*is writing as much as she can handle*

CHAPTER FOUR


Bluez tossed and turned in his sleep. Sleep did not come easily tonight. Dreams interrupted thoughts, thoughts interrupted reason, reason interrupted rest, and rest ached to be.

Alaina drew her hand from Bluez’s head, suddenly releasing the thoughts that flowed into her mind from his. She drew some magic, gently binding him in spirit—it glowed bright white in the night to her eyes. He stopped tossing and turning, gently sinking into pillows they had taken from her mansion. She tugged the sheets around him once more and walked towards her wardrobe, pulling her black cloak over her nightgown. Buttoning it in the front, she slipped her feet into a pair of silky slippers and started outside.

She ached for a bath. The old shack was just that—a shack. They had taken all they could carry from her mansion, or ‘residents’ to the little dwelling place and settled down for the night. Pillows, covers, clothing, flashlights, and food. Alaina scooped up a small black flashlight from the floor and slipped out the door. The white light beamed as she flipped it on, revealing layers of years in leaves, grass, and weeds. Walking through them lightly was no easy task. The sky was clear and the moon was full, shedding much light around her. She started off towards the small creek she had found while gathering twigs for a tiny fire.

The creek was small, but clear, clean enough to bathe in just for the night. Tugging the hood over her head, she started towards it at a slow trot.




Slayer stepped lightly over the leaves and twigs, not making a single sound in the night. The night was silent, clear of sound, not even crickets chirped. He peeked into the little shack to find Bluez curled up in blankets. He urged himself onwards—following. He hopped around trees, hiding in shadows, until he reached the creek. He was only yards away from the cloaked figure standing at the rivers edge. His lips twitched in a smile.

Alaina pushed the hood of her cloak off with both hands before unbuttoning the front of her cloak. She knew she was being watched, that he knew.

The white nightgown seemed to glow in the night, making it seem opaque when it really wasn’t. Alaina stepped into the water, walking into it until it came up to her chin. Her back was still facing him and she was submerged in water when she removed her gown. Weaving flows of air, she slammed it in his face and laughed.

“Alaina. I swear to god I can never fool you.” He growled.
“Slayer. Having fun?”
“Absolutely.”
“That’s good.” She dipped her head into the water and re-surfaced, throwing her head backwards, spraying him with water from her hair.
“Still… annoying…” She laughed in return.
“Well, since I know you’re already there, what’s the point of hiding?” She said softly, turning around to face the shadow he was hiding in. She looked him straight in the eyes even though she couldn’t see him.

Stepping from the shadows, Slayer pushed the hood of his cloak back and threw it off to the side.

“You’ve changed.” Alaina said gently. She examined his army boots, trousers, and shirt.
“People change.” He shrugged casually.
“Yeah. I should know.” She said, drawing on the surface of the water with her finger.
“Shy?”
“Shut up.” He chuckled, sitting down against the tree he was hiding near originally.

“So what are you doing out here?” Alaina asked, standing in the water up to the base of her neck now. The moonlight danced white on her wet, black fur. The creek appeared to glow an aqua blue around her, illuminating her eyes.

Slayer pulled the dog tag out of his boots and blew on it softly—the dust suddenly extracted itself from the tag, floating like small clouds around the tag.

“Me?” She asked. He grunted.
“Well, I’m honored.” She wove an illusion of a servant bowing to him.
“Stop that.” He said and the illusion curled into smoke that floated on the breezes of wind.
“Alright…”
“It’s been years since I saw you.” He muttered.
“Yeah, I know.” She said blandly.
“Three, four… five maybe?”
“How old are you now?” She asked, “One hundred and forty?”
“Ye-p. You must be around twenty-two?”
“Indeed I am.” She lowered her head and looked at him through long eyelashes.
“Are you going to finish bathing any time soon?”
“Yeah. Can you hand me that gown once you get it off of your face?”
He chortled in laughter, “I was rather enjoying the shade.”

She snatched it off of his face with weaves of air and extracted the water from it into a puddle that suddenly plopped into the creek. She created a screen of light and raised herself out of the water, slipping it over her head. Dropping the screen, she looked at him with illuminated eyes and chortled.

“Where’d you learn that?” He questioned at her walking on the water.
“Here and there. Pretty nifty, huh?” She twirled around on it, creating ripples under her foot.
“Yeah…” He trailed off.
“We both know you came here to see me do other things than dance on water.” She mumbled.
“Yeah.”
“Alright…” She walked over the ripples, “Follow me.”

Snatching up her cloak, she grabbed his hand with the other hand and lead him back to the little shack.


`Wildie