The laughing, bubbling river that ran across the ground offered food, water, and a cool shelter for the weary travelers, for the locals, and for outsiders who were not used to the south's immense heat. It ran in cool streams, bubbling across the rocks. It is a place of peace in a world of heat. The occasional leaf or twig was carried down the river with the currents, their colors more vibrant now that the clear water had given them a bath.
Following these leaves, leaves that had died by the sun's rays, were two stormy eyes that peered from the sparse but green foliage that had grown up around the river. They were low to the ground, near to the peat and muddy floor that made up the river bed. The rest of the form was in shadows, trying to keep cool in their home of hell.

But who was he to talk? The boy, well hardly a boy anymore, the man had no desire to call their home hell, but that was what their desert was. It was just the opening gates to hell with its blistering heat... Of course, it did offer the oasis's and rivers that were scattered about. It couldn't be all hell.

That same boy. I mean, Man. That same man stepped out from behind the greenery, shaking twigs and leaves from his golden pelt, the stormy blue eyes still on the traveling twigs. But, now, this was no man, in fact, it looked more like an animal. The puma opened its mouth wide in a lazy yawn, its mouth filled with white, sharp teeth. As he yawned the shape changed, bent out of place, popped into joints, shrunk and grew as the change turned from golden puma to sun-kissed skinned man.
The sound of cracking knuckles was muffled by the river before he ran a hand through his thick, curly golden blond hair. Rubbing the stubble on his chin, and then his tired eyes he walked toward the bank of the river, looking down into the clear water.

On some days the water was moving slow enough that you could see your own reflection on the water's surface, that it would not carry you away, down, down, down the river. On others the current was strong and swift, like it was today... That never stopped some from wading, swimming, or drinking from its cool depths.
On days like today, however, you would only be swept away by the river. Dying was a possibility... He couldn't even see the bottom here. Still, thirst drove him one and he lowered himself to his stomach, the brown leather shirt that he wore already dirty from his nap as a puma in the shade. Head hovering above the water he used his hands to lift it to his lips, and drank slowly, savoring the feeling of the cool liquid running down his parched throat.
He stared into the water now, hands dried on the sides of his slacks. By doing this he was staring into his enemy. Fingers trailing in it he spoke aloud, voice low and rich.

"Why do fire and water hate each other so? What have we done to fight? What have we done to disrupt balance?" He believed in his country with all of his heart and soul. But, did innocents have to die? With his other hand he pushed himself into a sitting position, his bare feet trailing in the water, black leather boots sitting next to him, old and worn. But it wasn't like he had enough money to buy a new pair.

What a lonely day it was.
Wouldn't someone come and keep him company?

He'd been watching the lion that had stalked across the desert for some time. Watched the girl that was before him now. He wouldn't have been able to tell what she was if it wasn't for the small display of power that she showed. The stormy blue eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized her. She was of the East. What was she doing so far down south? Didn't the heat kill her? Wasn't she burning up, her pale skin slowly turning pink? He stood, leaving his boots where they were, he most often walked barefoot anyway, and walked until he was facing her across the river. "Hold on," he called, it would be easier to talk with her if he was closer. Maybe he could even guide her closer to a town.
As he walked his footsteps let up small 'hisses' of vapor, his feet hot against the cool ground. No, he still did not have that much control over his powers, sadly enough. But he could change easily enough. Carefully he bent into the form of a puma as he slipped into the water, up to his back in cold, rushing water. He slunk along, gripping onto stones, hoping he would not be swept away before he managed to climb onto a rock, leaping the rest of the way over. He landed a few feet away from her, shaking his golden pelt free from the water, looking up at her the animal seemed to smile. The animal's smile quickly changed to that of a man. He rolled his neck, before nodding to the bend in the river. "There is a town that way," he said softly. "I'll guide you, if you wish."

He, too, seemed innocent enough. Simply a young man who wanted to help a pretty lady get to a town where she could replenish her food supply... Honestly, though, he didn't seem to trust her very much. The West, sure, he could live with that. The North, he would most likely attack on contact... And the East. He did not know where her loyalties stood as of yet. But he would find out soon enough, if she would so kindly share the information with him, of course.
"Why does a fair lady such as yourself travel alone across the desert?" He asked quietly, hands behind his back, hair still slightly damp (nothing the blistering sun wouldn't finish soon anyway). "It seems like a dangerous thing to do right now. Even a dangerous time..."
He did not mean to judge her, not at all. But he had to know.
Curiosity killed the cat.

Or the man-puma in this case.

It was dangerous for a woman to travel alone -anywhere-. Especially one that was not of the South, with beauty like hers. She was crazy.
"We best be quick. We don't want that white coat of yours to turn pink... Or worse, get caught in sand storm.

She spoke words of wisdom, he could tell that she was educated... He did not know that the East offered that to women, well, he didn't even know if they offered that to women here either. No, the South was no better a place then anywhere else, so he only nodded at her choice words of war. "I do agree with you," He said softly, "So many lives have been wasted, so many innocent lives- of those who were caught in the crossfire." He shook his head, curly hair, already starting to dry, swaying across his forehead before drooping down in front of his eyes. Looking up at them he blew at them, looking much like a boy.
Maybe he wasn't the man that he wanted to be.

His grey eyes did not leave her as they both started in the general direction of the town. She must be dying of thirst, he thought quietly, musing to himself. Because he lived here he could live with the heat longer than most people who were 'visiting' could. Cracking his knuckles in the silence he spoke again, voice slow as he contemplated the words carefully.
"You travel because you wish to, or you travel because you can? And if it is a wish, why then do you wish it? What is there to fulfill?" Now he was simply filling up space with questions that could be answered with little thought, but he did hate the awkward silence so...
"And if you wish to travel, why not travel in a much more pleasant place? The West is so much nicer than this..." True, there was no heat in the west, no need to worry about dying in the sand and not ever being found...
Or just not making it to the next, closest town or oasis fast enough.

The river roared along beside them, filling the quiet air with its soft song and quiet laughter. Shawn tilted his head back to watch the sky before looking back at her. "I'm Shawn," he said after awhile. "I hope you don't mind the nickname Blink, because you're stuck with it now."

ooc. Sorta short, sorry.

He listened to her, walking with his hands clasped behind his back. He contemplated the heat, the sweat that had beaded on his back, forehead, chest, and neck... It was simply the cooling of the human body taking place on its own. He closed his blue eyes for a moment. "Why would I travel to the East for cooler weather when I do not desire it?" He asked at last, choosing his words slowly. "The heat does not bother me, my skin, yes, it does dislike it sometimes... But the sun can be my best friend, I have never envied it." He smiled slightly. "Anywhere else would be too cold, except the West, maybe..." He shrugged. "I went to your home once, the East," he shook his head. "It was far too cold for my own liking."
Why SHOULD he leave if he was content walking in the sand with the river running next to him? Why should he leave if he was happy with the hot sun beating down on him, and the ocasional warm rains that washed over the land and watered the crops.

A wicked grin crossed over his lips and he stopped as she turned to take a drink, watching her change rather gracefully into her animal form. "It works well for you, though," he said after awhile. "Blink isn't a bad name. And, as I said prior, you are stuck with it." Hmmm... would he get mauled for that? He probably deserved it, but she wasn't going to get out of mauling him without a fight...
A cat fight, to be exact.

"If you're going to attack me, please get it over with. I don't feel like standing around all day waiting for you to maul me." His hands had come around from behind and were at his sides, arms flexed. She could be more advanced in her powers, but his body strength had to be greater than hers.
"I really don't want to have to force you to go for a dip in the lake."

Lips curled back in a growl he sat completely still while she circled him, every tendon, every muscle, every ligament was tensed for the spring, tensed for the action. If she used too much energy now she'd be too fatigued to go without water, and she'd been walking so many miles so she was already tired: That was his advantage. His stormy blue eyes narrowed as she lay down, and he backed up, standing carefully, tail swishing angrily out behind him. Annoyed. How could this all be a game to her?! This was a life and death situation, this is how people survived and died... How could she simply lay there and smile...

Oh, that's how...

He almost wasn't ready for her spring into the air. Head following her back he backed up until he could jump to meet her in the air.
They collied in mid air- which was predictable considering they were jumping... at... each... other...

He snarled as they started toward the ground, and he fought for dominance over top of her. If he could keep the momentum going he'd land them both in the lake, but if not he'd simply have to make her bleed enough to where she'd give up, because he wasn't going down without a fight.
Alright, sure, she was bigger than him, but he had more used muscle. Okay, so she could use her powers, but he had more energy in this case. And alright, fine, we'll give her the fact that she definitely could crush his windpipe, but only if she was smart enough to try that- or hungry enough for a kill.

His nostrils were filled with the her scent as he fastened his teeth around the scruff of her neck, virtually harmless unless she tried to jerk away. He actually winced, her scent was so overwhelming. Female, dammit, he didn't think it would be so seductive... He bit down harder in order to keep from letting go, shaking his head slightly, more to clear his head then anything else. His lips curled back in a warning snarl. That was her first and only warning.

He'd kill her if she took this as a game and didn't defend herself.

He'd kill her if she took this too far.

That was her only warning, and he hoped he wouldn't have to follow through with his words.

He growled at her from their new Position, a snarl pulled across his lips as he rolled out from under her, changing easily from puma to man. Muscles still tense, he rubbed his neck scowling. "Women," he muttered, making sure that he didn't turn his back on this particular one. Who knew what was going on in her mind.
While he sulked about the fight he found himself marveling about her "power" over him. Not... real power, per se, but still. She was using her own nature- the fact that she was woman and he was man against him. She'd used his own name against him!! That didn't seem fair at all. And yet, it had kept him from ripping her throat out and dumping her body into the lake (which would have indeed polluted it).
It seemed she kept him from doing the stupid... But, in the process, she did hurt his pride.

Carefully walking over to the rivers side, he bent down, scooping water into his hands and splashing it onto his sweating skin, cooling it down. His grey blue eyes closed and his muscles finally relaxed as he settled down on the bank, hands and braced arms keeping him upright. Oops. There went his boots... He'd left them down river. Oh well, he'd get them back eventually. Glancing up at his opponent. His enemy. His companion he swallowed wishing he didn't feel as guilty as he felt.
"I shouldn't have attacked you, I am sorry," he said, almost regretfully. But did he really mean it?

The water continued to swirl around his feet and ankles, cooling him down immensely in the great heat. The sun beat down over head, however, it was slowly starting to sink toward the horizon. "We need to hurry," he whispered. "It isn't safe to be out here at night... You don't know what'll be waiting for you."
Getting up he walked over to her. "You aren't hurt, are you?" He hoped he hadn't don't anything... He hadn't particularly wanted to...

She would have been asking for it though.