In Faith we Rise, In Doubt we Crumble(Seraphina Shel'Tah)

[Varus Shatterstar]

Hah... ha... he... hah...

The whispers of laughter entered the mind of the Twi'Lek freely, who seemed to be rather open to Varus. Though Varus heard Sera, he was still a bit guarded, and as she picked at him further, he thought about whether or not it was wise to let anyone in his mind, even if they were a friend. In Sera's case, Varus had realized that he could trust her, but people changed, and the young Knight knew that even Sera could be negatively influenced, no matter how she claimed that she was a practitioner of the light and would remain so.

There were others who believed the same that she did that had fallen prey to bad influences in their lives, and not a single one of them had predicted such a thing could ever happen. They all thought themselves an exception, but Varus knew better. Varus was more understanding of the human condition and realized that sometimes, you get low. Sometimes emotions gain control, and you do things you wouldn't normally allow yourself to do, but who was he to say? Perhaps Seraphian was strong than any of those who'd fallen victim to darkness.

Just keep walking, woman. I don't have time for your sass...

Daddy needs a bath...

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

On the contrary, it seems you have all the time for my sass. Unless you know something I don't about getting off this rock.

Her face would smile, an innocent yet guilty acknowledgement of her sarcasm. The thick foliage of the jungle was beginning to grow denser the further they ventured in the wilds. Though it wouldn't be much longer before she heard the gentle sounds of water, and a number of other small creatures enjoying the hydration it provided to the habitat surrounding it. Sera gestured with her hand and pointed towards the water as it came into view just about 100 meters away. Lightly she shoved Varus as she picked up the pace to an almost sprint, the bag of holocrons and remaining meat still bouncing about in her pack as she made her way closer and closer to the refreshing liquid she had been craving for the last hour or so.

Without waiting for Varus to catch up she dropped the pack to the ground just on the shoreline and leaped into the air, diving into the water without so much as a second thought. The cold rush of water enveloping her body felt borderline magical, and she remained under for nearly a minute before swimming back up to the surface. As her head breached the air above the waterline she took in a deep breath and sighed a pleased breath. It wasn't much, and they were still far from on their way home, but, aside from the fantastic meal in the cave last night, this was the second best thing thus far on this excursion for the two.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus shook his head as the woman continued to make jokes, passing whispers through his mind by way of the force. He had been about to reply to the woman after a few moments, but before he could she gave him a light shove and was off, sprinting through the jungle around her that was growing thinner and thinner. As the trees thinned, moisture could be felt in the air, both of which were signs of water. Water that Sera seemed unable to resist as she only bothered to slow down long enough to drop the pack safely before diving in.

Emerging from the treeline, Varus couldn't help but smile as he looked over the glistening waters, the smell of that moisture in the air rushing through his nostrils. It was a welcomed feeling, and as he took careful steps along the edge of the water he began to shedding clothing, first removing his jacket, then his shirt, and stopping to remove his boots by kicking them off one at a time. The next moment he saw Sera's head pop out of the water, and with a smile on his face he pulled the large knife from his belt, bit down on the leather handle and dove in, hands over head.

When he dove in his form slowly blurred out beneath the clear, fresh water the deeper he swam. The cool waters almost chilled him the further down he got, but it was much appreciated as opposed to the heat. When he reached the bottom, Varus froze, allowing himself to drift as he glanced back and forth looking for a fish to spear with his knife. Slowly he reached up and took the knife into his right hand, moving only when necessary. As he waited, fish grew more and more curious and came closer, having never been threatened in this habitat unless they fed at the surface.

Now he just had to wait and rely on Breath Control until he was able to surprise his next meal.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

With her head cresting the top of the waterline her eyes caught sight of Varus as he had already removed everything but his pants. Like a bantha staring into a speeder's headlights her eyes were locked, unable to move from the eye candy she was gazing at. For a single brief second she averted her eyes only to be instantaneously drawn back to looking at him as he made his way into the water. His eyes then caught hers, and she wasn't entirely certain what the grin was for, but she couldn't resist the involuntary smile that was returned.

Once he dove in and under the water her focus returned and she seemed to snap out of the trance. Holy kark Sera, get a grip. The Twi'lek reached down with her hands and pulled off the water logged boots she had kept on, emptying them out one at a time above the water and tossing them to the shore. The coatdress she had on was likewise growing rather daunting to keep afloat while wearing, and she managed to escape the confines of it, though the underclothes that remained did little to cover the additional tattoos she had that ran along either side of her body, and both her upper and lower chest, all of which, until now, nobody had ever seen, short of the facial markings.

She would wait, several minutes would pass before she realized what the knife was for, and why he was underwater for so long. That's an interesting way to fish. Just remember you're not actually a fish yourself, so don't drown trying to catch one.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Sera's words tickled him in the recesses of his mind as he'd fallen into a silent, trance-like state while waiting on the prey to near him. One after another, curious little creatures began to make their way towards him, nit picking at his pants and tugging at the strings of his boots, confusing them for prey of their own. After a time, though, they all seemed to get rather brave, one of them even wiggling it's way into his right pocket to see what was inside.

When the moment was right, Varus swung his right arm across his body, spearing one fish, and then another not far from it through their sides. It was so quick, that the rest of them around him were completely unaware until the plumes of dirt shot up from beneath him for having moved so quick. Like lightning, the lot of them darted in every direction away from him, as the pair of fish on his knife struggled for a few moments before giving in to death. And even then, as Varus' blue eyes fell upon them, he frowned, realizing that he'd cared more for a pair of fish than he had about people who's lives he'd ended in war. To Varus, however, it was harder to take the life of an innocent creature, even if it was to keep himself alive, than it was to take the life of a stark raving mad Sith or ruthless Imperial soldier ordered to kill all those who opposed their psychotic Emperor.

It was life, however, and part of life was the inescapable death that they were all running from. Only now, with fish to fill his belly, he'd stave it off a bit longer, but not if he didn't get to the surface.

His eyes practically bulged out of his head when he realized he wasn't gonna be able to be down there much longer, a plume of bubbles leaving him as he lowered down to the bottom of the lake. Digging in, Varus got a good footing, and the next moment he bolted from the spot, every muscle from his waist down playing a part in thrusting up through the water, his legs kicking back and forth to propel him faster. Before he knew it, and not a second to late, Varus erupted through the surface, a great heave of his chest pulling air down into his lungs as he fell back into the water, floating there for a moment and taking another breath before he raised his right hand out of the water. "Got'em."

Dunking his head back into the water for a moment to let go of the deep breath he'd taken, as not to concern Sera, he began to kick again, which brought him to the edge of the massive pool of water quick enough. When he felt ground beneath his feet, he finally let them take his weight, lumbering out of the water damp and a bit tired, his knife hanging at his side with a pair of fish in tow. It wasn't until he glanced up at Seraphina a second time that he'd noticed she was almost completely undressed, aside from a bit of clothing covering the necessary places. Seeing her like that, though, his eyes running up her sides and beholding the intricacies of her markings for the first time, was perplexing, and though he hadn't meant to, he stood there in knee high water, dripping wet, with something of a dumbfounded look upon his face.

"Huh...", he uttered, still watching her, unaware he was staring, though Varus wasn't much the type to care who caught him staring. That was why, when he snapped out of his momentary trance, he glanced up at her face and smirked as he said, "Nice..."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Maybe he did drown down the---Oh...There we go. Varus' head popped up from the water and gasped a massive breath of air as he emerged from the depths of the water, holding up a pair of modest fish as trophies for nearly drowning himself. With her back turned towards him she shook her head and sighed as she made her way over toward a large, shady tree and took a seat underneath. Though when she turned back to face him she noticed his eyes had remained in the same position as a moment ago, and he hadn't yet waded out of the water, but instead was still as a statue looking her over. The Twi'lek looked at him, then down at herself to make sure she was still decent, then back to Varus again, who was still firmly in place in waist high water.

Perhaps the stare was just long enough that she understood why he was not moving from where he stood, but not too long as to seem awkward. His solitary word breaking the silence, which followed by a smile directed towards her face, she couldn't help but laugh, a wide smile as her eyes partly closed, her head shaking slowly while biting her lower lip to stifle the childish look of flattery. "I don't know if I am supposed to say thanks in response to that comment or not." She wasn't entirely sure what exactly he meant by 'Nice'. It could very well be a coy, snarky jab at her for being less than fully dressed, or perhaps he was remarking on her markings, or perhaps it was as truly as simple as being partially dressed and he enjoyed the view. Either way, even if she were typically modest about such things, she needed that reprieve, and the enjoyment of the water without being drowned by the weight of waterlogged clothing.

"Are you going to get out of the water sometime this afternoon, or shall I make camp right here?" Her lips parted again as if to laugh, however she held it back, her chest rising and lowering a couple of times in a muted giggle.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus' chest huffed as he allowed a light chuckle to leave him the moment she responded, to which he asked, "Why not just say what you want to?"

He then began to walk again, trudging through the water until he was standing on the bank again, a muttered comment leaving his mouth as he glanced away from the pink woman. "...and I'll get out of the damn water when I'm ready.", he said, smirking at her as he approached her. When he was standing right next to her he peeled the pair of speared fish off of the knife by their tails, laid them down and squatted down over them. "Not too big, huh...", he said as he figured one was about a pound and the other a bit smaller than that.

"Hmmm...", he hummed as he thought about going for another dip, but before he could even decide if he felt like going back for another try, his right pants pocket grew alive with motion, which startled him. He fell back and grabbed his thigh in one motion, struggling to shake out whatever it was that was hiding within the safety of the pocket, and not a moment later another fish flopped out onto the ground right next to him, flipping and flopping on the ground as alive as it had ever been.

"What in the name of the gods?", Varus said, letting himself fall back to the soft grass beneath him so that he could take another breath.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera's shoulders shrugged as Varus asked her why she didn't simply speak her mind. She rarely was blunt or straight forward with anything. She found discussing things and avoiding conflict with others was generally the most pleasurable way to engage in conversation, that way nobody's feelings would be hurt if there was disagreement. "I just wasn't sure what you meant by it, I guess."

Her eyes looked on as he waded through the water a bit further to the shore and gave her a snarky comment in regard to getting out of the water, to which the Twi'lek turned her back and gave a lazy hand gesture in return as she got a bit closer to the large tree that was providing a cool shade underneath it. She could hear him following behind her and as she turned back to face him she leaned up against the tree and looked at the fish he had stuck through the blade of his knife. Her eyes averted to his lower body that had caught her attention even whilst he spoke to her. The area near the inside of his thigh, perhaps his pocket, was beginning to shift and move. A few things went through her mind for a moment, given the circumstances, before it was revealed to be nothing more than a fish that lost its' way.

"It looks like you brought along a stowaway. He must have wanted to see the world for himself." She laughed as Varus plopped down on to the ground beneath him, before sliding down the cool bark of the tree and sitting as well. The sun was high overhead, meaning it was at the very least midday. She laid down on her back and looked up at the sky for a few moments, taking in the ability to rest freely and without the burden of so much clothing, not to mention the feeling of being at least clean was incredible.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus laid there for a time, squinting up into the skies above him as the sun gazed down on them. He could feel the warmth of the sun drying him, even after just having left the cool water of the lake, though he'd have preferred the moisture. He like being warm, but he had his limits to that. He hated being too hot or sweating and getting sunburns. It was uncomfortable to sweat and get sticky and sunburns were perhaps the most unfortunate, nagging pain that unfortunately was constant until you did something about it. That was why he preferred the foul weather above all, realizing when he was young that the consistence of falling rain and the cool water striking his skin were therapeutic for him.

"I guess I'll take care of the fire then.", Varus said with a bit of a snippy tone as he swung his legs up over his head, rolled up onto his shoulders and threw himself from the ground with both of his hands, turning heels over head and landing on his feet rather simply. When he was upright again, Varus made sure not to leave the scene without his mark, kneeling down and nabbing the third, still very much alive, fish and tossing it through the air to land in Seraphina's lap before he turned and darted off into the woods with a considerable stride, a smirk on his face as he laughed to himself.

He continued to run for a minute, his eyes shifting back and forth as he looked for a fallen old tree that would make for the best burning wood.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Well then. Now she felt bad. The thought hadn't even occurred to her as they sat in the grass under the shadow of the tree that a fire was needed at that very moment. Surely the fish would be just fine for a few minutes, but it seemed that Varus was intent on devouring his catch straight away, and wasted no time in informing her how indignant he was that she hadn't started to prep the meal he had so spectacularly caught. No, instead he showboated his own acrobatic prowess and threw a live fish in her lap before trotting off to go do something manly and strong.

Her hand lifted up and over the suffocating fish as it flopped about on her legs, and using a bit of telekinesis to grip the floundering little creature, floated it lightly back over to the water and released it, allowing its suffering to end without further harm. Perhaps he wanted to cook that one too. Oh well. Too late for that.

The Twi'lek wandered over to her clothing and gathered it, neatly placing it in an area where the sun would dry her boots and coatdress, and did the same for Varus' clothing that he had left by the shore. Perhaps if she made up for her lack of fire starting by drying and laying his clothes he might forgive her for that terrible act of rudeness. Then again, maybe he just wanted an opportunity to show off that he could collect firewood just as well as she could through telekinesis using his own manly, strong hands. Show off.

When she had finished laying the clothes and gathering a few larger stones to make a circular fire pit she wandered back over to the water, with him gone she could perhaps peacefully relax for a few minutes alone. So for some time she would lay on the shore, her body laying so that the water covered her legs just far enough up to her thighs, and enjoyed the warm rays of the sun beating on her chest and face. All while Varus collected firewood.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

It didn't take long for Varus to spot a downed, dried up and wasting away tree that would be perfect for them to burn. The only trouble was that it was rather large, but he only saw it as a challenge that he was will ready to take. The first thing he'd have to do, though, was do a bit of cutting at the base of the tree that had uprooted. He had to assume that it had gone down in the storm, but he couldn't be sure. What he was certain of was that it had been given more than enough time to dry up, making it just what he needed.

Pulling out his knife, Varus cut what remained of the base of the tree from the uprooted base and separated them. It took a little time and persistence, but when he was finished it all came down to getting it from point A to point B, and he didn't like to waste time. He believed in taking only as much time as he needed, and of course he wouldn't want to keep the pink princess waiting all day. That would just be rude, considering how hungry she must have been. She was so exhausted from said hunger that she couldn't even be bothered with the chores of building a fire.

Smiling at his good work, Varus positioned next to the tree, knelt down and wrapped his arms around the midsection of it. He then lifted with his knees, picking it up, and rolled it up his stomach, across his chest and onto his left shoulder, surprised a bit by the weight the dead tree still carried. Still, it wasn't too much for him, and without another second lost, Varus turned and walked back towards the lake where he'd left Seraphina, his tree digging a muddy trench that weaved back and fourth with each step he took.

When he arrived back at their spot next to the water, Varus glanced around, the tree still resting on his left shoulder as he missed Sera. She'd moved from the spot she was in, and when he found her again he noticed that she was sunbathing like some pampered actress next to the water, which she had her legs in. It was cute, making him smirk as he watched for a moment, his right hand raising without a moment of hesitation so that he could create a ripple of water at the lake's edge that splashed just right to send a few droplets spraying across her face.

His smirk turned into a grin instantly as he watched her reaction when he dropped his left hand and let the tree roll off his shoulder, slamming into the ground which shivered from the impact for but a moment.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera could hear the slogging of the enormous tree as Varus carried the one long end from within the heart of the jungles of Phindar toward the beach where the pink princess awaited her magnificent fire to be born of the orange flames of the phoenix he would surely create for her. He was afterall, Varus Shatterstar. The man was practically a living Jedi Legend.already. All those long nights spent in the gym at Ossus, clanking metal around as he picked things up and put them down, all with the goal to make those chiseled abs and protruding biceps. Gosh, what a hunk. So for the few lingering moments where she could enjoy the soft serenity of the environment and the water, she tilted her head back and rested it in the sand, feeling the water as it gently moved about her legs.

She was mildly startled though when Varus took the time to splash her with some of that water while he carried the enormous tree on one hand, followed by the freefall of the tree crashing into the ground, causing a small tremor to quake through the area. The Twi'lek looked up at the man and rolled her eyes in playful sarcasm before she withdrew her legs from the shallow water and stood up next to both him and the tree he had just released.

"We're cooking Fish, Varus. We needed a few small logs and some kindling. You brought a tree." She then pointed to the small firepit, and to the modest fish he had skewered. "That tree is so far past overkill I think you and I both know the only reason you brought it. Still..." She clapped in mild amusement. "I'm impressed. Here, I will even start the fire and cook the fish for us. You did do all the work after all, least I can do is make it for you."

A wide smile formed on her face and her lower lip curled underneath the bottom row of teeth as she looked up at him.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

"Look...", Varus said in immediate response to the woman's comments. "It's been a long couple of days and I haven't seen a workout bench or a training room in far too long.", he explained, attempting to defend his position, though he was very obviously showing off. Even he wasn't sure why he was feeling the need to, but it seemed that they both were well aware of what it looked like when he was.

"I've got a lot of pent up energy, so you're just going to have to put up with me until I get it all out or we get out of here.", he told her, returning her smile with his own grin as he walked the length of the tree on one side. When he reached the branches at it's top he used the force to call one of his sabers from his bag. The top flap curled back and the weapon darted from the bag to his hand, which he caught mid swing, activating it and lopping off a number of the branches. He then did the same to the other side, trimming it in a couple of places after that.

He used the force the force to collect them into a pile, and after a couple more swings of the violet blade, Varus had three piles of firewood ready to burn, his blue eyes circling over to Sera as he walked around the stacks and towards the two fish he'd left. When he saw them, he sighed lightly and said, "You threw the third one back, didn't you..."

Rolling his head back, Varus started walking towards the bank of the lake, disengaged his saber and tossed it back towards his bag. It landed next to it in the soft grass, and as he stopped next to the water he sighed and said. "I'll be right back."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera's lips curled between each other inside of her mouth as she tried to stifle a smile while Varus explained his pent up energy and frustrations but she remained quiet. Her head tilted slightly, watching the human begin to walk the length of the tree, carving it with his saber into smaller pieces to use in the fire. Once he placed some of the wood into a pile the Twi'lek picked up a number of the logs, walking them to the smaller fire pit she had made out of rock and arranged them neatly. She then collected small handfuls of leaves and twigs and arranged them so that the larger pieces of wood would catch quite easily while burning evenly.

As she did this, Varus clearly noticed the third fish was missing from his collection. Not that he worked for that fish, it had swam into his pocket purely by coincidence, so he hadn't obviously intended to catch three. Her head turned to him, and she gave him a sweet smile. "I did. It was suffocating. You didn't catch it. It caught you. It didn't feel right to kill it that way, so I let it go." She shrugged. It was just a fish, but she didn't feel that it should meet its' end by flapping about on the ground and suffocating to death. He hadn't bothered to kill it before he left, so it only felt proper to release it.

"While you're out there though, try not to take your frustration out on the fish. I will start the fire." She turned, her backside facing him as she began the process of lighting the wood.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

"Of course you did.", Varus said as he stopped at the water's edge, kicking off his boots again, though he realized he hadn't even bothered to put his shirt back on. That was actually a good thing, though, because at least it'd be dry when he was done. "Softy...", Varus whispered at her, as if to taunt her for her inability to just kill the fish rather than throw the perfectly good catch away.

He started to turn towards the water when she said something else, which he knew was a joke, despite taking it as a bit of a playful insult. When she said it, he narrowed his eyes and began to turn back towards, but before he could say anything she turned her attention to the fire, making sure that her supple backside was in full view for him where he stood. It was enough to silence him, realizing that she was playing games that most Jedi didn't play, but unable to judge the woman too harshly for it. After all, she was showing him her best side and doing so intentionally, so he could only take such a thing as a compliment. And even then, what could he have said?

Should he have lied and told her how inappropriate he thought it was? Should he tell her to take the effort to show a little less skin than she was? He couldn't imagine saying either of those things and making it sound as if he meant it, though as he thought about that he realized he'd lingered in silence too long, and he was bad about staring.

Turning, Varus hopped up into the air and dove into the waters again, which were this time cooler as the sun had made it across the sky a little further. It was still daylight, but the shadows only thickened with every hour that ticked away in the evening.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The lack of a splash in the water, or the snarky rebuttal indicated to her that her subtle display had caught his attention. Interesting. He was now so focused on her that he hadn't even known as to how long he was standing there looking at her for. And what did she need to do in order to hold his attention? Nothing really. To simply turn her back to him was enough to make the man stand quietly at attention. Too funny. She thought to herself as she waited a few more moments with her back turned, the silence speaking louder than any words could while her hips swayed ever so slightly while she worked to build the fire.

Her head turned for a moment so that she could catch a glimpse of Varus, and once he looked up would notice she had caught his eyes wandering everywhere but at hers. "Is there something you see that I need to be aware of? Or are we just daydreaming?" The coy question was spoken with a small grin on her face, knowing full well what he was staring at, but playfully interested in hearing his response. She wanted to see just how far she could push his buttons, and to gauge his overall interest in her. Was it wrong of her? More than likely, but she did enjoy the game of cat and mouse, especially when she got to play the role of the cat. Even if she found him attractive, the ball was fully in her court, and she intended to play her hand to the best of her ability.

Once he had ventured back into the water to catch another fish she lit the wood that had been neatly arranged in the pit, fanning it slightly to ensure an even burn. The afternoon was passing quickly, but she didn't mind. Getting off of the planet was no longer an incredibly urgent matter, and she certainly didn't mind spending the time with Varus as it were. While he swam with the fish she skewered the fish length wise and began to slowly cook the two that had already been caught. Her clothes would likely be dry now, for the most part, though she left them as they were for the time being. What more of an opportunity might she have to press his buttons?

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

The one, underlying truth about the calm waters beneath was the peace that Varus felt when there down there, looking for more fish for them to eat before they would continue their quest off of Phindar. It gave him time to ponder just what kind of relationship he was growing between he and Seraphina, realizing that his attraction to the woman was against an age old code of the Jedi. He hadn't been the best Jedi, or even the most promising prospect, but he had been one of the strongest and had attempted to tread between the lines as best he could. Even then, he wasn't good at veiling his admiration for her, nor was he interested in trying to hide when Varus had revealed himself to the Jedi and had remained in plain sight ever since he'd agreed to become one.

Still, he didn't like to press the boundaries and wondered just what everyone would think if indeed he and the Pink Jedi became intimately involved. It was something he would have to think on, no doubt, if in fact he could keep himself from thinking about the way she looked at him... the way she toyed with him.

She was a Jedi, first and foremost, just as he was, but he wasn't sure that she'd be able to practice any more restraint than he would when their baser needs boiled beneath young, tight skin. In fact, Varus was almost certain that if they continued on the path that they were on, there would most certainly be an interesting outcome of which he could not predict. He had only been a Jedi since his late teenage years, strong in the force before he'd even come into their way of life. In fact, he'd been compared to Knights after months among the Jedi Order, though he lacked their patience and resolve.

Patience and resolve that was slowly slipping away from him the more that Seraphina taunted him the way that all women could. The way that physical specimens like herself were so very good at.

---

As the waters rolled away from his crown, down his shoulders and his bare chest, Varus reached down and slipped his fingers between the tails of three fish. When he did, he clamped his fingers into a fist, pinching their tails between the fingers of his left hand as he pulled against the knife with his right. Easily they slid off of the knife, which he returned to the holster on his belt, long strides taking him from the embankment through tall grass and to a fire that Seraphina had made for them while he was getting the rest of their food.

"Thank you, Seraphina.", Varus said as he'd come to stop next to the fire, reaching down and laying the fish on the ground beneath him. The next moment, he glanced up at the skies above, seeing that they had lingered a long time there and realizing that they were exhausting their daylight the more time they took to relax and get a meal inside them. "Looks like we've got about five hours of daylight left, I'd say.", Varus said as he reached down to brace himself before he turned and sat next to the fire. A moment later, he took a few of the smaller branches and snapped off the ends, pulling his knife from the holster so that he could begin to whittle them down into sticks that he could use to skewer and cook the fish.

"So, if we get a move on very soon we might make it to the city in the late evening. That, or we'd need to find a place to sleep for the night."


[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek leaned back after Varus had disappeared beneath the crystal blue water of the lake, stretching her arms and legs in opposite directions as if she had just awoken from a blissful slumber. She had almost forgotten that they were actually stranded on this planet, with no clear plan as to how exactly they were going to get off of that rock. She looked around as the fire nipped at the fish that she had carefully skewered and turned every few minutes, to ensure a crispy, lightly browned coat over the fish as they roasted on the open flames. Sure, she wasn't the strongest, or the most savvy when it came to outdoor survival, but she made due with the skills and talents she did have.

Her eyes closed for a few moments as she let her mind and body relax with the peaceful calm of the jungle, with only the sounds of the water and snapping of firewood between the flames to break the silence. She thought about the way he had been looking at her, and the coy comments he had been slipping into conversation the past day or so. Was he truly serious in what he had been saying? The quips, the playful sarcasm? Was it truly sarcasm? Or was he actually attracted to her? If there was one thing she was bad at, it was gauging someone's interest in her.

A moment later the quiet would be broken by the man emerging from the water and stepping up on to the shore, making his way back toward the small fire pit with a few more fish in tow. Though when he went the distance and said her full birth name she looked at him somewhat strangely. Rarely did anyone ever call her that, it seemed more odd to her than the years of shortening she had become accustomed to. Hell, if she didn't have such a photographic memory, she might have very well forgotten that was her actual name by now. "Seraphina? Gosh...I don't think I've been called that by anyone who knows me since...Well, since I was a child. Keep that up and I will start calling you daddy." Her eyes rolled immediately after finishing the sentence she now wished she hadn't spoken. "Don't comment on that. Let's just pretend I didn't say that, and you know what I mean." Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him, watching as he skewered the fish and began to toss them on to the fire. "Do you think we'll make it to the city by nightfall?"

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus couldn't help but laugh lightly, that pretty smile he had lingering on his face after having heard what the Twi'Lek said, unable to resist taunting the woman as he said, "I don't know if we're going to make it by nightfall, but if you keep calling me daddy I'm not sure I'll be able to trust you to sleep next to me if we're stuck out here another night.", he said, casting a sideways glance towards the pink woman with those ice blue eyes of his. He allowed the smirk to linger in the corner of his mouth because he knew how much she hated to love that look upon his face, having the advantage of knowing more and more about what made her tick as they grew closer.

Letting the silence sting her, Varus glanced away from the Twi'Lek who'd played to many games to not get burned. Ironically, his eyes looked to the fire, and as they did he noted the darkening shell that the fish was beginning to form. Coupled with the smell, Varus was well aware that the two fish Sera had set up over the fire were ready, and so he reached out and took either of them by the stick they'd been skewered with so that he could hold them without burning his hands.

The stick was still a bit hot, but not enough to bother, and as he pulled the fish from the fire, Varus glanced up at the sun and continued to watch it as he held the fish out in front of him, blowing on them gently a couple of time. After that, he reached out and held one of the sticks up next to Sera, waiting for her to take it as he said, "So, we'd either have to leave right about now, or we'll be running all the way there. Either way, it's up to you. I'm guessing someone's always awake in a city that big, and we'll be able to find a transport no matter when we get there. The only question is, do we want to be on the move at night when most of the predators are hunting?"


[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera gazed at him with a raised brow, a shifted nose, and a half grin. She let the silence linger, as he did, while she thought about how to answer his quip. "I think between the two of us I am the one who should be weary about trusting you at night, bright eyes. But rest assured, I don't plan on sleeping out here another night if it is not absolutely necessary." Her head cocked to the side and she glanced through the treeline out on the horizon. It would be one hell of a run through the jungle to make it through to the city before darkness entirely consumed the planet. Even then, they may not make it, but she wanted to be as close as possible. Sleeping in a jungle was not something she found intriguing or exciting. The ground was hard and unforgiving, there were no blankets to keep warm, heat was reliant on a constantly stoked fire, and the chance of predators were always looming overhead.

The Twi'lek looked on as the man reached toward the fire and lifted the skewered fish one by one, lightly blowing on the crispy outer layer of flesh upon their meal. She smiled, and extended her hand as he offered her one of the filets. Listening to his proposal to run or or leave immediately she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, enjoying the taste of the fish as she bit down into it, entirely focused on that, rather than their predicament. After a few big bites and swallowing she rested the stick along her legs, the warmth of the wood still present against her body. "Well, we can't leave right now, lest we not eat, and, as you can see, I am rather enjoying this. I'd say we should hoof it once we're done, see how far we get, and if we can't make the city before the last rays of sunlight, we find somewhere relatively safe to make camp for the night. I don't want to fumble around in the dark looking for our way, and stumble on some giant beast by mistake."

As she sank her teeth into the fish once again she looked over at Varus, realizing she was eating somewhat unladylike due to being partially famished from the day's trek. She halted herself mid-bite, waiting to see if he would say something snarky before proceeding to chew a bit slower, and more proper. "You know, I am glad if I had to get stranded out in the middle of nowhere, it was with you. I can't say this is pleasurable, but it could be so much worse if you weren't here. What I mean is, I am grateful. Thank you, Varus."

[member="Varus Shatterstar"]