Shinkuko cocked her head to the side, puzzled.  The last time, Deandra had spoken to her - used her mouth to form sound and words as she once could but had forgotten how.  This time she had written in the sand instead.  Had Deandra forgotten how to speak?  Was it because of her?  ...Wait, sand?<br/><br/>Eyes went wide with shock as the change swept over the landscape, turning snow and cold to sand and heat in an instant's time.  It didn't affect her, of course - she felt the heat no more than she felt the cold.  But she knew in an instinctive way that change of this nature was unnatural, wrong somehow.  Or at least, different than she was used to.<br/><br/>Seeing anew the determination in Deandra's eyes, Shinkuko nodded at the elven girl and set off towards the rocky terrain - moving at a speed that the shorter girl might find difficult to maintain.  In the back of her mind, memories were replayed and something came together.  There had been more than determination in the elf's eyes.  There had been fear; fear for her, a desire to protect her.<br/><br/>Shinkuko smiled.  She felt safe.