eyes can't shine unless there's something burning bright behind
Aurelia could feel the sublte heave of her own chest as she came to a stop and looked at Sunjata. Her body resented the idea of starting off again now that she'd came to a halt, feeling an aching burn in the back of her calves. She shoved that aside until they reached the waterfall, the idea of splashing cool water on her face a small thing to look forward to.
Her distant gaze blinked, suddenly brought back when she laid her eyes upon his splotched face, at the small smile that he extended toward her. She heard the warning and nodded to him to show that she was fine with that. The bird he called out to had a lengthy beak, much different than the macaw he'd called earlier. She eyed it as it swooped up into the canopy, disappearing somewhere ahead of them. "Thanks for the heads up." Her gaze fell back to Sunjata, half-expectant as she awaited the bird's eventual return.
Didn't take long, and when he moved to take the lead, she fell into place behind him. They came upon a small river stream, which prompted a soft sigh from her lips. "Yeahhh, me too." She slouched down and let her arms dangle for a moment. Rubbing the sweat off the back of her neck, she straightened back up momentarily.
The air around them felt much cooler. Aurelia reveled in it for a moment before she stepped after Sunjata's tall frame. She gazed up at the back of his head, eyes narrowing and lip puckering with annoyance. He must be like.. a whole foot taller than me!
"You know something? Has anyone ever told you that you are fuckin' tall," she let slip, voice flat with amazed annoyance. A clever grin swept up into her countenance, though, and she added more jokingly, "If you ever get tired of the city, I'm sure you'll fit in real well with the giraffes." She looked around distractedly as the trees cleared, grin fading. The bird he had called sat propped along a branch nearby, and her eyes glanced over it as they passed, "..if there are any..."
The thick jungle foliage around their feet began to give way to soft, green grasses. The river widened out into a much larger pool, and the thunderous sound of the waterfall was no longer distant. It crashed down into the water before them.
Aurelia let out a whistle as she stepped up beside Sunjata, causing a pair of waterfowl to notice them and take up into the air. A half-smile made its way over her mouth as she watched them go, until they were out of sight, their calls echoing briefly before the falls drowned them out.
"Whew," she heaved one last heavy breath before she knelt down beside the water. Her gaze scanned it carefully for a moment. Determining there was nothing strange or lurking beneath the waves, she splashed handfuls of it over her face. It dripped down to her arms, where she wiped away the dirt that had slowly built up over their trek.
Her distant gaze blinked, suddenly brought back when she laid her eyes upon his splotched face, at the small smile that he extended toward her. She heard the warning and nodded to him to show that she was fine with that. The bird he called out to had a lengthy beak, much different than the macaw he'd called earlier. She eyed it as it swooped up into the canopy, disappearing somewhere ahead of them. "Thanks for the heads up." Her gaze fell back to Sunjata, half-expectant as she awaited the bird's eventual return.
Didn't take long, and when he moved to take the lead, she fell into place behind him. They came upon a small river stream, which prompted a soft sigh from her lips. "Yeahhh, me too." She slouched down and let her arms dangle for a moment. Rubbing the sweat off the back of her neck, she straightened back up momentarily.
The air around them felt much cooler. Aurelia reveled in it for a moment before she stepped after Sunjata's tall frame. She gazed up at the back of his head, eyes narrowing and lip puckering with annoyance. He must be like.. a whole foot taller than me!
"You know something? Has anyone ever told you that you are fuckin' tall," she let slip, voice flat with amazed annoyance. A clever grin swept up into her countenance, though, and she added more jokingly, "If you ever get tired of the city, I'm sure you'll fit in real well with the giraffes." She looked around distractedly as the trees cleared, grin fading. The bird he had called sat propped along a branch nearby, and her eyes glanced over it as they passed, "..if there are any..."
The thick jungle foliage around their feet began to give way to soft, green grasses. The river widened out into a much larger pool, and the thunderous sound of the waterfall was no longer distant. It crashed down into the water before them.
Aurelia let out a whistle as she stepped up beside Sunjata, causing a pair of waterfowl to notice them and take up into the air. A half-smile made its way over her mouth as she watched them go, until they were out of sight, their calls echoing briefly before the falls drowned them out.
"Whew," she heaved one last heavy breath before she knelt down beside the water. Her gaze scanned it carefully for a moment. Determining there was nothing strange or lurking beneath the waves, she splashed handfuls of it over her face. It dripped down to her arms, where she wiped away the dirt that had slowly built up over their trek.
Aurelia
