John
*Björn had noticed that the small reptile was shivering, and stopped picking his teeth to go over and check on her. She snapped awake and the look she gave him? He had seen it before in himself. He placed his axe against the stone and slowly crouched down to her level.*

"Breathe Ves." *He said quietly, the rumble of his throat catching him off guard. She seemed to slowly recall the past couple days. And recognised him fully. The look in her eyes told him that.*

*Ves and Björn, while she had helped him escape, had given into temptation now and again. Ves came onto him a decent amount and she knew he knew - because he would reciprocate sometimes. Their stolen moments of quiet and intimate talks or touch were a highlight at the end of the day. Last night had proven an ideal example as Björn would find her leaning onto his lap before she went to bed.*

*She was a wonder to him and he had made an oath to protect her. One he would never forsake. Once she had stretched, he slowly took his shirt from over her small body with a bit of resistance and slipped it back over himself. He didn't have to sniff it to catch Ves' aroma or warmth. He enjoyed that much.*

"Good morning, Ves." *He said in a half whisper, not to wake her fully up. She was cute when tired - more honest too.* "Did you sleep well? I ate a couple hours ago but I could go for some food." *He checked her leg before he would allow her to get up, prodding the wound on her thigh... It was healing better now and hopefully she would be recovered soon. He tightened the bandage around her leg and offered his hand to help her stand up.*

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Christina
Ves smiled shyly as she recalled the night before. For someone made of lean, hard muscle, she found him oddly comfortable. She had enjoyed leaning against him as she fell asleep. She couldn't seem to get enough of the Goliath and her advances were becoming bolder. Though they had yet to kiss again. The timing just never seemed right.

"I slept very well, thank you," She replied as she always did. It was the truth, after all. She was sleeping better with Björn watching her back than she ever had before. She watched patiently as he checked her wound, as he did every morning, smiling at his concern. Then she took Björn's hand and climbed to her feet. 

Ves reached for her satchel and drew out two portions of travel rations. Handing one to Björn, she began to nibble at the other. "I can't wait for us to make it to a town. I need a nice hot meal and a decent bed to sleep in. Maybe a bath also," She added shyly, recalling the previous bath they had taken together. She doubted a small town would have a bathhouse, but they surely would have a tub. It would just be a shame to have to share.

As she chewed at her ration, Ves pulled out the map. She wished she could read what it said, but she had a general idea at least as to where they were. They had traveled south and she was almost certain they had crossed Dasvaz's border somewhere along the way. It was difficult to know for sure since they were avoiding the main roads.

She traced her finger along the map. There should have been a town near their current location. At least that's what she assumed the markings meant. The Kobold frowned at her own weakness. She really needed to learn how to read and write. It would likely prove to be a necessary skill.

Finishing the last few bites, Ves got to work putting away all their meager supplies. She repacked her blanket into the satchel, as well as the map, and tied it shut. Then she limped towards the cave's entrance. The landscape looked different in the light of day. The sound of squawking seabirds was loud in the air and the ground was covered in soft, squishy sand. Though they were still some distance from the ocean, Ves could smell the salt in the air.

Her tail flicked back and forth excitedly. She had never been to a proper beach before, nor had she ever seen the ocean. Today was going to be a day for new experiences. She looked up at Björn, wondering what her friend was thinking. Was he as excited as she was?

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John
*Björn had noticed that she was incredibly comfortable around him, alarmingly so at times. He didn't mind though, he knew that she did - she who hid in the corner of his mind. He was trying to push past it but he had since had multiple instances where he couldn't breathe, where bus hands would shake and his eye would be filled with an unknowable fear.*

"Good. I am glad to see you well rested. It will do wonders for your wound." *He remarked, knowing how much difference sleep can do to a wound. It was a wonder what the mind does when the body rests. It opens up avenues of abilities not known to the conscious form, a unique healing factor of rest and recuperation. Muscles wound rebind, strengthened by their resolve. The body grew a few inches and wounds, like the one in her leg, would begin to close. He knew this because he had to fight with wounds open from the day before.*

*Being a freed slave and pit fighter, Björn knew a lot about the body, what places to press to kill a man, how to gut a shapeshifter like a real Deer, how to endure anything... He had a resolve forged from years of torture that monks would not know in a lifetime of meditation. In a sense, his meditation was war, battle and blood.*

*He gratefully took the ration and began to bite into it with one corner of his squared teeth, crushing the section he had chosen like flesh under a rock. He enjoyed the meagre rations, anything was better than cold gruel with no spoon. He found most times he had a ration, he would scarf it down in no time at all, an old habit from not knowing when you'll next be fed. It always gave him an upset stomach, which he believed Ves found secretly funny.*

"A town would be nice. One that's not got my face on walls." *He shrugged as he spoke, half chewing, half spitting the food as he did so. Some of the bits got caught in his beard. He was far from a gentleman, more like a bushwack survivor.* "Another bath would work wonders. Might be just what your leg needs to heal fully."

*There he went again - always putting her first. It was hard to know how far he would go to keep her safe but recently, he had found it best to focus on her recovery rather than snarling at every bug in her vicinity.*

*Björn followed her to the mouth of the cave, his eye watching to make sure she didn't fall. He had to cover his vision with the back of his large, pale hand as he saw the morning sun blast across the landscape. Nature's beauties were different here... More pale and yellow. Almost like him. The smell of salt was unfamiliar and made him sneeze with a deep rumble from his voice as the cave echoed it.* "...Pardon." *He had at least learnt that word. He liked using it, even if he didn't understand it. He looked down at her and saw her large, glittering eyes watching him. He have a small smile and rubbed his hand on her head, slightly brushing one of her tall ears.* "Ready to face the day?"

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Christina
He rubbed the top of her head, which made her smile widen. As he brushed her ear, however, Ves felt her face heat up with a familiar blush. Her long ears were quite sensitive and the sensation of him touching one, even slightly, was enough to cause a reaction. It was frustrating, not being able to control her blushing around Björn.

She believed that he really had no idea how he affected her. How she dreamed about him while sleeping and thought about him nearly constantly while awake. It didn't help that her intentions weren't very clear, even to herself. She was acting on instinct most of the time and she was careless and clumsy about it. She had trouble putting into concise words how she felt about him. It was slowly consuming her and she was feeling more and more lost.

Clearing her throat, she tugged on her ear anxiously and shouldered her satchel. Then she stepped out of the cave and onto the sand, sinking a little. "Let's go! I think I can smell fish from here. We must be near a fishing town. Maybe they'll have a fresh catch for sale. I'd love some cooked trout for supper." She babbled to make herself feel less awkward as she led the way across the sand.

She quickly became tired limping through the sandy terrain. She didn't exactly know where she was going, except to follow the scent of the sea. Hopefully they would come across something or someone sooner or later. Her tail swayed back and forth lazily as her eyes followed a white seagull as it flew overhead. It seemed to know where it was going at least. Maybe the birds would lead them to town.

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John
*Björn was truly clueless. He saw her happiness as an escape for her. So he provided. However there were moments, like when he kissed her cheek, when he felt something genuine. He had no idea that he occupied her every waking thought, or her primal and instinctual intentions with him. He was clueless in that regard, aimlessly existing beside her.*

*However he knew he was happier around her. When they were separated even for a minute, he was anxious and worried about her safety. He chalked that up to his oath to protect her, sworn to the Gods... But maybe it was more. Maybe he was falling for her... What?! Why would he think that? She had no thoughts of him that way!*

"Small one, your nose is as clever as the rest of you." *Björn said, his stuffy nose making his voice a bit higher than usual.* "And it is nice to hear you so talkative today." *He absolutely adored the sound of her babbling like an incoherent child at times. It helped occupy his mind to Internally laugh at her phrases like Supper and Trout... He liked that she made up words.*

*He noticed her slowing down as he approached, his feet wobbly in the sand. He had originally felt his shoes were slowing him down so he took them off, his toes filling the gaps in the yellow sands. Without even a word from the both of them, he grabbed her up and threw her into his arms again. Besides, she would only hurt herself if she carried on... Definitely no other reason... Right?*

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Christina
She chuckled lightly at his comment and shook her head. His insistence that she was clever only made her laugh. She liked to laugh. She had had so little laughter in her life before meeting the Goliath. There had been little reason to celebrate anything. It had been all about survival. But now there was more. Now there was Björn.

She felt him descend upon her and a moment later she was being scooped up into his arms. Again she laughed, kicking her feet happily. Once settled, she absently brushed some crumbs from his bushy beard and smiled warmly at him. Her fingers lightly brushed against his lips. They were so close. They were always close. And Ves wouldn't have it any other way.

Her long ears were blown back in the wind and her clothes whipped around her. Ves wondered if the heavy winds were normal for this environment. There didn't seem to be a storm approaching. At least she could not smell any rain in the air and the sun was still shining brightly. The wind was probably just a normal occurrence. Either that or they will be taken by surprise when the storm did arrive.

At this new and improved height, Ves could see what she thought was water. "Look! I think I see the ocean!" She exclaimed excitedly as she pointed. It sparkled like a mirage in the distance. Ves had never seen the sea before, so she wasn't entirely sure. How did one tell the ocean apart from a lake? Its size, perhaps? Wasn't the ocean supposed to be endless?

Ves didn't know, but she was willing to learn.

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John
*Björn was the same as her; still learning. He definitely didn't have much joy between slavery and the death of Solaire. Now he had Ves, a little crippled Kobold whom he provided for, cared for and watched over. She had given him a new life and he wouldn't waste it. Now, there was Ves.*

*He laughed a little as she kicked her feet around, spraying a bit of sand in his mouth as he began to spit it back out. It didn't taste good. It tasted coarse and rough. He allowed her to act like the bird to a crocodile - a small personal cleaner. He felt her scaled fingers lightly brush his lips and immediately looked at her. She was very close to him, not just physically.*

*He used his large arms to cover her from the wind as it blew at his tunic and furs. It was a sight to see, and to feel. He had never felt a gust of air so strong! His attention was soon back on the clever little package he was carrying when she got giddy over a body of water. He squinted to look himself before asking: "Let me guess, you want me to take you there?" *He took her hand in his and used it to point to the sparkling body of water.*

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Christina
Björn was her friend and her protector. He tried to block the winds from her using his large arms and clothing, but to no avail. The wind simply changed directions and blew from the other way. It seemed to have a mind of its own. His hair was being whipped all about and Ves knew she would have to comb through it again this evening. Maybe she'd even buy an actual comb if they ever found the town.

"Yes," Ves replied. "Let's go discover the ocean. Maybe we'll find people there too." Hopefully they would be the friendly sort of people, and not the type to instantly misjudge a Kobold and her Goliath friend. Ves could only hope. She hadn't had a lot of luck in that regard. With the exception of a Dwarf that she had met in Lerwick, most everyone else she met beyond Dasvaz had proved to be unfriendly or indifferent.

Not that Dasvaz was particularly welcoming either. 
 
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he began to walk. It was for safety purposes, surely. Why else would she cling there specifically if not to keep herself balanced. There was surely no other reason for her actions. Nevermind that it drew her little body closer to his. Forget that he filled her senses when she was so close. She was obsessing, she knew this, yet couldn't seem to help herself.

The ocean proved to be further away than Ves thought. Eventually, however, they approached the shoreline. The wind died down a little right at the water's edge and Ves peered out at the surging waves. There were boats out there! And, yes, there were people down the beach as well. They appeared to be fishing, though it was difficult to know for sure from such a distance. 

Ves wiggled a little in Björn's arms. "Set me down? I want to feel the ocean. Oh, look! What's that?" She asked excitedly, feeling like a curious child. Once he set her down, she knelt and picked up a small spiral shell. "Look! It's so pretty!" She exclaimed as she held it up for Björn to see. 

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John
*Björn nodded to her and begun to take large bounding strides across the sands. As he did so, he felt her arms wrap around his neck, just like she had done before, just like when they kissed... He could smell her, and see her pretty clear. Her eyes were on him but not on his eye, she was looking lower... Maybe his lips?*

"I hope we do find people." *He said as he leapt over a small dune. He was good at this, traversing the world. Goliaths had hard soles of the feet and strong legs for this. But he in particular thrived on the sand, even Ves would be able to notice he could move faster than he could on dirt or stone. Years upon years of fighting on sand just like this had given him an edge, gliding over the sands and rocks like he was walking over water.*

*As he crossed another of the dunes, he pulled her closer to him as he stumbled over a small rock he didn't see. Their faces brushed against one another and he didn't looked at her for the next five minutes out of embarrassment. They were touching - stone to scale - and he was speechless.*

*As they arrived he could only smile at Ves. He had not seen a child before but she was sure acting like the idea of one. It was cute and giddy. Did he really just call Ves cute? He knelt down to see the shell better.* "Wow... That is a beautiful sight." *He looked at Ves as he spoke before taking the shell from her and inspecting it. He ran his fingers over it. The grooves and bumps reminded him of Ves. He turned away from her for a minute before turning back around and placing his hands around her neck, tying something to it. He pulled away to reveal he had tied the spiral shell onto a piece of old cloth and make a small necklace for her.* "It suits you. Makes you more pretty."

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Christina
As he stumbled, he pulled her close and their cheeks pressed together. Ves' heart skipped a beat, but Björn refused to look at her afterward. She wondered why. Was he only embarrassed or was there something else going on? She tried not to linger on the darker thoughts that threatened to claw at her mind.

She watched him with bright eyes as he took the shell and turned away. To her obvious delight, he revealed the makeshift jewelry by placing it around her neck. She gently touched the shell, feeling warm all over. She had never been given a gift before. Even if she had been the one to find the shell, he had created the necklace. And then he...

Wait. Had he... Had he just insinuated that she was pretty? *Makes you more pretty,* He said. *More.* Ves' silvery scales turned bright red as she shuffled her feet awkwardly in the sand. She scratched the back of her neck as she gazed up at him. Hoping for something, but what?

"Thank you, Björn," She whispered, her hands falling to her sides. She continued to look up at him, her expression quite intense. The waves of the ocean splashed against her bare feet, but she barely noticed. She seemed lost in the moment. 

Björn probably didn't understand why the small gesture meant so much to her. But she had been called small and stupid and ugly enough times that she had started to believe it. She wasn't even sure she was attractive by Kobold standards. And here he was, calling her pretty. Or maybe she was thinking too much into it. Maybe he hadn't meant it like that at all. Oh why couldn't things just be straightforward!

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