JENNA: * Sunlight is barely starting in the sky by the time Jo wakes, feeling less than refreshed and weary at the prospect of how much walking she has left to do. She spends the bulk of her morning asking around to see if anyone can barter for another peco, but her attempts are largely unsuccessful, and she finds herself walking back to the inn to regroup before too long, racking her mind for anything she can use to trade.

JUSTIN: * It is somewhat around that time that Shane comes trudging through the front door of the inn, feet feeling as heavy as lead weights. He blinks at the change in lighting, not to mention at the sleep threatening to steal his sight away, and wanders in search of anyone to talk to.

JENNA: * The woman who runs the inn eyes Shane with suspicion as he enters, plainly doubting he has any money to cover a room. She taps the counter, however, inviting him to come and inquire. "Long walk, was it?" she asks him politely, folding her ledger closed.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns her a blank stare, taking a moment for her words to sink in through the haze. "Long enough." He says simply, and without enthusiasm. He steps over to the counter where she stands, but he doesn't inquire about a room. "Did a woman come through here, the night before? Guild member?"

JENNA: * This nets him an even more suspicious stare, and the woman opens her mouth, likely to deny any such thing, when Jo walks through the door. "Sorry to trouble you, but I may need to stay another --" She stops in place, brows lifting in surprise at the sight of Shane. Then she folds her arms automatically, waiting for whatever blast he has coming her way.

JUSTIN: * Shane's eyes open a tiny bit wider -- looking not so much surprised, as suddenly awake. He mumbles something that might be a "thank you", and turns away from the innkeeper to face the being into which he has invested so much of his emotional stock. "I suppose it's earlier than I thought -- you aren't gone yet." There is a slight edge to his voice, but at least the overbearing rage seems to have passed.

JENNA: * Jo shrugs slightly. "I was fishing around for another ride. It's a long walk.." She glances at the innkeeper, who is waiting impatiently for an explanation. "Another night," she says. "And two meals." Then she turns back to Shane, as if challenging him to decline.

JUSTIN: * Shane feels like she's suddenly got him gripped squarely by the cajones -- a feeling perhaps made even more literal by his near-hallucinogenic state of weariness. It inspires a lot of internal reactions, running the gamut from ripping her to shreds with his bare hands, to falling at her feet and groveling. All he does, however, is grunt non-committally and turn to wander in the direction of the dining area.

JENNA: * Jo watches him for a moment, then nods politely to the innkeeper and follows him, taking the lead after a moment to wind her way to one of the quieter tables. She continues to watch him with thinly veiled interest and some trepidation, as if he's a time bomb that could go off at any second or in any direction.

JUSTIN: * Shane keeps his silence, and simply follows to the table Jo seeks out, eyes halfway between a glare and falling shut out of weariness. He takes a seat, largely avoiding any reason to look at her until absolutely necessary, and leans back in his chair with a slouch.

JENNA: * Jo's gaze remains fixed on him even as she waves a server over to them, ordering herself a plate of meat and looking questioningly at her companion. Her fingers lace lazily in front of her as the server looks at him impatiently, waiting for an order.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns his head to stare back up at the server, and after a brief moment he shrugs. "Just get me the same." He turns his attention back to the table, crossing his arms on its surface.

JENNA: * The server nods brusquely and walks away, leaving the pair alone at the table. Pleasant as it is to have him silent, the sulking begins, again, to get under her skin. She shifts, however, continuing to watch him and wondering if he's going to fall face-first into his food. "How was the walk?" she says evenly, finally breaking the silence.

JUSTIN: "Long." Shane answers her, bluntly. The edge of his voice is softened by his state, whether he likes it or not, and he can't help sounding worn out. He doesn't provide any more details, however, continuing to stare through the table in front of him.

JENNA: "But you made it," Jo puts in, gaze drifting away over the tables, where a few other travelers are eating and mingling. Seeing no one she recognizes, she turns back to Shane, voicing a question she suspects may trip his probably very short fuse. "What are you going to do?"

JUSTIN: * Shane looks up from the table at her continued vocal prodding, giving her a look that speaks of agitation and disbelief. "Do you really even care, or are you just insatiably curious?"

JENNA: "Curious," is the prompt response, and she rests her cheek against her hand, eyes half closing, though they remain fixed on him. "But it affects me, what you choose to do. So I asked." She shrugs, letting her gaze drift again to where the server is arguing with one of the customers.

JUSTIN: "Then I suppose you'll have to wait and see, won't you?" Shane's arms move from the table to his chest, and he turns his gaze to the nearby wall instead. His stomach begins to grumble, and he pulls his arms tighter, face twitching.

JENNA: "Would you rather I lied, then, and said I did care?" She arches an eyebrow as the server makes her way over, expression supremely cranky. "Drinks?" she asks, hand on hip, glaring over her shoulder at the customer she was just speaking to. Jo shrugs. "Water."

JUSTIN: * Shane is reluctant to look back across the table again, but he does so anyway before the waitress has to ask twice. "Water." He says as well, fairly agitated -- though not specifically with the server. Once the woman has departed, he continues to not look at Jo, though the look of discomfort is clear on his face. "No, actually. I would prefer if you wouldn't inquire at all. I am fairly certain you gave up any right to information when we parted ways."

JENNA: "Then that answers my question." Jo smiles pleasantly and looks away again, appearing content that he has no further attachment to her. It isn't long before the server returns with their drinks, muttering something about food being on its way. Taking hers, Jo sips the cool water and toys with the tankard's handle. It gives her hands something to do.

JUSTIN: * Shane takes his drink and places it on the table with little interest, recrossing his arms and finding something besides Jo to keep his attention again. "Whatever you say." He mutters.

JENNA: * The silence lingers again until the server returns with two plates of meat -- it appears to come from varying origins, no one cut looking quite the same as the rest. "Bread?" Jo requests, and the server nods shortly, ambling away again. Jo turns to the food without looking at Shane, though she murmurs an irreverent prayer of gratitude for the feast before she begins to eat.

JUSTIN: * Shane eyes the plate in front of him with mixed reactions. Any complaints he might have -- about the food, his dining partner, or anything else -- play second fiddle to his hunger at the moment, so he begins to pick at it warily, sampling this and that.

JENNA: * Jo eats with apparent gusto, appearing uninterested in her companion's opinion. Her primary acknowledgement of his existence is to tear the bread in two and offer him half before returning to her meal. She slows over one of the paler cuts of meat, apparently savoring its flavor.

JUSTIN: * Shane tries not to stare at her. For all her efforts to appear unconcerned, it almost seems like she's trying to get a reaction out of him. So he eventually decides to ignore her, as well, turning his attention completely over to his food -- though he still eats at a more methodical pace.

JENNA: * Jo finishes before too much longer, uttering a heartily contented sigh as she pushes the plate aside for the server to retrieve. After a moment, she snatches up her tankard and gulps the rest of her water down, sighing again. Then, having nothing else to do with it, she lets her gaze drift back to Shane and watches him silently as he eats.

JUSTIN: * While it was easy to ignore her while she was preoccupied, her staring eyes begin to break through Shane's charade of blissful ignorance. He slows in his eating, becoming apparently agitated, and finally looks up at her grumpily. "What?"

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head, giving a faint shrug, and doesn't shift her gaze from him, except to look over a new arrival. Satisfied it's no one dangerous, she turns her eyes back to Shane, wondering vaguely if he really finds her gaze that provoking. This leads to a brief internal debate on whether she should keep it up.

JUSTIN: * Shane gives her what he hopes is an indignant glare -- and not just a funny scrunch of his face -- and returns to his meal with obvious annoyance. He insists on not looking at her again until he's finished. And even then, maybe he won't give her the satisfaction.

JENNA: * This doesn't appear to bother Jo, who continues her study of him until he finishes, brows lifting inquisitively. "Finished?" she says, when it's apparent he is. "You're tired, right?"

JUSTIN: "Of /course/ I am." Shane snaps, pushing the plate away and glaring into his tankard of water. "And I don't need you to point it out for me, I'm well aware of it." Lifting the water, he takes an angry gulp that causes half of it to slither down his chin. He growls in frustration and embarrassment, swiping it from his chin with a sleeve.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't call any attention to his slip, instead getting to her feet and waiting for him patiently. "Room's this way, whenever you're ready." She scratches her cheek, ignoring a surge of contradictory impulses, then folds her arms across her chest, still watching him.

JUSTIN: * Shane gets to his feet before Jo's words make any sense. Then when they do, they still really don't. "What do you mean?" He stares at her warily, suspiciously. Surely he missed something here.

JENNA: * Jo looks at him curiously. "You do want to sleep.. right? I have the room for another night." She gives a faint shrug, then starts walking toward the stairs, waving for him to follow. "Unless you'd rather sleep outside."

JUSTIN: * Shane grumbles to himself, but he's too tired to be proud. At least not to the point of action. "I thought you were intent to let me fend for myself from now on." He says accusingly, though he follows after her anyway.

JENNA: * Jo glances back at him, as if she's unsure whether she heard him correctly. Then she shrugs again, starting up the stairs. "Well, it's convenient, isn't it?" She stops and glances back at him again, as if she's well aware this argument doesn't hold much water.

JUSTIN: "That's rather the point, isn't it? I could have sworn your wish was that I 'try to survive in a world outside my floating cage of a city'." He meets one of her backward glances with a severe stare, marching up the stairs behind her with rigid steps. "You have a funny way of following through on your threats."

JENNA: * Jo unlocks the door and pulls it open, looking at him again. "You still can. The room is just for one night -- you're going on your way tomorrow." She steps inside, unslinging her belongings and tossing them in a corner.

JUSTIN: * Shane grits his teeth, peeking in the room as though he has to be suspicious of everything now. After a moment, he steps inside. "So I suppose leaving me in the desert was just a trial run, hm? Otherwise I can't say I see your logic." He takes off his hat, holding it under an arm.

JENNA: * She doesn't answer, pausing as if she's just remembered something and retrieving her pack from where she tossed it. She settles herself on a rickety stool, tugging a needle and thread from it, then looks up at him blandly. "Take the bed, if you want it." Her continued failure to answer is largely because she doesn't have one. She feels a faint prick of annoyance at this. If he's so dedicated to make it on his own, he's free to turn her down.

JUSTIN: * Shane pushes the door closed and moves to the bed without a word in retort, too tired to argue with her over something so ridiculous. If she wants to play games, she can play them with herself. He undoes his belt, tossing it aside with sword and gun, and flops onto the bed to curl up.

JENNA: * Jo glances at him as he settles, then turns the lamp down, giving herself just enough light to do a little mending. Her needle flicks quickly in the semi-dark, and after several long minutes of this, she begins, very quietly, to hum, an unwitting expression of contentment stealing over her features.

JUSTIN: * Shane is nearly asleep when the unexpected sound begins to drift into his half-conscious mind. At first, he is completely uncertain what it is, but the more he concentrates on it, the clearer it becomes -- until he realizes its origin. He stirs slightly, though not visibly, his working mind causing him to wake. There is confusion inside him, as the music threatens to relax him and help him drift off, but the very notion that he would take comfort from the woman is preposterous.

JENNA: * Jo is wholly unaware of the conflict she's causing, content to keep at her sewing and make as little disturbance as possible. Some of the unsettled feeling that's been plaguing her is gone, though she isn't certain why that would be. Chasing that debate away, she concentrates firmly on mending her minor tears without pricking herself.

JUSTIN: * Too weary even for an argument with himself, Shane closes his eyes firmly and does his best to filter out the humming until it is little more than background noise. Once he's asleep, he figures it won't matter if he hears her. With this determination, it isn't longer than a mere few minutes before he is breathing quietly in slumber.

JENNA: * It's nearly a half-hour before Jo stirs again, glancing at Shane to discover he has, in fact, drifted off. She tucks her needle and thread away, getting to her feet with a language stretch, then scoops up her pack and slips out the door, heading back to the small market to do what bartering she can.

JUSTIN: * Shane is completely out, and as far as he's concerned, Jo was never there in the first place. He doesn't hear her leave, off in his own hazy little dreamscape. Whatever it is that's going on in his head, he seems to be contented by it. A serene look is on his face, in contrast to the sour one he was wearing during the morning.

JENNA: * It's several hours before Jo returns, worn out and overheated from her time in the market square. Her expression is triumphant, however, and she barely remembers there's already someone in the room before pushing the door open with a little more care. Her gaze flicks to the bed as she shuts the door behind her.

JUSTIN: * Shane hasn't budged an inch from the position she last saw him in, and he doesn't seem any more aware of her presence as he did when she first left. His breathing is still quiet, even, and rhythmic. She could probably talk to him directly and he wouldn't even notice.

JENNA: * Jo relaxes upon seeing this, ambling back to her corner and dousing the light a little more, shoving her pack -- and other purchases -- under her head as she lies down to catch a few hours before it's time to move on. She drops off surprisingly fast, considering she got a full night of rest only hours before.

JUSTIN: * After all that time in one place, Shane eventually rolls over, waking slowly from whatever happy place his mind was in. His eyes flutter open, and the room begins to come into dim view. With what little light there is, he can just make out Jo's sleeping form, and he feels a weird sensation in his gut. Something he can't quite put his finger on, or remember -- perhaps just lingering dreams. He turns, sitting upright and swinging his legs off the bed to press feet flat against the floor. Despite being well rested, he feels another strange sensation, like a dull ache in his bones. This, he decides, is not a figment of his imagination.

JENNA: * Either a light sleeper or simply attuned to the movement of time, Jo stirs shortly after him, blinking away sleep and sitting up with a faint grimace. She fumbles for the lamp, turning it up again and rubbing her eyes. "Slept too long," she mumbles to herself, apparently not fully aware of the room's other inhabitant.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs at his face, sniffing quietly. "How long is too long?" He asks drowsily, attempting to get to his feet. He makes it, though his joints protest for a minute afterward. "What time is it?"

JENNA: * Jo starts, turning to look at him blearily, then rubs her eyes again. "I don't know.." She gets to her feet, gathering her things. "But it's time to go." She slowly slings a bulky package over her back, her regular pack going across her shoulder as usual. Then she pauses and yawns again.

JUSTIN: * Shane shifts on his feet, looking suddenly uneasy and nervous. "I was... planning to go to Morroc, before I head back to Juno." He distracts his hands and his eyes with getting his gear back on. "I thought that, things considered, we might as well go the last couple days together."

JENNA: * She looks at him for a long moment, weighing this statement and finding it wanting. "You won't like it there," she says afterward. "It's not a nice city." She starts for the door, then pauses and glances over her shoulder at him. "But if you really want to, that's fine. I have enough food."

JUSTIN: "I didn't plan to go for the tourism." Shane gives her a semi-glare, more or less covering up a look of embarrassment. "I just think I'll have more options available to me there than I will at this inn." He tugs his hat back on with a sharp motion, pulling it down to hide his eyes as he sidles past her and makes for the stairs.

JENNA: * Jo shrugs, following him, and stops once she reaches the lobby, waving her thanks to the innkeeper. "Teague will get to you on his next round," she says with a grin, then steps out into the early evening air. It's still warm, but less stiflingly hot than it would be during the day. She stretches again, yawning expressively.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't waste much time in leaving the building, ignoring the desert heat that he's still not quite used to. He tugs his belt into a more comfortable position and paces for a bit until Jo appears outside behind him. It is clear he is anxious to get this travel over with.

JENNA: * Jo waves a hand at him, setting off toward the westward exit with a spring in her step. It's fairly plain she's happy to be on the move again, whether it's in his company or not. "We'll be doing most of our walking at night from here," she says comfortably. "Safer, since I couldn't get another peco."

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't show any concern for what she has to say, trudging along behind her and keeping his gaze more or less on the sand in front of his feet. He belatedly decides to offer up a response, if only so she won't think he didn't hear. "That's fine."

JENNA: * She glances over her shoulder, forehead creasing slightly. "I guess you won't be able to see much ... not that there's much to see in this part of the desert." She turns her gaze forward again. "There aren't many waystations, but there are a few spots where we keep shelter and supplies."

JUSTIN: * Shane shakes his head slightly, and his eyes are mostly fixed on the ground and her moving feet, not on the scenery. "I saw enough on my way to the inn." He says, some lingering weariness in his response. "Enough to wonder who thought it would be wise to build a city in the middle of a sand ocean."

JENNA: "It seemed like a good idea at the time, I suppose." She shifts her pack, gazing forward again. "There's a place I like to stop not too far from here. Just a day and a half." She picks up her pace slightly, stretching her legs as if in an effort to get used to walking again. "There's a cave under one of the ridges .. I imagine most people don't know about it, or it would have been claimed by now."

JUSTIN: * Shane wonders how the desert could have been more appealing "at the time" than it is now. But then, who thought that building a city on an artificially levitated slab of rock was a good idea. "What about between then and now? We aren't going to walk for a day and a half straight, are we?"

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head. "There's an overhang near a covered well ... it's in neutral territory, so we should be safe there." She's somewhat relieved that he's at least talking now. Long walks are less tiresome that way. "It may not be much to look at, but you can see a lot of the desert from there."

JUSTIN: "From what I can tell, it all looks the same. Sand and sprouts." Shane coughs lightly, feeling a slight pain in his chest. He guesses he must have gotten some sand in his throat, speaking of. "I suppose it grows on you -- like it gets in your clothes and lungs."

JENNA: * Jo shrugs. "I wouldn't say that. But you get used to it. It can be a pretty place." She pauses, then shrugs again. "You're only going to see more of it. But at least it's dark." She does not lie. Aside from the sliver of a moon and the flickering of the stars, the desert they trudge through is pitch dark.

JUSTIN: * Shane lifts his head a bit to test her claim, noting that aside from her, the scenery around blurs to darkness in every direction. This seems more than a bit eerie to him, though he can't say just why. "It is certainly a change from what I'm used to." He says quietly, and he's not trying particularly hard to keep the unease from his voice.

JENNA: "It's harsher than the forests ... definitely harsher than the cities." She lets the hood of the cloak drop, shaking her hair out in the mild breeze. "But as long as you know the rules, you'll get by." She pauses, then point skyward as she walks. "What I like best about the desert is the sky, anyway."

JUSTIN: "If there's anything I'm familiar with, it's the sky." Shane manages to crack a brief smile, but he does follow her finger with his eyes to look upward. Sure enough, the sky above is littered with a breathtaking amount of stars, a sight made possible by the utter lack of light or pollution to block the view. "Well... I suppose it's not quite the same sky I'm used to..."

JENNA: * Jo smiles, herself, looking upward and putting her hands behind her head. "We use the stars to travel, like sailors -- only we have some earthly landmarks, too. Like the lighthouse and the ridges." She falls silent again, briefly. "They don't shine as brightly in Morroc, either."

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head absently, his eyes falling back to Jo's constantly moving feet. He pulls his cloak about him, feeling unusually chill. Perhaps it is simply the contrast from the much hotter daytime temperature. "I won't be in Morroc long... so I doubt I'll have time to miss anything."

JENNA: * Jo makes a noncommittal noise, more out of doubt he won't miss his city on breaching the walls of Morroc than doubt of his story's veracity -- which she still harbors. "I'll show you an inn where you can stay safely," she says at last. "Though none of them are completely without risk."

JUSTIN: "I can take care of myself." Shane is quick to say, brow furrowing slightly at her continued insistence -- whether on purpose or not -- that he is inept. "I don't exactly have anything worth filching, anyway. And I'll be more on guard around complete strangers than I am around you -- if you can imagine."

JENNA: * Jo glances back at him, looking tired. "I wasn't talking about thieves." She tucks her arms inside the cloak as if to ward off the chill, but she does not elaborate. "We should pick up the pace, if we're going to make the ridge before morning."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks rather indignant at her cryptic manner, and wishes she'd say what she means clearly the first time, or at least elaborate if she thinks it's worth mentioning in the first place. "I'm just following you. If you want to go faster, then go faster." As if to emphasize, he claims a few feet between them, staring past her grimly.

JENNA: * Jo smiles very faintly and breaks into a jog, taking him at his word. She keeps at it for some time when she hears no complaints, slowing only when her shoulders and back begin to ache with the weight of her baggage. Then she drops to a halt, glancing around for a moment to get her bearings.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't complain, if only because he doesn't want to be poked fun of for getting tired. The strange ache in his bones is back, and he feels unusually weak. Being as fit as he is, he shouldn't have had any problem with a jog like that, and he's beginning to wonder if it was something he ate. He is quietly grateful when Jo pauses, and he comes to a halt behind her, leaning slightly and trying hard to cover up his heavy breathing.

JENNA: "It isn't far now," she says, pointing to a crest of hills visible in the distance. "We should be able to make cover before daybreak, even if we do have to clean out the hole." She glances back at Shane, lowering her pack slightly to ease the weight. "All right?"

JUSTIN: * Shane nods a few times briskly, hiding the tired look on his face by brushing at his hair. "Yeah..." He manages once his breath is mostly found, and he fidgets restlessly. "Whenever you're ready."

JENNA: * Jo nods shortly and turns back to the road, not bothering to speak, though she finds the silence even less to her liking. It isn't long before she starts humming again, but she stops before more than a few bars make their way from her throat. As if to cover up the momentary slip, she shifts her arms to put her hands behind her head again, keeping the pace brisk.

JUSTIN: * Shane only barely registers the brief sound, concentrating on keeping his breathing steady -- a task made difficult by burning lungs, and an unusual feeling of sluggishness that has been taking over him. As they walk, he begins to feel dizzy, and he actually tries to move faster in the hopes of reaching their destination so he can rest.

JENNA: * The walk drags on another couple of hours -- distances can be deceiving, particularly when one desperately wants the destination to be close. Jo is feeling pleasantly weary by the time they near the overhang, but she nevertheless pauses, holding up a hand for Shane to stop and slipping up closer to see if the area's occupied -- animals are just as bad as fellow humans.

JUSTIN: * Shane leans on his knees, taking the moment that she's not paying him attention to catch his breath and wince at the sting it causes his chest. He doesn't go down for the count just yet, however, not wanting Jo to make a deal out of it. It's just a little sand in his lungs, maybe hunger -- he can hold out a moment longer.

JENNA: * Jo returns shortly, having found the area clear, and waves for him to follow her, heading down the slope to a surprisingly protected hollow with clear traces of previous camps, though they're obviously very old. "No fire," she says, dropping her pack on the ground and digging inside for food and water. "I managed to barter for a tent, so that'll have to do for warmth. But we should eat before we bother with that."

JUSTIN: * Shane tromps after her with well-masked, but all-too-present weariness, trying not to look overly eager when he finally collapses onto his butt in the sand. "Sure... that's fine..." He says, glad he caught his breath before hand, but afraid that speaking make him lose it again.

JENNA: * Jo pauses, giving him a strange look, then shrugs. "Eat some jerky.. it'll do for now, and I haven't got much else." She then turns back to her packs, quickly digging up the cloth and stakes to put said tent together. "Of course, come morning ... This hollow is pretty well sheltered, but the heat will still come up pretty fast. I've heard there are enchantments you can use to keep the heat off, but I could never afford one."

JUSTIN: * Shane shakes his head, fishing in his pockets for some of his remaining jerky from the previous couple of days. Though he is still fairly achy all over, he's finding it easier to breath. The burning sensation is far more tolerable when he isn't gulping down heavy breaths. "I know, I felt it the previous morning." He takes a bite of the meat, leaning back heavily against the wall of the small hollow and closing his eyes.

JENNA: * Jo nods absently, taking a seat nearby and eating a few strips of jerky herself. She consumes them almost ravenously, looking wistfully at the rest of her rations as she puts them away. "I've gotten spoiled, having food readily available," she mutters, half to herself, and takes a long drink from her canteen.

JUSTIN: * Shane opens his eyes blearily, staring across the small space at her. "I'd rather be spoiled with full, cooked meals than be undernourished..." He rubs at his face, sighing at his achy joints. "Of course... you did pig out a little in Jawaii. I've never seen a woman clean a plate like that." He gives her a weak attempt at an antagonizing grin.

JENNA: * Jo arches an eyebrow, then she picks up a small pebble from the ground and flicks it at him. "It was good food," she replies airily. "And I can't afford to be spoiled. Too dangerous." She takes another sip of water and stows it away, turning back to the tent. "I didn't think I'd need one on this trip, so I left it behind ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane ignores the pebble as it bounces harmlessly off his cloak, and his head turns slowly toward the tent. "Well, you apparently managed to get your hands on another one." He says obviously, taking out his own canteen and sluggishly working the cap off.

JENNA: "Used, but passable." She sets about its construction with a casualness that suggests long experience, using rocks to set the pegs in place and hold them there. Once finished, the structure looks like it's roomy for one and a little cozy for two. Jo scratches her head. "Looked bigger than this when I bought it."

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles -- more a look of defeat than of amusement. "I suppose that's part of the marketing ploy." He scoots slowly along the ground to peer inside for a closer look, the defeated feeling only getting stronger. "...well, I guess one night won't hurt us..." He doesn't sound completely convinced of his own words.

JENNA: * She looks at him wryly. "I'm not contagious if you aren't." She forces a brief smile in return. "I don't have any blankets, either, but we won't want them by morning." She glances at him, then at the sky, which may or may not be showing signs of lightening in the distance. "Either way ... we should probably get some rest."

JUSTIN: * Shane motions toward the tent's small entrance, recapping his canteen after a small swig of water. He brings his arm back to wipe his mouth, and looks more tired than ever when his face reappears. "Ladies first, always... I'll fit myself around you somehow."

JENNA: * Jo nods shortly, kneeling to make her way into the tent and pulling her pack with her. After a moment's rustling around, her face reappears at the entrance, and she levers herself down, arms folded over her pack. "Your turn," she remarks drily.

JUSTIN: * Shane crawls over to the tent, peeking in to see what space has been left to him, and deciding how he should handle his entrance. He starts in headfirst... before realizing he'd have no room to turn around, so he backs up clumsily, nearly falling due to trembling arms. "Let's try the other way, hm?" He slowly turns himself about, shifting his gear before attempting to make his way in feet-first.

JENNA: * Jo's mouth quirks, watching him, and she eases closer to the tent's edge to give him more maneuvering space. "Might as well get comfortable," she suggests, nestling down to rest her head against her pack once he's more or less in place.

JUSTIN: * Shane loosens his belt so that he can set his sword and gun to the side of him, and he settles onto his back with a loud, uncontrollable sigh. "Comfortable... right." He moves his arms up under his head, but it only causes him to wince when his pained muscles protest the odd angle. He feels a slight tinge of sadness at having to settle for the ground as a pillow, laying his arms at his sides and trying not to bump Jo too much.

JENNA: "You could use your cloak," Jo suggests, casting him a sideways glances before trying to settle into a more comfortable position. "Or your coat. You won't need either." After a moment, she levers herself up again, pulling the tent flaps together and tying them to shut out the coming light and heat.

JUSTIN: * Shane stirs at the sound of her voice, almost having nodded off already. He frowns a bit, shifting with some weird feeling of anxiety he can't place. "I suppose I could, yes..." As if to show he isn't afraid to -- why he would be, and why he feels the need to prove that he isn't, he doesn't know -- he removes the cloak with some awkwardness, and bunches it under his head. "Better." He remarks, in anticipation of possible inquiry.

JENNA: * Jo gives a faint nod, settling back down and, after a moment's hesitation, she rolls to face the other side of the tent, nestling down and closing her eyes with a soft, sleepy sigh. "Sleep well," she murmurs absently, as if she's entirely forgotten who's occupying the other half of the tent.