Her lips part in a silent ‘o’ of understanding, and some of the weight seems to fall from her shoulders. Her smile is relieved. She steps back a little, and points to herself, then touches her ears, then reaches out and touches his chest, over his heart, very lightly.
Derek watches her, still unsure of her intentions. She didn’t speak and that was slightly uneasy. Her actions didn’t help and he flinched when she touched his chest, taking a step back. “I don’t understand,” he said softly. He wasn’t very good when it came to guessing games or charades.
She presses her lips together, frustrated. Fumbling at her throat, she pulls the cloak off, revealing that her clothes are ragged and dirty and she’s all but skin and bones. She spreads the gray material on the ground, and kneels beside it. Using pine needles, bits of twig, and whatever else comes to hand from the forest floor, she spells out, ‘AM EMPATH – AM MUTE – HUNTED – HELP ME’.