Camping

[Macy Deltine]

Macy tried to look over the shoulders of her fellow campers at a small stream, that was full of little creatures, swimming about.
"Okay, can everyone see?" Shouted Professor Truman, who was standing in the river, the water running over her wellington boots. Everyone gave a small grumble at his question. Everyone one had had little sleep the night before, all being excited about being on a camping trip. There was finally silence at 3.00am, but everyone wasn't actually sleeping. They were all pretending to sleep, thinking that the person beside them was actually asleep. Then they were all made to get up 5.45am to watch the sunrise, but many missed it, still dozing. Now they were studying baby Numites, an incredibly rare shape-shifting creature that is found in the rivers of Blueberg forest.
"Now, what is the name of this strange in a Numites life?"
There was silence after Prof. Truman asked his question. Macy looked around and stuck up her hand.
"Yes, Miss Deltine."
"This stage is called Colouration, as they are continually changing their colour to match their surroundings."
"That's right!" He picked a brown leaf that was lying by his feet and dipped it in the water. The little creatures then turned the same shade of brown. Some people gasped at this, but it wasn't something that really interested Macy.
Professor Truman picked up the leaf again and set in on the bank, before climbing out of the river.
"Now, we are going to walk a bit further into the forest and I want everybody to not to be too loud, there are some creatures that are very sensitive to sound." They all turned to follow him, but Macy noticed something. Professor Thandie was not talking to a woman who hadn't been there before..a dead-looking girl, with a tiger. It looked like the same girl who was with Professor Hoodham when she arrived back from the battle. She looked around again, but she had disappeared and Professor Thandie was walking towards her.
"Is everything alright, Macy?" She asked.
"Yeah it's all good." She looked around her again, and walked on into the forest...

[Kira & Lee Norris]

ooc: During these Camping posts, I'm going to be varying a lot between the two characters, Lee and Kira. For simplicity's sake, all of Lee's posts will be wrote in red, and Kira's in white.

Kira felt like death. She hated this part of the camping trip. She didn't want to hear about Numites, Sprites and whatever else was found beneath the leafy canopy of these trees. Prof. Truman was a lovely man, and he was obviously really enthusiastic, but the simple fact of the matter was that no-one had come on this trip to learn. They'd come so they could stay up late and have marshmallow fights.
And for the magic show. Every Saturday night, around the campfire, the teachers relaxed, and let their students give an exhibition of their powers. Everyone always had something pretty impressive planned.
And she was excited.
But she was completely exhausted- not to mention bored out of her skull. It was times like these she was thankful she wasn't a Carer. She'd be really, really bad at it.
"Lovely day, isn't it, Kira?" asked Prof. Thandie brightly, falling into step beside her. "The sunrise was truly beautiful."
Kira smiled weakly. She hadn't actually managed to surface for the sunrise; she'd been too busy trying to find her way out of her sleeping bag.
Prof. Thandie nodded. "Prof. Truman has lots of really exciting stops planned for us today. He says that he's recently come across a pixie hive in a clearing of oak trees. Lively little things- but we'd best ask one of our students to fire up. You never know, they could scratch our eyes out."
Kira found it hard to understand how Prof. Thandie could be so enthusiastic about this. "I'm sure they don't like us poking our noses into their homes."
"They'll be fine," laughed Professor Thandie airily. "They're used to Professor Truman's presence."
"Mmm-hmm..." Kira muttered softly. "I'm sure you're right."
The Deputy Headmistress moved forward, striking up a conversation with Chloe, who was looking a little worse for wear. Kira frowned at Chloe's blonde hair, something working away in the back of her mind.
Two plaits tickled her shoulders...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

The forest was beautiful, but Madeleine was nervous. It was so secluded and (unsurprisingly) filled with trees; it would be easy for the enemy to attack. Of course, they'd been given a safety talk and instructions on what to do in the event of an attack, but the simple fact was that their company was made up of only three Warriors - herself, Levi and Steve "Bonkers From Yonkers" Ritzski. All three of them were armed, and Parmida had consented to come along with them, but most of the time, Madeleine couldn't see her. The students had been told not to speak to her, which didn't really do much to calm anyone's fears.
Levi fell into step alongside her - Lee was talking to Kira - and muttered, "It's so awkward having to carry these things around the forest with us."
"You're telling me," she said grumpily. "I didn't sleep, and I've to walk around the forest carrying a sword and a gun, pay attention to what's being said and stay alert. I don't know about you, but I'm struggling a little."
She'd made a resolution to be reasonably nice to Levi this trip, for the sole reason that if they were attacked, it would be him that she was relying on. She didn't know Steve very well, but she did know that he could be a little... er... unpredictable.
She'd explained this new policy to Lee, just to be careful. She was really hoping that over this trip, she and Lee could get through their 'block'. It was time enough, really.
But it didn't really help that Chloe had taken to wearing her long blonde hair in perfect plaits, and that Madeleine was having to work with Levi.
Professor Truman started talking about the merits of some form of tree, and Levi reverted to his suck-up habits and melted away to listen, to Madeleine's utter relief.
She tuned out and silently did a head count. Everyone was there, thankfully. And there were no odd noises coming from the trees.
Professor Thandie materialised beside her. "You can relax, you know," she said. "It's supposed to be enjoyable."
"I'm relaxed," she lied, glancing around for Parmida again.
"Well, pay attention then," the Deputy Headmistress smiled, moving over towards the trees where the students were crowded around, studying a leaf that Professor Truman was holding up.
Madeleine sighed, and walked over.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"They're taunting me."
"Ignore it."
"It's not fair. I need to know. And you refuse to tell me."
Chloe was wearing plaits, and Lee's eyes had been drawn irresistably to them all day. Kira (of course) had noticed this, and was currently reprimanding him for his weakness. What would Madeleine think? What would Madeleine think?
Etc, etc...
Madeleine hadn't said one word to him all this trip. Lee knew he should follow Kira's advice, and just go talk to her. But about what? Despite the sense he saw in all of Kira's words, he couldn't shake himself of his awkwardness towards her. Nor did her conversations with Levi help.
Bleargh, Lee, bleargh!
"Talk to her," Kira mumurmured, nudging him.
"About?!" he muttered angrily back. His cousin meant well, but she was really starting to frustrate him. He knew he was an idiot. A stupid, awkward idiot.
And now he was taking it out on her.
"Plaits."
His anger disappeared in an instance. It was too perfect. Too simple...
"I love you- you know that, right?"
"I know," she said cheerfully. "Go on- go talk to her! She'll teach you, no problem."
Feeling a rush of glee, Lee bounded forward, to catch up with Madeleine. Prof. Truman had dropped his leaf and was now examining a hostile-looking patch of mushrooms. Casting them a wary look, he turned to Madeleine.
"Hi."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

It was amazing how frustratingly boring nature could be.
Mushrooms? Honestly. He'd been talking about them for about three minutes now, and everyone who wasn't an Academic (or Levi) had tuned out and were carrying out their own whispered conversations. Even Professor Thandie was struggling to look interested.
A movement a few metres away attracted Madeleine's attention, then she realised - it was only Chloe, tossing her plaits.
Lee suddenly appeared beside her. "Hi."
She turned to him, gratefully. "Hey."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee grinned. "Hows you then?"
She was talking to him- they were talking- they were actually on their way to a conversation! Great. He had to remember to buy Kira a present. Chocolates, perhaps? Or what about a weekend in Paris?
Well... she might have to wait a few years for that one.
Chocolates should suffice for now.

[Ailith Rayner]

Ailith had walked quietly throughout the trip, watching people about her and studying who was friends with who and what their relationships were. She had sussed out most of the pupils so far. One or more of the pupils look wary. Ailith suspected these were the warriors. One girl looked particularly worried.
Definately needs to get out more.
"Hi."
A voice addressed Ailith from her left shoulder. Before looking round Ailith played a mini-game with herself and tried to guess who it was. Er ... soft light tones ... that pale, blonde girl with the relative. Ailith turned.
"Hello." Ailith smiled. Ailith 1 - 0 other people.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Once she'd confirmed Madeleine and Lee didn't need her hovering nearby anymore, Kira had slunk away through the crowd. How many people had come on this camping trip anyway? Could she be bothered to count? Ok, yes, apparently she could...
12... 14... 15. Usually, a good 30 came on this trip, but security had really been tightened around the school. Kira knew most people weren't really aware of this- the teachers tried to keep life as normal as possible- but as a Head she was made painfully aware of every little step they took.
That's why Parmida was here with them.
To do a head count... there was Madeleine and Lee, over there, and Levi (whom Kira noticed with an angry jolt was eyeing Madeleine hungrily). Then there was Chloe, forlornly twirling her plaits around her fingers as she listened to Prof. Truman's running commentary:
"Look, everyone! This type of tree is specificallyadapted for this forest- notice the wide, fan like leaves and the..."
Will and Anton stood a little back from it all, talking quietly together. Macy was also listening to Prof. Truman, but she didn't look in the least bit interested. Mike, Ellie and Brian were chatting animatedly at the back of the group, and that left Kira with nothing but strangers.
Who was that?
Kira might not know most of the others, but one girl in particular caught her attention- even more so than the boy who appeared to have leaves of some sort in his hair.
Approaching her from behind, Kira watched the girl for a few moments, then, on a whim, said, "Hi."
The girl turned to face her with a smile. "Hello."
The girl was small- smaller than Madeleine- but it didn't take away from her overall presence. Again, like Madeleine, this girl had a certain aura of power about her. And those scars certainly helped the image.
Kira returned the smile. "I'm Kira. I don't think I've seen you before... are you new?"
There'd been quite a few new students this year, so it was a fair guess.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"Feeling slightly weighed down," Madeleine said to Lee, gesturing at the heavy silver sword sheathed at her waist. "I suppose it'll come in useful if anything happens..."
Wow, they were talking. This hadn't happened in a while.
She was vaguely aware of Levi staring at her, but she shrugged it off. It didn't matter.
"And hows you?" she asked Lee.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"I'm good, thanks," Lee smiled back, turning to watch Prof. Truman. "Tired of this though- that's why I came to talk to you."
Ouch. That must've sounded desperate. Pathetic. Loser-ish.
Hopefully, she'd think it cute.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"What do you mean?" asked Madeleine, sarcastically, following his gaze to an excited Professor Truman showing off a tree. "Come on Lee, this is enthralling! You can't possibly have seen anything more interesting than this!"
Hmm. Okay, maybe a naturalist would find her tone pretty offensive, but she was almost sure that everyone here except Professor Truman was thinking in exactly the same tone.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

He laughed. "I'm a hippy at heart. Hugging trees is my favourite pastime."
A joke. A sarcastic joke. That was good. Very good. Good, good, good, good, good.
STOP THINKING GOOD!
"I'd need longer hair though," he said, on a sudden whim. "I could plait flowers through it- well, if I ever managed to work out how..."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"Very Sienna Miller," grinned Madeleine, thinking back to their sarcasm and punch days.
Back when things hadn't been awkward - before the arguments, and before Levi and Chloe.
Maybe things were resolving themselves?
She would have gotten hopeful, were it not for the fact that she could still feel Levi's eyes on her, and she was also acutely aware of Chloe looking mournful, like a toddler who had had its favourite toy taken away.
"And wasn't I supposed to teach you how to plait hair?" she reminded him.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Always helps," he grinned. "Think you could show me later? I really, really, really want to know. Sorry, it's just... it drives me mad!"
Understatement.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"That's a bit weird, you know, wanting to plait hair," she said, matching his grin. "I'll teach you tonight, hows that?"
Professor Truman's voice changed tone from the monotonous drone it had been a second before. "And let's move on!"
Madeleine held her hand out to Lee. "Come on..."