Desert Roses

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian nodded, liking this idea, clearly it seemed the most pluasable for now. "We will do that....just until we get to Odessa. Give him some reason why I don't look at him, anything...should he ask."  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu nodded, finally responding positively as Eladrian backed down. It was tense, but things would get better. They would drop off this scribe in Odessa and travel freely once more.
He smiled, "The sun is near the horizon. The sky is already getting lighter. We should set up camp now. I'll suggest it when we get back."  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian nodded and walked back towards the animals. He was just mounting up on the camel when he heard a loud snore from the other.
Amal the scribe had fallen asleep waiting for them, his thick glasses hanging awkwardly on his face, a dribble of drool from his lips.
The elf frowned and glanced at Ialu, just who was this idiot? his expression clearly said.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu began to snicker, shaking his head. He hadn't mounted up yet, so he made his way quietly to Amal, patting his leg, "My friend, wake up. We are going to set up camp. We are all tired and it is better to rest during the day in this heat... Come, take a moment to wake up and help us."  

[Claude Faustus]

Amal woke with a start, almost falling out of the saddle.
Wha? Oh! yes.-yes, that's a very good idea." he chuckled nervously, dismounting.

Amal watched with apprehension while Eladrian And Ialu set up their tent and unpack the camel. The small heard of horses nickered and milled about, they knew well enougn not to go out into the dessert alone, the humans had water and also Sadiki kept them together.

Eladrian glanced over the awkward Scrib, shaking his head. he leans in closer to Ilua, whispering " He's not setting up, looks like when he said he's lost all his gear it meant his tent too."  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu listened to Eladrian, then glanced over at the scribe. He could have cursed. He leaned in to Eladrian, whispering, "Do we have a spare tent?" He hated the thought of the three of them having to share one tent. This new guy was causing a lot of problems.

Sadiki seemed to look a bit lost, wondering where Maya was. He snorted and walked over to Ialu, bumping him in the shoulder, as if to express his concern. He rubbed Sadiki's nose and forehead, whispering to him, "Hey, Sadiki... I know, friend..."  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian sighed. "I didn't think to bring one but we can extend the tent a little if we use your camel's saddle blanket... it might be a bit smelly but we can bare it."

The tent set up was just enough room for the three men to lay down comfortably. With Ialu in the middle it was a tad awkward, but Amal's bright pretty smile made it up for it. Eladrian felt himsefl blush as the man thank him over and over, promising them that he'd pay them all back a hundred fold later.

Late in the night while the men where in the tent, Maya returned to the herd, she was impressed by Sadiki's management of the herd, letting the other drinks first then himself last, the sign of a good herd leader....of course there wasn't any spare water left for him.
The half unicorn creature walked slowly around, her large deer-like ears perked up listening into the sand. The place where they stopped for the night was dry river bed, but....she could faintly hear the soft gurgling of the underground river.
Maya gave Sadiki a nicker to get his attention and pawed at the lowermost point in the sand with her hooves. Her gem in her forehead glowed briefly, then a moment later water began to trickle up from the small hole. The silver mare stepped away as the stallion came closer to investigate the tiny water hole. She nickered softly and tossed her milky mane. "Drink." she said in the horse language.

(( Think I might add Horse-speak to them,))  

[lack_luster_soul]

((Haha, cute. I love it))

The stallion was a bit timid at first. He didn't know why Maya had left, but had ignorantly blamed his own actions, as many animals do. He stepped closer, bending his head to sniff at the water. Relieved, he began to drink, his flank shuddering with happiness, tail flicking. His ears perked up and his eyes lifted to watch Maya. He finally lifted his head, whinnying softly, "Stay?"

Ialu woke slightly, hearing a few of the horses outside the tent making some noise. He groaned and rolled over, snuggling into, who he thought was Eladrian.

A dark grey gelding found his way beside Sadiki, nudging him aside with a sharp neigh. Sadiki stepped aside, letting his herd member drink more from the little spring of water.  

[Claude Faustus]

Maya nickered and tossed her head slightly, she would stay with them for awhile.

---

The sun was well up above the horizon when the silver haired elf woke, it was dark in the tent with a tiniest of breezes drifting thought the tent, allowing a small amount of sunlight in, it let in just enough light so that Eladrian could see Amal totally draped over Ialu like a lover.
Suddenly a burning anger filled him. Forgetting his need to keep his identity a secret he reached out and grabbed the idiot scribe by the back of the neck, tarring the man from his friend and from the peacefull sleep."What in the lowest Hell are you doing!?" He screamed, shaking the confused,bespectacled man. "Just because I allowed you to sleep in the tent does not give you the right to take advantage of my Boyfriend!!"

Outside, Maya and the other horses perked their ears at the loud noises coming from the tent.  

[lack_luster_soul]

One moment Ialu was warm and snuggled in, a sleep-heated body draped across of him. It was nice, and Ialu's dreams took his mind into a sweet embrace with Eladrian. Their bodies were entwined, and Ialu had the elf on his hands and knees as Ialu pressed slowly in.
And then all the sudden, the warmth was gone, and there was screaming. He blearily opened his eyes, a groan rising out of his lips. He saw Eladrian and Amal, his own body still sore where Amal had been dragged over to him. He lept up as quickly as he could, "Eladrian! Let him go!"

Sadiki had locked his knees and was dosing, when his ears prickled. He opened his eyes and tilted his head, clopping over towards the tent in curiosity.  

[Claude Faustus]

Maya pricked her ears and quickly galloped to a hiding place behind some large boulders

It only took a instant for Eladrian to get a hold of his temper, He dropped the confused scribe and rip the tent enternce open flooding the dark area with light.
Amal blinked and fumbled for his glasses, did he just see....??
""W-Wait!.....Elf Lord Wait!"
Eladrian stopped, barley two stepped away from the tent. His blood going cold at the relasation of what he'd just done. Damn, how am I going to explain this? He thought.  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu watched Eladrian rip his way out of the tent and scamper into the sunlight, falling to his knees to catch his own breath. He watched numbly as Amal tried to find his glasses, and Eladrian panicked to try to conceal his identity. It all exhausted him. Rolling his eyes, he didn't even bother trying to find his robes, just walking over to their packs in his thin pants, digging through for a skin of water.
Sadiki had lept back with fear as the tent opened, but cantered over to Ialu, nuzzling into his warm back. Ialu smiled and turned to his stallion, stroking his nose and forehead.  

[Claude Faustus]

Eladrian sighed and crossed his arms waiting for the enviable questions. what he heard however took him by surprise.
"Kinda clumsy aren't you?" Amal chuckled."Just how old are you young man?"
The Silver haired elf stared at Amal, gone was the awkward character from last night, Amal stood there with his back stright an amused smile on his face. "I know you, your a soldier from the home-land aren't you? You've made plenty of mistakes that might have gotten you killed out here."
Eladrian let out the breath he was holding in. " 'Homeland'? The you really are of Pureblood, what are you doing here in the South?"
Amal cleared his throat. "....That information is confidential, while I would like to ask the same question, I would rather like to ask you why are you traveling with a southerner?"  

[lack_luster_soul]

Ialu turned to watch the two of them, feeling suddenly like an onlooker to something he wasn't supposed to be experiencing. He stroked Sadiki's mane lightly. A Southerner? Was Eladrian in trouble for travelling with Ialu. He quirked an eyebrow, answering for Eladrian, his voice haughty, "Why does it matter?"  

[Claude Faustus]

Amal grinned in responce, inspecting Ialu's features. "It matters to me, an young man travling alone might only get himsefl killed, but when he's travling with another he's putting that other person at risk too."
"Ialu can fight for himslef." Eladrian said coming to his friend's defence.
"I'm sure he could,"Amal adjusted his glasses. "But that doesnt' mean that your not responcable for him. From your reaction this morning I'm guessing that you won't leave him behind in Odessa and compleate your mission?"
The silverhiared elf felt his face grow warm. "N-no....He....he come with me as he choses, I'm not-"
"-Not at all confidant with yourself going alone?" Amal finished for him, the man's smile was gone.