River Mood(Dakota/Open)

Dakota could feel Raina's eyes burning into her back, and felt even worse afterwards. When she came back, Raina spoke.

"Would you like help?"

Raina's voice was soft and quiet, not mocking as Dakota had expected. Raina stood up, and stared out into the field, searching. Dakota watched her.

"Umm.. ya. I'm sorry. I can't hunt,"

Dakota apologized slowly and carefully, her body postured exclaimed that she was ashamed. She sat down, and watched Raina through embarrassed eyes.

Dakota's confession was sure to leave Raina running for the hills, but instead, she smiled. "That's alright, I have a horrible sense of smell" Dakota's magnificent brown orbs widened, and she grinned. Her grin wasn't rude, or mean, but instead showed that she was fine with that. Her mind spun faster than a deer's legs could move. Why was she so kind? Why wasn't she like the rest? What did Raina find in Dakota? Raina broke her trance as she slid soundlessly into the field.

Dakota watched enthusiastically as Raina hid in a small patch of grass, waiting. The hare slipped out of the hole. Dakota felt anticipation rising in her chest, when suddenly, little baby rabbits climbed out behind the hare. Dakota watched in awe as Raina turned away, killing a male rabbit instead. She drops it at Dakota's feet, and and sits back easily. "Do you think that's enough? Or will you want another?" Dakota watched her, listening to her soft and polite voice. Dakota smiled.

"This will be fine. Thank you," She casually bent over and took a large bite, realizing she was famished, she finished the whole rabbit in less than a minute. She smiled apologetically at Raina, and then stood up. She motioned for her to follow, and began to move through the grass, through the field and to the other side. She emerged into the trees again, and continued. They had a little bit of a travel ahead. "How long have you been around these parts?" Dakota asked Raina, swivelling her head around to look at the pretty maiden behind her.

The two strange figures travelled through the trees, talking quietly amongst themselves. Dakota looked at Raina as she answered, staring lovingly into her eyes. "I haven't really lived here that long, I wandered around a bit, mostly lost, but when I found the stream it was easy to know where I was, so I made a little den. Probably two or three weeks." Her voice was so musical, so soft to Dakota's ears. Dakota watched as Raina's expression changed to embarrassment, and then again to joyful and pleased. Dakota's eyes never left her face, even as they walked.

"Hm. Where did you come from?" She asked Raina, her voice soft, although always deep. It was weird for Dakota to be like this, to actually pay attention and enjoy talking, and listening to someone. She watched Raina's face the whole time.

Dakota continued to watch Raina, her mind always amazed. The way her lithe little body moved, weaved through the forest, in contrast to the way Dakota's bulky torso moved and stumbled over branches and rocks. Dakota listened carefully to Raina's answer. "I come from the forest area to the East, not the Emerald Forest, but farther back," Her voice was soft and musical, something that reminded Dakota of the birds, or the breeze. She smiled softly. "What about you, where's your homeland?" Raina's voice weaved into Dakota's memory, and Dakota smiled.

"I come from a land way West from here, where maidens were slaves, brutes the kings," Dakota shuddered at the memory, and finally, for the first time in awhile, pulled her stare from Raina's perfect face. Instead, she looked at the mountains that were moving closer to them, the setting, orange sun tipping off the beautiful white peak. Dakota took a deep breath, smelling the forest, and the approaching smell of the mountains. She smiled. Her home. She heard Sacred say something, but it was drowned out by Dakota's thoughts. Not intentionally, but instead, she was just happy. "That's where we're headed," she murmured, and smiled, looking at Raina to see her bewildered expression. Dakota chuckled.

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