JUSTIN: * Shane's light doze breaks with relative ease, not needing much more than the sound of his own breathing to bring him out of it. He feels quite a bit better than he did the previous time he awoke, the pain and weariness gone for the most part. He doesn't move much from his spot, only to sit upright and give Jo a glance to see if she's awake.

JENNA: * She is not awake, though by now she's nestled far enough under his coat that only her eyes and the top of her head can be seen above the collar. Apparently the afternoon heat doesn't bother her significantly.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs the sleep from his eyes and sniffs, relieved to find his sinuses working better. He follows up with a stretch -- which is enough to tell him that his muscles still feel a little sore, but not nearly to the same degree -- and then sighs, refreshed. Taking the cloak from his legs, he rearranges himself to crawl over to where Jo is lying, and tugs the coat down enough that it isn't blocking her face. A slightly fond look crosses his features for half a second before he scares it away, then he shuffles back to sit in his spot.

JENNA: * It isn't too much longer before Jo actually wakes, expression drowsy and momentarily disoriented. She sits up slowly, peering at the coat in puzzlement when it slips from her shoulders, then rubs her eyes. "Mnh," she says groggily.

JUSTIN: "Good morning, Jo." Shane says with much more strength to his voice. He glances over his shoulder, noting the cast of shadows across the fabric of the tent, then turns back to her. "Of afternoon, it seems." He crosses his legs in front of him, smiling shyly.

JENNA: * Jo blinks at him for a moment, considering this statement, then gives a slow nod, deciding she agrees. "Fit to travel?" she says, recovering her mental faculties enough to speak. She removes the coat entirely, folding it after some consideration and handing it to Shane.

JUSTIN: * Shane accepts his coat, trading her cloak back in return. "As fit as I'm going to get." He makes a muscle with his arm, as if to prove his point. Following this up with a grunt, he goes fishing for his things. "I suppose we'll have to make up time now."

JENNA: * Jo pulls the cloak around her shoulders, smiling faintly at his show of health. "We'll walk as fast as we can manage." She scoops up her own belongings, digging out her store of food and water. She peers takes stock of it, then nods slowly, portioning out some for herself and for him. "We should be okay."

JUSTIN: * Shane nods shortly, flopping down at the head of the tent to undo the ties keeping the fabric closed. "If I pass out this time, just leave me. I have to wake up eventually." He pulls the flap open, slinging his gear over his back and climbing out into the desert heat.

JENNA: * Jo snorts very faintly, following him into the heat and still chewing on a piece of jerky. She turns to strike the tent, folding it rapidly into its travel-sized shape. She then sits in the shade of the overhang, quietly taking a sip of her water. When the sun dips behind the horizon entirely, she stands again, giving a long, slow stretch.

JUSTIN: "We're off then, are we?" Shane stands up from where he had taken root, stretching once and fixing his cloak and gear about him. He breathes in deep to test his lungs, and gives the stretching desert a scrutinizing look.

JENNA: * She nods, slinging the tent across her back alongside her regular gear. "We should be able to make that cave by morning," she says quietly. "It's good and hidden, and we probably shouldn't push too hard just yet." Then she glances at him with a quick smile and sets off into the sands -- again.

JUSTIN: "Well, I'll follow your lead." Shane stands up straight, ready to show this desert who's boss in the end. True to his words, he starts off on her tail, following along the same invisible path they'd taken a couple nights prior.

JENNA: * Jo smiles again, setting off on her path with unerring footsteps. She leads the way in silence, but it's a comfortable one this time, not marred by the tension of their previous walks, and she doesn't feel a particular need to break it. She does cast her gaze frequently to the sky, however, keeping stars and landmarks in sight.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't seem bothered by the silence, either, listening to the wind as it blows across the sand's surface. His eyes dart all around, taking in what little there is to see, now that his eyes can see it more clearly. It's almost ironic that his brush with disease has left him feeling even more energetic and alert than he was before it.

JENNA: * It's several hours before Jo speaks again, pausing at the top of a rise to have a look around. "There's water in the cave -- a spring. It probably feeds a stream underground, so it stays fresh." She glances back, waiting for him to join her. "It's a good place to restock." She scratches her head, looking faintly uneasy. "Well. And wash. If it strikes your fancy."

JUSTIN: * Shane gives her a wary look, then turns that look to himself suspiciously. "It might just..." He looks slightly embarrassed, rubbing at his neck. "Can't say I've ever bathed outdoors, before, though."

JENNA: "It isn't so bad." She starts walking again, hurriedly, to cover the sudden heat in her cheeks -- not that it's particularly visible in the dark. "Cold is all, sometimes ... it's not a hot spring, but it doesn't run icy, either. Not like in your mountains. Besides --" She hesitates, scratching her cheek, unsure whether she should admit to another pilfer. "I have some soap from Jawaii."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks up at her in surprise, hurrying to keep up again. "Soap? Of all the things to steal, I wouldn't have figured you'd take bathroom supplies." He feels like he should be upset by the admission, but considering the circumstances... He half frowns, half smirks. "I suppose I can let that go, but only because it's soap."

JENNA: * She glances back at him, grin tinged with a hint of relief. "I may live in the wild, but that doesn't mean I like to be dirty." She turns forward again, quickening her pace very slightly. "They probably would have thrown it away cleaning out the room anyhow."

JUSTIN: * Shane supposes she has a point. And soap isn't too difficult to manufacture. Part of him wonders why he is trying to justify any of this, so he promptly stops thinking about it. "Well, I wouldn't want to give the impression that I'm intolerant of the all-natural smell of a month on the road, but there is something to be said for freshness, too." Babbling seems to help him keep his thoughts from getting pessimistic.

JENNA: * Jo falls silent again, keeping the pace steady as they make their way across the sand. She shifts her pack wearily, glad they won't need to set up the tent inside the cave. Glad as she was to have it, she's had quite enough of the thing. "It shouldn't be long now."

JUSTIN: "Hum? Oh -- good." Shane says blankly, coming back from whatever space he'd been zoned out in. He blinks his eyes once, refocusing on the woman ahead of him, and then clearing his throat. "I suppose if there's anything I'll do when we reach Morroc, it'll be to get some proper food. Dried meat only goes so far."

JENNA: * She chuckles faintly. "It keeps you on your feet, at least." She quietly sidesteps the issue of their arrival in Morroc, more than a little uneasy at the prospect. "I won't say no to a good meal, though .. the hunting around here isn't great." Her gaze drifts slowly over the sand for a moment. "That and I'd rather not risk a fire ... it attracts too much attention."

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head, considering this. "Probably not a good idea to start a fire in a cave, anyway." He nods in approval of their agreement, and turns his eyes up to the back of her head. "Not to imply it crossed anyone's mind."

JENNA: * Jo's mouth twitches into a grin. "We'll only need to if something's taken up residence in there." She pauses, considering this for a moment, then shrugs. "Probably not, though."

JUSTIN: * Shane stands up a bit straighter, fingering his sword hilt. "I'd really rather hope not..." He tilts his head back with a deep breath, staring at the sky above, than turns to peek behind him. The blank, stretching landscape looms about them ominously, and it's enough to give him a shiver. He subconsciously follows Jo a few steps closer.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't appear to notice, shifting her packs slightly to ease the strain on her back and shoulders. It doesn't work, so she shifts it back. "It's never been a problem before, anyway. We think there might be some kind of magic to it."

JUSTIN: "A magic cave? Well that's a tale if I've ever heard one." Shane notices Jo shifting weight around yet again, and clucks his tongue. He reaches out to take one of her packs, sliding it down off her shoulder. "You don't have to carry everything yourself, you know."

JENNA: * Jo jumps, startled, as the weight slides from her shoulders, and she glances as back, almost alarmed. "I -- hadn't thought about it." She faces forward quickly, hiding an embarrassed look. "Thank you," she says belatedly.

JUSTIN: * Shane's glad when she looks away again, as it effectively conceals his own embarrassment from her. "I am sorry it did not occur to me sooner... I was distracted, I suppose." He slips the pack onto his back, breathing in deep again and exhaling. As odd and out of place as the notion is, he feels somewhat normal again after all that's happened.

JENNA: * Jo shrugs slightly, then decides he probably didn't see that. "It happens," she says, looking back at him again for a moment. Then she turns her gaze ahead, sighing faintly. Fortunately, it isn't much farther to the cave, and they reach it before another hour passes. The opening is well-hidden, tucked in a gully behind what appears to be a solid wall of rock.

JUSTIN: * In fact, Shane is a might bit confused at where they are headed, until walking down and around into the gully reveals the clever, natural concealed entrance. "Well, I guess you have to know what you're looking for." He quips, glancing around the gully. "Very sneaky."

JENNA: "It's served us pretty well in the past." She grins, then slips inside, eyes flicking warily in the dim light, then pauses, sniffing slightly. "Well, when the sun comes up we'll get some light in here. Then we'll have a better idea what we're dealing with .. but I don't think anything's moved in."

JUSTIN: * Shane ambles in behind her, peering in the dark as though he could possibly see something she's missed. "Well, nothing's greeted us at the door, anyway." He tugs his pack up higher on his shoulders and rocks on his heels. "So where do we get to sit down?"

JENNA: "It's further in," Jo says, deciding it's better to get out of the night and settled as quickly as possible, particularly if they won't be going to sleep immediately. "It'll be dark, though." She turns back to him, extending her hand. "Don't know of any pitfalls, but better safe than sorry."

JUSTIN: * Shane stares at the offered hand for a moment in what's left of the moonlight, taking it in his own after a brief hesitation. He masks it well enough by continuing immediately. "Always try to be safe, don't have to tell me twice."

JENNA: * Jo scratches the back of her head with her free hand, moving on quickly before reining herself in to keep from dragging her companion. The fingertips of her free hand brush the wall as she walks, following what she remembers the path to be. "It's .. the only place I really remember liking in the desert," she says suddenly. "Besides the sky."

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles slightly, letting her drag him gently along by the hand, and doing his best to keep in her footsteps. "Because of the privacy?" He ventures a guess -- he hasn't ever seen a cave that he'd put on his list of favorite places.

JENNA: "Mm," she says absently, neither confirming his guess nor denying it, then steps around the corner and gives a soft "Ah." It is immediately clear that they have arrived -- the cave widens into an open room, awash with the silver of moonlight. There's a sound like water washing against a low shore, and the source is immediately evident -- a pool of it gleams at the back wall.

JUSTIN: * Shane steps up to Jo's side, looking on at the view ahead with a slightly surprised visage. "This is certainly more than I was expecting." A smile comes over his lips. "I believe that I can see the appeal." He starts forward, intent on exploring the room further, and incidentally tugs Jo along by her hand.

JENNA: * Jo, startled out of her own re-appreciation of the hidden area, stumbles forward slightly before going slightly pink and releasing his hand. "I don't get to come this way very often .. so I try to stop by every time I do." She follows him slowly, unslinging her pack and setting it near the waterside. "The cave doesn't go back too much farther, I don't think."

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't seem to notice when she released his hand, going on ahead to peek into the nooks and crannies of the cozy cave. "This is certainly better than a tent, I will give you that without a second thought." He appears content, letting his inspection go and returning to the waterside to fall on his rump and relax. "Did you find this cave yourself? Or...?"

JENNA: "Fray found it." She offers him a weak smile, folding her legs and tugging out more of the dried meat that they've been eating for the past several days. "He showed me the ropes, basically, when I was first starting out." Setting the meat aside, she kneels next to the water and scoops some up to drink. "I don't know how often he comes here, though."

JUSTIN: * Shane leans over to peer into the depths of the pool. Even with the moonlight, it is hard to see the bottom. The water itself, though, seems surprisingly clean to him. Or maybe his standards just aren't what they used to be. Either way, he pokes a hand into the water and brings some up to test. "It certainly doesn't look like anyone's been here recently."

JENNA: * Jo smiles faintly. "I don't know where he gets to, most of the time -- he's higher ranked than me." She starts taking her boots and leggings off, sighing a little with relief. "The water stays clean -- we always figured it flows in and out somewhere." Footgear removed, she stretches her feet in front of her and dangles them in the water with a contented sigh.

JUSTIN: * Shane watches the process with unabashed curiosity, tilting his head as her feet disappear into the water. "Are your feet sore?" He asks simply, sliding the pack he's been carrying down off his shoulder.

JENNA: "Sore, hot. Not nearly as bad as my first long walk in the desert ... I had blisters for weeks." She flips the water, splashing a little, then turns to face him, arching an eyebrow. "Aren't yours?" She lifts both her feet out of the water and inspects them a moment, then shrugs and drops them back in.

JUSTIN: "Well, I..." Shane turns his attention to his own booted feet, the polished, black finish of his boots now a dirty brown. "I hadn't given it much thought, until you said that." He pulls his feet in, undoing the lacing and yanking the boots off. An embarrassed look comes over him as he quickly tosses them to the side. The socks he's been wearing have actually started to wear through. "I guess they do look a bit worse for wear, don't they?"

JENNA: "The water helps." She turns her gaze away, watching the water for a while instead. "At least a little bit. It's cool." She leans back slowly, lacing her fingers behind her head until she rests on the sandy stone.

JUSTIN: * Shane makes it a point not to stare -- after doing so for a moment without realizing it -- and fixes his eyes on the water again. "Cool is something in short supply lately, it would seem..." He tugs off his well-worn socks and rolls up the legs of his pants, and then takes the plunge delicately. A most pleasant look appears on his face as his feet dip below the water's surface, and he lets out a happy sigh. "First time for everything... I'm not sure why I've never thought of this before."

JENNA: * She glances at him sideways, rolling her eyes at him, though her mouth twitches in amusement. "How many natural pools do you have in your flying city?" she asks mildly, turning her gaze back to the roof of the cave, where the sky can be seen lightening, if only slightly.

JUSTIN: "None, I would have to admit -- but we do have running water." Shane holds a hand to his chin in brief thought. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure how they manage that." He lowers himself to the not-uncomfortable stone beneath, cool with retained night temperature. Best enjoy it while it lasts. "I don't generally give it much thought, but when I do... It is amazing how little I know about my own city. All that magic and science -- I read a lot of books, but it is still all beyond me."

JENNA: * Jo scratches her cheek, frowning. "So books really don't tell you all that much, huh?" She sits up slightly, leaning back on her elbows. "I have to know as much as I can about the cities I go to ... though I don't know much about yours. That was my first time there." She lifts one leg and brings it down with a splash.

JUSTIN: * Shane heats in the face slightly, wondering if he just made himself sound stupid. "Well, I -- I mean, I learn a lot from my studies... but that sort of thing -- it requires years of research, a-and the books aren't readily available..." He tangles and untangles his fingers above his chest.

JENNA: * Jo tilts her head, frowning slightly. "It's magic, right? That keeps it in the sky?" She leans back again, drumming the fingers of one hand against the stone beneath her. "That's explanation enough for me, I guess. Even if someone did explain, I probably wouldn't understand." She turns her head to look at him, arching an eyebrow. "Right?"

JUSTIN: "R-right..." Shane lets himself look over to match her eyes, if a bit sheepishly. "I suppose you have a point. I'm just insatiably curious..." He smiles shyly, and tries to rub the red from his cheek. "It stays up. I guess that's all I need to care about."

JENNA: * Jo nods, glancing away, then looks at him again. "So.. you like to read?" Her expression becomes momentarily skeptical, and she toys with a lock of her hair, frowning slightly. "I don't know many guards who like to read." Dropping the lock, she rests her hand on her belly. "Though I guess I don't know many guards."

JUSTIN: "I /love/ to read." Shane smiles cheerily, edging an arm under his head for support. "I've been told I border on obsessive at times. I just like to learn new things." His smile turns more wistful, softening. "And it gives me a way to pass the time, at least. Body needs a break from the training at least once in a while..."

JENNA: * Jo looks surprised at this show of interest, embarrassed, though she can't figure why, and her gaze darts to one side. "I wouldn't know much about it, obviously," she remarks. "I guess what I do to pass the time is .. travel." She pauses, gaze flicking momentarily back to him. "And play cards."

JUSTIN: "Have you ever thought about getting a tutor?" Shane watches her face with obvious interest, all embarrassment taking a back seat to pure, genuine curiosity. "I-I mean, I don't intend to poke at it... but I think you would enjoy it, if you learned. You've certainly learned a lot of other things."

JENNA: * Heat steals into her face, and she frowns slightly. "I don't really need it," she mutters, color deepening. "And I don't really have the time." She looks at him again, embarrassment retreating through sheer force of will. "I don't know many scholars who'd follow me around, no matter how much I paid them."

JUSTIN: * Shane bites at his lip in apparent disappointment, moving a hand to rub at his hair in thought. "I... suppose you have a point about that..." He sighs lightly, turning his sight to a crack in the ceiling. "It was just a thought, anyway. Maybe you'll have the opportunity someday."

JENNA: * Jo watches him for a moment, then follows suit, resting her hands behind her head. "Maybe so." She doubts it very much, personally, but it doesn't seem fair to tell him so. Instead, after a few moments, she sits up, looking down at him curiously. "Do you want to go first?"

JUSTIN: "Uh -- what?" Shane blinks his eyes away from the rock above to look at her uncertainly. "Go? Go where?" He sits up, looking around and wondering if he may have missed something.

JENNA: * She blinks at him, unsure whether he's joking, then points to the water, brows lifting. "A bath. Do you want to go first?" She pulls her feet out of the water, folding them under her and tilting her head. "Obviously we can't go at the same time."

JUSTIN: * Shane's eyes widen with recognition and he lurches upward, skidding back a bit as he gains his feet. "O-of course not! No need to remind me." He grins awkwardly, giving the water a look. "But you go first. You deserve it after all the trouble..." Before she can argue, he drags the pack he'd set down away from the water's edge, and moves to disappear around the corner.

JENNA: * She watches him go doubtfully, feeling a strange twinge of guilt, then calls out. "Don't go too far, all right? Don't wanna get lost." Then she gives a low sigh, makes sure he's out of sight, and starts to strip down, pausing to snag some soap from her pack before she steps into the water.

JUSTIN: * Shane hasn't gone far, just as far as he thinks is necessary to avoid any accident, and even the sound of splashing water. He seats himself in the sand just outside the entrance to the cave, watching the sky beginning to lighten with the rising sun. He's grateful that it seems to be coming up behind him, rather than in his face.

JENNA: * Jo sighs, slipping into the deeper part of the pool, and takes a few minutes to hang there, suspended in the water, as if she can wash away her troubles along with the dirt and sweat of travel. For a moment, her confusion threatens to overwhelm her, and she sucks in a quick breath and ducks beneath the surface, holding herself there as long as she can. Then she surfaces with a gasp and sets about actually washing, though her mind is no clearer than it was before.

JUSTIN: * Shane holds his breath in surprise when he hears the distinct sound of splashing water, going red in the face. He lets the air out in a disgruntled sigh, and though it occurs to him that he has no reason to be so embarrassed, that doesn't seem to stop him. He tries to drown out the distant sound by singing quietly to himself and inspecting his gear.

JENNA: * Jo tries not to take her time about the bath, but it's been a long while since she's had one, and an even longer while since she's been in this place, so she lingers in spite of her best intentions. Once finished, she slips out of the water, letting the partly-risen sun dry her for a few minutes before she gets dressed. She leaves her boots and leggings where they lie, however, before seeking Shane out to tell him it's his turn. It's with a little alarm she doesn't find him around the bend, and when she finally finds him near the entrance she frowns, hands on hips. "I told you not to go far!"

JUSTIN: * Shane jumps at the sudden sound, having successfully distracted himself inside his own head. He leaps to his feet quickly, turning to look at her with a mix of guilt and defensiveness. "I didn't go far enough to get lost! I just wanted to give you privacy, that's all." His eyes slide slowly away from her and he blushes.

JENNA: * At his clear embarrassment, Jo finds her face heating as well, and she scowls, scrubbing her cheek as if to rub the color away. "Just around the corner would have been fine," she grumbles, gaze fixed firmly on the ground. "Anyway, it's your turn .. the soap's still over there."

JUSTIN: * Shane hurries past her without another word, deciding some time in the water for himself is definitely better than discussing her own bath. Certain that she hasn't followed him anywhere near enough to watch -- accidentally or otherwise -- he is still somewhat timid as he removes his clothing. Bathing in a natural cave spring is a first, and openness of the room is a little disconcerting. He attempts to put that all in the back of his mind, slipping into the water and startling a bit at the coolness before relaxing again. He finds the soap at the edge, and wastes no time in getting to business.

JENNA: * Jo, unaccountably cranky, mimics Shane, though she retreats past the sunlit entrance of the cave before sitting down and tugging her remaining dagger out of her pack, sharpening it grimly. She isn't entirely certain what she's upset about, but the mindless work calms her out of whatever it was, and she sighs, considering the blade and where she's going to get a replacement. She glances back toward the pool, invisible around the corner, and frowns. Perhaps a trip to the market would be good before she returns to her guild.

JUSTIN: * Shane feels the heat of embarrassment drifting away as he scrubs himself free of sand, sweat, and lingering memories of sickness. In fact, he's enjoying the refreshment so much, he would love to stay in longer. However, he determines not to make a deal of it, climbing free of the water with some reluctance and shaking water out of his hair. He pads himself semi-dry with a cleaner edge of his coat, and lets the sun do its work.

JENNA: * Jo tosses the dagger up once, catching it by its hilt and slipping it back into its sheathe. Then she sighs, pulling her knees up to her chest and waiting for Shane to finish so that she can at least go back in and get some rest. She feels a surge of worry at the thought of how late she is getting back, but she represses it quickly, squeezing her legs tighter and uttering another, low sigh.

JUSTIN: * Shane's head comes peeking around the corner soon enough, his hair still damp, but the rest of him at least clothed. "I'm all finished..." He says, attempting cheerful but a bit subdued when he sees how unhappy she looks. "Is... something the matter?"

JENNA: * She jerks abruptly from her reverie, looking at him in surprise and forcing a weak smile. "No, I'm fine. Just .. thinking." She rises to her feet, pack on her shoulder, and starts past him into the cave. "We should get some sleep while we can.. we'll have to pick up the pace tomorrow." She looks weary for a moment, as if this isn't really what she wants to do, but she shakes it off, walking to the water's edge.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns and follows, bare feet and open shirt testament to his earlier adventure. "Of course." He says agreeably, hanging back as he waits for her to make herself comfortable where ever she will. Something nags at him, something very general -- something about the entire situation, and it makes him momentarily uneasy. He ignores it as he often does, however, and sits down nearby.

JENNA: * Jo settles herself with her pack under her head, unfocused gaze drifting over the water. A day's sleep will not solve her problems -- or even bring them close to resolution -- but at least, temporarily, it will chase them away. She gives a low, faint sigh, curling up for comfort rather than warmth. "Sleep well," she says after a moment, then puts some serious effort into her attempts to drift off.

JUSTIN: "Goodnight..." Shane says with some hesitation, feeling out of place and a bit uncertain. He bunches up his cloak and the other pack, tucking it under his head as he lies down on the rock -- already beginning to absorb the warmth of the sunlight -- and watches her sleeping body until he drifts off.