We're getting more into things in the next piece. Hold onto your hats..
They worked silently for the next half hour, both too focused on getting out of the sun to bother about conversation. Finally, with a mixture of ingenuity and hard work, a small cloth shelter sat on the small outcropping. With a sigh of relief, Leanadas ducked beneath the coloured fabric and out of the sun. In the cool shade of the small awning, she lay down and closed her eyes, the sound of the flood thundering in her ears.
"Not bad for a blood elf," Kalvor's voice sounded close to her ear and she jumped, almost knocking her head against the flexible roof. Turning, she watched the Night Elf slide into the shelter beside her and recline nonchalantly against the cliff wall. "Jumpy are we?"
"I thought you were going to use my name," She retorted, refusing to rise to the bait. "Or has your nature addled Night Elf brain forgotten it already?" Her cool gaze drifted over his muscular form with interest. He had discarded the rest of his armour and without it he seemed more relaxed and much less threatening.
"Oh I wouldn't forget that," He whispered, turning to face her, grinning as he followed the movement of her eyes. "How could I forget the name of my bountiful saviour?" A rich vein of laughter thrummed through his voice and she resisted the urge to smack him. "Leanadas, the pearl of all blood elves."
"You know, I believe I preferred you attempting to kill me. Anymore of your efforts to be nice and I think I will fling myself to a watery grave. Darling Kalvor." She turned away and moved as close to the edge of the shelter as she dared and she stared out over the sun bleached landscape. In the raging flood waters before, she could see rubble, people and creatures, the detrius accumulated by the tidal wave from many miles around. Behind her, she felt him move and she froze. "What are you doing?" She whispered, her gaze whipping away from the flood and back to her companion with a speed that almost gave her whiplash.
"Just getting comfortable," He smirked at her as he settled himself against the rock. "There's no need to get excited."
"As if anything you could do would get me excited," She grumbled as she settled back against the rock. "Of all the people I could be trapped with, it had to be you."
"You wound me," He muttered in response and then fell silent as the remnants of the speedway floated past. "What do you think happened?" His voice was completely serious as several bodies drifted past their perch.
Leanadas sighed and followed the path of flood. "I don't know," Her voice was soft, serious and for once without mockery. "An earthquake possibly?" She looked up as several birds began to dive towards the flotsam. The flood swirled with dangerous currents and she watched the debris swirl agitatedly in the swell. "But we won't know for sure until we can get out of here."
"How do you plan to manage that?" He lifted himself up on his elbow and stared across at her. "That flood can't be swum and." he glanced up at the solid cliff face behind them. "I don't see us climbing out."
"There's bound to be help coming, once they realise what's happened. After all Freewind post is just over there, they'll send out wingriders to hunt for survivors."
"Unless they were swamped," He murmured, gently brushing dust from the legs of his breeches.
"You're chockful of optimism." She stared across at him, noting the serious glint in his eyes.
"No just realistic. Our outpost is bound to have been submerged, so I'm expecting no help from there. If we want to get out, we'll have to save ourselves," She gave a small laugh. "What's so funny?"
"The thought of having to work with you."
"I'm not thrilled about it either," He muttered, his eyes flickering over her body as he spoke. "But if we get ourselves out, at least neither of us will wind up a prisoner."
Leanadas drew a breath and stared at him, hearing his words but not quite understanding. "What?"
"I rather not be a prisoner of the Horde and I'm assuming you don't want to be mine so why don't we work together and get out of this before we are rescued."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke and Leanadas stared at Kalvor, unsure if she had really heard what he had just said. He was staring at her, complete sincerity and calm in his gaze and she found herself struggling to find words.
"Unless you would rather die here than work with me," He plucked a stringy green weed from the rock beside him and examined it thoroughly. "Well? What do you say?"
"If anyone finds out about this, I'll never live it down." She uttered, finally finding her voice.
"Then I'll be sure not to tell them." He reassured returning his eyes to her face and holding her gaze. "So do we have a deal?" He held out his hand and waited.
Leanadas stared at the hand for several long moments, before finally stretching a hand across to shake. His hand was firm, calloused from many years holding a sword and it's warmth gave her a pleasing shock as they shook. As she pulled her hand free, he smiled at her.
"Thank you." He whispered and sat up. "Well time's wasting, let's get out of here." And with that, he pulled himself out of the shelter and got to his feet. After a moment, Leanadas followed, standing once more beneath the blazing sun. "So do you have any ideas?"