[ Childe looks concerned, not because he thinks she's defenseless (of course she is if she's unharmonized but that says nothing of her normally) but because Meridian let her wander out here to begin with. That's the only reason an unharmonized shard-bearer could be this far out, right?

The Meridian stronghold is the only reason he's out here, himself, as well. ]

Were you out around the Meridian post earlier that's nearby? If so, they didn't offer you shelter for the night before you departed despite not being with Zenith? What a bunch of lowlifes.

[ Childe looks unhappy to consider this, although whether he actually cares is anyone's guess. in truth, there is at least a little honest frustration they would not make effort to protect an unharmonized regardless of if they were looking around without permission or something like that that would normally make them unwilling to be hospitable. ]

Either way, I'm making the trip back myself, so if you don't mind the company we should probably go together. I'm Tartaglia, by the way, but most call me Childe. I'm with Zenith so as you can imagine the Meridian group are pretty weary of those like me right now, and this forest isn't an awesome experience.