So as soon as I plan to come back into the habit of posting regularly again, I get struck with terrible bronchitis and end up barely able to get out of bed for over a week! Because, why, of course! And then next thing I know, I'm violently throwing up! And then I can't breathe and I'm hacking stuff up! So yeah, it's been a rough two months. I've been sick nonstop but things are finally starting to settle down, so I can write again!

Oh and you can check out my profile for a link to see that fanart of Zami and Mythene that I mentioned before! It looks great!


There was one thing about the jungle that Zami didn't care for, and that was the rain. It rained in Stranglethorn. A lot. Zami begrudgingly sat crouched beneath the meager shelter of a large tree, chin propped up on his hand, and lamented his meager few hours of sleep. At least, in a tiny bit of solace from the Loa, Mythene ended up no better off with her little hammock contraption. She sat next to him, arms crossed, with mud splattered all across her side and her long eyebrows knitted into a heavy scowl.

Zami glanced over at her sitting next to him. Something about seeing her soaked, with her white hair matted down and muddied, made her just look...special. It was different than usual. Usually, she was so neat and put together. But now here she was, matted hair and muddy clothes, getting eaten alive by mosquitos, the same as he was. She was...the same as he was. Huh. That was surprising. Yet, the longer he looked, the more that felt like something he already knew. And, for a moment, he couldn't quite remember what it was about the two of them that was ever so different in the first place.

Mythene looked up, going to say something, but paused and perked an eyebrow upon the realization he was already staring at her.

"If you're looking for your chance to gloat," Mythene sighed and rolled her eyes, gesturing to her failed hammock attempt, "Go ahead."

"Hm? What? Oh, yeah, told ya so," Zami smirked, tilting his head to the side to squeeze some water out of his dreadlocks, "Was a dumb idea. Shoulda slept on da ground."

"Okay, got that out of your system now?" Mythene asked flatly.

"I dunno, prolly could do it a bit more," Zami shrugged, giving her a devilish grin.

Mythene rolled her eyes, reaching over and pushing him out into the rain. Zami shot a glare over to her and went to say something snarky when one of the branches over him tilted down, spilling a large amount of water directly onto him. Zami scowled, but stopped when he heard a strange sound. Glancing over, he saw Mythene was...laughing.

At once, his scowl fell flat as he looked over at her laughing form. Her laughter wasn't what he had expected at all. He'd have expected it to be high and clear, like a bell. If he'd expected she even laughed at all, that is. But, no, it wasn't like what he expected. It was deeper, resonating through her chest. Hearty and full. It wasn't a petite little squeaky elf laugh like he'd anticipated. It was...just a laugh.

And he liked it.

"You ...You should've seen your face!" She chuckled, wiping away a tear.

Zami looked over at her, pushing his soaked red dreadlocks out of his face.

"Yeah?" He perked an eyebrow, "Well I dunno, I think I prefer lookin' at yours."

A beat passed.

"Wait, dat didn't come out right," He added quickly, slinking back to the shelter of the tree beside her, "I just mean-"

"Of course," Mythene nodded quickly, "You're an ugly troll, I'm a beautiful elf. It does not take a genius to deduce what you meant. Although I'm sure being one hasn't hurt."

Zami paused, furrowing his brow. He glanced aside, the levity immediately sunken from his mind. Oh yeah, he thought. He remembered now. That was the difference. With a suppressed sigh, he tilted his head to the side and set about squeezing the water from his dreadlocks again.

This time, he moved with a slow and deliberate pace, making sure he pressed every drop of water from his hair. The longer he took, the longer he wouldn't have to look at her. Though he'd been more than happy to mere moments ago, now it felt...different. Probably because now, he was aware of the difference again. He was a troll, and she was an elf.

"So you know this place, thero'shan. Tell me, when do you think the rain will let up?" Mythene asked suddenly, drawing him back from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, I dunno? A few hours?" Zami shrugged, still not looking over at her.

"Hours?" Mythene sighed, "Well isn't that just perfect?"

Zami shrugged again, not responding verbally. After a moment, he heard a familiar hiss and couldn't help stealing a glance over. Mythene had taken Zeni out of her pocket and set the little lasher against the ground.

"I'll bet you'll love the rain," She said to it, cooing softly as her fingertips brushed the petals of Zeni's flowerhead, "You go and get a good drink, okay?"

Mythene muttered something, making a gesture with her hand, and then Zeni's size increased until it was back the size of a normal lasher. Zeni hissed pleasantly, whipping its vine-arms around in delight at its restored size, and shambled out into the rain. It hissed again in glee upon coming into contact with the water from the sky. That lasher did love its water, after all.

"I'm going to sleep," Mythene sighed, leaning her back against the tree trunk, "Well, I'm going to try, anyway. I've never exactly slept in the mud before."

"Weren't ya sayin' ya be all well-traveled before? What about Un'goro?" Zami looked over at her.

"I never left the base camp unattended," Mythene sighed, "I was on an expedition with several other druids from the Circle. And I never slept in the mud."

Zami wanted to think of something snarky to say, some witty one-liner about how she wasn't the great explorer she'd previously advertised. But the truth was, he was actually more concerned than he would have expected he'd be. Despite all his previous eye rolling, actually knowing that she didn't really know how to keep herself safe in the jungle...that made him rather anxious.

"Well, dere's a first time for everything, right?" Zami shrugged, looking out to the rain, "Ya go ahead and sleep now."

"What about you? Are you going to sleep?"

Zami shook his head, giving her a slight smile.

"Somebody gotta keep watch."

Mythene shrugged lightly and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder as she drifted off to sleep. The rather intimate gesture gave Zami pause. He glanced down at her sleeping beside him. She was totally soaked from the rain, muddy white hair matted to her purple cheek, stray silver strands stuck to her dark lips.

And against his better judgement, he couldn't help but find her to be rather beautiful.