That would be awesome, as my girl Dre will be heading toward the Green. She needs some more interactions to help her get over her confidence issues though.

I find it's easier to just ignore the timeline, guess, and assume to have it right. Because asking questions with the wrong answers can cause the destruction of existence because of tears in the fabric of space-time.

Raylin couldn't help but laugh, and then gave a wink to the new woman. She couldn't help but be pleased to see the strutting and arrogant man brought down a peg or three with just one kiss. Raylin could tell that this Jatasha was one who knew how to handle her man.

Her gaze then shifted inside where she saw Jena speaking to someone and Raylin's smile turned impish. Perhaps she would have to resort to sometime similar one day soon.

Raylin nodded a greeting to the other woman. "Jatasha, it's a pleasure to meet you.  I think Jena and I are all set for now sir, so I'll leave you to the kind attentions of your lady friend her."

Stifling a laugh she ducked inside quickly and went to speak with the person in charge of signing on new members of the archers.

Raylin smiled fondly at Jena as she dressed and mounted her horse. She felt very fond of the girl even before this, but now it was even more so. She rose lazily, stretching because she knew Jena would be enjoying the view. Finally she pulled her clothes back on and went to join Jena. Jena sat easily, not yet with her feet in the stirrups, and Raylin used that to her advantage.

"Work harder?" she asked. Planting her foot in the stirrup she used it to lift herself up higher and pulled Jena in for another kiss. "I'll work as hard as I have to, but" she continued with a grin, "I don't think you can resist me."

Letting herself back down she quickly sprang onto Raven's back and the two women began riding back toward the Citadel.

"We'll get you a bow from the armory when we get back, and then we'll see what you are able to do already." She gave a little wink, remembering well what the little woman was capable of doing.

Raylin started to giggle but it was quickly stifled as Jena's mouth bet hers once more in an eager kiss. Raylin met the kiss just as eagerly, their bodies pressing close together beneath the water. Raylin wanted more, and felt an echo of that desire in Jena. They quickly became lost in each other.

OOC: The old dot-dot-dot. Classy huh? :D

IC: Eventually the two women came to rest on the bank again under the tree, still nude, the older woman holding the smaller one in her arms, stroking her hair and skin.

"Well beautiful, that was certainly worth all the effort I put in to today." She laughed softly as she continued. "But perhaps you won't make me work so hard in the future?  We should be going soon though," she continued, looking up at the sun. "After all, I still have to start your real training with me."

Raylin floated there for a moment considering Jena's words. There were many things she wanted to say, and many things she wanted to do, but she decided to go for the simplest of them.

Rolling over in the water she came to float in front of Jena, so close their bodies touched under the water, Raylin looked deeply into Jena's eyes once more and her voice was very low and sultry now as she spoke. "I could get lose in those eyes forever, and I hope to have many chances in my life to do so. But that's not what I want for my forfeit.  This is what I want."

And with that Raylin wrapped her arms around Jena, pulling her close, her hands stroking her back as she pulled her in for a kiss.  After what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few minutes, raylin pulled her face away but continued to hold the girl.

"Now hopefully that wasn't too horrible for you."

Raylin laughed happily as Jena splashed her playfully, and she couldn't resist splashing back.  Soon with many screams and much laughter the two were in a pitched battle with no holds barred.  Raylin was surprised at how well Jena swam, as most city people she'd met had been lacking a bit in that department. She supposed it was because Ebou Dar was on the water.

After about 10 minutes of playing around splashing the girls finally calmed down and Raylin, with a smile of pure delight on her face, laid back to let herself float on the water. She looked over at Jena and noticed that she was staring openly at Raylin's body for the first time that day. She arched her back slightly in the water under Jena's gaze as she finally floated close to her where she was treadign water.

"I know what it is I want for my forfeit Jena.  And I think perhaps you know what it is too. But it's nothing I'd ever require of you. But if it's ever something you want as well, I'm here."

"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.

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."

"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."

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."

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

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.

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?"

"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.

"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."

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."

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.

Kopair checked to make sure he had everything secure, with nothing banging around to make noise, and then moved after Liitha into the growing twilight. He'd been hunting several times before back home and knew it was important to be quiet. He'd been fairly good at it already before coming to the Yard, and his training there had only improved it. He knew he barely made a sound, and Liitha was a silent shadow gliding ahead.

Soon the pair of them arrived where some brush extended toward a nearby stream and they found several likely looking animal trails to set traps on. Signs of rabbit, squirrel, and other small animals, as well as bigger, were all around though difficult to make out in the dim light.  Moving quickly they set the traps, Liitha giving silent instructions on the proper way to place them.

After setting the traps Kopair moved to the stream to fill his waterskin, beeing sure to go downwind of the traps so as not to leave his scent in the area.  Liitha motioned for him to hurry and stood waiting for him in the darkness.

Dipping his water skin into the river he filled quickly and then turned to leave.  The darkness made the landscape sctrange and he tripped at one point. It took him a few seconds to find the place he'd left Liitha, but finally he found her.  Keeping silent still, so as not to scare any animals in the area, they soon returned to their campsite. Kopair busied himself with unpacking the gear and setting it up while Liitha gathered some firewood and got the campfire started.

"So what do we do with ourselves tonight?" Kopair asked as he worked. "This close to Tar Valon do we need to worry about keeping watch?"

Isn't it supposed to be impolite to ask a lady's age? :)

Kopair stared at Xilanin for a few moments, considering his words.  Finally though, he shook his head and leaned forward.

"A seeming accident?  Yes, I guess that could work.  However nobody, especially not Aran, will believe you were just accidently carrying dye in a cup through the dining hall Xil.  Dye doesn't really sound like a very appetizing drink," he said with a grin." Taking another swig of ale he signaled for another drink and then leaned back in his chair again, putting his feet up on the table.

"No, I think rather an accident while the poor man bathes might work out better.  Imagine master Aran taking a bath in the bath house.  A poor unsuspecting trainee whose turn it is to do chores comes in with another bucket of hot water for him to rinse off with.  He pours a ladle of it over his head to rinse out the soap and realizes the mistake. Some dastardly soul slipped dye into the bucket and left the poor unsuspecting trainee to take the fall. The of course master Aran would be far too clever to suspect someone like quiet Arturus from ever being involved in it." Kopair grinned and took a long swig from his new drink.  "What do you all think?"

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. :)

OOC: It's all good to me for her to be roomies with Dre. :)  James, if you want to use Dre to be the one to bring Kirsa to her room and such, we can play it that way.

Kopair woke early that day, eager to be about his business.  He stared at the ceiling for a moment, listening to the sound of his roommates' sleeping in the other bunks.  Moving swiftly but quietly so as not to disturb the others, Kopair dressed and belted on his sword and dagger.  He then looped his quiver of arrows across his back and grabbed his bow.  He was as ready as he'd ever be.

Leaving the barracks he moved across the yards, the early morning mist swirling around him.  He did not move toward the stables though, not yet.  He had another meeting to make first.  Moving through the mist he finally arrived at the sparring grounds, where he found Zevaria awaiting a morning work out with her mentor.  He wasn't here yet though, so for a moment they were alone.

They spoke few words, as he wasn't going to be gone for very long, only a few days. Still it was a hard parting, as they'd spent the last few months spending as much time as possible together.  Finally though they drew apart and he went to the stables.

Arriving at the stables Kopair nodded in greeting to Liitha and then quickly saddled Rascal and packed the supplies he'd made ready.  He didn't feel much like talking right then, and got the same feeling from his Mentor, and so in a companionable silence they headed out of the city. When they crossed the bridge and were finally out of town, Liitha turned to him.

"Ready?" she asked.

Kopair gave a grin and nodded. "I'm ready when you are."  He gave a look back at the White Tower, gleaming in the early morning sunlight, and his heart gave a pang, but he quickly mastered the emotion. "Though I want to be back as soon as we can, I'm ready for some time away from the Yard."

Dre listened to Estel's lecture attentively, taking the paper she gave and scanning over it before tucking it into her pouch. She'd work on memorizing them tonight when she had less on her mind. Already her mind was spinning with all the information she was being given.

Burning out. Stilling.  The words seemed to echo through her mind, making her shiver. She had yet to even touch the True Source that she knew of, though she supposed upon thinking about it that she must have done so in the Mistress of Novice's office. The very idea still scared her, yet thrilled her at the same time.  Yet here were warnings of a danger she hadn't realized, and the thought of being cut off from the Power already scared her.

“Now this is all boring history and philosophy but before we move on do you have any questions?”

Dre couldn't help but giggle nervously at this question, and quickly clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.  Taking hold of herself, she removed her hand and finally spoke.

"Questions Estel?  Questions I have plenty of, but none that I think are important enough to ask at this time.  So no, no questions.  I'm ready to begin when you are."