Wandering Warrior

Round 2

     It took longer than she had expected to reach the river that snaked through her forest leisurely. It had everything to do with the fact that she was running rather than floating through the air. She wasn't sure if she was going the right way, and she wasn't used to using her feet. The warrior followed behind her, his sack over his right shoulder.

    She had long stopped paying attention to the top he had given her to wear, and it hung loosely about her body. The black belt had fallen off and was back around his waist, holding his pants up. Her long hair floated up behind her as she ran, her legs strong and fast like a deer.

    He kept up with her pace nicely and when they reached the riverside he wasn't even out of breath. She turned her head to look at him and smiled. His black eyes glanced down and quickly came back to her face. He was blushing again.

    "Here," she said, and proceeded to wade out into the water. Her long hair floated atop the water as she knelt down into the slow moving river. She was uncaring that she got the gi he gave her wet at the hem. Clothes were a human concept, she had no use for them and had only worn this because he had given it to her. She wanted him to know she appreciated his gift.

    He dropped his sack at the edge of the river and pulled out the empty water bottle. She watched as he crouched by the river and filled it. He took two great mouthfuls before he splashed the top of his head and rubbed his short dark hair.

    "Join me!" she waved towards him. The water covered her lap.

    He was staring at her, his face red like a tomato. He shook his head. "No thanks."

    "You have been dancing a lot," she reminded him, running her hands into the cool water.

    He frowned at her, "Dancing?"

    She made her hands into fists and punched in front of herself, mimicking what she had seen him do the night before. His eyes widened and he coughed into his fist.

    "That's not dancing," he said stoically. She looked at him with some confusion. He was staring at the ground, the water was dripping off his chin.

    "It's not?" She cocked her head to one side.

    "No, it's martial arts," he clarified.

    "Oh..." she trailed off, disappointed, her shoulders drooped. She had rather liked the idea that he was dancing.

    "It is a different form of dancing," he assured her quickly. She smiled brightly at him and he tentatively smiled back at her. There was still a faint flush to his cheeks, and she wondered why he was so shy.

    "I dance on the treetops when the wind blows just right," she beamed, looking at him, "In the fall as the leaves die, I make them twirl around me so that the trees can smile."

    He smiled again and sat on the grass, facing her. She patted the water and waved for him to enter again. He shook his head again. She looked at him confused

    "But why?" she asked.

    "It would be disrespectful," he finally answered. She giggled as he bowed his head.

    "Is it not more disrespectful to decline?" She countered with a grin. He shook his head and drank from his bottle.

    "No," he answered. She stood up from the water and made her way back towards him. He avoided looking at her while she sat down beside him. The wet top clung to her skin annoyingly so she took it off and gave it back to the warrior. He made it a point to stare at the ground as he arranged the wet shirt beside him so that it would dry in the sun.