Outside Adorable Panda, way early Sunday morning

[solo_sword]

Jaina had decided she didn't like the cabins anymore for privacy reasons. This time, though, it was for reasons a little different than not being able to get private time with her boyfriend. Namely, she tended to have nightmares more often than not lately, and even if she didn't always remember them it was something she didn't really want to share with her cabinmates. She'd stayed awake as long as possible till exhaustion finally took over, and then unsurprisingly jerked awake far too early and really hoped it'd been the sort of nightmare that didn't get anyone coming over to ask if she was okay.

When she'd calmed down, she decided she really didn't want to go back to sleep anyway and got out of bed as quietly as she could. She didn't even bother with shoes as she headed outside to sit on the front steps of the cabin, figuring that anything creepy and crawly that got close enough to be a danger deserved any zapping it got. She was half focused on looking for any critters, and half just wishing the sun would hurry up and rise already.

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[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

It wasn't quite sunrise when John headed out of the cabin for his daily run, pausing when he spotted Jaina sitting on the steps.

"You're up early." He couldn't remember if she mocked him for liking the cold or getting up too early for no good reason.

[solo_sword]

"I was done with that whole sleeping thing," Jaina said with a shrug. Which was technically true. "Running already?"

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Winter here," he shrugged. "It's pretty late time-wise." Because he was insane and got up early.

[solo_sword]

"Right," she said, remembering where they were. Her usual confusion upon coming back actually seemed worse due to all the traveling she'd done. "Still takes some getting used to."

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it'd be nice if the island would hold still for awhile," he replied. "Let us get our bearings before speeding off again."

[solo_sword]

"I don't know about that. I've been squishing things since yesterday, I'm ready to go," Jaina said, eyeing the ground again. "Still Australia, right?"

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John peered at the ground. "The Aussie bugs are kinda larger than back home, but it's not so bad." He'd yet to encounter anything massive.

[solo_sword]

"I don't trust them," she said, but she'd also been the girl with that allergic reaction back at Myrkr, so maybe she was just bitter.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"I didn't know bugs could be trusted or not," John replied, eyebrow raised.

[solo_sword]

Or maybe she just knew bugs were trouble and she should stay the hell away from them always. "We had an incident with bugs at Myrkr. I'd much rather just squish them." Also, she still had things to work out.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Need help with the squishing? I've been told before that it's my duty as a guy to squish them."

[solo_sword]

"You do have shoes," she agreed. And it would keep her from zapping them, which she knew was supposed to be a good thing.

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Were you squishing with your bare feet before?" he asked.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal was up early, even for him, and making his way through the campground on his way to the Preserve, Altra by his side.

He stopped when they saw who was sitting outside her cabin. "Jaina?"

[solo_sword]

This was probably going to be interesting. Not that Jaina wasn't glad to see him, but Karal had always been able to read her really well and with everything that had just gone on, she thought she had reason to be a little nervous.

Still, she raised her hand almost casually and said, "Hey."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He wanted to hurry over and possibly give her a hug, out of sheer relief that she was alive. He didn't. Something about her greeting and the way she was sitting said she wouldn't welcome it. "Hello," he said instead, voice quiet. "When did you return?"

[solo_sword]

"Yesterday," she answered. "Things got a little more complicated than I'd expected." That was the politest way to put that ever.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Things have a way of doing that," he said with a small smile, then gestured at the step beside her. "May I join you?"

[solo_sword]

"Sure," she said, even moving over a bit to give him room. "You're out early."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal sat next to her, Altra settling at the bottom of the steps, looking up at them. "I was going into the Preserve to pray. There's a clearing there that I find very peaceful," he explained, pausing for a moment before adding, "It's very good to see you and to see you're safe. I was worried."

[solo_sword]

"Thanks," she said, and for the first time she felt a little self-conscious with both Karal and Altra there, like she was being watched by two people now. Still, she tried for levity. "It got rough. We probably should have gone the dance route."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"No one ever thinks of the dance route until it's over," he replied, taking the same light tone despite his concern. "How are you feeling now that you're back?"

[solo_sword]

That was a complicated answer, so Jaina was honest. "I'd rather be back killing things."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Oh." That did shake him but he didn't let it show. "May I ask how it went?"

[solo_sword]

Jaina paused, realizing that no, this didn't get easier. She wondered if it ever would. "We lost half the strike team," she said finally, voice flat. "Including my brothers."