JENNA: * Jo doesn't stir -- not even to roll over -- for the entire shift. It's unclear whether she's slept when Graham rousts them in late afternoon, declaring it's about time to start food. Jo shifts awake and crawls out from under the wagon without saying anything, blinking blearily as she steps into the sunlight.

JUSTIN: * Shane wakes from his mostly restless nap after Jo's already gone, blinking with some confusion before remembering where he is. He shuffles backwards out from under the wagon, getting to his feet with a bit of wobbling, and dusts himself off. After all his talk about sleep before, he hasn't gotten nearly enough, himself, and looks about with barely-concealed exhaustion.

JENNA: * Jo is seated near the remains of the fire, cloak pulled up to cover her face, while Milna is handing around water flasks and jerky. The woman seems embarrassed by the poor fare, murmuring an apology as she offers some to Shane and promising better when they make camp. Graham leans back with a lazy sigh. "Might as well wake Nana -- she won't get to run around for a few hours."

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't seem concerned by the lack of a proper meal, accepting the jerky and water with a polite nod and smile before moving to sit himself across from Jo. He doesn't look at her, however, thinking it might be best if he eases off her for a while. At least, he hopes that might help.

JENNA: * Graham spends the meal outlining the night's plans, which involve a stop at a guild-owned watering hole halfway through before a full rest at a set of craggy rocks farther north. Jo flinches faintly at the mention of the guild, but she settles down to finish her meal as Nana stumbles groggily from the back of the wagon and shambles over to join them, making a face when she's given her breakfast.

JUSTIN: * Shane listens to Graham lay out the plans for their future travel, only flinching he catches sight of Jo's own twitch from the corner of his eye. He tries to mask it by lifting some jerky to his mouth and taking a strong bite of it, chewing away like it's the best thing ever.

JENNA: * Nana plunks herself down next to Jo to finish the meal, though she doesn't keep up her usual chatter, settling for wrapping one arm around the older woman's leg. Jo blinks at the contact, then reaches over to stroke the child's hair once before going back to her food. Milna watches with some concern, leaning over to whisper something to her husband, who nods. Graham then glances at Shane, smiling cheerily. "I'd like to thank you again for the help, really. You came just in the nick of time -- it's not so dangerous for us, but the master won't let us leave unless we each have an escort."

JUSTIN: * Shane looks up as he's addressed, smiling slimly at the gratitude. "It's no trouble at all, really -- the company on the trip home is welcome more than anything. Speaking for myself, at any rate." He turns Jo a brief look, a hint of concern flashing across his features before disappearing again.

JENNA: * Graham nods agreeably, and Jo echoes Shane after a moment, taking a long drink before sealing her water flask and tucking it away. Nana yawns again, looking grumpy, then stumbles to her feet and says she's going potty before the wagons start. Milna nods, warning her not to go far, and the little girl makes a face, trotting away. Jo smiles briefly and gets to her feet, walking to where the pecos are tethered.

JUSTIN: * Shane keeps to his seat, taking small bites of his food and sips of his water, and generally trying not to look nearly as tired and stressed as he is. After a moment of staring at the remains of the fire, he clears his throat and glances over to Graham. "So are you folks on the road all the time, or do you consider a certain city home?"

JENNA: * Graham scratches his chin, looking at Shane thoughtfully. "Well ... I hail from Prontera originally .. met Milna in Comodo, when she joined up with us ..." He tilts his head back and gives a barking laugh. "We don't settle in one place long, no. Got to keep on the road to earn our keep." He gets to his feet slowly, stretching. "A few of the caravans get together near Mjolnir every other summer, but that's as close as we get to a homecoming." He ambles over to pat the wagon, gazing at the worn wood affectionately. "This is home, I suppose you could say."

JUSTIN: * Shane smirks a bit, watching the man with a little amusement. "Get to see the world without leaving home, not a bad deal." He finishes up his jerky and stands, taking a measured sip of his remaining water. "Though I can't say I'm a personal fan of travel."

JENNA: "Really! You're a long way from home, if that's the case." Graham rises as well, stamping out the remains of the fire and preparing to gather things up. "But I suppose you've gotten tired of it, if you're headed back that way." He pauses to bellow for Nana, who appears with such haste that it's evident she was lingering out of side to delay the inevitable.

JUSTIN: "You could say I got involved in this trek quite by accident..." Shane trails off at the appearance of the little girl, remembering Jo's earlier comment that Nana was worried he didn't like her. He smiles at her in as friendly a manner as he can muster, hoping to mend any damage he may have done.

JENNA: * Nana beams back at him, then bounces over to her father. "Papa, can I ride on a peco today?" she asks. "I don't wanna sit in the wagon." Graham glances at her with a snort. "What have I told you every other time you've asked?" Nana scowls at him. "That's not fair! I could ride with Miss Jo! She wouldn't let me fall off." Milna gives a faint sigh, reappearing behind her. "Maybe tomorrow, Nana. Mama needs your help in the wagon today." Jo, in the meantime, has led her peco over to the group and is watching the discussion in silence as Nana is led, protesting, back to the wagon.

JUSTIN: * Shane ruffles at his hair a bit, looking momentarily out of place again amidst all the talk. Combing at his hair, he suddenly looks shocked. "Oh, my hat." He ducks quickly under the wagon to fetch the hat, taking the opportunity to exit on the far side and make his way to his peco in quiet. Patting the hat back onto his head, he unties the bird from its resting place and leads it around toward the back of the wagon where he stops to adjust its harness and saddle.

JENNA: * Jo swings up to her peco in silence, not noticing the concerned look Graham gives her before taking his place in the wagon. It's not long before the leader comes down the line, calling for everyone to get ready to move, and before long they're on the road again, Jo staring vacantly ahead, as is her habit lately.

JUSTIN: * Shane mounts his peco quietly, turning it around and matching pace with the wagon as it begins to move. He hovers near the back, slightly off to the side that's occupied by Jo. He doesn't quite stare, but he doesn't talk, either, looking occasionally at the surroundings, but mostly favoring the sand with his attention.

JENNA: * It's a couple hours into the trip before anything happens, and that thing is Nana, poking her head out the back of the wagon and watching Shane with interest. "Hey. Hey, mister?" she says after several minutes of this. "Your name's ... Shane, right?" She watches him intently for a reply, as if she isn't certain he's capable of speech.

JUSTIN: * Shane almost doesn't notice the attention until she speaks, then he turns his eye up to her casually, if distantly. "Mhm, that's my name alright. Something I can do for you, Nana?"

JENNA: * She watches him measuringly after he's spoken, giving a short nod as if approving his ability to speak. Then she sets her elbows on the edge of the wagon and rests her face in her hands. "Did you and Miss Jo fight? I heard her saying something, but Mama wouldn't let me go see." She wrinkles her nose slightly, as if she considers this a supreme injustice.

JUSTIN: * Shane's absent look becomes suddenly more alert, and he stares at the girl disbelievingly for a moment before he even remembers to answer. "A fight, with Jo? I..." His face goes distinctly hurt for a moment, and to a trained eye it would be obvious he is wrestling with whether or not to tell the truth. The defeated expression that results from the debate tells all the girl would need to know. "Jo and I -- mostly Jo, admittedly... The last few days have been hard on us both. Some thing happened that we both would have rather not happened, and... it is mostly my fault." He sighs, and it seems as though he's almost forgotten he's talking to someone, just venting his thoughts. "I thought for sure she'd be angry with me, and I tried to ask her about it... well, apparently she was trying to forget, and she was... unhappy that I brought it up again."

JENNA: "So it wasn't a fight?" The little girl's forehead crinkles, as if she isn't sure she understands that. When someone's yelling, it usually means there's a fight, after all. "What happened? Did you break something of hers?" She ducks back into the shade a little, reaching for what turns out to be water, which she takes a sip of, still watching him.

JUSTIN: * Shane tilts his head to the side, rubbing at his neck in thought. "Not really, no... something more complicated than that. I suppose you could say she lost something important to her because of me, though. I didn't do it on purpose... And, I don't think I could ever explain myself to her properly. Last night, she... well, she vented her frustration. I guess it could have turned into an argument, if I had fought back."

JENNA: * This does not appear to make sense to Nana, but she plunges on anyway. "Did you say you're sorry? Mama says that always helps." She looks doubtful however, as if this method has not worked for her in the past.

JUSTIN: * Shane knits his brow, staring at the wood of the wagon's back, below where Nana is resting. "I... think so. But then, I think I only apologized for bringing it up... It's... It's confusing, you know? I'm not sorry for why I did what I did -- at least, I don't think I am... but it didn't turn out at all like I thought."

JENNA: * Nana watches him intently through this convoluted explanation, then gives a faint sigh. "You're weird," she says at last, straightening up. Then she looks at him piercingly and leans forward a little, teetering slightly. "Do you like Miss Jo?"

JUSTIN: * While the weird comment doesn't bother Shane, Nana's last question catches him completely off guard. "W-what? Wha. What do you mean by that? Like her? I... I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her, I mean -- I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to anyone, that doesn't mean I /like/ everyone..." His face starts to go red, and it is hard to tell whether from the blush or from lack of air as he rambles on. "We've been traveling together for quite a while now, and I guess it's inevitable that we would start to look out for each other's interests..."

JENNA: * The little girl gives a trill of laughter at his discomfiture, rearing back slightly and clapping her hands. "You like her! You like her!" she says with no small amount of glee. "I told Papa you did, and he told me to mind my own business." This admission seems to leave her completely unashamed.

JUSTIN: * Shane gawks at her, clearly embarrassed and even a bit frustrated now for letting a little girl gouge information out of him like that. "You're exaggerating! We're just travel companions -- friends at the most, and I'd wager even that's a stretch." The red in his cheeks only deepens though, as if betraying his denial. "And your papa is right, it wouldn't be any of your business if I /did/ -- which I /don't/."

JENNA: * Nana merely continues to giggle at him, completely satisfied in the correctness of her assumption. When she's done, she leans down on her arms again, smiling contentedly. "Your face is red. Are you thirsty?" she says, offering her water flask. "Miss Jo seems really upset.. it's 'cause of all that stuff you were talking about, right?"

JUSTIN: * Shane looks away for a moment, trying to calm himself, and snatches the canteen to take a quick sip before handing it back. "Yes... It's because of all that... I didn't know what to tell her to make her feel even a little better, and now she's been like that since the other night."

JENNA: * Nana makes a soft 'hum' noise, as if she's considering her own options before making a decision. "Okay," she says at last, with an air of taking his problems off his hands. "I bet me and Mama can make her feel better." She grins at him, tucking her canteen away. "So you cheer up too, all right?"

JUSTIN: * Shane nods his head vaguely, offering her a weak smile just to satisfy her. Unfortunately, he's not so sure he likes the idea of Nana talking to Jo after all the things he just said. He shivers involuntarily and moves his peco around to the side of the wagon, feeling a headache coming on. If Jo comes at him with later questions and accusations about anything the little girl said, he can surely deny it. Right?

JENNA: * Nana, meanwhile, withdraws briefly to have a hurried discussion with her mother, who -- after some half-hearted arguing -- agrees. Shortly afterward, the discussion extends to Graham, who gives them both the go-ahead, then the wagon falls largely silent until the midway stop.

JUSTIN: * Shane's weariness is beginning to catch up to him, and when they finally stop, he's only too happy to half-drop out of his saddle and drag his bird around to tie it up. He stretches languidly and glances around for a prime place to flop.

JENNA: * In the meantime, Milna and Nana have emerged from the wagon, the younger hopping down and rushing over to Jo to tug her arm insistently. "Miss Jo! Miss Jo! Can you ride with us in the wagon? Mama says it's okay!" Jo glances at Milna to confirm this, and the woman nods, smiling, then turns to wink at Shane. Jo looks faintly disturbed, but she agrees in the end, if only because arguing would further disturb her peaceable apathy. Graham nods and slaps her shoulder, making his way over to Shane. "You don't mind, do you? Nana's dead set on it, and I'm sure you can handle things yourself."

JUSTIN: "Of course... it would be no problem." Shane isn't sure he remembers what is going on, looking about at everyone suspiciously. Between the wink, and the fact that nobody is telling Nana to calm down and stop bothering Jo, his memory eventually catches up to him, and he swallows with some nervousness. "She hates pecos, anyway." He smiles slightly, trying not to let on to anything. Even so far as not mentioning how tired he is.

JENNA: * Milna sets about making lunch, eventually enlisting Nana's aid so that she will leave Jo alone at least temporarily. Graham grins at him. "I'll take first watch tonight, if it's all the same. You look like you've had a wearing couple of days." Jo, meanwhile, ties down her peco and settles near the fire, silent again.

JUSTIN: * Shane is too tired to play tough, and he simply nods his head. "You know I won't be far if you need me. I could use the break." He rubs at his eyes, which have very obvious, dark splotches beneath them. "I don't usually have much trouble sleeping. I suppose I was just in a bad position."

JENNA: * Graham's expression becomes slightly concerned. "You sure you'll be all right? We can tie the birds and you can sit up front with me, if you need the rest." Nana appears to be trying to draw Jo into the process of cooking, but with little success. Jo does finally agree to hand her ingredients and implements as they are asked for, however.

JUSTIN: * Shane watches Jo for a moment with apparent concern, but he shakes his head finally in response to Graham's prodding. "No, I'll be fine, honest. Just a little rough around the edges is all. I'm more worried about her right now."

JENNA: "You an' all of us." The caravanner scratches his head, shrugging. "The girls say they have a plan, so I guess the least I can do is trust them to it. Some things you just gotta leave to the womenfolk, I suppose." He smiles briefly, starting back toward the fire. "No law against talking to her, even if she is upset at you."

JUSTIN: * Shane makes a face -- a wince, a shudder, something -- and shakes his head slowly. "I'm not so sure..." He mumbles, not necessarily meaning for Graham to hear. He does, however, wander toward the fire to take a seat by her, drawing his knees up and staring at the flames.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't appear to notice him at first, handing Nana something or other to put in the food, but her glance grazes him when she turns back. She goes still for a moment, appearing uncertain what to do about his presence. Then -- after another interruption from Nana -- she says "Are you feeling any better?"

JUSTIN: * Shane is -- genuinely -- surprised to hear her speak, not having heard anything out of her since her mumblings under wagon the night before. "I-I'm feeling fine." He's not really sure what she means by "better", though, as he's fairly certain she's the one with the most on her mind. "I wouldn't worry about me if I were you."

JENNA: * Jo nods slowly, turning to the fire and handing Nana another ingredient. "Okay," she says belatedly, letting Nana pull her to her feet and drag her over to where Milna is tossing the food in a metal pan. The girl seems to think this is an extremely important part of the cooking process. Jo looks at Shane again, but she's interrupted before she can speak again. Nana is insisting she help again. Graham shakes his head with a chuckle. "Got a bit of competition there," he remarks to Shane.

JUSTIN: * Shane glances up at Graham with a bit of red in his cheeks, shaking his head quickly at the notion. "No, no." He plays with his cloak, staring back at the fire again. "It's not so important, and Nana is better company most days." He smiles faintly, mostly being honest.

JENNA: "Ehh," the older man says doubtfully, watching Jo attempt to wiggle out of helping with the cooking. She meets with very little success, however, and resigns herself to mechanically helping stew the herbs and vegetables over the fire while Milna attends to the meat. Nana glances at Shane across the fire and makes a face at him by way of conversation.

JUSTIN: * Shane arches a brow at the girl and makes as if to toss his hat at her, before setting it back on his head again. "I guess Jo hasn't told you much about her experiences with me since we left Juno, then. She generally prefers that I keep my mouth shut and my hands to myself." He tugs the brim of his hat down over his eyes, obscuring the sight of the three women.

JENNA: * Graham's brows lift, and his expression becomes momentarily interested. "Rough trip?" He ambles over and sets himself next to Shane, a tankard in hand. He pauses to take a long drink from it, then glances at Shane again. "I admit you don't seem like the type to just take up traveling with her -- particularly if you're not much on traveling."

JUSTIN: * Shane watches the ground for a moment, struggling with whether or not he should tell Graham the exact nature of his trip. He clears his throat quietly, picking up a stick and poking at the fire. "I suppose it's obvious by the hat that I'm a member of the Juno city guard." He glances briefly at Graham, then back to the flames. "And Jo, well, you already know she's a thief."

JENNA: * Graham chuckles, scratching his cheek. "Yeah, I guessed as much. You two had a run-in?" He peers at the man curiously, as though he really can't figure out how Shane got to be here exactly. Several possibilities do spring to mind, but none of them seem likely. "Guess it went well."

JUSTIN: * Shane scratches his cheek, chuckling quietly, and not without a bit of weariness. He's thought about it almost every day since leaving Juno, and it's amazing how his own perception has changed every time. No doubt he sees it for what it is, now. "Funny thing is, I'm not even really sure what happened... I think that, at the time, I believed I was doing the right thing by chasing her." He sniffs, noting that this is probably the first time he's sincerely admitted that he may have been wrong.

JENNA: "And now it's come this far, eh?" Graham shakes his head, chuckling, and refrains from offering up a few choice words of teasing. "Well, you're headed back home, at least. That's something. You can figure it out on the way." He takes another drink, watching the women across the fire. Jo is looking very tired, but she continues to help, forcing a smile for Nana's benefit.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs his nose, sniffling again, and not because he's cold. "I hope so. I really do." He snags the brim of his cap and tips it up, leaning back with a sigh. "The biggest part is deciding what to do about her. I've been following her all this time. So is she leading me along still, back to Juno, or is she following me now?"

JENNA: * Graham finishes off his tankard, setting it on the ground beside him, and shrugs comfortably. "I couldn't say .. it's possible she doesn't know what she's doing right now -- just picking a direction and walking for the moment." He leans back on his hands, still watching as his wife tosses meat into the pan, forcing Jo to pay attention to what she's doing. "You'd best keep an eye on her 'til she wakes up, at the very least."

JUSTIN: "I intend to..." Shane says, and is a little surprised to hear himself say it. Not because he planned to let her go. But there's a little more sincerity and... something else, than he would have thought himself capable of. "I think I owe her that much, anyway." He takes his hat off, fanning his face with it for a moment before tossing it in the sand beside himself. Considering what he's saying, it does seem that the entire adventure was a big waste of time. Among other things. "She's a complicated person..." He says at last, speaking his thoughts out loud.

JENNA: "Aren't they all," Graham grunts, then sits up sharply, as none other than Jo approaches from around the fire, apparently bearing food. She stops in front of Shane, offering him a wooden dish that holds the mixture of meat and vegetables she and the others were preparing, while Milna appears on the other side to offer one to her husband. Nana, it seems, is already partaking.

JUSTIN: * Shane sits himself upright, taking the bowl in both hands and staring up at Jo with concern and something else, both barely hidden. "Thank you, Jo." He says, attempting cordiality. "Hope they didn't work you too hard in the kitchen." He smiles.

JENNA: * Jo starts, apparently surprised he said anything at all, then shakes her head with a small smile. "I said I'd eat with Nana," she says after a moment, apparently unable to think of anything else, and she's halfway back around before she remembers the appropriate response. "You're welcome," she says, coloring slightly. Milna clucks her tongue in affectionate disapproval, settling next to her husband. "We'll have to work on her a few days, love," she says. "Think you can handle it?"

JUSTIN: * Shane's stare slowly turns from Jo to Graham's wife, and he tilts his head slightly. "Do you..." He lowers his voice. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" He looks down with some embarrassment, figuring it is something he should probably already know.

JENNA: * Milna smiles, lifting a finger lightly to her lips. "Well, she's very sad about something, isn't she? I'll have it out of her before long." Graham chuckles, cheerfully consenting to the conspiracy. "I'm sure we can watch the wagon ourselves, eh?" He grins at Shane. "Take all the time you need."

JUSTIN: * Shane nods agreeably, momentarily forgetting his weariness at any rate. "Yes, whatever it takes, please." He grips at his cloak. It's to the point where he's beginning to miss getting punched and yelled at. "Besides, guarding the wagon is like going back to work for me. It isn't anything I can't handle."

JENNA: * Milna nods, satisfied, and turns to her food. "She'll be back to normal before you leave the desert." Graham chuckles again, but he has nothing else to say before tucking into his meal. Across the fire, Nana is pointing out the best parts of the food and insisting Jo try them and give her opinion. The thief appears to be agreeing with the girl on every count, much to Nana's satisfaction.

JUSTIN: * Shane has almost forgotten the bowl in his hands, and he turns his attention to it now. Deciding that eating is a far better use of his time and thought, he digs into it without much reserve, more or less drowning out the surrounding chatter until he's finished.

JENNA: * Once the meals are finished, gathered, and washed, Graham and Milna pack things away again, this time bundling Jo into the wagon along with Nana. Her peco is tied behind it, squawking vocally at the indignity. It draws little attention as the wagonmaster comes down the line, however, calling for everyone to be ready to go. The wagon is about to move, when Nana suddenly pokes her head out the back, looking for Shane. Spying him, she waves for him to come over.

JUSTIN: * Shane eyes Nana warily for a moment before turning his peco and walking it toward the back of the wagon. "Something I can do for you, little lady?" He asks with a slight smile, though inside he is worried he's going to get interrogated again.

JENNA: * Nana leans as far out of the wagon as she can, one hand cupping her mouth in a conspiratorial manner. With great ceremony, she utters a very firm, "No peeking!" Then she sticks her tongue out and bounces back into the wagon, tugging the cloth tight behind her. Up ahead, Graham bellows for the pecos to get a move on, and the wagon slowly starts on its way.

JUSTIN: * Shane blinks, staring blankly at where the girl's face was a moment ago, then shakes his head. He glances side to side, then nudges his bird with the heels of his boots and trots up to follow alongside the wagon. He watches the horizon boredly, and pondering over the silly notion that he would ever even think about peeking.