Valeria raised a hand up to the mare, offering nose or forehead scratches. Dahlia wasn't Velvet, but she'd get the job done. As the pretty mare turned and moved her head closed in curiosity, Valeria gently placed her palm to her nose and gave a few soft rubs, feeling the warm breath of the horse moisten her palm. Her gaze was still rested on the dog, her brows furrowed as she tried to keep as much distance as possible. It didn't look like a mean dog, but still. Her gaze flickered to Aella momentarily as she said that the dog, named Moss, didn't bite. All dogs did. She didn't care what this woman said, that dog was capable of atrocities deemed unthinkable.

Every dog was. They all had teeth and claws that could be sunk into flesh at a moment's notice. The thought caused a gentle shudder to course through her body, tensing her up even further again. She cocked her head at Aella as she asked the question, her brows furrowing in confusion. Why was she offering to just.. give things away to a lowlife criminal? Well, Valeria didn't think of herself as a lowlife criminal even if she truly was one. "You know, you shouldn't be so nice to strangers. Especially if they put a knife to your throat." She gave a snort of laughter, shaking her head softly.

Some people were just too nice for their own good. Valeria wasn't sure if Aella was this way, she'd only known her for not even an hour. She lowered her hand away from the pretty dark chestnut mare. "But, it would be much appreciated. Can't quite survive winter dressed like this, huh?" Valeria offered a gentle smile, using a hand to gesture down to the state of her clothing. The stark contrast between the two women was oddly amusing to her. One was tall, one was short. One was nicely dressed, one had clothing in tatters. One was a criminal, one was a farmer.

Valeria noticed the way Aella was a little zoned out, looking lost in thought. Almost like she was contemplating something. Valeria wondered what she was thinking about. "You look like you're trying to reach a decision." She commented with a slight tilt of her head. Valeria noticed the subtle little shake of her head like she was trying to clear her mind. She glanced down at Aella's hands, the way they were closing and and opening again. She turned slightly to face the mare again, feeling the warm breath from her nostrils against her shoulder. Velvet often laid her head on Valeria's shoulder, nipping gently at her hair or at her clothing. She cared more about that damn horse than she would ever admit.

Her gaze was settled intently on Aella, brows furrowed. Valeria was beginning to grow a little anxious from being in one spot for too long. She nervously kept glancing over her shoulder, a small look of worry on her features. She was in no condition to be fighting off the law at all. The constant worry always plagued her and she could never fully relax no matter how hard she tried. Hell, even in her sleep she couldn't even relax. The constant dreams about what would happen if they caught up to her plagued her dreams. Her hand instinctively snaked up to that little silver cross, taking it between her thumb and index finger.

Valeria rubbed the cool silver between her fingers and breathed out softly, keeping her gaze trained on Aella. She still didn't fully trust her. Her shoulders were kept tensed and one hand always lingering near the nearest knife strategically placed on her body. Her weight shifted from foot to foot as she gently leaned against the stall, crossing her legs at the ankles. What would life be like if she stayed and never acted out on her emotions and thoughts? Maybe she would've took over the family farm and married that boy her parents always tried to set her up with. Despite the fact it was looked down upon she had particularly fancied the neighbor's daughter.

They had been inseparable, always attached at the hip. They shared their first kiss together in the barn hayloft, excusing it as "practice." But both girls knew it was a lie and there were feelings they didn't want to admit. Valeria wondered if her former friend knew what she had become. She wondered if she knew about the blood on her hands, invisible to others, but visible to her every time she looked down. She wondered if she knew about the countless nights Valeria spent trying to wash her hands clean of her sins. But they weren't really sins, were they? Not in her eyes. She hadn't even realized she'd been a little zoned out and she immediately recollected herself, pushing up off of the stall to stand straight again.

She was losing herself. Almost instinctively, Valeria dropped the cross she had been desperately clutching and gazed down at her hands, noticing the little shakes. Now was not the time for one of her... episodes. Her hands went back to her sides as she rolled her shoulders in an attempt to stop herself before she did anything stupid. She really was losing herself day by day, every sense of humanity ebbing away until there was inevitably none left. Maybe she had finally lost it and gone crazy.

(apologies for taking so long!! i didn't have much motivation :') )