tree.

[catlin_7892]

[typist] A ficcish sceneish sort of thing. Anyone who feels up to dealing with a scary girl in a weird and troubled state of mind is welcome to comment. We think. [/typist]

Catlin is up a tree.

This in itself is a little scary. Things don't grow this tall, in Catlin's experience, and if they do you certainly don't get near them. She

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[girdleforakiss]

Gawain likes climbing trees, and Gawain likes talking to people, and Gawain has a particular fondness for talking to people while up trees, especially since it's a thing that he doesn't often get a chance to do these days. So when he spots the form of a girl up one, he instantly shimmies up.

"Hallo!" he calls once he's fairly sure he's in speaking range, and continues to clamber up closer, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Gawain."

He settles himself on the nearest tree branch, a little down and to the left, and grins.

[catlin_7892]

She looks up sharply at the first shaking of the trunk, an instant, catlike focus, and watches his progress warily.

"Catlin," she says at last, and seems at a loss for how to continue.

[girdleforakiss]

Luckily, Gawain really isn't thrown by much.

"Pleased to meet you, Catlin," he says, and relaxes against the trunk of the tree.

[catlin_7892]

She's not quite sure what to make of that; but then, she's not quite sure what to make of anything at this point. She dips her head, approximating a bow, her eyes watchful and a little bewildered.

[girdleforakiss]

Gawain smiles and half bows back. It's a surprisingly graceful gesture - years of courtesy from horseback tend to leave you with excellent balance.

He doesn't say anything, just watches her and digs an apple out of his pocket, offering it across the gap.

[catlin_7892]

She's not quite sure what to make of that, on several levels. After a moment she reaches down and takes it gingerly.

[girdleforakiss]

Gawain grins, and fishes another out of his pocket.

[catlin_7892]

Catlin studies hers a little mistrustfully, turning it over in her hand. After a moment she glances back up at him, with a sudden deep breath: "I don't understand anyone here."

It's oddly straightforward, as though she has no idea of or use for the niceties of conversation; or as though, conversely, they were talking for an hour already. A child's openness, despite the sharp, wary scrutiny.

[girdleforakiss]

Gawain nods slowly, in a thoughtful sort of way. "I'm not sure I understand most people either." He smiles a little, a little bit shy. "Mordred says he doesn't understand me half the time, so I'm no better. People are hard."

[catlin_7892]

"You are." She's focused on him now, with an almost unnerving intensity. "There's no one--"