~+Do I need to write a disclaimer? xD+~

A crystalline sound broke though Wa-Ta's sleep. He was lying on a sleeping mat, in the middle of a dense forest. Sparse early morning light fought its way through the canopy overhead, only mildly lighting the misty surroundings. An early bird trilled out its song, performing for the waking forest, but its sweet music was no match for the sighing song that had interrupted Wa-Ta's sleep. He sat up, shrugging off his light blanket. He looked around; a small hole had the remains of a cooking fire in it, and he could see the shape of his companion's sleeping mat at the other side of several trees.

He stood up. He had a lean body, and brilliant green hair that effectively covered his eyes. He wore a long white and black scarf, and brown cargo pants. He pulled on a pair of dark brown leather boots. No shirt covered his hairless, toned chest, and he stretched out his tired muscles while listening for the direction of the beautiful song he could hear.

He crept towards the song. It was familiar, reminded him of... no, she never sung. He doubted she could. Her voice was nice enough, but much too rough to ever create such an angelic noise.

The song led him to the small, irregular shaped pond he and his companion had found the night before. He had almost broken through the tree line when he stopped, and his breathing hitched. Blood flooded into his cheeks, and he almost dived behind a tree, pressing his back against it, shocked eyes wide.

It was Jackie. Jackie, the girl whom had been like a little sister for the past year. She was bathing, and had her back facing him, which was both a curse and a blessing. The mist screened water only reached just above her hips, and gently lapped at her sides. She had allowed her luminescent blue hair grow out, and it ran fully down her back, several shades darker now wet, plastering itself to her pale wet skin. The first second he glimpsed her, he actually thought that she was a water nymph or a siren; she looked that beautiful and mysterious.

His thoughts ran around in crazed circles. He had originally found Jackie scary, but after a few weeks he had started to look at her as a little sister. Now, after two years, he now being 20, and her turning 18 in a few days, he found his opinion being changed once more. He carefully walked back to camp, and he knew he could never look at her as a sister again. This was not good.

Jackie returned to where she and Wa-Ta had set up for the night, wearing a relatively new long black cloak, a dark blue blouse, short black plait skirt with grey stockings underneath, worn dark grey boots and a navy ribbon was used to tie up her long hair.

Her nostrils flared as the scent of a freshly cooked breakfast wafted from where Wa-Ta hunched over a renewed fire. From the smell, it seemed that the last of the carefully rationed eggs had been used, and it smelled mouth watering. She smiled. She was sure that it had been her turn to cook, it was nice of Wa-Ta to take her turn. She wondered what the catch was.

He turned when she approached, careful not to let the slightly tattered ends of his black and white scarf wander too close to the flames. He grinned happily at her, holding out her food laden plate and eating utensils. Jackie accepted them and sat close to the fire, using it to warm her still slightly damp skin.

"So what's the catch?" She asked, hungrily devouring her omelette.

"No catch, no catch." He smiled brightly again. She couldn't help smiling back. This was Wa-Ta all over, she thought, thoughtful and carefree.

They ate in silence, but not awkwardly. They had been travelling through heavy forest for three days now, heading for the shamanistic country known by the rest of the world as Feylend; land of the earth-folk. They had left the actual path days ago for what Wa-Ta called 'a shortcut'. Jackie had a sneaking suspicion that that their journey was taking longer than it would have if they had stuck to the proper route.

"Hand me your plate when you're done. I'll wash it after I refill our canteens and have a quick bath in that pond over there." Wa-Ta was blushing slightly as he spoke, and looked away in an attempt to hide it.

Jackie noticed the blush, feeling slightly uneasy, "What do you want me to do then?"

Wa-Ta was silent for a moment, before grinning brightly as was his style, "Sit on that rock over there and look pretty." He twirled on his heel and sauntered off before she could answer. She half smiled to herself as she packed up what was left of their small camp. When she was done she sat down to wait for Wa-Ta away from the rock.