The Field

Who: Kestrel and Alex
Where: Far Side of the Island
When: Early Afternoon
Rating: G

( Indroducing... )

Who: Cross and Helena
When: Late afternoon
Where: A part of the beach where lots of lake seaweed grows
What: They make a discovery while preparing a clam bake.
Status: Incomplete

Helena had a high fire stoked on the beach and a wide basin of clams already standing by for the hot stones and the clam bake. She was tired of grazer for the time being and had decided to quit being lazy and see about doing something useful with the day. She wasn't entirely sure where her honey had run off to, as she was still dreamily thinking of him since the day before. She amused herself as she worked by thoughts that he was avoiding her so that he wouldn't have to perform any more. Or that he felt guilty about the lack of work getting done the past few days.

( what is it? )

Who: Ryan and Delilah
When: late morning
Where: the spring

Delilah ... had no idea how to feel. She'd woken up pleasantly sore and entangled in Thorne's limbs. It wasn't as though she hadn't known how she got there. That was the problem, she remembered everything. It was hazy and surreal, but she'd retained it all. Ryan, all the fun she'd had on her own, and then Thorne. Two men in one day, that had never happened to her, ever. She knew it had been the pollen, and it wasn't as though she was committed to anyone or anything, but ... still. She'd left her lean-to as carefully as she could and headed for the spring to clean up. Halfway there she stopped, blue eyes widening as the realization hit her that there'd been absolutely no protection used. She hadn't been on the pill even back home; she'd had bad reactions to it in her younger years. She was a firm believer in condoms and ... oh gods.

Her immediate first impulse was to find Ryan and warn him. Then do the same for Thorne. She couldn't believe she might've gotten pregnant under the influence of flowers, for fuck's sake! Shaking a little, Delilah forced herself to start walking again. She would clean up first, she would think, she would go back to consult the sticks and bones she'd collected, and then she would come up with a plan. Shit. Shit shit shit shit.

( Shit shit shit shit shit shit damn. )

Who: Helena and Analiese
When: Mid Morning,
What: Talking it out
Where: On the beach, talking it out.
Rating: PG most likely!

Helena felt languid from the moment she'd woken up. She'd spared a few minty kisses for her honey before they had gone their separate ways after breakfast. She was in no hurry to get anywhere or do anything and so, after taking the State of the Union with her two fellow council members, both of whom looked tense and unhappy to her, she'd peeled away from camp. Not far, though. She'd taken her freshly filled water bottle and eased herself down into the sand directly in front of camp on the beach. The breeze was lovely and even the occasional sprinkle of rain was welcome. Helena felt like she'd need to stay visible and in one place today. While a couple of people seemed to be in the same rubbery state of bliss that she was, most were hunched and avoiding the eyes of everyone around them. She had a sense that some people would need a confidant today and so she planned to relax and make herself available.

Analiese felt unwell both physically and mentally today. She wasn't sure if it was the cold water in the spring or being out in the hot sun for quite a while the day before, but she'd awakened shivery and slightly achy. She'd actually skipped breakfast in favor of staying in her bedroll, not really feeling like talking to anyone... plus she could avoid seeing Aaron that way. He probably didn't want to see her any more than she wanted to see him, she thought. She certainly wasn't blaming him for anything, because she'd been equally as enthusiastic about what they'd done. It was just awkward. Finally she got up, crept off into the brush to take care of personal needs and then wandered back to camp and down toward the beach, her cardigan sweater wrapped tightly around herself.

She spotted Helena sitting near the water's edge and plodded over to join her; Helena was one of the few people here that she'd be willing to talk to right now. "Mornin'," she said, easing herself down into a seated position on the sand.

( My Day's Called Regret )

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: early afternoon
Where: The beach near camp
Rating: PG 13

Even after talking with Bazzer, Adnan had spent most of the day away from camp. He'd decided that work could wait another day, even after losing one. And if any of the other guys felt like cutting some wood, he'd marked out the lengths he needed anyway. He just needed some space, so he walked, hung out with Tripper until the dog had presumably headed back to his mistress, took a swim, watched the grazers ... just spent time in contemplation. He was well-aware that he might've impregnated this -- wonderful so far -- woman he hardly knew the day before. It was something that weighed heavy on his mind. Despite the very careful flings he'd had on the road, for a roof or a ride, Adnan took the possibility of fatherhood seriously. Starting a family was something he'd always wanted to do, he just didn't know if this had been the best way to do it. Unintentional, passionate, heat of the moment, with someone he wasn't one-hundred-percent sure on.

So he needed to talk to her. That was a given. It was just how. When he felt like he had what he wanted to say in mind, he walked back to camp to look for her. It was better to get it out of the way, get things laid out in the open, where they could discuss them. Adnan followed the path back to camp, still only clad in jeans and his boots.

Coop wasn't in camp but she wasn't far. She'd woken that morning to find Adnan was gone (but his jacket was tucked under her head as a pillow) and that wasn't strange. However, she'd quickly learned that the lumberjacks hadn't gone off to find trees at all that day. None of this phased Coop, as much as she was eager to see her new lover again. She was thinking much more clearly today and wanted to clear the air. Not that she thought it needed much clearing. In Coop's world, well, she'd already made her decision about Adnan before the pollen, hadn't she? She'd even told him - though not in so many words - that she couldn't spend the night with him without having sex of some sort with him. In blew the pollen and too away the possibility, replaced it with a definitely, and now she was...content. Well, sore, but still rather zen about their decision.

( Tell Me True )

Who: Cross and Rowan
When: morning
Where: at the spring
Status: in progress

Breakfast had been the oddest meal Cross could recall since he'd arrived here about a month ago. People had been either blushy and quiet or almost giddy and babbling to break the air of nervous unease that had surrounded the circle. He felt fortunate that he hadn't slept with anyone besides Helena, and there was nothing wrong with that as far as he was concerned. They might not speak of it in concrete terms, but they were in a relationship. Thus, as much sex as they felt capable of should be perfectly acceptable.

He headed off to the spring with his water bottle, pleased that he felt much more normal today. Most of the pollen seemed to have blown away during the night, and the air was cooler. It was very pleasant, he thought as he ambled along, rounding the curve on the path that would take him to the spring and lookout tower.

( TBC )

Who: Adnan and Bazzer
When: early morning
Where: away from camp

Adnan woke up with the desire -- no, need -- to go for a walk. A long one, before the day heated up, and alone. The day before was vivid in his mind, though it felt more like a dream than anything else. It wasn't; Coop's bare limbs tangled with his when he'd woke up had been evidence enough to that. Not to mention the dull soreness in most every muscle he had. But what he remembered ... he wasn't unhappy with what had happened, he was just ... surprised at himself. After he'd lost count of how many times they'd made love, he knew there was something else at work -- the pollen was pretty obvious when one thought about it for a minute or two -- but hadn't cared.

Now, he wondered. Had the impulses been genuine? What did it all mean now? It was all so fast, and he needed some time to clear his head. Or make the attempt, anyway. He'd disentangled himself from his newfound lover, put his jeans and boots on, and headed out for a shirtless walk, hoping the cooler air would do him some good. Tripper had accompanied him, the hound making sure his mistress was soundly asleep before bounding after Adnan.

With a soft grunt, the man lobbed a stick for the dog, legs swishing through the purple grass, his mind all over the place.

The night wears on, still muggy and damp, for all of our tired, sore tribespeople. In the wee hours of morning and under the cover of darkness a bank of clouds have blown in from the west. Fat with sea water but not quite ready to burst yet the clouds sprinkle the hot praries and the island in much needed cool rain showers. The wind isn't too high but it picks up a little. All of the shelters hold and the ground is so hungry that mud doesn't become an issue. More than anything, it's all a relief from so much hot and uncomfortable weather. The oppresive air lifts.

By sunrise the clouds are hurrying on in the east where they gather in darkness. It's clear to see that the little island dodged quite a storm. The wind continues to be breezy and comfortable. It's a good, sunny day to wash out the soiled bedding and hang garments to dry.

Everyone comes together for breakfast, finding that they're famished even if they can't exactly look everyone in the eye after the experiences the day before. The cloudy feeling in the brain, while not completely dispelled, has been lessened a great deal. Most of the pollen has been blown away but the right look or touch will likely spark off another amorous frenzy. Helena suggests that people can take a second day to recover from the effects if they wish, or they are welcome to resume their work details if they'd rather do that.