08-23-2019, 12:35 PM
They are transported, by magic, and Elaina is starting to think this land has more magic than she will ever know what to do with. That blonde head of hers is whirling as the next challenge is described. Make a journey in five hours with only four hours worth of water. Amber eyes are already closed as she considers her options. Opening only when the mention of pairs reaches her. Lilli! No longer did they have to be alone and Elaina races to her cousin’s side with a smile on her face. <B>“Together, we can do this, Lill,”</B> she says as she presses her forehead to her cousin’s for a brief moment before turning out to look at the rest of her class. <B>“Anyone else you think we should bring with us?”</B> She asks. This is when she mentions someone that surprises the sunflower girl: Cassian. <B>“Umm, sure,”</B> she says with uncertainty. Elaina knows little of Cassian, only his previous experiment, which causes her to be…hesitant. Golden face turns towards the young stallion and chin raises just so, as she calls out to him. <B>“Hey, Cassian, do you want to join our group?”</B> She asks him, something she will possibly come to regret.
<B>“Any ideas?” </B>She asks, hopefully, those wild firestorm eyes glancing to each of their faces, desperate for answers. As Cassian stares off into the trees, Elaina’s heart sinks in her golden breast, why did they let him into their group again? Still, she couldn't deny it, he was rather cute, maybe that alone could be enough to warrant his keep. No, focus. Lilli and Elaina, the two summer children of beyond, begin bouncing ideas off each other, but they only were leading to dead ends. It was looking like this round would be forfeited, when Cassian turns to them, with an idea on his tongue, and better yet (and entirely shocking), it is an idea that just might work.
She reaches her golden muzzle forwards and touches his shoulder, the equine equivalent of a pat on the back. <B>“You’re brilliant, Cassian!”</B> she exclaims. In order to complete the task, they needed one more in their group, making them a group of four, divided into two pairs. They turn to the path marked with a 1, signifying the one helper they each bring, and onwards they go.
The task, as Cassian has explained to them, was that the four of them would walk together to the first checkpoint, in which a pair would give their water to the remaining two before returning to fill up their buckets. They would move on to the end, fill their buckets, before returning to hour four, where the other pair would be waiting. Their buckets would be refilled and they could all finish together.
They travel for an hour, and this walk is by no means an easy task. The craggy rocks threatened a sprained ankle with every step. Those sharp edges waiting for tender skin to trickle crimson blood against its harsh structure. Amber eyes find themselves staring downwards with each carefully plotted step, slowly moving along, careful to keep from any minor trips or slips. They could not afford anyone’s bucket to spill. She is reminded of the mountainsides of Paraiso, racing up them to meet Aerwir in secret. There is muscle memory there, it is the only reason she spills not a single drop from her bucket, and makes not a single misstep. The first checkpoint is reached and Elaina lowers her bucket to the ground. <B>“Okay, so I think Lilli and I are going to be a pai…”</B> she starts to say before Cassian interrupts, clearly, he was planning on her being his partner. There was little time to argue, so she pushes her forehead to Lilli’s of crimson and mutters an ‘I love you’ before continuing on with Cassian. With their teammates’ water supply safely in their bucket, they would be able to make it the rest of the way. Hoping the bucket in Cassian’s mouth would keep from talking too much, this path was hard enough without his voice grinding her ears. She waits for him to lead the way, knowing she would not be able to make it another four hours if she knew he was staring at her behind the entire way.
With buckets held in their mouths just so, it makes talking difficult, and Elaina doesn't dare try for fear of dropping it to the ground with a shattering, failing clank. Whether Cassian makes an attempt to run his mouth is fallen onto deaf ears as the palomino girl shifts her focus onwards. But, the path would not be so easy. Cassian and Elaina come up a small ditch, a deadly surprise layering the bottom. Scorpions. <I>Oh, god,</I> Elaina thinks to herself, how were they going to get around this? Elaina gently places her bucket down as those firestorm eyes peer out from beneath long, dark lashes, spotting a solution.<B> “Cassian, use your big muscles you keep flexing and push that rock over the scorpions. It will make a bridge we can walk safely over,”</B> she suggests. The large rock was able to cover the stinging creatures, granting them safe passage across.
The remainder of the trip, though strenuous and rigged, remains uneventful, until they finally make it to the other side. Their buckets are once more filled before traveling back to Lilli and their fellow teammate. As Elaina pours some of her water into Lilli’s bucket, she struggles not to simply wrap her cousin in a tight embrace. They were going to make it. (She thinks.)
And make it they do. All four of their teammates emerge on the other side, they hope at least. Elaina remains close to Lilli, amber eyes peeled and searching for the teacher to announce their fate, and scarier yet, their grade.
<B>“Any ideas?” </B>She asks, hopefully, those wild firestorm eyes glancing to each of their faces, desperate for answers. As Cassian stares off into the trees, Elaina’s heart sinks in her golden breast, why did they let him into their group again? Still, she couldn't deny it, he was rather cute, maybe that alone could be enough to warrant his keep. No, focus. Lilli and Elaina, the two summer children of beyond, begin bouncing ideas off each other, but they only were leading to dead ends. It was looking like this round would be forfeited, when Cassian turns to them, with an idea on his tongue, and better yet (and entirely shocking), it is an idea that just might work.
She reaches her golden muzzle forwards and touches his shoulder, the equine equivalent of a pat on the back. <B>“You’re brilliant, Cassian!”</B> she exclaims. In order to complete the task, they needed one more in their group, making them a group of four, divided into two pairs. They turn to the path marked with a 1, signifying the one helper they each bring, and onwards they go.
The task, as Cassian has explained to them, was that the four of them would walk together to the first checkpoint, in which a pair would give their water to the remaining two before returning to fill up their buckets. They would move on to the end, fill their buckets, before returning to hour four, where the other pair would be waiting. Their buckets would be refilled and they could all finish together.
They travel for an hour, and this walk is by no means an easy task. The craggy rocks threatened a sprained ankle with every step. Those sharp edges waiting for tender skin to trickle crimson blood against its harsh structure. Amber eyes find themselves staring downwards with each carefully plotted step, slowly moving along, careful to keep from any minor trips or slips. They could not afford anyone’s bucket to spill. She is reminded of the mountainsides of Paraiso, racing up them to meet Aerwir in secret. There is muscle memory there, it is the only reason she spills not a single drop from her bucket, and makes not a single misstep. The first checkpoint is reached and Elaina lowers her bucket to the ground. <B>“Okay, so I think Lilli and I are going to be a pai…”</B> she starts to say before Cassian interrupts, clearly, he was planning on her being his partner. There was little time to argue, so she pushes her forehead to Lilli’s of crimson and mutters an ‘I love you’ before continuing on with Cassian. With their teammates’ water supply safely in their bucket, they would be able to make it the rest of the way. Hoping the bucket in Cassian’s mouth would keep from talking too much, this path was hard enough without his voice grinding her ears. She waits for him to lead the way, knowing she would not be able to make it another four hours if she knew he was staring at her behind the entire way.
With buckets held in their mouths just so, it makes talking difficult, and Elaina doesn't dare try for fear of dropping it to the ground with a shattering, failing clank. Whether Cassian makes an attempt to run his mouth is fallen onto deaf ears as the palomino girl shifts her focus onwards. But, the path would not be so easy. Cassian and Elaina come up a small ditch, a deadly surprise layering the bottom. Scorpions. <I>Oh, god,</I> Elaina thinks to herself, how were they going to get around this? Elaina gently places her bucket down as those firestorm eyes peer out from beneath long, dark lashes, spotting a solution.<B> “Cassian, use your big muscles you keep flexing and push that rock over the scorpions. It will make a bridge we can walk safely over,”</B> she suggests. The large rock was able to cover the stinging creatures, granting them safe passage across.
The remainder of the trip, though strenuous and rigged, remains uneventful, until they finally make it to the other side. Their buckets are once more filled before traveling back to Lilli and their fellow teammate. As Elaina pours some of her water into Lilli’s bucket, she struggles not to simply wrap her cousin in a tight embrace. They were going to make it. (She thinks.)
And make it they do. All four of their teammates emerge on the other side, they hope at least. Elaina remains close to Lilli, amber eyes peeled and searching for the teacher to announce their fate, and scarier yet, their grade.