AN: Sorry it took so long to update this, but I've got a couple more chapters written, I just need to type them up (I realized some way through them that I was writing in past tense instead of present, so they need major tweaking). Akane and Ukyou aren't in the next few, because I have plans for them (kinda), so that makes these a bit shorter. Please R&R! Next chapter Ranma tries Chinese!
It is midday, the sun is high in the cerulean sky and temperatures are moderately sustained by an eastern breeze that sweeps through the upper tree branches. For over two hours Ranma and Ryoga had been following a small river path through the forest, and were now a good distance away from the farmlands where they had been dropped off by a Shepard they met in town. Judging by the sketches he made on the map Ranma had swiped from his dad, they are nearing Amazon territory, which was not going to be a pleasant experience. But, the sooner they passed the area the better, because it would save them miles upon miles of travel if they had to skirt it.
"I've never met an Amazon before." Ryoga muses. "Well, besides Shampoo or Mousse."
"They're not much different. They're independent and scary – man haters who'd tie you upside down and dunk you in a pond of alligators just because you're not a woman."
"You sound a little biased." Ryoga glances over and smirks, glad Ranma had chosen to wear another one of his brown tank tops. He looked nice in it after all, and was always willing to let the fanged boy tie it up for him. He realizes he has been staring and blushes.
Ranma grins and playfully lifts his shirt a few inches. "Well, maybe we wont run into them, we're not deep in the bowls of their land or anything like that." Something rumbles in the distance, and the young Saotome glances up at the canopy above them. "What was that?"
"Sounded like thunder."
"Crap."
"I second that."
"Maybe," Ranma continues to watch the leaves. "It'll stay at a distance."
"Yeah, maybe it wont rain."
The thunder grows louder and closer.
Ranma looks about nervously. "Maybe we should find cover?"
"Not under a tree, they attract lightning."
"We're -surrounded- by trees."
Ryoga takes his hand. "Then lets see if we can out run this storm. You lead the way."
Filled with a sudden burst of foolish giddiness they race across the path, through the undergrowth, followed close by dark clouds.
Ranma's feet pound the earth and his breath rages in his throat. He can't tell how long they've been running, but Ryoga is still behind him and holding his hand, so he felt like he could keep on racing. It was exhilarating, a pleasure he hadn't experienced in a long time. Maybe if he kept running, he would reach the other side of the forest. The sky suddenly opens up and releases a torrent of rain that cuts through the branches above like knives, and pounds Ranma's head and shoulders. He feels his change but has no time to react or strengthen her grip on the tiny paw in her hand before the ground gives way below her. She yelps in surprise and tumbles head over heels down the side of a steep incline. Rocks and tree roots make the decent a painful one and she tries feebly to grab hold of something, but the rain makes her hands numb and everything else too wet to grasp. After an eternity of tumbling Ranma's decent finally slows and is stopped altogether when she slams into a giant tree. Her breath is knocked from her and she lays on her side for a stunned second, calling out for Ryoga but all the running and the long fall was too much and she feels herself slipping into unconsciousness. 'This is not good', Ranma thinks, then passes out.
It is midday, the sun is high in the cerulean sky and temperatures are moderately sustained by an eastern breeze that sweeps through the upper tree branches. For over two hours Ranma and Ryoga had been following a small river path through the forest, and were now a good distance away from the farmlands where they had been dropped off by a Shepard they met in town. Judging by the sketches he made on the map Ranma had swiped from his dad, they are nearing Amazon territory, which was not going to be a pleasant experience. But, the sooner they passed the area the better, because it would save them miles upon miles of travel if they had to skirt it.
"I've never met an Amazon before." Ryoga muses. "Well, besides Shampoo or Mousse."
"They're not much different. They're independent and scary – man haters who'd tie you upside down and dunk you in a pond of alligators just because you're not a woman."
"You sound a little biased." Ryoga glances over and smirks, glad Ranma had chosen to wear another one of his brown tank tops. He looked nice in it after all, and was always willing to let the fanged boy tie it up for him. He realizes he has been staring and blushes.
Ranma grins and playfully lifts his shirt a few inches. "Well, maybe we wont run into them, we're not deep in the bowls of their land or anything like that." Something rumbles in the distance, and the young Saotome glances up at the canopy above them. "What was that?"
"Sounded like thunder."
"Crap."
"I second that."
"Maybe," Ranma continues to watch the leaves. "It'll stay at a distance."
"Yeah, maybe it wont rain."
The thunder grows louder and closer.
Ranma looks about nervously. "Maybe we should find cover?"
"Not under a tree, they attract lightning."
"We're -surrounded- by trees."
Ryoga takes his hand. "Then lets see if we can out run this storm. You lead the way."
Filled with a sudden burst of foolish giddiness they race across the path, through the undergrowth, followed close by dark clouds.
Ranma's feet pound the earth and his breath rages in his throat. He can't tell how long they've been running, but Ryoga is still behind him and holding his hand, so he felt like he could keep on racing. It was exhilarating, a pleasure he hadn't experienced in a long time. Maybe if he kept running, he would reach the other side of the forest. The sky suddenly opens up and releases a torrent of rain that cuts through the branches above like knives, and pounds Ranma's head and shoulders. He feels his change but has no time to react or strengthen her grip on the tiny paw in her hand before the ground gives way below her. She yelps in surprise and tumbles head over heels down the side of a steep incline. Rocks and tree roots make the decent a painful one and she tries feebly to grab hold of something, but the rain makes her hands numb and everything else too wet to grasp. After an eternity of tumbling Ranma's decent finally slows and is stopped altogether when she slams into a giant tree. Her breath is knocked from her and she lays on her side for a stunned second, calling out for Ryoga but all the running and the long fall was too much and she feels herself slipping into unconsciousness. 'This is not good', Ranma thinks, then passes out.