Shouldn't we go, now?

Ping was resting a bit under a tree: he was finally recovering the energies, the last trip had been really tiring, he had spent the best part of the time running!
Now he was happy to have had the time to rest a bit, and the tree seemed so comfortable... but it was probably only an impression due to his tiredness!
Tought... it was quite time to come back to the cave: there where they were there was no food and wo water!
But... he was still a bit frightened to the idea to go back to the cave... what if Eris was waiting for them?

Jane looked after Ping. Everyone seemed exhausted, especially him. She sighed and stroke through her hair. This island was different. Very different. Jane found Ping under a tree resting. She smiled at him and sat down on a rock. Her view flowed around and she thought about their group. With Ping and Meg, everything seemed to be okay. But the young boy hadn't talked to them at all. She was a bit worried. And John... he was really quiet too. She stroke through her hair again. Jane wanted to explore this island on her own. She didn't felt bad with everyone around her, she was just not used to be with so many people. That's why she always left England in a hurry after a few weeks. Her father... he said he understood, but Jane wasn't sure about that. It made her feel bad. Jane slid down to the grass and wrapped her arms around her body.

In that moment Ping was just relaxing, since luckily he had recovered all his energies: he kept thinking *We should go now... come on... raise and go to warn the others* but he could even wait other 5 minutes...
He didn't see Jane approaching him, since he was keeping his eyes closed, but he could feel her presence there, and he knew that it was her, he had started to recognize her step's sound.
He listened her sitting next to him: should he have said something?

Jane smiled at Ping and then stood up. It was time for her. Like she knew before, she wasn't used to live with more than two persons. She didn't wanted to bother the others or be a problem for them. Jane knew that she could take care the best about her when she was alone. She knocked the sand and grass from her chemise and walked slowly to the woods. Nature was her home. For so many years. More likely her whole life. Her father was on so many trips with her... That was the problem why she hadn't got a home and a family now, like all her schoolmates. She sighed and sneaked into the dark jungle.

Ping was still with his eyes closed when he listened Jane stand up and walk away. He finally opened his eyes and frowned looking at her: where was she going? It wasn't a good idea leave alone, and it wasn't a good idea leave her go! He looked for a second at Meg and at the other two: he could heave her with them, they were quiet but they seemed strong enough to protect her, and also he wouldn't have stayed away for long...
He raised and walked toward Jane in the jungle
"Jane, wait"

Jane walked a few meters before she heard Ping's voice behind her. First she sighed and tried to ignore it. As she still heard his steps behind her, she stopped suddenly and turned around. Jane wrapped her arms around her upper body and looked at Ping. She raised an eyebrow and waited for him.

When finally Jane stopped, waiting for him, he made the few steps that separated them and approached her. He had already thought that wasn't a good idea tell her to come back: she was an indipendent girl, apparently the kind of girl that didn't like being told what to do. But he couldn't lat her go: she could even be used to stay on her own in some forests, but this one was different, dangerous animals were there, and as he had seen, she wasn't THAT able to protect herself from them, and expecially there was an evil goddes...
"may I come with you?" he asked instead, putting it like she had to do a pleasure to him and not the contrary.

Jane tilted her head. "Why do you want to come with me?", she asked back. Inside she was surprised, that he asked. She would have rather thought that he wanted her to come back. What she definitely wouldn't have done.

"I need to walk a bit, and i'd like reach the water again" he replied simply: tell her that he didn't trust her to go alone it wasn't a good idea. Also, and it was a reason that wasn't clear even to him, he needed to stay a bit with someone: he usually was a lonely person, but that stuff with Eris made him want a bit of company...
"I won't disturb you" he finished politely

Jane nodded slowly. She started to walk again further into the jungle. It seemed like she was just walking through the woods, but her eyes flew around fast. Jane wanted to see everything. Every single beautiful plant and creature she could find. She was sad that she hadn't had her draw book anymore.

He followed her in silence, as always. His lance as always in his hand: it had kinda taken the place of his sword, even if still missed his weapon the lance was good enough in there... and even if sword would have been useless against Eris... as always, he kept all his senses in alert, to notice as many things as he could of the place around him, as it was doing jane, but... for different reasons

"Look!", Jane touched Ping's shoulder and pointed excited on a tree. Her eyes shone bright and happily. A swarm of colorful parrots was sitting in the trees. She walked closer to them and stared up to the trees. "So beautiful!", Jane smiled brightly.

When suddenly Jane touched him asking to look at something he immediatly thought about something dangerous, maybe the jaguar again, he tightened his lance ready to use it when he realized Jane was pointing at some parrots. He relaxed and looked at her approaching the tree (also trying to focus on something else to distract himself from the indecent way that the girl was still dressed).

Jane twirled around. This was the reason why she loved her profession. Her view fell on a few berries on a bush. She took them and walked back to the tree. Maybe she could lure some of them to her. Jane climbed up on the tree and sat down on a branch. She showed some of the parrots her berries. After a few seconds one of the parrots was sitting on her arm. She giggled and smiled at the others sitting around her.

He just followed her with his glance: she seemed so happy with those animals... He couldn't even understand why! But he couldn't help but smile a bit at her happiness: how could she be so happy just staying with those beasts?

Jane looked down at Ping. "Are you okay? Don't you wanna come up here?", she smiled. "They are really cute. You don't need to be afraid."

"I'm ok here" he replied with a little smile: he wasn't afraid, just not interested in parrots nor in animals in general... well, except for the horses, but it was kinda different in his eyes.

Jane looked around from her higher point. She smiled again and pointed at some trees a bit away. "There are some fruits we could eat. And the river is a bit farther away.", Jane caressed the parrot on her arm and let him fly away. She looked after them and smiled again. Then she jumped from the branch on the ground. Jane looked at Ping. "What do you want to do now?"

He listened her indications thinking about what to do, then, when she jumped from the tree, he couldn0t help but think that she was really a wild girl. AT her question he replied "I'm thirsty, what do you think to reach the river?"

Jane smiled and nodded. "Sure. It's not that far away. Well it seemed that way.", she started to walk in the direction she had seen the river from the branch.

Ping nodded and started to follow her in the direction that she had pointed, silent as always.

Jane walked out of the jungle. They reached the river. But the river joined into a lake. She smiled and turned to Ping. "Do you like to go swimming?", Jane was tempted to jump into the lake with her clothes, but she wasn't sure if Ping wouldn't be embarrassed. The lake was glittering in the sunlight and promised some cool feelings. Jane looked yearningly at the deep water. "Please?", she asked Ping.

When they finally reached the river he approached it and drank some water. Then, at her question, he looked at her "I-i prefer wait here... you can go if you want..." her replied, looking elsewhere in the end since the memory of Meg having a bath naked had made him blush.

Jane sighed. She walked to Ping and bend down to him. "But you should take a bath. It feels good.", then she pushed him into the water and jumped after him. Jane broke through the water surface and laughed. She felt really good now. Jane swam a few meters and looked for Ping. As she finally found him, she splashed some water at him and giggled.

Ping didn't have time to realize Jane's intentions: actually he couldn't even think that she would have done something similar! Suddently he found himself in the water: what the...!
While his head was emerging again from the water he listened jane's laugh: that girl was really wild! But he was still too surprised to do or say anything, he barely repaired himself from her splashes