Out for Some Practice (open)

[Kass]

Jena walked into the stables and checked on her big roan, who she had decided to call Gamble. The past several days of large feed and no all day walks were doing him well. His frame was filling out well. She picked up her curry brush and went about grooming him. By the time she finished, he was gleaming. The rest had truly done a great deal for him. The only patches where his history showed were the scars that crossed his face and neck. If you moved to quickly for his head, he would still freak but the rest of his coat was truly beautiful. His ribs also still stood out, but in a way that was thin but not completely unhealthy. Jena decided she should actually see if her gamble in buying him was going to pay off. She quickly tacked him up and led him out to practice field.

 

She started by walking him about a bit, getting him used to the weight of a rider on his back once again. She then moved through the warm up exercises her trainer at the racing stables had always put her and the horse through. First walking, posting trot, and canter. He began a bit slow but he had sped up. He seemed fairly well trained. Jena's face, if you looked at it then, seemed to be glowing with happiness. She slowed him down and decided to test just how much he knew. She began some dressage.

 

Most of the jockey's had no idea what it was, and considered it a rich man's idea of riding, but Jena loved the feel of the horse when she did it. She first went through all the extended paces, then the half pass, passage, piaffe, the tempi changes, and last if not least the pirouettes. She did it all with the appearances of no signals, and the horse seemed to dance in the arena. Gamble kept up with the directions with eased practice. Jena had truly struck gold with the horse. He must have been stolen by a master, or more likely his owner had been killed and he was taken.

 

She brought him down to a walk, and patted his strong curved neck easily. She looked small on his back, and probably as if she could never control him, but any one that had just watched would have known that she knew what she was doing. Jena looked up, surprised at the sound of another horses hoof beats nearing her.

[bcxanth]

Raylin awoke from a deep sleep to find it was day. Her mind had been full of strange dreams all night. Dreams that she wondered if she had any right to had. But they drove her to find some company for the day as a way to try and shake them off.

 

Rising she moved to the window of the bunkhouse, heedless of the others who were already up staring at her. She's always slept nude, and she wasn't going to change now. Looking out the window she saw that pretty little thing named Jena walking her horse through it's paces in the pasture down the road. It was too far for her to see the girl clearly, but nobody else that short would be running a horse in the pasture in front of the Scout's barracks. At least nobody that Raylin had met.

 

She decided that a morning stroll would not be amiss after all.  Moving to the chest where she kept her gear, she slipped on a lacy and mostly see-through robe that left nothing much to the imagination and left the barracks. She walked across the street, passing the scout barracks, heading to the pasture. This time she delighted in the stares and gapes, laughing softly as a man walked face first into the hind end of the horse that a woman had brought to a dead stop in front of him. they'd both been too busy staring at Raylin.

 

Arriving at the pastures, Raylin watched as Jena was now moving the horse quickly through its paces, lost in her own world. She couldn't help but smile. The girl was so innocent still though she didn't want to admit it, and still so caught up in her world, that she didn't even look once in Raylin's direction.  With a wicked grin of pure mischief Raylin went to the stables and quickly brought out her horse Raven. She threw on a saddle blanket but no bit, bridle, or saddle.

 

She mounted, straddling the horse instead of side saddle, letting the sheer robe fall open to her waist.  Gripping Raven's mane in her hands and using the pressure of her knees to guide him, she led Raven out and into the pasture. She saw the girl, looking so little yet Raylin knew the strength she'd seen before was still there. She was very intrigued and moved Raven into a swift gallop up to her.

 

Raylin smiled with no shame as Jena turned to look at her as Raylin closed, then quickly turned away again with a blush as she saw Raylin's state of undress.

 

"Why good morning beautiful. I saw you from the window of my barracks and couldn't resist the urge to come and join you." Raylin spoke with an emphasis on certain words that made it obvious there was more then one way Jena could take what she was saying. "Do you mind if I join you for a ride?"

 

OOC: This is Raylin's not-so-subtle flirting. Go with it however you'd like as she'll only go as far as she's allowed. :)  However there is a non-sexual reason for what she's doing, related to her bad night. So there are other places you can take it if you don't want to take the obvious route.  Or you can try for both options. Whatever you want. :)

[Kass]

Jena looked up surprised at the sounds of someone approaching, but quickly looked away, with a small blush, when she saw Raylin almost naked. Jena collected herself and looked back at Raylin when she was asked if she could join, totally missing that Raylin had called her beautiful, she of course nodded.

 

"Do you want to change, it seems to me that it would be uncomfortable to ride like that," she asked, eyeing Raylin up and down in disbelief.

 

"I was planning to go on an easy trail ride, to get to know the lay of the land around here, if that is what you had in mind?" she said looking at Raylin's eyes instead of her body, finally having gotten over the shock that someone had just ridden up to her, practically naked.

 

The surrounding people were watching them; Jena could feel their eyes crawling over her. Jena was the kind of person that liked to stay in the background, not in full attention. They were probably staring because of Raylin, but it still made her feel guilty for no real reason.

[bcxanth]

Raylin gave Jena a very evil grin as she stretched lazily and looked around them. She saw all the people around staring, some with grins much like her own, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

 

"Beautiful, are you telling me that you've never enjoyed a trail ride without the encumberance of clothing.  It can be very... exhilerating. But if the site of my body disturbs you, we can remedy that. I'd like to join you as I would greatly appreciate your company today.  Come with me."

 

With a smile at Jena and a crook of her finger to tell her to follow, Raylin used the pressure of her knees to move Raven around and began to head toward the archer's barracks.  Arriving there she swung her leg over until she was facing Jena and then slowly slid down to the ground. She made a soft clicking noise to Raven and she knew he wouldn't move until she came back.

 

"Come on beautiful, leave your horse out here with Raven and come inside with me for a moment while I get ready."

 

She watched as Jena dismounted awkwardly as she tried to avoid looking at Raylin, the blush still heating her face, and Raylin's grin grew wider. She hadn't had this much fun in years!

 

"Let me show you where I sleep beautiful. Hopefully it's information that will come in handy."

 

Taking her hand she placed it on the small of Jena's back and led her inside. She felt a tremble in Jena's skin at her touch, but didn't know the girl well enough yet to be sure of what it could mean.  Arriving at her bunk she sat Jena down on her bed and began pulling different outfits out of her trunk. Finally she slid out of her robe and tossed it on the bed next to Jena and then held up a thin white blouse and a pair of leather breeches to her body.

 

"What do you think beautiful? Will you be willing to be seen riding about with me in this outfit?" she asked with a grin, keeping her tone light to be sure she knew there was no offense meant or taken.

[Kass]

"I lived in a city, I've never done much trail riding, so I wouldn't know how it felt to do it naked," Jena said, sounding slightly thrown off.

Jena quickly followed when Raylin motioned her to. She dissmounted from Gamble awkwardly from months of not riding, and that she was trying to hide her face from Raylin so that the other woman wouldn't see her blush from her stumble. That Raylin kept calling her beautiful was begining to eat at her nerves, but she decided it must be a custom of the north to give your friends names, so she let it rest. The fact that Raylin wanted to show her where she lived seemed smart, considering if Jena ever had to find her, but Jena was finally getting the feeling that she was totaly not getting something that Raylin was trying to show her.

Jena wanted to move away from the other woman's touch, but contained it to a tremble, not wanting to offend the other woman. Raylin had, unwantingly, touched the scar that led up to wear she a broken her ribs. Jena waited patiently for Raylin to get a shirt and breeches.

"They'll do find, I just didn't think riding naked would be comfortable for you," she replied easily, adding in a quick smile to show her sincerity.

[bcxanth]

Raylin returned Jena's smile warmly, deciding from the way she was acting toward Raylin that perhaps she was pushing a little too hard. She wasn't giving up, this girl interested her greatly, but she'd be a little less forward for now.

 

"Alright beautiful, sounds like a plan to me," she replied. "But you'd be surprised how comfortable I could have been," she couldn't resist adding with an evil grin.  She noticed though how the girl's cheek had twitched slightly when Raylin had called her beautiful, and she realized it had happened earlier too. Slipping into her clothes and then tying on her boots she couldn't help but ponder what this meant. Finally, as she remembered back to their first meeting, an idea occured to her.

 

Standing, she walked over to Jena and took her hand, looking deeply into her eyes. "Jena, before we leave there's something I want to say." Taking a seat on the bed she put a finger to the girl's cheek and turned her head so that she was looking into her eyes again. Light! She could get lost in those yes. "I noticed the way you react when I call you beautiful, and it makes me think back to when we both first arrived here. I called you beautiful then, and you acted as if you couldn't believe what you were hearing. Now it's true I'm using it as a nickname because it makes me smile, but at the same time it's also the truth. You are a beautiful young woman and you need to learn to believe that.  There's not a man... or woman... who would not want to take my place sitting next to you right now.  So keep that in mind."

[Kass]

Jena twitched slightly at the nick name but didn't say a word. Then Raylin did something totally unexpected. She sat down, took Jena's hand and said she had to say something. When Raylin touched her cheek, Jena had the urge to do as she would have done to any man back home, but stayed her hand, understanding that Raylin was doing it as a friend and it was nothing to be offended over. Jena looked straight into Raylin's eye and didn't twitch a muscle as Raylin delivered her speech. At the end Jena smiled in a sweet, sad way and patted Raylin's cheek.

 

"That is very kind of you, but how many would plant a knife in my ribs later and steal the little money I had. Most would take advantage of a girl like me, if I let them of course, rather than just tell me nice things. Come on lets go riding," she said standing up and waiting for Raylin to join her.

[bcxanth]

"Believe me Jena," replied Raylin, deciding to forgo the nickname for now as she got up from the bed. "If anyone tries something like that when I'm around, they won't live to tell the tale.  Remember, I have you covered now."

 

Grabbing her quiver of arrows and throwing it over her sholder, and picking up a horse bow in its hard leather case, she joined Jena as the two of them left the barracks. Using the straps on the bow case she'd made herself special for bare back riding, she strapped the bow onto Raven and then mounted smoothly.  Seeing Jena raise her eyebrow slightly in an unasked question she gave a quick grin.

 

"This seems like a peaceful enough district, and I know the Band patrols the area well, but better safe then sorry. Besides, if we stay our long we may have need to bring down something for a little camp picnic."

 

Turning Raven quickly she moved beside Jena and reached out to give her hand a quick and friendly squeeze. "Lead on my friend. I ride where you ride today."

[Kass]

When Raylin said she covered for Jena, she just smiled in a mysteriouse way, but Jena knew she could take care of herself. She then followed Raylin out of the barracks to the horses and arched her grow at the bow and arrows that Raylin was taking. When Raylin said it might not be completely safe, Jena just nodded in agreement. She took her knives everywhere, the only one that people saw was the long curved one that she kept at her belt, but that didn't mean she had others on her. When Raylin told her that she would follow and gave her a squeeze, Jena smiled.

 

"Let's start on the road, but one of the scouts told me about a trail that ran to a nice stream in the forest. Well follow it," Jena said mounting Gamble, who had he not been hobbled would have been at her side instantly. He had been looking very nervouse when she exited the archer's barracks.

 

She led the way down the main road, passing the gaurds at the gate. They were soon under the trees canopy riding easily. Jena then led off into a path that seemed to fit the description the other scout had given her.

Gamble had relaxed noticably once they left the crowded camp. They finally reached the stream, that was small, but created a sweet bell like noise in the air. On either side were grassy banks and tall trees that provided shade for what seemed to becoming a warm day. Jena smiled and looked over her back at Raylin.

 

"Do you like it?" she asked before dimounting.

[bcxanth]

"Do you like it?" Jena asked as she dismounted.

 

Raylin brought Raven to a halt next to her and scanned the scenerey, then looked back to Jena with a smile.

 

"I do indeed like it. The scenery is lovely."  Dismounting to stand beside Jena she pulled her horse bow free and and attached it unstrung to the clip on her quiver. "So what did you have in mind now that we're here.  I'm up for anything," she added with a small wink.

[Kass]

"I don't know,I remembered the scout telling me about it when you said you would follow me. From what I had heard, I thought you would like it," she said smiling up at Raylin.

 

Her eyes were wide, and caught the dappled light from the trees, causing the glints in her eyes to shine out like stars. Her smile was wide and seemed almost care free for once. She had grown up in a city, in one of the worst, most dangerouse parts, in a city knkown for being dangerouse. She had seen alot of the outdoors in her travels here, and had grown to love it, compared to the cramped dirty streets she had grown up on. Plus, Gamble seemed to be enjying it aswell.

[bcxanth]

Raylin stared into Jena's eyes for a few moments as she spoke, lost once more in their depths. It took a second for hewr to realize that Jena had stopped peaking.  Shaking her head to snap out of it, she mumbled just loud enough for Jena to hear, "such beautiful eyes."

 

Frantically Raylin searched her mind for the words she'd heard, and finally was able to put together what had been said.

 

"Well you were right my dear, I do like it a great deal. It reminds me very much of a clearing near my home I spent time in while growing up." Looking around, noting the more rugged and varied terrain around this area compared to near the Citadel, Raylin tried to come up with and idea. "Ok then, you're here to be a scout, right?  Well one of the main things a scout needs to be able to do is be able to tracjk someone, and to do so silently.  I propose a contest."

 

Walking over to a pincone on the ground, she picked it up and tossed it to Jena. "Give me 10 minutes, as near as you can mark it, and then follow after me. We shall both go on foot.  After the 10 minutes, if you find me within an hour and manage to sneak up close enough to hit me with that pinecone without being seen by me, you win.  If not, I win."

 

Looking for a moment into Jena's eyes once more, she smiled again. "As for what we each get if we win, I have my own ideas, but I think I'll let you decide. What do I get if I win, and what do you want with me if you win?"

[Kass]

Jena was shocked when she heard Raylin mumble something about beautiful eyes, but quickly covered it by looking over at gamble to make sure he was behaving. The horse, was of course trying to graze even though he couldn't eat anythiing through the bit. She quickly pulled him up and listened to Raylin. She smiled when Raylin mentioned there had been a place like this where she had grown up.

 

Jena was pleasantly surprised at the proposal of a contest and smiled slyly. She had been a master tracker and follower back home but the terrain was different out here in the woods. She quickly scanned around and looked up at the trees. She could travel through them if she needed to. When she looked back at Raylin she was smiling thinking on what they would get if one of them lost and the other won.

 

"Hmmm, lets think on it while we play. You can decide on what you get if you win, and I decide what I get if I win. We will tell each other what it was once the contest is done. I promise not to back down from it if you don't," she said a daring smile on her lips.

 

If she won Jena was planing to get Raylin how to teach her how to use the bow. She had no idea what to give Raylin if Raylin won and decided to let the other woman choose. She was eyeing the bow in a hinting way that if someone was really paying attention could guess what it was she was thinking on asking for.

[bcxanth]

Raylin laughed softly at the suggestion that she would back down from anything.  Not likely.  She saw Jena eye her bow and decided the girl was probably right. No need to take it with her, but she couldn't imagine not doing so. She felt more naked without a bow of some sort at hand when she was out in the field then she ever could with no clothing on.

 

"Alright then, it sounds like a plan to me.  Remember, 10 minutes and then follow."

 

With a click signal to Raven to tell him not to move until she returned, Raylin jogged into the woods.  She went recklessly at first, making noise and breaking branches on purpose, trying to undersell her skill at the start. When she felt that it had been at least two minutes she leaped straight up to an overhead branch, caught hold, and used it to swing over onto a nearby animal path.

 

Landing lightly she bent low to let the underbrush screen her from view and moved quickly along the trail. Her mind went back to her childhood when her father had taught her basic techniques to avoid tracking by trollocks in case a raid ever meant the families had to evacuate the area. It had never happened, but the practices had been fun.

 

Within a couple more minutes she soon found what she'd been looking for. Most animal trails lead eventually to a water source, and this one was no exception. It soon lead to a bend of the same stream that flowed through the clearing she'd left from. She slipped into the stream and made a slightly obvious show of disturbing the rocks as she moved upstream wa ways, then left a faint bootprint in an edge of mud as if she stepped back onto the bank there.

 

Stepping carefully back into the stream she moved back to where she'd started, and then a little farther down stream, careful not to disturn the riverbed.  She made a small hop into a grassy area and then stepped lightly forward, then turned around and bent to smooth the grass where she'd landed as best she could.

 

By this point she knew her time was running short. She moved quickly, looking for a likely hiding spot, and finally settled on a small growth of strawberry vines tangled with its own old growth next to a small rocky mound. She burrowed down into the vines, doing her best to fix her disturbance, and settled in to wait.

[Kass]

IC: Jena sat down under the tree and closed her eyes, counting the minuits out. Raylin started out making alot of noise, but it wuickly quieted down giving Jena the idea that it was show. She waited and listened carefully till the time was up. She stood up and double checked Gambles hooble before followind Raylin's path. This wasn't her normal terrain, but some might say that tracking in a city was harder. Roof tops were the hideouts of those you usually hunted, no footprints to guide you, but disturbed clotheslines and a disturbance in the tiles were yoour clues.

 

The first part of the trail was easy, proably put there purposfully, but Jena kept at it. Then the trail ended. Jena quickly checked to make sure the other woman hadn't back tracked, but she saw no other sign and quickly decided Raylin had pulled a trick. She looked around and recalled the thiefs favorite trick, rooftops, or here, trees. Surely enough several leaves rested on the floor from a branch above which had been disturbed. jena smiled to herself and secretly thanked her brother for teaching her his tricks to escape being caught as a theif and how to track others.

She quickly leaped up onto the branch that Raylin had been on and spotted an animal track. She quickly went to it and followed it watching for any sign that the trees or ground around the trail had been disturbed. She finally reached a stream and peared into the wateronce she found no tracks in the mud. There was a line uf disturbed rocks so she followed it till she reached a footprint in the mud. The problem was there was no sign of continued travel. Jena scanned the shore to see if there were any hiding places that were large enough to hide Raylin. There were none, it had been a trick.

 

Jena quickly wandered back to where she had first reached the stream and looked about thinking. Raylin had traced back so Jena searched both sides of the stream carefully. Finally, she found a slight disturbance in the grass that had been almost completely obscured. She looked around and climbed into a tree searching for a hidding place large enough to hide Raylin. She spotted several but stayed with the vines noticing that they had almost been completely put back perfectly, but there was still a hint of disturbance.

 

A sheet on a clothesline out of place could give them away, her brother had always told her. Jena moved closer and lifted the pinecone ready to toss it.

 

OoC: It's up to you wether Raylin spots Jena or not. It depends on where you would like to take this.I am happy with either way this post can go. So the choice is completely yours.

[bcxanth]

Raylin watched tha path intently, and spotted when Jena first arrived at stream and moved up. Her eyesite as sharp, a natural skill for an archer, and she marked when Jen would be out of site of where she was hiding. As soon as she saw the last flicker of motion she withdrew from her place in the vines. She knew Jena was quick, so she'd only have a few minutes at most before she came back down the stream looking for her. But she'd planned for this while she say waiting.

 

Swinging her quiver and bow from her back she placed them back into the vines, facing in teh direction of the stream, as if Raylin still sat there with her back toward the stream. She then smoothed over the vines nearly perfectly, then slipped away. She moved paralell with the river until she was sure she was adjacent to the spot where she'd first left it when leaving her false trail. Stalking quietly she saw with a smile that Jena was already heading back down the stream, her back to Raylin. She cralwed out across the bank and poked her ehad out of the brush in time to see Jena leave the stream where she had.

 

She now glided through the stream herself, making sure to make as little of a splash with her feet as she could. Arriving back at the original exit point she looked around and soon spotted Jena in a tree, her back to Raylin.  Reaching down, she picked up another pinecone and waited.  Sure enough after a few minutes Jena tossed the pinecone at the decoy, then laughed and hopped out of the tree.  As she ran up to the vines she stopped as she realized her mistake.  Too late though, as she felt a pinecone catch her in her rear, though not a hard toss.

 

"Sorry Jena," Raylin said from behind. "but I think I win."

 

OOC: Don't worry, Raylin won't try to force Jena into her bed. :D

[Kass]

OOC: No worries ;D

 

IC: When a pinecone hit her, she jumped a little in surprise, but smiled when she looked around and realized her mistake. Well that was stupid of me, just assuming. My brother would have skinned me alive for that mistake back home. No some else would have gotten to me before him, Jena thought to her self as she turned to face Raylin. She was out of practice, and the out lands had made her soft, she would have to work hard on that. As soon as she could, she would have to work more than usual on her knives and tracking. She could see she needed practice. A large easy going, accepting smile was on her face, and there was a twinkle in her eye when she faced Raylin, her thoughts not revealed on her face.

"So what do you wan't grand champion? I am at your bidding," Jena said with a bow and a flurry.

[bcxanth]

Raylin laughed softly with delight at the bow from Jena.

 

"Oh yes beautiful," she replied. "You do know how to make me smile.  As for what I would have you do, I can think of many pleasant ways we could pass time together. However I believe for now I would like to hold off on claiming my prize. Call it a forfeit, to be used at a later time."

 

Walking up to the tree where Jena sat up in the branches she jumped up, caught a brunch, and swung herself up easily to join the girl.

 

"First I would like to know what you had in mind as your prize.  Depending on what you wanted, perhaps we could both win today."

[Kass]

Jena didn't like having to wait for the prize, knowing it might come up at the most awkward of moents, but she stayed silent.

"What was I going to ask? I was going to ahve you teach me how to use a bow," she said simply gazing up at Raylin and smiling.

[bcxanth]

"The bow huh?  I can see where that could be useful for a scout to know."

 

Hopping down from the branch she reached up her hand and took Jena's, helping her down to the ground. She held onto the girl's hand a little longer, looking down into her eyes again, and then smiled.

 

"I think that can be arranged.  Let me check your reach." Standing behind Jena she reached her arms around her and took hold of her hands, positioning them as if she was pulling back a bow. "Not a long enough reach for a long bow, but that's ok. You're not going to be standing on the archer's lines anyway. A short horse bow like I brought with me today should work fine." Bending lower she spoke softly into Jena's ear. "I will be glad enough to tech you the bow. Anything to keep your pretty skin whole when the Band goes to battle. But if you have anything else you want of me, just ask. You did well today, and deserve a prize of your own."

 

Letting Jena's hands go she stepped away and walked over to the vine-covered rock where she'd first hid and recovered her bow and quiver. She then went back to Jena and together they walked back to the clearing where they'd first arrived. As they walked the two of them talked about the basics of archery as Raylin remembered her father going over them with her. They arrived back at the clearing where their horses waited patiently, and she quickly put her bow in its case and hung her quiver from it, leaving her unencumbered of anything except her belt knife.

 

"Before we go back to the Citadel though and begin target practice, I feel like relaxing for a bit." Leading the way to the stream she sat down on a grassy bank under a tall tree near a wide and deep pool fed by the stream.  She stretched out on her stomach and slowly trailed her hand in the cool water. "I have a question for you that I want you to answer honestly, but I don't claim my forfeit for this, so you're under no obligation. It's up to you."

[Kass]

Jena smiled happily when Raylin said that she would teach Jena the bow, and followed her down from the tree. Shee felt tingling go all the way down her spine as Raylin tested her reach. She had never liked being to close to people, but when Raylin whispered in her ear, Jena shivered. Her brother had always done that when he told her about the dangers of the street ans what to do and what not to do. There had been some very nasty and very true descriptions. Sho followed the older woman back to the camp and stroked Gamble's nose as Raylin put away her bow. Then Raylin went over to the river and asked if she would answer a question truthfully.

 

Jena joined Raylin by the rver. But lay on her back istead, held up by her elbows. It was a very similar pose to what she had taken while they waited for the recruiter to come fetch them. She gazed up at the overhanging tree branches and saw a squirrel scamper across one and smiled. She really had nothing to hide she thought carefully an looked down at Raylin.

 

"What's the question?" she asked finally after her long pause.

[bcxanth]

Raylin thought for a moment, trying to decide how to phrase the question. Finally she rolled over on her side to face Jena.

 

"First of all," she began, looking into Jena's eyes. "I want to apologize for being so... brazen with you thins morning. I won't deny that you interest me greatly, but I should not have been so blunt. All I can say is that I had a very difficult night, and was searching for a way to forget."

 

At this point words failed her for a moment, and she stared back at the water again for a moment, showing the first signs of uncertainty she'd ever shown to the girl.  Turning back she once again gazed into those eyes and smiled.

 

"My question is nothing too difficult for you though I hope. I'd like to know what it is you think about me. And I want you to be completely honest."

[Kass]

Jena stared at Raylin not trully understanding what she was apologizing for, but she did understand the question. It was one of those questions that were tricky. Something that you would think never would offend someone ended up doing so and sticking you in a pile of quicksand. Jena thought on what to say for a moment then smiled to her self and turned over so that she was facing Raylin directly.

 

"I think you are someone that is fun to be around, doesn't care what others think, and is sometimes startling due to you being different than the Ebou Dari I am used to. In general I would describe you as a pleasant surprise to me. Is that what you were wanting to know? Cause that is what I trully think of you," Jena said flashing a winning smile at Raylin. The whole time she was talking, she had been looking straight into Raylin's eyes to show that she was being completely truthful and honest.

[bcxanth]

"What I wanted to know.  Well, it's a start at least." Smiling she reached out and getly stroked the hair back from Jena's face, as if wanting a better view, then laughed another of her soft laughs that seemed to carry some kind of hidden meaning. "However, I believe we will discuss this more at another time.  And turnabout is fair play so it's said. I find you to be a very attractive and extraordinary young woman, with a fiery spirit that I hope the world never tames. And above all, I hope I have a great deal of time to get to know you better, in every way possible."

 

She realized as she finished speaking that her hand was still on Jena's face and that her own face had moved much closer. She felt her hand tremble and quickly pulled away, then rolled onto her back and sat up and looked at the water again.

 

"You know, that pool looks nice and cool, and the day is starting to get warm.  I feel like a swim. Care to join me?"

 

Jumping to her feet, she began to peel her clothes off, enjoying the feel of the breeze playing across her skin. When she was finished she tossed the clothes aside and then slipped into the water. Turning around she splashed at Jena playfully, waiting for her to decide if she was coming in or not.

[Kass]

Jena sat there hearing the hesitation, with a hint of disapointment in Raylin's voice as she talked. Jena didn't even notice Raylin's hand on her cheek moving her hair away. She just looked at Raylin, a happy smile on her face at the praise. Suddenly she noticed just how close they were. Raylin's hand on her cheek, the closeness of their faces. If she moved forward they would be kissing. As if on it's own accord her body wanted to move forward, and did so allmost inperceptably, her breath seemed sucked out and everything seemed frozen, then Raylin jerked back. Jena breathed once again, the spell broken.

 

As Raylin got out of her clothes, Jena shook her head slightly trying to clear it. This wasn't

right it, she shouldn't, Raylin was a friend, but then she remembered the hints the apology, it came to life before her then. She wanted to run away screaming. Jena was used to living hard, but not this kind of stress on her emotion, it scared her, alot. Then Raylin splashed her yanking her out of her reverie ralising Raylin wanted her to join her in a swim. Jena hesitated, she was slightly conciouse of the scars that covered her body but then she remembered the old women that would wlak around the Rahad proud to display their scars, the many battles they survived.

 

She put a smile on her face and slowly slid out of her clothes still hesitant. When she was finally undressed, she placed her hat ontop of her neatly stacked pile of clothing and jumped into the water. Her skin reacting to the cold water. She smiled at the feeling though, it was a slightly a relief after the hot air of outside, after she was in it for a minuit. She put a mischeviouse smile on her face and splashed Raylin waiting for a return fire.