JUSTIN: "Bloody hell!" Shane exlaims in a shrill voice, jumping back at the sudden entrance of an unexpected third person. He nearly slips on the rounded, weathered steps, but his boots find purchase against the ground before he can fall. His sword is out of its sheath in a flash, eyes wide not only in surprise, but in shock -- company was unexpected enough by itself, but it isn't even human.

JENNA: * Counter to Shane's reaction, Jo only stares at the new entrant in fascination, legs unable to respond after the initial rush of awe and fear. The winged and armored woman turns her otherworldly gaze to Shane, impassive face forming a slight frown. "You may lower your weapon," she says. "I will not harm you unless it becomes necessary."

JUSTIN: * Shane swallows a large lump that's suddenly lodged in his throat, the sheer aura of supernatural energy radiating from the being in front of him causing him to feel a little lightheaded as well. He wants to challenge the woman's suggestion, but his common sense overrides his stubborness in the end, and he slowly lowers his sword to his side. In place of an objection, he instead asks the obvious question, voice shaking slightly with adrenaline. "Just... who or what are you? And what are you doing sneaking up on us like that?"

JENNA: "I am the valkyrie Herja," the woman says, sheathing her own weapon and folding her arms as she watches them. "I guard the holy ground from those who would despoil it." Jo shifts, as if to ease closer to Shane, and the valkyrie's gaze flashes to her, freezing her in place once again. "I ask again: What brings you to trespass here?"

JUSTIN: * Shane reaches a wary hand out to touch Jo's arm, pulling her slowly back toward him. All the while his eyes remain fixed on the valkyrie's face. "We didn't mean to trespass. We thought there was nobody here... Obviously we were wrong." He tries to swallow, but his mouth is fairly dry. "We're just... we're just exploring. We found a journal, and it told us how to find this island, and we thought..."

JENNA: * Jo relaxes slightly at Shane's touch, but she doesn't shift her gaze from the valkyrie as she steps back, finally finding her voice. "We just wanted to know what he found," she manages, and the valkyrie looks at her for a long moment, as if weighing their words. "Then you will do no harm here?" she says finally. "If your goal is only knowledge, I will not hinder you."

JUSTIN: * Shane manages to shift a brief glance at Jo, finding a little comfort in the sight before his eyes are drawn back to the imposing woman in front of them. "I don't see how a pair of ill-prepared travellers could harm to a stone temple..." He twitches a nervous smile. "If centuries of weathering hasn't brought it down around its foundation, what do you suppose we would do?"

JENNA: * The valkyrie fixes Shane with a piercing stare as if to make clear she does not find his remarks at all amusing. "Time wears at all things," she says shortly. "But she is not the greatest hazard to this place." Jo clears her throat, smiling crookedly. "We are not thieves," she offers, in spite of all their speculation as to the value of their supposed find. "We will take nothing that the gods would not permit us." The valkyrie stares at her for a moment, then inclines her head. "All that is left in this place is dust and stone walls. You may view them at your leisure. Nothing of value remains."

JUSTIN: * Shane tries to swallow yet again, a lump returning as the hairs on his neck stand on end. He isn't sure lying to an agent of the gods is wise, but they don't have much in the way of options. "And you guard... nothing of value?" He clamps his mouth shut a moment too late, eyes lowering with a distinct red growing in his cheeks. Picking an argument with the valkyrie probably isn't wise, either.

JENNA: * The valkyrie turns Shane a chilly stare, hand resting lightly on the pommel of her sword. "The sanctity of the temple is more valuable than your life, mortal," she says evenly. "Keep that in mind." Then she inclines her head, wings spreading, and she hoists herself into the air without another word, vanishing shortly in the the distance. Jo sucks in a deep breath, slumping slightly as the sense of pressure leaves the air. "Now there.." she manages weakly, "is a high-class guard."

JUSTIN: * Shane exhales loudly, feeling a little weak in the legs after the entirely unexpected encounter. "High-class..." He echoes, taking in a deep breath before sliding his sword back into its sheath. Standing a bit straighter, he turns to look at Jo, face still red from the adrenaline and mild embarrassment. "I guess this means there's nothing for us to do here... short of desacralizing a temple."

JENNA: * Jo smiles briefly and shrugs. "Even if it has no value to a valkyrie, there may be something in it for us." She grins, laying a finger to the side of her nose and winking. "Besides, who can resist a look around after that introduction?" With that, she ambles up the steps, sticking her hands behind her head.

JUSTIN: * Shane doesn't return her cheer, looking somewhat dismayed by it in fact. "Jo, I don't know... what if she comes back? I mean..." He starts up the stairs in pursuit, if only so he can keep an eye on her. "She must be awfully bored, if it really has been hundreds of years since the last visitor... She might be touchy!"

JENNA: * Jo looks back at him with a frown. "She said we could look, didn't she?" She stops at the top of the stairs, looking skyward. "As long as we don't break anything, we should be fine." She turns to walk into the temple, feet kicking up centuries of dust as she goes. "Looks pretty empty, though."

JUSTIN: "She also said there was nothing of value, but she was sure defensive about it..." Shane mutters, trying to get his legs working proper before he can end up on his back. He finally crosses into the temple's main court after her and looks around, noting with a frown that most of the ceiling is now part of the cracked floor. "Maybe we should try the inner court... that's where most temples keep their artifacts, right?"

JENNA: "Haven't been in many temples," Jo replies, but she does head toward a dark cavity at the back of the courtyard, a few broken arches all that remains of what was likely a very proud doorway. "Looks dark in there," she says with a faint frown, pausing at the entryway to poke her head inside. "Well.. maybe not ... there's some light toward the back."

JUSTIN: * Shane makes his way carefully around wreckage, knowing these stones must be eager for disturbance after so long. He doesn't want to be the one to cause another collapse. Reaching Jo, he peers into the back chamber over her head. "I suppose lighting a fire would probably count as defiling the sanctity, anyway." He nudges her gently onward, still squinting against the darkness and not noticing the light she claims to see. "The roof is intact back here, at least. Better chance of finding something other than rubble."

JENNA: * Jo nods, letting his push propel her forward into the darkened room. "And less chance of tripping over it in the dark." She casts a grin over her shoulder, in spite of the fact it probably can't be seen, and continues toward the light source. "That's strange. No windows -- so what's the light coming from?"

JUSTIN: "What--" Shane stops his question short, finally noticing the dim light coming from the back of the room. The dust and dirt in the air creates a haze that nearly blocks it, swirling at the mere breath of their voices. "Oh... I'm not... maybe--" He looks up, but can't see a hole in the ceiling or walls that would allow a beam of light to hit the spot. "I guess not..." As they get closer, the light appears to be centered on a stone pedestal of some kind, with shallow steps leading up to it.

JENNA: * Jo hesitates as they near it, torn between walking faster and slowing her pace. "I thought she said.." She frowns and steps closer, pausing again at the edge of the pale pool of light cast by the pedestal's glow. "So what's that, then?" She takes another step, and the source of the light becomes clearer -- a book lies open on the pedestal, its pages emitting an eerie glow.

JUSTIN: * Shane is hesitant about the approach, drawn on only by his curiousity, and the self-imposed obligation to make sure Jo doesn't touch anything she shouldn't. As they come nearer, however, he steps past her and up the first few steps toward the pedestal. "I've seen a lot of books in my time..." He says in a hushed tone, clearly awed at the sight. "But this is the first I've seen to glow like a mage's fire."

JENNA: "Then it must be worth something ..." Pushing the valkyrie's apparent untruths aside, Jo steps up to join him, peering silently at the glowing pages. "Can you read it..?" She tilts her head, the firm, rune-like script on the pages even more foreign than most writing she's seen.

JUSTIN: "I don't think so... I can't tell what language it's in..." Shane reaches a hand out warily, half afraid to half it sliced clean by the valkyrie's sword if he were to lift this relic from the stone where it lays -- but then, it would be her own fault for letting them look around on the promise that there was nothing of worth in the temple. Curiousity overcoming his worry, however, his fingers move to brush against the page... only to have the image of the book fade, the light seeming to drift off the pedestal and fade into the surrounding dust. Left behind in what's left of the lingering glow, are a handful of very ancient, but surprisingly preserved pages. "Wha -- what's this?"

JENNA: * Jo rears back sharply when the book begins to fade, much of the light in the room fading with it. When the pages come into view, however, she leans forward again, expression intrigued. "So that's what she meant ... the book's gone." She pauses, then reaches for one of the pages, lifting it carefully from the pedestal with a fair amount of surprise it doesn't crumble at her touch.

JUSTIN: * Shane halts his breathing for a second, but releases it again in relief when the page Jo takes retains its integrity. "But what happened to the rest of the book?" He takes one of the pages, glancing over the runes and not comprehending them. "These are in pristine condition... It doesn't seem natural." He shakes his head a bit, grunting. "I suppose that's because it isn't."

JENNA: "Most likely not ..." She scoops up the rest of the pages, packing them gently together. Lifted from the pedestal, they lose the last of their ambient glow, leaving the pair barely enough light to see each other -- and the doorway out. "Well ... I suppose that's that." She looks around the dark room with a slight frown. "Hard to see if there's anything else in here."

JUSTIN: "You don't... Jo, we don't know if we can take these. What if the valkyrie, Herja, whatever her name is..." Shane leans in closer to Jo, groping around in an attempt to find her hands in the dark. "I don't think she would approve, Jo." He finds the hand holding the pages and tries to free them from her fingers. "She said we could look, that's all."

JENNA: "Don't do that," Jo snaps, taking hold of his wrist with her free hand. "They'll tear. She'll like that less, if she cares at all." She seeks his gaze in the dark, frowning again. "Shane, she said there was nothing valuable here. I'm pretty sure she knows what's inside the place she's guarding, so that probably means these aren't valuable to her, either."

JUSTIN: * Shane lets go the pages, wincing slightly -- her grip doesn't hurt, but he's still used to being punched shortly after something of that sort happens. "I wasn't going to rip them, Jo, I know how to handle paper..." He looks up, meeting her gaze through the black and dust. "At least let me hold them, all right? If one of us does get in trouble, I'd rather it be me..."

JENNA: * She releases his wrist, frown fading only slightly. "If one of us gets in trouble, both of us do," she says, but she does hand him the pages, guessing it will at least make him feel better. "Just try not to look guilty when we walk out, okay?" She grins at him. "That's the first step to getting away clean."

JUSTIN: * Shane tucks the pages into his coat, sighing quietly and turning her an unamused look as they start for the exit. "A clean get away? Like you got away from me? I think I'll get my lessons from someone else." He stretches then, and slips an arm around her waist loosely. "Besides, it was your idea. Why should I feel guilty?"

JENNA: "You don't count," Jo grunts, dropping her hand to rest on his arm. "You're the first I've met insane enough to chase someone over that much territory." She sighs, gaze becoming distant for a moment. "You always feel guilty," she adds belatedly, giving a faint shudder when the bridge comes into view beyond them.

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles slimly, lifting his free hand to shade his eyes against the light. "I'm just lucky like that, I suppose." He takes a deep breath, the air noticably fresher out here than in the dusty temple chambers. Jo's shudder doesn't go unnoticed, and after he's finished looking around for any sign of the winged guardian, he turns his eyes over to her. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're second-guessing yourself already. We haven't even left the island yet."

JENNA: "Of course not," she mutters, easing closer to him and winding her hand behind his back to take a firm grip on his coat. "If she hasn't stopped us yet, she isn't likely to at all." She keeps her gaze firmly on her feet, attempting to put off the inevitable panic a little longer.

JUSTIN: * Shane turns a look over his shoulder, eyeing where her arm disappears out of his view behind him, and he arches a brow. "Well, no, I don't suppose she is." When his gaze comes forward again, he realizes the cause of her sudden anxiousness and grimaces slightly. "Well, I suppose there's no point in talking about that. What's done is done, right?"

JENNA: * Jo nods, making an indistinct noise before lifting her head, though she keeps her gaze firmly away from the chasm looming before them. "Didn't take long, though, did it?" she offers weakly. "So much for a glamorous exploration. Getting in 'cause we're harmless and all." She forces her gaze back to the ground.

JUSTIN: * Shane gives her side a pat, for the moment just glad she's making an effort to distract herself. He isn't looking forward to another panic attack. "I suppose I've been called worse things in my life." He turns her his attention, concern showing a little. "And we didn't find a horde of treasure, but if we did, I'm sure we wouldn't have been allowed anywhere near it."

JENNA: * Jo heaves a faint sigh. "Probably not ... it almost makes me want to go back and look for it, you know? ... but we're probably better off with just this." She forces herself to draw a deep breath, pressing a little closer to him. "They'll probably be worth something to somebody ..." She glances up and almost freezes in place, seeing how close they've come to the bridge. She forces herself to keep moving, however, stiff-legged though she may be.

JUSTIN: * Shane holds tightly onto her, in anticipation of her panic. "And if not, well... I suppose they'd look smart framed on my library wall. Though I suppose without the riches to fund it, I won't have a library wall for a while." He chuckles quietly, hoping to ease her tension, and takes the first steps boldly onto the stone of the bridge.

JENNA: * Jo squeezes her eyes shut promptly, grip on him tightening once more as she lets him maneuver her across the bridge. "I'm sure.. we'll figure something out," she manages, breathing shallow. "Maybe.. we should try that bookseller ... in Juno."

JUSTIN: "Perhaps..." Shane says quietly, not very excited about going back to Juno so soon -- or at all, really. "At least you won't have to worry about early retirement holding you down, hm?" He gives her side a slight squeeze, as much to pacify himself in his own thoughts as anything. He hardly pays attention to the bridge as they walk, staring mostly into space and letting his feet navigate the stonework.

JENNA: "Something.. like that." she says belatedly, and she falls silent for the rest of the walk, devoting the bulk of her mental processes to thinking of a way to get into Juno without dealing with guards. As much as she dislikes them on principle, they seem to have become a thorn for Shane as well. Unfortunately, her scattered mental processes find few solutions.

JUSTIN: * Shane tries hard not to think too much about any one thing, afraid he'll end up a brooding wreck at the end of it if he concentrates too hard on the issue. He really isn't happy that his home has become a place of dread instead of refuge, but then, any truly happy memories of the place were ancient history before he even left the first time. The rest of the walk goes by in silence, until the long bridge is finally passed, and Shane lets out a quiet sigh at putting the gap behind them. "Nothing bug fog and mist from here on, then."

JENNA: * Jo opens her eyes warily, blinking a little at the sudden light, obscured as it is by mist. "Guess it's all downhill from here," she manages with a tired smile. "Hope the old fart's really still waiting for us." She looks skyward, where very late afternoon light is beginning to dim the sky. ".. Wonder if he'll want to camp the night.. I wouldn't want to navigate those waters in the dark ..."

JUSTIN: * Shane loosens his hold on her waist so he can stretch, letting out a quiet grunt as he does so. "If we make good time, we might get through the rough patch before it gets that dark... but I guess it's his choice, not ours." He rubs the back of his head, looking conflicted. "Don't much like the idea of spending the night on this island, either, though... Who knows if there's anything else besides that valkyrie. This place is a graveyard." He starts walking downhill, putting the thought out of his mind as quickly as its spoken.

JENNA: "It's not spooky while the sun's shining, but I dunno about after nightfall." She chuckles weakly, trotting after him and keeping to a slightly quicker pace. "Doesn't usually bother me.. but this place is strange." She looks ahead, attempting to pierce the fog, though she knows it will grow thinner once they're closer to the shore.

JUSTIN: * Shane folds his arms behind his back, staring at the ground as they walk -- since looking forward doesn't gain him much in all the mist. "If it's sanctified by the gods, you have to wonder why it's in ruins... Maybe the previous tenants upset their landlords." He gives a shallow shrug, whistling quietly for a moment before continuing. "Or maybe it was assaulted. It it's as old as it seems... well, anything's possible. I guess I never gave much thought to the gods before today. My father was never a big believer, but my mother was devout. I guess my interest passed on with her."

JENNA: "Never had a lot of use for them, myself." Jo scratches her cheek, perhaps feeling this was a rude thing to say in a supposedly holy place. "If it's been in ruins since Omar's time, maybe it goes all the way back to one of the gods' wars." She shrugs as well. "I think they had some wars, anyway."

JUSTIN: * Shane half-frowns, recalling what little history he knows that stretches back anywhere near that far. "There aren't any written records from that time period. But there are plenty of spoken legends. Considering the militant nature of most of the gods, it seems inevitable that there would have been conflicts." He sniffs, looking up to see that his visibility is just as limited as it was before. "I guess it doesn't much concern folk like us, anyway."

JENNA: "I don't think I want it to concern folk like us," Jo responds, stretching and grimacing slightly as the mist chills the air. "If it did .. it'd probably mostly concern us getting killed." She shakes her head, looking ahead again with as little success as her companion.

JUSTIN: * Shane grins, shaking his head dismissively. "If we just keep to ourselves and mind our own business, the gods will have no need to concern us with their business. Probably a good idea to unload these pages as soon as we can, in that case."

JENNA: * Jo snorts faintly. "Well, they aren't doing us any good on their own, for sure." She falls silent again, wondering if they will be worth anything, after all, and the contemplative air follows them all the way through the fog to the lower side of the island. Jo looks up, relieved, as it disperses, but she sees no particular need to comment, walking on in comfortable silence.

JUSTIN: * Shane is content with the quiet, as well, only looking up again when they've finally cleared the bank of thick mist, bringing the shore into into view in the distance. The flagstone walk gives way to dirt and grass, and they soon pass the barren remains of the hut they investigated on the way up. The terrain becomes more rocky and uneven as they leave behind the once-populated area, but it flattens again as they near the beach.

JENNA: * To Jo's relief, the small boat is still on the shore, and the old fisherman himself is seated near it, apparently smoking a pipe. He looks up as they approach, arching a brow, and gets to his feet, exhaling. "Small island?" he asks by way of greeting.

JUSTIN: "Empty island." Shane answers, looking somewhat weary and disappointed at the reminder. Well, they did get /something/. And they did meet someone -- who they hopefully won't meet again in this lifetime. "Unless you have an interest in thousand-year-old rubble. Not much besides the stone."

JENNA: * Jo grins at this explanation, then shakes her head briefly, glancing out at the water. "Think we can make it back tonight?" she asks the man, and he peers at her irritably. "Wasn't planning to make it a day trip ..." He glances at the sky and shrugs. "We can probably make it back, if you're that anxious."

JUSTIN: * Shane wastes no time in making for the boat. "We'd rather spend the night on the mainland, if it's quite all right." The water is cool as he sloshes through it to where the small ship is anchored. "Besides, it's less time you have to spend with us if we make it back by tonight."

JENNA: * The man heaves a low, irritable sigh, tucking his pipe away and starting for the boat himself. "Can't hardly argue that point, can I?" Jo pauses at the edge of the water before following them, looking back over the island in an effort to commit it to memory -- she doubts, after all, that she'll ever be returning.

JUSTIN: * Shane climbs awkwardly over the edge of the boat, turning to wave Jo over and offers her a hand up. "I thought you might agree. Come on, Jo, we're burning daylight." He quirks a grin at her, attempting to look cute to avoid any hostile retort.

JENNA: * Jo doesn't answer Shane, though she does let him help her aboard, attempting to wring a little of the wet from her clothes before sitting, as before, toward the center of the boat. She feels strangely jittery, but it's accompanied by a sense of let-down. The adventure is all but over, and they'll be back on regular work before too much longer. She glances at Shane. "Well, you can't say Omar was lying, can you?"

JUSTIN: * Shane smiles tiredly, feeling much of the same discouragement about the impending return to the daily grind. "Can't say he was lying about the island existing, anyway." He shifts himself around behind Jo, undoing the flap for her pack and covertly transferring the pages into it. "Just in case of an accident, wouldn't want them to get ruined." He murmers quietly into her ear, patting her pack after he closes it, and then continues with his earlier reply. "Omar never made any promises about what we'd find on the island, so I can't fault him for not finding a city made of gold."

JENNA: * Jo nods, both at his second statement and regarding the safety of the pages. "That'd be too much to take back, anyway." She cracks a grin, but her expression sobers almost immediately. "Might have meant more to someone more in connection with the gods, I suppose." She pauses. "Though, after meeting a valkyrie.. I don't think I want to meet anything heavier." The old man appears to be paying them no heed, not bothered by their presence or conversation as he steers the small boat once again to open waters.

JUSTIN: "I suppose you're right." Shane admits, only now realizing there isn't much they could do with a mountain of gold in the first place. Though a few rare gemstones would have been a nice addition to the pages, which may or may not be worth anything at all. "Anyway... let's just be thankful for what we got, right? We're lucky we found anything more than dirt and grass."

JENNA: * Jo nods comfortably, shifting so that she can lean against him once more. "We even have a story to tell.. not that anyone will believe it." She gazes back at the island, slowly retreating behind them, and a thoughtful expression crosses her face. "It must be.. so boring to be stuck there for eternity." The sailor, in the meantime, has gone still, the boat apparently doing all he expects it to do for the moment. "We should make good time," he says. "Time enough for you lot to get back to the inn and have a meal before you sleep."

JUSTIN: * Shane turns the island a look, lingering on it for a moment before the man's voice interrupts his thoughts. "I hadn't even thought about dinner..." He scratches at his jaw, leaning back on his hands afterward. "Now that you mention it, I am rather hungry. Must have been all the walking."

JENNA: * Jo murmurs in drowsy agreement, gaze drifting over the water as she relaxes. It all feels vaguely as if it didn't happen, though she knows if she looks, she'll find the pages safely inside her pack. She doesn't do so, however, content to have faith that it wasn't a dream. There are more important things to worry about -- though she doesn't feel much like worrying about them, either. Her half-wakeful state remains even through the rough waters, holding her until they reach sight of Hugel's shore.

JUSTIN: * Shane takes time in the silence to relax, simply staring at the sky and listening to the wind, the waves, and the occassional creak of the boat. His mind tries to wander in many directions, but he stubbornly forces it to stay blank, or at least a close approximation. When the begin to near Hugel and the docks, he finally stirs, sitting up straight and slinging and arm around Jo's shoulders absently. "Almost there." He says needlessly, eyes now focused on the land.

JENNA: "Good," Jo says comfortably, and she sits up a little straighter, attempting to shake off long enough to get to the inn. The old man glances at them and shakes his head, angling for the dock. He reaches it in due time, tying it up and springing out before turning back to stare at them both until they leave his premises.

JUSTIN: * Shane gets to his feet with a large stretch, hefting his pack on his back and climbing out onto the deck. He turns to the old man with the intention of offering his hand for a shake and show of proper gratitude, but the hard stare disconcerts him enough to settle for a brief "thank you". He brings his attention to Jo, then, once again helping her from the boat. "Should be just in time for a late dinner, just like he said."

JENNA: "And a good, long rest." She's unable to explain why, even to herself, but she feels bone-weary as she starts up the dock, not even glancing at the sailor. This doesn't seem to bother him, and he stalks back on board his boat without another word. Jo manages to boost her pace a bit as they head back to the inn, admittedly thinking more of a soft bed than warm food.

JUSTIN: * Shane can't argue with the pace, and he keeps step with her as they wind their way from the docks up to the main street, and around toward the inn. Light still shines through the windows, though the street is deserted, and there doesn't seem to be much noise coming from within the building. He leads the way in through the front door, taking his hat off as they enter, and the smell of several recently cooked meals is still in the air. A few travellers, likely caravan mercenaries, are still eating, but it's otherwise fairly quiet.

JENNA: * Jo looks momentarily torn, but she starts for a table, sinking into a seat and resting her head on the flat surface in front of her. "A room," she muses, "and a bath ..." She doesn't look up as Shane takes his seat. "We can start thinking about our next job tomorrow," she decides.

JUSTIN: * Shane follows after her, sitting down across and setting his hat down on the tabletop. "A room, a bath, and tomorrow we think about a job." He agrees, giving her exhausted appearance a small smile. "Don't be afraid to sleep in. I certainly won't complain." He glances around, nodding at a waitress who motions that she'll be with them in a minute, then leans on the table and eyes Jo again. "Any idea what you want to eat?"

JENNA: * Jo glances at him, grinning slightly. "Meat," she answers, voice slightly muffled. "Order whatever.. I'll eat it." She does lift her head shortly, however, gazing around the room drowsily and hoping the rooms aren't full -- she doesn't recall the inn being very large.

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts quietly, but he figures he'll ease off on the menu this time and just order her what she wants. The waitress arrives soon enough, menus in hand, and he quickly orders a glass of milk and some water for Jo -- predicting her choice -- before flipping open the menu and beginning to browse. "I guess something small but filling is in order... I'm feeling quite worn out, myself."

JENNA: "Sounds fine to me," Jo says agreeably, watching the waitress retreat to get their drinks and turning her gaze to Shane. "Weird to be so tired.. we didn't do much more walking than usual, did we?" She scratches boredly at the table, looking up to see the waitress already on her way back. Apparently she hasn't much to do after all.

JUSTIN: * Shane rubs at his neck absently, skimming over the menu for a moment before he answers. "I suppose not, no. But it's been a while since we've walked instead of ridden. And we don't explore uncharted islands and meet with heavenly guardians on most our trips, either." He smiles a bit, laying down his menu and folding his hands on top of it. "What do you say to some chicken? Been a while since we've had white meat."

JENNA: "That's fine." She reaches out to take her drink from the waitress and swallows a long sip. "I suppose you're right," she returns to the other thread of conversation. "We ought to sleep well tonight, anyway. I'm tired enough to take a bath in the morning."

JUSTIN: * Shane takes his drink and sets it to the side, handing their menus back to the waitress and ordering a simple chicken meal. "If you're that tired, it's probably for the best. I wouldn't want you to fall asleep in the bathtub and drown." He draws his glass back over, tasting the milk. "That would be an embarrassing way to go, and I would be sorely lonely without your constant company."

JENNA: * Jo grins at him, but she doesn't answer immediately, watching the waitress leave instead. "Drowning's not on my list of favorite ways to die, no," she says, turning back to him. "And I'd hate to leave you lonely." She gives him a sideways glance, grin returning briefly. "You could always get a dog."

JUSTIN: "A dog, she says." Shane smirks, taking another small sip of his drink. "I don't think it would quite make up for the loss." He tilts his head, staring up in thought with his hands clasped beneath his chin. "No, I think a cat would more remind me of you... sneaky and cheeky, with retractable claws."

JENNA: "Claws, huh?" Jo wrinkles her nose. "I suppose those would be useful." She straightens in her seat, attempting to keep herself from dozing off where she sits. "Not too fond of animals, anyway," she says after a moment, though her mind drifts uncannily to the friendly sheep she met the last time she was in town.

JUSTIN: * Shane snorts lightly, taking a long sip of his milk before finally setting it aside again. He leans back in his chair, feet stretching out to tap against the leg of her own chair. "With all the help they provide? They keep you fed, they help with labor, transportation..." He grins a bit. "And you certainly like the outdoors. Swimming in rivers, sleeping under the stars. I would have thought you'd get along with them rather nicely."

JENNA: "Helpful maybe, but sharing space with them is something else." She takes another drink, looking at the other patrons with interest. The few mercenaries look bored and somewhat irritable, as if they feel they've been cheated of something with a trip to this small town. Quite by accident, she meets the gaze of one of them and turns hers hurriedly away. "Just not really interested in pets."

JUSTIN: * Shane shrugs his shoulders lightly, smiling a bit as he turns his eyes to see what startled her gaze away from where she'd been looking. "Well as long as neither one of us drowns in the tub prematurely, it shouldn't become an issue. I don't think a pet would mix well with our line of work."

JENNA: "Unless you count the pecos," she says vaguely, lifting her gaze very slightly to see if the mercenary has gone back to his own business. He hasn't. "But I don't think they count for much anything, altogether." She grins at him, looking toward the kitchen in the hopes her food is on its way. "Except maybe as an emergency food supply."

JUSTIN: "As stubborn as they are, I'll bet their meat would be tough and bitter." Shane nods his head sagely at this prediction, then follows her gaze to the kitchen. As if on cue, the waitress appears a moment later, their steaming plates in tow. "Speaking of birds." He leans back as their meals are placed in front of them: chicken breasts and gravy, with a side of potatoes. "They came with the meal." He says in his defense, before she has a chance to complain.

JENNA: "That's why it's called an /emergency/ food supply." Jo shrugs in response to his second comment, not much caring one way or the other what greenery is on the plate. If it's there, she'll eat it. Food in front of her, she eats quickly, becoming more and more interested in getting a room and getting out of the dining area. To her relief, the mercenary has finally returned to his own affairs, but she nevertheless eats quickly.

JUSTIN: * Shane tuts quietly, but digs into his food instead of replying. He tears through the meat efficiently, somehow managing not to look like a pig as he wolfs it down. Not so much because he's starving, but because he's just as eager to get to a room and relax. Halfway through his meal, he stops for a long drink, then decides on a brief break to let his stomach settle. "Anyone you know?" He asks quietly, motioning toward the mercenary with a tip of his glass.

JENNA: * Jo pauses, nearly finished with her own meat, and shakes her head slightly. She swallows what she's chewing and straightens. "I don't know him. I don't think, anyway. And the guild wouldn't have much reason to come this far north." She turns back to her food, polishing off the chicken, then turning to pick less enthusiastically at the potatoes.

JUSTIN: * Shane takes another bite of his food, giving the man a brief, sideways look before returning his attention to Jo. "Without the book, I suppose not." He shrugs a little, resisting the urge to look at the merc yet again, and continues on with his meal, finishing it up shortly. "I'll go see about getting us a room, if you'll handle the dinner tab." He pushes from the table, getting to his feet and grabbing his hat. Pausing only to finish his milk, he then heads across the room toward the front counter.

JENNA: * Jo nods absently, finishing her vegetables quickly and draining the last of her water. After dealing with their bill, she follows Shane to the counter, giving a long stretch as an excuse to glance over her shoulder. To her aggravation, the mercenary is watching her again. She ignores him and trots over to her companion. "Anything open?"

JUSTIN: "Plenty open." Shane says quietly, finishing up his transaction. "Considering there are only so many rooms to begin with. Looks like it's just us and them." He motions at the mercenaries with his hat, before setting it on his head for the time being. He retrieves their key from the manager, offering a quick thank you before turning to walk. "Ours is the room right at the top of the stairs. None of them have large beds, so I'll sleep on the floor if you want space."

JENNA: * Jo ambles after him with a dry smile, making a point not to look at the mercenaries. "I don't have a problem sleeping closer if you don't." She stretches again, taking the stairs a little more slowly than usual. "Of course, if you'd rather have the extra space..." She glances at the other rooms, wondering idly which the mercenaries are staying in and hoping they are sufficiently far away.

JUSTIN: * Shane grips the railing and starts up after her, blushing faintly at her admission, and deciding it is just as much suggestion as anything. "Well, it is a bit chilly." He grins a little, favoring the steps at his feet with his eyes in a polite effort to avoid the view. "We'll see just how small the bed is, I suppose."

JENNA: * Jo nods, favoring him with an amused grin as she goes. "Can't be too small. It's probably fine as long as it's not a cot." Upon reaching the top of the stairs, she leans next to the door, folding her arms comfortably. "And with any luck the goons'll be gone by the time we're moving," she says in a lower voice.

JUSTIN: * Shane ambles over to their door, sliding the key into the lock and turning it. "Well, we technically share the same job description." He slides her a sideways glance, grinning a little. "Though I would never call you a goon." He gives the doorknob a good turn, pushing it open and retrieving the key from the hole. Inside is a small, quaint bedroom: plenty comfortable, but not lavishly overfurnished. The bed is a normal, single-sized mattress -- big enough for two people if they don't mind touching -- with extra blankets folded at the foot. There are also a very small writing desk with a cushioned chair, an oil lamp, and a large washtub. It looks more like it's for laundry than for bathing, though it could probably do the job if one were too shy to use the public bathroom.

JENNA: "There are mercenaries and there are mercenaries." Jo looks cheered by the size of the bed, ambling in and setting her pack down. "See? No problem." She then trots over to the bed and sits down to take her boots off, stretching her legs out in front of her before letting them drop to the floor. She rubs one eye, peering at her companion. "Anything you want to do before we sleep?"

JUSTIN: * Shane closes the door behind him, turning the lock and bolting it besides, then slides his pack down to the floor beside hers. He eyes them both for a second, then snags them, carrying them closer to the bed and tucking them up against the wall. Just in case, what with the company. He saunters over to the end of the bed after that, stripping out of his coat and hanging it over the back of the chair along with his gear. Jo's question almost goes by without concern, unable to think of anything off the top of his head. But then he looks up at her and his face goes strangely blank, as if dumbfounded. "...I don't think so." He manages after a very long handful of seconds. "Why...?"

JENNA: * Jo shakes her head, glancing at him curiously and getting to her feet in order to pull down the covers and take a poke at her pillow. "Just wondered. I didn't think we had any business to attend to.. but I'm sleepy, so I might have forgotten." She pauses, looking up at him again as if suddenly understanding the origin of his peculiar reaction. A grin flits across her face, and she almost speaks, but she changes her mind at the last moment, lowering her head toward the blankets again.

JUSTIN: * Shane lets out a silent sigh of relief and embarrassment, shaking his head to clear out the shady thoughts creeping around inside. "No business but the sleeping kind for tonight. Bath in the morning, and then we think about work." He frowns slightly after that last word, but shrugs it off. He sits down on the bed, slipping his boots from his tired feet before working at his shirt buttons.

JENNA: * Jo slides under the covers, kicking her feet a little at the still-unfamiliar sensation. "I still say we go find that bookseller. It'd at least give us a little leeway as far as taking a job ..." She flops back, sinking comfortably into her pillow and turning her head slightly to look at him. "The main obstacle would be getting him to believe us."

JUSTIN: * Shane tugs his shirt from his back, freeing his arms one sleeve at a time before dropping it to the ground. He stares down at his pants, and after a moment of thought, he starts to slide them off as well. After all, she's already seen him in nothing but his shorts. Might as well be comfortable in bed, like he used to be once upon a time. "Can't disagree with that... But maybe I'm just too tired to think of an argument." He swivels around, sliding his legs under the covers and pulling them up over himself to quickly hide his body. As he lays his head on the pillow, he turns her a wry smile. "You'd talk business 'til you're blue in the face if I let you."

JENNA: * Jo's brows lift, mouth quirking slightly at this statement. She rolls to face him, lifting herself up on one elbow and gazes down at him almost challengingly. "I'm not /all/ business, you realize," she says drily, then lowers herself to the bed again -- hopefully before he feels too threatened. "Too tired for business or not-business, though," she adds, slightly muffled by the pillow.

JUSTIN: * Shane snorts quietly, sneaking a hand out from under the blankets to ruffle her hair. "Then we can talk in the morning -- let's get some well-deserved sleep now." He shifts, getting himself comfortable and burrowing further into his pillow with a yawn. "Sweet dreams, Jocasta dear."

JENNA: * Jo makes a muffled noise -- possibly of agreement -- and sinks down a little farther, sighing slightly. Despite a brief burst of energy, she finds herself quite as tired as she claimed to be, and it isn't long at all before she's fallen into a comfortable doze.

JUSTIN: * Shane is only shortly behind her in the process of drifting off, and it's only a matter of minutes before he's soundly asleep and far more comfortable in the small bed than he would have ever admitted mere weeks ago. Aside from shifting a few times in his sleep, the night carries on peacefully.

JENNA: * Having slept in smaller beds with more company, Jo seems to find little problem with the forced proximity. In fact, conveniently, it makes it all the easier for her sleeping form to seek out and nestle against the alternate heat source, comfortable for the rest of the night. Thus ensconced, her dreams are quiet and undisturbed.

JUSTIN: * Thus encouraged, Shane's sleeping self is only too happy to accept the company, and he snuggles Jo's body close. Arms find their way around her, and he nuzzles into her shoulder, staying similarly attached for the remainder of the night. The sun rises without him waking, stirring, or so much as twitching, and without further provoking, it's likely he would remain that way for hours yet.