Deunan stiffened slightly, but the quirk of her mouth was a tell she was rising to his teasing, even as she held her hands up in a shrug.

"Hey now! I can take care of myself, thanks. Did just fine the past three years, Bri." And it was true; part of her wasn't jesting when she said those words, but it was softened with the tone she used. And because it just didn't feel right without it, she cracked a grin and hit his arm, a neat little jab that stung...her hand, at least, but she couldn't have cared.

Camping it was, then. The answer both sent a wave of relief and a zing of eagerness down her spine. She might have laughed at herself, had she been watching. Though she hadn't been slouching before, she straightened--and might have skipped along beside, him, had it been her nature to do so. As it was, she shifted restlessly from foot to foot and back again. It was almost comical that she felt young again--truly young, like she was just a kid, eager for time with her father...learning and absorbing the skills he'd taught her.

Having noted that, Deunan did chuckle at herself, wryly, and followed Briareos as he returned and lead them down the steps to the common room. She eyed the crowd suspiciously, but never once paused; never hesitated. She might very well have been his shadow.

But watching him glide through the door, wraith-like, gave her a bit of a jolt. True that he'd always been light and quick on his feet, but the weight and sheer strength of his new body...well, she'd experienced a fraction of it when he'd crushed the dryer she had been sitting on with minimal effort; a mere clench of his fists.

Thinking back to what he'd just said, about being the only one looking out for her, Deunan knew it struck a chord inside her. She knew, too, that however much she might have protested against it...she knew he was right; and, in her own way, she was grateful for him. ...for the things he did and the lengths he would go to, to do them.

She could only count on herself, or on him, to take care of - or for - herself. She'd never, ever been the one out of them to build connections...she'd always been so much better at tearing--blasting, rather--them down. and leaving nothing but ashes and blood in her wake.

Deunan sighed and shook her head before her partner's quick quip had a grin smothering her face. "Not equipped to lug water, huh? Damn, there go my dreams of watching that spectacle."

Still, she gestured for him to lead on. Falling into her familiar stride beside him, the petite vixen found herself pleased to note again...despite all the changes, it was still the same stride. The same pace. She hadn't forgotten, either, after three years of walking, marching, and running on her own, that the pace she'd had to match to his hadn't diminished. Then again, it had become second nature through their years together.

And she had insisted on not being coddled, even then. Even more than the higher-ups insisted. It was very much a case of 'Anything you can do, I can do better'. Not the same. Better. So she kept up. Outpaced most, if not all, in her ranks. It was that fierce competitive streak, drive, determination, stubbornness--whatever, really, that got her where she was; ensured she wouldn't give up until she was good and dead.

'Which might be a problem...' She mused to herself with a mild frown. Truth be told, it was much more of a problem to those she faced, considering her hellbent will to survive...and on top of it, Briareos would do anything and everything to keep her alive. It was comforting, yet on a darker level, if she allowed herself to think on it long enough, it was somewhat disturbing.

Briareos wasn't omnipotent, or even omnipresent. Sooner or later, something would happen. Despite all her training, all the knowledge and reactions that were nature to her now, all her grit and determination...she would be killed. It was a large possibility. Oh, she'd make damn sure she'd stay alive as long as possible. Deunan had been trained to deal death, to keep it from happening to her: put the moment off as long as she possibly could.

But the knowledge that a time would come that she wouldn't be fast enough, have enough strength, or just couldn't keep up period, loomed constantly. And it would be over. Deunan did not have a death wish, though she tended to rush in to situations, guns blazing and at the ready. And she definitely wasn't going to voice her thoughts to her partner. She was sure he was all too aware of it, anyway. Because even though he was faster, stronger...she was still only human. He - despite everything - might not be able to reach her in time.

It scared her to hell. Not dying, because that was just a fact of life. But what would happen when she was gone, that's what scared her. Had always scared her, but perhaps so much more now. Or if it was him that perished, even that scared her.

Giving herself a good mental shake, she let her gaze clear and tried to roll her thoughts out of her mind just as she rolled her shoulders. It took a while longer, keeping troublesome thoughts at bay, Deunan soon picked the notably good idea to collect dry dead-fall on the way. The soft whisper of a river, or stream, caught her ears. Running water, good. Stack of wood in her arms, even knowing they'd be needing quite a bit more, she kept alongside him until they came upon a small clearing, near to the water, but not directly on top of it. Crouching, she let the wood go and straightened immediately after.

"Well then."

Indeed.

A cheeky grin wound its way onto her face, a glint of the devil flickering in her eyes at the jest. "Time to go grab some more wood."

And even though she couldn't carry anywhere near to the amount he could...she thought it a fitting challenge. Thumbing at the pile she'd dropped off, she tilted her head. "Not counting that, bet I'll grab more."

Of course, chances are they wouldn't stray too far from one another. Too much risk, even if they hadn't been followed, or otherwise outright noticed leaving. And Deunan had definitely had plenty of risk for the night, thank you very much.