A not so peaceful trip to the waterfall (Private, for Shitte & Shindai)

Reika walked along the forest path, her gaze flitting around her. She was still very uneasy, not knowing this new land well; which only added to her fright. But how would she ever learn to know it if she never tried looking around a bit? Her ears picked up on the sound of running water, which arose two contradicting emotions; fear, for she could not swim, and curiosity. A dangerous combination at times. The girl headed off in the direction of the noise. By the time she had neared the waterfall, as she found it was, the noise wasn't too loud... in fact, it was quite calming for her. It had been a while since Reika had last been around water, let along a waterfall. She took a cautious step towards the water and away from the safety of the trees, then another.

Reika stopped several steps away from the edge of the water, afraid to go any closer. If she fell in, she'd surely drown. The water looked deep enough for that; and being a vampire didn't save her from that fate, especially with her weakness due to only drinking animal blood. The girl closed her eyes for a moment, just listening to the gentle sounds of the waterfall, the peacefulness of the forest around her. It was quite a beautiful day.

Oh how exploring was fun, not really. Shindai was more so wanting to sleep, his twin was dragging him everywhere. Only time he had a break was when he caught that crazy thief. Sighing he trudged through the woods climbing up and over things while following his slippery running brother. Huffing he then stopped and closed his eyes. He moved and laid on the ground before his legs merged and stretched out into the long tail, Grinning his upper body moved and he took off slithering after his brother. By now Shindai was far away from him.

Just any day the male was always up to exploring. He was a ball of energy. With a grin the male shot off after he sensed his brother transform. Shitte ran fast and soon cheated using the plants to skate him over the dirt. It was a game. Both brothers loved playing games. The only sounds they made were rustling noises.

Reika looked back at the forest as she heard some rustling; it wasn't too loud though, obviously a while away still. She paid it no mind, knowing there were animals in the forest and there always would be. Nothing to be afraid of. Her attention turned back to the waterfall, which glistened in the sunlight. The droplets that splattered off the rocks glistened like crystals as they fell into the water below. 'I bet a bit of water would do me good on such a warm day. I wonder if it's really cold, or from a warm water spring?' The girl took a cautious step forward, edging her way closer the the falling water. Reika reached out her hand, but still couldn't reach. Another step, almost close enough. Her hand reached out further, a bit of the spray from the waterfall hitting her fingertips; but that wasn't enough. 'Just a little closer...' Another step, and her hand finally felt the water; as did the rest of her. Her footing slipped on the edge of the dirt, and the ground gave way as she cried out loudly in surprise and fear.

The water definitely was not warm. The sudden cold only added to Reika's shock as she forced herself back to the surface. She desperately struggled to keep above, or at least find something to hold onto to help that. However, her thrashing in panic was only making her slip more towards the deep water, where he feet couldn't touch the bottom. Water engulfed her again, and only after a moment or so could she get above water again. By that time she'd taken in some water, coughing and sputtering, her vision blurry. "Help-!" She cried, hoping she could be heard over the waterfall. Desperately hoping someone was nearby. If not, this would definitely prove to be a very watery grave indeed.

Slithering after Shitte was a painful task especially if his under-skin rubbed the stones and sharp wood littered ground. He was enjoying his game with his brother, chasing him and making him twist and turn. It was fun, even if this wasn't the beach the two still loved their games. Though he stopped and raised himself to look around, "The plants scream danger as the leaves rustle... yet its not to us... who?" he looked around. His brown hair flitting with the breeze. He then shot off at the sound of a splash. His arms thrashed the branches away as he slithered, such distaste, that was the noise he heard. The forest was upset. Someone fell into water that was unable to swim.

Twisting and turning Shitte jumped and vaulted over tings till he began to feel the forest was getting edgy. He was more careful and soon the forest itself snuck up on him. Tripping over a raised root he rolled and sat up, "You are unhappy... why?" he said standing and looked around. Suddenly he didn't want to keep from Shindai his twin. Shitte called out, "Shindai?! SHINDAI?!" he walked to a tree and put a hand on it. Using it he then saw Shindai heading somewhere, "Thank you my earthen friend." he said and took off running. Jumping into the air several feet his body morphed like Shindai's and he took off slithering.

Shindai soon appeared by the water but saw no one. His body turned human and he wobbled before plopping on his rear, standing he growled before looking around. The faint cry was barely audible. He bit his lip. Soon his twin rammed into his back. Stumbling the two fell and were both in human form now. Shitte stood and began to run around the water till he saw the girl. Jumping, he plunged into the water Shitte swam at the girl and glanced to Shin, who was standing at the blank saying something. He couldn't care now. Shitte wrapped and arm around her and pulled her to the shallow bank. Shindai ran over and helped his twin pull the girl to the bank. Both brothers concerned for the female. Especially the weird cold temperature feeling she gave off.

Reika was absolutely panicked and terrified, as anyone would be. Time and time again, she sunk beneath the surface of the water, eventually managing to struggle back up again. But each breath she took was shorter and shorter, as her efforts to keep afloat were tiring her out. A few times, she cried out again, hoping beyond hope that someone, anyone, would hear her. Her voice was weak as well though, it couldn't carry over the noise of the waterfall. 'No one will hear me.' She thought, frightened. 'I'm going to die, no one will save me.' Still, the girl didn't give up, and struggled with all her might to keep from drowning. Moments passed, long minutes that seemed like torturous hours. She took in more water each time she managed to break into the air again, and as time went on she could barely even manage that. The last time she resurfaced, Reika heard noise nearby, her blurry vision catching on a form... no, two forms now... on the edge of the water. At that moment, she slipped under completely, holding her breath for as long as she could. Her eyesight went first, though her hearing remained in its fading strength; nothing could be heard over the deafening silence that was overtaking her though. The last thing she saw was a shadowy shade heading towards her. She didn't feel the arms that wrapped around her waist, and didn't react until they had reached air again. The girl gasped a desperate breath of air, but it made her choke on the water that was stuck in her lungs. 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe!' Other than her shaking and her weak choking gasps, she was still and silent.

As soon as Shitte got the girl onto the dry bank he looked up to his brother. He remembered the raspy noise she made when he freed her of the water and laid her down. He looked to his twin. What was he to do? Shindai shoved his twin so rough the male fell backwards. He knew what to do and he began to do it. He could hear the sounds, the gurgled squeals, he began to help her body push out the water. Force it out by using his clasped hands to help force her lungs to squeeze it out. He hopped her got it all out and rolled her onto her side, "Cough it out dear girl, force the remains out." she said patting her back. Shitte blinked. His brother knew so much more. No wonder he never had luck with anyone... even girls.

A gasp rose from Reika's parted lips, nearly making her choking on the water that was forcing its way from her throat. She tossed her head a bit, sputtering and trying cough it out without breathing it back in. Her shaking remained, as the water had been freezing cold; even for a vampire who usually didn't have any sense of temperature. More and more water was coughed up, and as time went on it became easier to breathe. "Cough it out dear girl, force the remains out." She didn't really react to the voice as much as she would have had she the strength to do so. Once the last of the water had been coughed out, Reika laid her head on the grass. All of this had completely drained her. 'I was going to die... I was going to die. But someone saved me... but who?' She didn't open her eyes to peek though, she was too weak. Honestly, the first thing she wanted was to sleep; even if it was on the dirty, muddy grass where she now lay.

The darker haired brother looked to his twin, he rubbed her back and sighed. She was going to be alright. He, Shitte pulled her from the muddy cold grass and laid her on a bed of moss. It was softer and dryer. The Näga sat by her looking to his brother. Watching him leave to go gather something, he didn't care what but he'd watch her. Sighing he put his hand to his left side on the ground, closing his eyes a plant began to grow and weave around his arm. Moving it the plant began to weave itself. It was a tree vine, it's slender stem wrapped and weaved forming a blanket. The plant broke off of the main stem and he put it over his save. It would keep her warm and smell better than the moss.

Shindai patted her shoulder before he stood and left. The poor woman was freezing, hopefully Shitte took care of that. Knowing his brother, the man already did. Sighing he went and gathered thick leaves from a plant he saw on the way there before taking branches and fallen chunks of wood before going back and started a fire. Taking a rock he bore a hole into it and set it on the fire with water in it. Looking to the vinyl blanket he rose a brow. He then continued to make his brew. Being as silent as he could. He could tell his brother was spaced out too.

Reika, other than her shivering and soft breathing, didn't really move too much. Her body was exhausted, and in all truth she was nearly passed out. But alive. She was still alive. It had been a miracle to her; and as he body rested her mind was well at work. Who had saved her? Why? Could they tell she was a vampire? Not that it mattered much, she wouldn't hurt anyone unless she had to defend herself and had nowhere to run. 'There were two shadows... I was sure of it. But am I imagining all of this? Is my mind torturing me as I slowly die?' That last thought was quickly pushed away though; she was breathing air now, wasn't she? The girl barely felt the touches of the two men whom had saved her, but could hear their movement; her hearing hadn't fully gone. However, the warmth of the blanket that was put over her was felt. After a few minutes of just laying and resting and thinking, Reika began to move a little. A soft sigh arose from her lips, her soaked blonde hair plastered to her pale skin; any mortal being would assume it was from her near-death situation, but it wasn't. But who was she to argue? All she'd ever wanted was to be normal, regular again.

Shindai stirred the brew in the stone pot he formed with a stick, it was an herbal mix he usually made for himself but he was mixing it different to be a healing type tea. If you knew him you could probably say he knew alchemy since he used potions more than his magic. Mixing it he looked to his brother and sighed before letting it boil, "I hope she does better when she is more aware." Shitte nodded, he agreed. For now the two would watch over her. As well as keep her safe from further disruption.

Reika remained in her sleeping state for a little while longer before she let herself awake. Though partially aware of her surroundings, she'd kept at her resting charade to try to figure out who her saviors were and if they wanted anything from her; or if they just had saved her from the goodness of their hearts... which seemed to be the case here. Her eyes fluttered open, her blue gaze foggy and disoriented. "W-what happened?" She whispered, her voice weak and barely audible. Not trying to sit up, knowing she was too weak, the girl looked up at the man who sat beside her, and then to the other who was a little bit away making a kind of brew. As her senses returned bit by bit towards full strength, her blue eyes turned a brighter, more stunning shade of aquamarine; her eye color sometimes changed, ranging from very light blue almost white to bright aqua to navy. It depended on her emotion and condition. Shifting slightly, Reika winced and sucked in a pained breath. Her shoulder stung, and she realized she must have hit it on a rock or something when she'd fallen; she'd been lucky she hadn't hit her head and drowned without any chance of surviving. Luck was never something that had been on her side ever since she'd become this monster she now was. "W-Where am I-I?"

Shindai and his twin were not in anyway bad to women, if anything there were timid snakes who's bite hurt as much as a soft poke. They wanted friends, not enemies. The man working on the potion though looked up as she seemed to wake, smiling at her he looked to Shitte who began to speak, "You seemed to have fell into the waters of the area, near drown. We came when we heard a splash." Shindai nodded and moved the stone away from the fire, looking to her the two smiled but Shindai spoke, "I think it is located in the castle town - as to what it's called we have no idea. We just like it due to the forestial place." Shitte moved and sat by his twin, "Is there anything we can do to help you? Anything, it doesn't matter to us. We would rather give to help then let someone hurt." the man said adding a drop of something into the water his brother had been brewing, "Yes, we don't care who or what race you are. The only ones we don't like are fire nagas."

Reika's gaze shifted back and forth between the two males, as if she was on edge. That stopped when the man kneeling at her side spoke, and she listened closely. "You seemed to have fell into the waters of the area, near drown. We came when we heard a splash." The girl nodded a bit, wincing again at the pain in her shoulder. "I c-can't swim. I shouldn't h-have come here." As the other boy spoke, her blue eyes flitted in his direction. "I d-don't know the area w-well myself. I am n-new around here." Her voice lowered a bit, like she was speaking to herself, as she added something else. "Lost, but n-not wanting to be f-found by who i-is looking for me." "Is there anything we can do to help you? Anything, it doesn't matter to us. We would rather give to help then let someone hurt." Reika shook her head, trying to sit up a bit but a pained hiss arose; she had a habit of hissing through her teeth when she was in pain. Why wasn't it going away? She usually healed quicker than this... then again, every time before, she hadn't nearly drowned. Her healing was probably busy repairing her strength first. "N-no, I'm fine. J-Just a bit weak is a-all." "Yes, we don't care who or what race you are. The only ones we don't like are fire nagas." This caught her off guard; could they tell what she was? Even if they could, by what was just spoken she assumed they would hold no grudge. "T-thank you, both.... for s-saving me."

Shitte twitched on the inside, that swim made him want to curl up by a bigger fire. It was cold. Though she moved a little and tilted his head. That wince, why did she make it? Was she hurting? Did she get hurt? Though when she said she couldn't swim he went white, looked to his brother and made a few hisses. Realizing what would have happened if he hadn't gone faster. Though he looked back at her and rose a brow, "Someone is after you?" he then moved in a blink to her side and looekd to her, "You are hurt somewhere?" he said in a worried tone right before saying you're welcome to her.

Shindai looked at her and sighed, yet he looked to his shivering twin. He was worried for her but was there to help her like he said. Turnign his head he saw his twin pale and he did too, he felt bad. If he never got to her with Shitte... the outcome would have sucked. He looekd to her then watched as Shitte got closer, liftign the slightly warm cup to her he smiled, "I think this would help with pain. If you can't drink it... inhale the fumes."

Reika closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate her healing on her shoulder but to no avail. Her blue eyes fluttered open again, and she glanced towards the two brothers; they looked like brothers anyways. It was just a guess. "Someone is after you?" The girl nodded weakly, but didn't really want to explain who or why. She was startled and caught by surprise as one minute the darker haired male was beside his brother, then a second later kneeling at her side. What were they anyways? Not vampires, they didn't have fangs and weren't pale enough. One of them had mentioned something... she couldn't remember what it was though. "You are hurt somewhere?" "My shoulder. But I-I'll be fine soon."

Reika's gaze went over to the lighter haired man, who still kept his distance; was he afraid of her? She pushed the thought aside, glancing back to his brother as he moved a bit closer to her. There was a cup of something in his hand, and she was curious as to what it was. "I think this would help with pain. If you can't drink it... inhale the fumes." "What's in it?" She asked cautiously. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, but just being careful in case they had accidentally put something into the mixture that could harm her... garlic wasn't the only plant that was harmful to vampires. The girl leaned on her good arm, trying to sit up a bit, and managed to do so without putting pressure on her hurt shoulder.

Shitte was concerned, even if it was a minor thing. His twin was probably just as concerned. His eyes most definitely held his concern even if one was unable to see. What also made him concerned was that she was being followed or something. Being a mountain snake/earth dragon he could feel different things most couldn't, the area called him and his twin to help her. Sighing he rested his hand on his thigh and nodded, "It might be bruised." he said with a smile. Sure he had fangs but they never showed as a human. Only when he was in Naga form, did he have for sharp fangs. Poisonous ones that put you to sleep for a while but fangs nonetheless. Leaning over he sniffed the water, "It's tea leaves with bitterroot. As well as Bloodvine leaves to add iron to make you heal faster. Wish it had dragon blood... Smells sweeter and far more effective to heal the body. Even if it tastes like cherries." he made a face then sat back. 

Shindai watched her, he was not afraid but he was Trying to summarize what she was. Till then he wouldn't move much even of he got her breathing again. He made a face at his brother who spoke about his brews but he was glad he explained for him. Sighing he held it to her, hoping she would do something with it. He then moved and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, easy girl. I am not sure why but you need to take it easy. Not sure what race you are but you seem to need more rest. Your shoulder needs to be not used much." he said and smiled. He was just glad to see her alright. 

Reika could tell both the men were worried for her well being, one more obvious than the other. The lighter haired brother seemed to be more cautious, which she could respect; most would fear her, though without reason. Just because she was a vampire didn't make her a threat. She listened closely as she was told the contents of the healing brew, nodding slightly. Once the mixture was held out to her, she gave a soft 'Thank you' and held it in her hand for a moment. The scent alone made her feel stronger, as they had said before. Putting the edge of the cup to her lips, she took a small sip, swallowing it slowly. It burned a little at first as it went down her throat, which had been abused through so much of her violent coughing earlier. But after the burning had gone, only relief and contentment was left. She sighed softly, taking another sip and eventually drinking the entire brew bit by bit. By the time she was done, Reika felt much better; especially her shoulder. She had barely noticed when the second brother had joined the first, kneeling beside her. Not until she felt his hand on her shoulder; however, there was no more than a little sting. "I'm fine. Your brew finished up what my body could not. My shoulder will be fully healed within a half hour, at most." The girl glanced back and forth between the two males, smiling a little, but careful not to show her fangs; she was a bit thirsty, she hadn't had any blood since she'd gotten into town.... maybe a mouse or two if she could find one around. "By the way, my name is Reika Valentine. Might I ask what your names are, so I can thank you both properly. 'Tis quite rude to thank those who have done you good, or in my case saved my life, without properly addressing them."

Shindai just waited and watched her, he loved making teas and things of herbs. Most of all he loved drinking them down, the teas made his body ache less at times. Being the "Sleeper" he drank more of what he made than his twin, seeing as he was not used to being awake most days. Watching her as she drank he smiled, what no one knew was that blood vine was a substitute for drinking blood seeing as it had a weird mineral in it that gave it a property most needed. It was even used if you lost too much blood. So for her that was probably the best part for it and he didn't know it. Nodding he smiled at her and then looked to the cup, "I am Saul and that is that is my siamese twin of sorts - Samuel. We are from the line of Pa`āṛa." yes they had english names. It was rare to hear them but they had them. Shindai's name was Saul. Shitte was named Samuel. It was one of those things they forgot most days. 

Shitte looked to her and then to the fire Shindai had set. Sighing the male then looked to the girl as she drank, "It tastes good right?" he asked softly before listening to his brother reply. He blinked. That was the first time in years since he had heard his English name. Blinking he looked to Reika, "It is our... pleasure to help... We-we be glad to do so.." he trailed off with a yawn. Now he was doing it. It wasn't bad enough that Shindai yawned constantly now he was tired. Probably sue to the new sleep patterns they had.

((sorry I didn't answer, I was busy))

Reika tasted a bit of an aftertaste that she recognized, something that stood out from the rest of the brew. But when she couldn't figure out what it was, she ignored it, paying more attention to her two rescuers. "I am Saul and that is that is my Siamese twin of sorts - Samuel. We are from the line of Pa`āṛa." The girl nodded, smiling a little. 'Saul and Samuel... their names are as similar as their looks.' She thought, her gaze going from one of the twins to the other a few times. 'Samuel has lighter hair... or was that Saul... I truly do stink at names.' The other thing that was on her mind was the last thing that had been mentioned. "What exactly are... umm, Pa'ra?" She asked without thinking, and saying it wrong anyways. Had she been human she would have blushed, but it didn't show very much as she was. "It tastes good right?" Reika glanced over towards Samuel, nodding. "It's perfect, thank you... Saul?" She tried to get the names right, but got it mixed up again. "No... you're Samuel... or are you... my apologies, both of you. 'Tis hard for me to keep names apart." A bit of her accent had shown, though she was too distracted to notice. "It is our... pleasure to help... We-we be glad to do so.." The girl smiled, not trusting her voice for a moment while she cleared her thoughts of the confusing relating to their names. "You have both done so much for me already, I dare not ask anything more." She answered softly. "Besides, it is getting a bit dark. I should find a place to sleep for the night. And no doubt you are both tired as well."