not so welcome home [:ML:]

Ray hadn't been back in camp since the invasion. That makes a full year, almost to the day, since she had seen anyone in the camp. She didn't know where Seth was or how many other campers she had at least talked to once or twice were alive. She didn't even stay long enough for the bodies to be counted. She fought the hardest battle she thought she would ever have to fight. Relived it over and over in her dreams that still came to haunt her.

She told herself that she didn't even know why she came back, but in reality, she missed it. Camp was the first place she actually could call a home. It was the first place she had stayed in for more than just two straight consecutive weeks. There was no one dragging her around from new place to new place, trying to protect her. There was no one trying to get her to do something they wanted her to do. Aside from training, she felt free here. Free in a confined space where harpies made sure you were in bed by eleven.

Ray never followed those rules, anyway. She had just came back, the hour being well past midnight. Her bare feet were wading through the water and sinking into the soft sandy bed, her shoes just off shore, socks safely tucked well into the soles. She felt silly doing it. It made her feel girly and touchy feeling and gross, but she barely looked that sort of part. her bow, weapon of choice was held in right hand as she walked slowly. A nearly empty quiver and a backpack were slung across her shoulders. Her legs were covered in scratches and bruises from running and fighting. Her dark hair was carelessly falling out of its messy pony tail, wisps flying in her face from the light wind. Dirt looked like it had been brushed on her cheeks and forehead, evidence of where she had slept the night before.

She needed a shower. Bad.

Ray hadn't expected to be interrupted that night. She could hardly think of too many people breaking camp rules, she thought many of them to scared of the harpies. So it was very interesting to hear the approaching person that seemed to have come through the woods behind her. A smile played across her lips ever so lightly as her face flicked to a look of annoyance. "I can hear you loud and clear over there."

raya laughed lightly as she streamed through the water and back to shore, retracing her steps back to her shoes. She found that the owner to the snarky voice was a boy and that he wasn't too far from where her stuff had been set down. The night was cool for the being the middle of summer time, but it had hardly bothered Ray in the slightest. It was familiar air, nothing foreign or inhumane. It was pure and carried the scent of fresh leaves and strawberries wherever you went.

her thoughts were disgusting her.

the boy seemed safe at most, nothing too threatening or obnoxious. She decided right away she could take him in any sort of fight, if there would be one. He looked older than her, at least by a couple years. Even from where she stood she knew he was almost an entire foot taller than her. He was familiar to her, probably at camp before her, but her memory was a little fuzzy on everyday campers. Still she thought the same and decided to let him stay around, or decided to stick around herself, rather.

"I haven't been here in months," ray commented as she pulled on her socks. Soon, while un-tying her boots, she looked in the boys general direction, trying to make out any features in the dark night. The moon and its reflection off the water gave a good amount of light to the thick woods. "I look like hell. I'm sure everyone would simply be too surprised that I'm actually alive to give me any sort of punishment."

She stood, finally, brushing the dirt from her pale legs and shorts. Deciding she wouldn't need it anytime soon, she slung her bow across her back and rested her hands on her hips. She found the boy's light eyes and met them with her own. "You have a good excuse to being out here at this hour, buddy?"