leave it here dead?" Cordelia asks, her heart still beating fast in her chest. The skimpy outfit's not helping, either. It's wet in here, and slimy, but at least it doesn't smell bad. Yet.
"Well," Fred says, "they only like the part about the killing, the...the hunt. It's about felling the Uurgshyuuk...like...like, um..the..." Fred snaps her fingers. "I'm trying to remember."
"The Oregon Trail," Fred mutters. They keep walking in deeper, towards the darkness. The crude, makeshift lamp Cordelia's holding sways a little.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, " Cordelia says, "but I'm tired, and I don't care if it is disgustingly gross in here but I've gotta sit down." She sits and puts the lamp next to her.
"The pioneers!" Fred says ecstatically. " They layed waste hundreds of...tons of, of... buffalo! Left 'em there to rot. They just shot 'em because they could." Fred shakes her head sadly. "I'd love to eat a buffalo right now."
Cordelia groans. "I think I'm getting hungry, too." She gestures in the direction of the mouth. "How long do you think they'll hunt for us?"
"Until dayfall. That's a couple of hours, still." Fred says slowly, "The grushyb hounds will need to go back by then, they'll be tired and need feeding and so will the search party. Besides, our scent will just trail away to nowhere. Uurghshyuuk's smell pretty....loud."
"At least that's only on the outside, " Cordelia adds. "In here it's not that bad." She shivers. "It's a little cold, though."
"Well, that's 'cause you're wearing barely nothing." Fred takes off her potato sack dress and offers it to Cordelia. "I'm used to the nights here. It's even warmer where we are now."
"Oh! Put it back on! Really, it's okay!" Cordy offers wanly. She ends up putting the grayish sack on herself instead.
Fred yawns. "I'm sleepy." Cordelia pats her thighs, so Fred goes down on the ground and makes Cordelia's lap her pillow. "Can you keep watch?"
"I can," Cordelia answers. "Thanks for the shirt." She kisses Fred on the forehead.