Meandering in the Woods *Open to All*

Joseph Russel of District 7 [/color] [/size] [/i]

Joseph snickered at the lie about the money.

"You will receive my name when you promise me that my brother receives nourishment. I want no mercy for what I've done, but spare him the burden of starvation." Joseph lay there still. He was ready to give up. If he could get them to give in for his brother then his job was complete.

Joseph Russel of District 7 [/color] [/size] [/i]

Joseph was confused. There was a blade at his throat but the didn't want to kill him. There was one other occurred like this and that was with someone who was prepared to be mugged. Joseph barely got out of it alive. But he couldn't risk his chances now. When the kick came Joseph just winced in pain. He wasn't going to show any emotion now. He wanted out. Worst comes to worst he just mugged the bakery again. Some old lady in the alley. But he had to be more prepared next time.

Watching out of the corner of his eye, he saw the injured comrade place his hand on his shoulder, though he didn't take his direct attention from the thief. He looked him dead in the face now, his face becoming more grim and less sympathetic. "Gladly, your brother will receive nourishment when we know how to locate him by his name." He displayed an expression of annoyance at the idiotic request. How else were they supposed to know who his brother was? "Reflect on common sense. You may be desperate, but being ignorant would have gotten you killed by now." He stated coldly.

Even as the other group members talked, he didn't draw his attention away, and only held his grip on the halberd tighter. He jerked his head towards the thief, "He shouldn't be hearing our plans." Taking a pause to listen, he then added "Leaving him here will make too much noise for inspectors circling around. They'll find him and he'll play right into their hands." If anyone knew the system, it was Aren. He knew very well how things would go down. He would lead those looking for them to the very group that now stood together.

All of today he had been forced to become a more stern, serious version of himself, his demeanor flaring with protectiveness instead of open kindness. It wasn't something that he liked to take over him constantly, but in times like these, it was necessary.

"You're right. It's odd." She says to Aileen. "He must have experience in thievery. Its not a reflection on you, Aileen. You've done nothing wrong." She assures her class mate sincerely, looking her in the eye.

"We can't tie him up and leave him here," Cypress says quietly to her companions.
"- as you say, the Peace Keepers might find him and he has no reason not to turn us in for being in the woods."

She surveys the thief for a minute, then glances between her three new companions.

"How about we stay here for about an hour to give the Peace Keepers time to get cold and move on. We'll tie his hands and walk him to town, stating what he's done to those we trust. That will give us insurance if he tries to act on us."

Noting the nose bleed, she frowns and inspects her new companion, noting the injury to his foot. She shrugs out of her jacket. Taking the sleeve of her tunic, she tears off enough fabric for a bandage. She hurriedly dons her jacket again and indicates Tyler's shoe.

"Take off your shoe, please. We need to bandage that up."

She looks over to the other man.
"Can you watch him, please?" She indicates the thief. "Aileen, do you want to look for some low pine branches? I'll help you when I bandage... um," She looks up at the boy with the injured shoe.
"I don't know your name."

Joseph Russel of District 7 [/color] [/size] [/i]

Joseph was trying his hardest to look up with out accidentely slitting his throat. Heh. That sounded funny. Maybe he could get away with suicide if he died. But the plans these people had, he was going to be hung in public. But he wasn't gonna let them. He had a spare knife. Well not really a knife, but a sharp piece of shrapnel. He would cut himself free with that, pick up his knife and go. The only thing that could really go wrong then was they find him through is brother.

Her 'gentle' touch makes me want to jump away but I hold it together. After all I've already made a fool out of myself once today. I could at least look like a tough sleezeball.
Gritting my teeth I suck it up and hold still.
"Cypress. Cool name." I tell her briefly, then look over at the two guys.

We still haven't figured out what to do with him. Truth be told I just want to kick the shit out of him.
"One of us should keep an eye on the peace keepers and make sure they are all heading back to town. We can hide here until then and then go back but I'm telling you that if you serve him to the pks he's going to rat us out,too."

"Yeah, I believe a kid who tried to steal from a sixteen year old and got caught. Hover crafts?" Cypress mocked. "Our district can really afford hovercrafts in the woods for kids whose only crime was to walk three steps the wrong way. How about you just be quiet and let us figure out what to do. Does any one see something that can be used as a rope?"