[ lance's footsteps falter at keith's sudden inquiry. minutes ago, the silence had been pretty deafening, almost oppressive in the way it seemed to sit right on top of his chest, like an angry wrestler who can't understand your cries of "uncle" because he's too busy crushing your lungs. then, he would have given his right leg to hear keith say something, anything, just to puncture the thick tension that'd manifested between them ever since he oh-so-casually brought up the venture that afternoon.

now? he kinda wished that wrestler was back on his chest again. ]

Oh... huh? [ there's that casual tone again, pitched slightly higher than his usual octave. his eyes flicker from keith to their surrounding, one hand idly running over the smooth curve of their swaddled egg, tucked comfortably against his torso thanks to his make-shift baby sling. ]

Nah, it was just something to do, you know? We had a free afternoon... [ yeah, that sounds weak even to him. but when faced with keith's very obvious and vocal uncertainty, he finds himself eager to backtrack too, not wishing to seem too pushy, too desperate. his tone struggles for that optimum breeziness; jury's still out on whether or not he actually achieves it. ]

Besides, maybe we can sell these dragon tooth necklaces, you know, get some extra silver. [ his footsteps have slowed to a full stop now. no more than ten feet in the direction of where they're meant to go for this... ceremony. ]

Corhy just mentioned it before, you know? I thought, oh, that's cool, that's interesting, why not just check it out, I wasn't like — I didn't think like, oh, yeah, me and Keith definitely should — I mean, like. It was just an idea, you know?

[ he's fidgeting in his spot, starting to glance back the way in which they came. where the heck did that shaman go... ]