nothing is inevitable

[guessihavelostcount]

WHO: Claire Bennet
WHERE: The Inn
WHEN: December 22nd
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: None right now
STATUS: Open

---

Despite herself, Claire was shaking when she pulled herself over the edge of the fountain and collapsed on the snowy ground with a grunt. It was all that she could do to lay there for a moment, struggling to catch her breath as she kept her eyes clenched shut and tried to calm the racing of her heart. It wouldn't take that long to do, to be honest, but she would still need a moment before she could lift her head and look around to get a sense of where she was.

When she finally rose to her feet, she looked at the different buildings around her and wondered briefly if she had returned to the very first world she had found herself in when she was taken from her home. The idea was fleeting since the buildings didn't look like that village. No, this place was different and the sigh that escaped her was resigned when she realized that she had been stolen. Yet again.

"Great, world number...four." She was sure that it was four now.

Stomping her feet, she thought about poking through the backpack that seemed to arrive with her but she knew she needed to get inside somewhere warm first. So she scanned the buildings until she picked out a larger one that was all lit up and looked somewhat inviting. It was no surprise to her when she found it to be some sort of inn.

Stepping inside a few moments later, she let the door shut behind her as she looked around and immediately picked out the fireplace. Hurrying over, she looked over the room to see if anyone else was around and if she possibly could recognize anyone. Not that she would say anything if she did know someone. No, she had learned to act oblivious unless someone recognized her and said her name first. Then it was fair game.

Dropping her pack in front of the fireplace, she moved to kneel as she opened the pack up and let out a relieved sigh to find that everything inside was dry. It seemed she wouldn't have to stay in her wet clothes. Not that she was going to start stripping right then and there but it was kind of tempting considering having wet clothes on was never fun.

If someone was nice enough to show her a place to get changed, she would do that. Then she would return to the fireplace and sit there while trying to get her bearings. If she was meant to stay awhile, she would have to make some connections and find a place to stay. Which made her wonder if there was a room waiting for her or not.

Comments

[guessihavelostcount]

Claire normally wasn't that great with names but that seemed like a fairly easy one to remember. That and it didn't seem like the place they were in was so huge that she wouldn't be able to find the woman later on. Not when it sounded like she spent most of her time in the very building they were in. Or, at least, that was the assumption that Claire was taking away from his answer.

"Group meals are a good idea." She nodded. "Gets a whole community vibe going on, especially when people need to know and work together."

[seekingcrocodile]

"Plus everyone is guaranteed one meal a day, if for some reason they can't manage more than that." There's usually extra food of some sort sitting around though. Maybe not always the best options, but it's there.

[guessihavelostcount]

"I take it that we have to be pretty creative to come up with a meal around here, huh?" Claire was kind of used to having all kinds of ingredients when she needed them but she was sure she could still be useful with very little. At least she hoped she could be.

[seekingcrocodile]

"There's meat, and fish, and there was a garden last year, but yes, it does require some creativity." Especially in the areas of preserving food for the winter, so that they would still have fresh food to eat then. Luckily they've got some creative people around here.

[guessihavelostcount]

"Well, luckily, I can be creative if I need to be." That and she learned rather quickly when she needed to. That was something she could do too.

"Thanks for helping me out." She told him with a smile again.

[seekingcrocodile]

"Anyone who wasn't creative before arriving here figures it out fairly quickly." He considers that he was resourceful enough before arriving here, and he knew how to fish, so that had been an advantage from the start.

"You're welcome. It's how we survive around here."