Lina smiled returned his shy smile. She still wasn't sure what to think about Nolan. He didn't seem threatening and he had helped her out quite a lot. As she thought again about how he'd looked in his ice armor, she felt something strange stirring in her, it was as if butterflies had settled in her stomach. Thinking of him that way was making her feel uncomfortable and nervous. She looked quickly away and began walking again. Now was not the time for thinking silly things. They had more important priorities, like surviving!<br/><br/>They traveled most of the day, stopping only once to eat some of the deer meat and rest for a short while, before continuing on. Lina knew she wouldn't feel safe as long as they were in the open like this. They needed someplace that could be easily defended and shelter them from the dust storms and acid rainfall.<br/><br/>The ground began to rise in a gentle incline and the river became wider. The white rapids had calmed and now there was the soothing sound of water moving over the rock bed. The number of trees in the area grew larger until they were surrounded on all sides by tall thick trees and other lush looking plants. Lina heard strange chirruping noises and saw a fuzzy creature with a very bushy tail scampering up one of the trees.<br/><br/>She noticed something new in the distance. She hadn't really been able to see past all the trees but now she saw a massive slab of stone ahead. It was so tall that it disappeared into the clouds and stretched in both directions as far as the eye could see. There was a fine spray misting up from several sparkling waterfalls that tumbled their way down the jagged edges of rock that jutted from the massive stone wall. Half-way down the waterfalls met and created a larger waterfall that spilled the rest of the way down into what looked like a large pond that fed into the river.<br/><br/>"Nolan look!" She could hear the distant roar of the fall. "I don't know if that is a mountain, but it is the source of the water. Maybe there will be some caves near there!" She grinned at Nolan and began to walk again, looking around as she did so, and making mental notes of things that might be useful to them later.<br/><br/>Finally, they arrived at the clearing where the pond was. They were only a short distance now from the massive stone wall. Lina eyed the pond with caution and kept a respectful distance. Cold water and her were not friends. Suddenly, she stopped short and her eyes widened. A creature jumped up from the water to catch an insect as it flew past. Its iridescent skin seemed to be made of hundreds of tiny mirrors that reflected and turned the light into beautiful rainbows. She gasped with surprise. She had only heard about such creatures from tales the elders used to tell about the days before the War, she had never really believed there were such things. She turned to look at Nolan.<br/><br/>"Is that a fish? A real fish?" Her voice was soft with awe and her eyes were wide with astonishment.