This scene takes place after a playful challenge is issued for Trexa to follow a trail that Nyra leaves to a hard-to-find location.

+ See the Trail

- Hide the Trail

A messenger arrives with a small satchel that has a long strap attached to it, allowing it to be slung over a shoulder for easy carrying. It is empty except for a note that is pinned to the inside, reading simply: Hunter's Pass.

Hunter's Pass:
There is a visible trail of sweetsand spilled on the ground, out of place in this environment and far away from any bathing areas. The random line of sweetsand seems to fade off in the direction of the Rockslide Gap.

Rockslide Gap:
A clean, white towel hangs from the rock wall that contains a slender gap through the rock barrier. The corner of the towel is stuffed into a crack and flapping gently in the breeze, standing out as a bright luxury juxtaposed in the barren, natural landscape.

Antechamber:
The single shaft of light that illuminates the small cave glints off the surface of two objects on the rough, graveled floor. Upon closer inspection, the reflected light takes the shape of two wine glasses, obviously lifted from the Dusty Cantina judging by the shape and markings.

Grand Cavern:
There are no immediate signs of a trail in the huge cavern, and with at least four dark openings leading into further caverns, it looks like pure chance will have to lead. However, almost completely hidden in a shadow is an entire bottle of wine sitting on the floor near the foot of the opening that leads into the Glow Cavern.

Glow Cavern:
There is really only one possible path to take through the glowing cavern, but even so, at the far exit where the sound of nearby waterfall echoes through, a single flower is found atop a basket of pre-picked glows, ready to be transported into the Hidden Forest Cave.

Hidden Forest Cave:

The only sounds in the air are those of harmless little night-time creatures rustling in the darker areas of the cave and the spitter-spattering of water as it falls from the cracks in the rocks above. The breeze is light, enough to flutter a candle's flame but not enough to blow it out. Not that there are any candles here- only a few small glows strategically placed in an wide ring not too close or too far from a blanket spread wide under the pale moonlight. Sitting atop that blanket is Lanyra, her back to the waterfall and her eyes glancing toward the cave's entrance as if waiting-or hoping- for signs of someone else. There is a small basket atop the blanket.

Ah, but Aztrexia is a Zingari Spy Adept. She is one with the night, a living shadow. It is completely possible she slips in without Lanyra seeing her, though it's unlikely. Texas isn't trying to be sneaky tonight, but her footsteps are still silent as a tomb, a habit not likely to die anytime soon. Her own rucksack is slung across her shoulders, along with the bag and items Lanyra had left as a trail. Waving the wine glasses lightly, Trexa smiles. "What if someone else had picked up on your lovely trail of clues? " She asks with an uptick of brows, an apt question for someone used to covering up her trails. Trexa looks around, the soft glowlight adding an eerie aura to her pale skin. "The desert hides so many odd things…. "

Lanyra actually does miss Trexa coming in. Growing restless, she had turned her neck from side to side in those tension-relieving motions that follow an impatient waiting period. Face turned to the ground in one last neck-stretch, it is with surprise (though not fear) that she pops her head up to see Trexa step into view. "You made it!" Grin. Not an appropriate response to Trexa's initial question, but that answer's coming as Nyra unfolds her legs and stands to welcome to Trexa, "I guess I figured no one would want anything but the wine," and she then tips her hat- figuratively- to Trexa's tracking ability, "And you'd have to be pretty observant to see that one." A compliment is intended with that knowing smile, to be sure. Her eyes follow Trexa's, but she waves arm back toward the blanket and waterfall and the rest of the hidden cave, "Including this little beauty right here." As the words leave her lips, she saunters slowly toward the blanket before looking back over her shoulder at Trexa with wink, "You like what you see?" The cave, of course, not that gorgeous, round rump that Nyra is highlighting by placing her hand on her hip.

Aztrexia gives her surroundings a good once over, keen eyes noting places of interest. The waterfall does catch her attention, hazelbeyes watching the water cascade down to the pool below. "This is indeed a place of beauty." Hazel eyes travel back to Lanyra, giving her an appreciative look as well. There's an amused lilt to Aztrexia's lips as she finally closes the distance between them. She lifts the glasses again and grins. "We shouldn't let good wine go to waste. "

Lanyra likes to be appreciated, and it shows on her face that she's pleased by Aztrexia's look and the closing of the distance between them. Her own face turns forward but she angles her body to face Trexa as the trader lifts the wine glasses, agreeing, "Nope, we should definitely not." She gestures for Trexa to sit on the blanket, which is actually two blankets layered, so it should be much more comfy than the bare ground. Nyra herself folds her legs to the side and leans on one hand as she opens the basket with the other, "If you'd like a nibble…" Unfolding the cloth-wrapped package inside, visible is a small loaf of a pre-sliced bread next to a small handful of pre-cut cheese cubes.

Aztrexia folds herself down onto the blanket so that she is sitting Indian style. She peers into the basket and grins, plucking a piece of bread and cheese from it. "Thank you kindly." Trexa bites into the fair while studying Lanyra's features. She likes what she sees though she wonders what's drawing this girl to her. Her face shows nothing of her thoughts however, she is outwardly pleasant while her mind works.

Lanyra pops a piece of cheese in her mouth and chews absently, as if not hungry but going through the motions to appear calm. As Trexa helps herself to a bit, Nyra sits up and reaches for the wine bottle that she can see sticking out of the trail bag, snatching and then placing the two wine glasses between them. Here eyes focus on what she's doing, but curiosity about the beautiful woman is what's on her mind. "Have you been traveling much lately?" Nyra is struggling to get the cork out, obviously not the one to usually open a bottle of wine. In the space of time that it will take Trexa to answer, Nyra struggles with the cork, adding in a follow-up question, "Are you originally from this area?"

Aztrexia shakes her head. "No, I've been in Igen for some months now. " No exact time frame given. "Where I'm from is unimportant, traders are never really from anywhere." Trexa grins, an evasive answer, that. "Where are you from? " Brow is upticked as she turns Lanyra's question around on her.

Lanyra finally produces an open bottle and pours two glasses, setting the bottle to the side. She picks up the glass and then picks up Trexa's in a motion to hand it to her. Insistent, is she not? "I see, any plans on traveling soon?" She starts to take a drink, then stops, lifting her glass toward the air between them in a motion of toast, "To us… and to making 'secrets.'" She puts a tiny emphasis on secrets, either in reference to Trexa's secret-keeping answers or the future possibility of creating a secret moment between them tonight, it's hard to tell what the edge in her eyes means. She then tilts the glass back and takes a long swig. Nervous, anyone? "I'm from Fort Weyr." She then rolls her eyes with a sigh, "Short story: Dad cheated on Mom, now we're all transferred to Igen 'cept for him. Haven't talked to him since." She gives a shrug, still angry at the man who ruined her life, and led to her losing the person she loved and having starting over at this sand-ridden weyr in the first place.

Aztrexia takes her glass with a smile, sipping from it rather than taking a long pull. "None as of yet, the mother clan hasn't returned yet, I am here until then at least. " That much, Trexa can give. "To making secrets." Trexa lifts her glass and takes another drink, gears turning as she examines the seeming attraction between herself and Lanyra. "Fort is a harsh place to live, militant almost. " Trexa screws up her nose, Fort and Bitra…. both places she avoids like the plague. Inwardly, Trexa flinches at the word 'cheated', her very existence wrapped around adultery.

Lanyra is the flirty-type, sure, but you put the 'cuffs on this girl and she's loyal to the bone. So if she knew more about Trexa's feelings on the subject, she might have a strong opinion. But as it is, she can only grasp at any hints and try to pry the information out of Trexa as the openings allow, "Mother clan?" Nyra may or may not have heard of the Zingari, but she'll ask for clarification on how Trexa is connected anyway, "Is that, like, your family? Or coworkers?" Nyra, sets down the glass of wine to pick at a piece of bread, nodding after chewing, "True. Much more so than here." But her voice trails off before leaning toward Trexa a bit, "You like more freedom, I assume?"

Aztrexia smiles. "All Zingari descend from the ancestors of the mother clan, they are like our leaders…in a way. There is more than one Zingari carvan roaming Pern, each with it's own family name and business. But we are all ruled by the whims of he elders and that of the mother clan." Zingari politics, they are muddled and hard to explain. "Usually one clan makes up of three to seven families." But this is well known information, nothing new to clue people in on here. "I…. have no blood family amongst the Zingari saving the woman who birthed me." Half breed. Bastard. Abomination. That's what she is. "I do enjoy my freedom, wo doesn't?" Trexa raises a brow, if she was tied to a clan right now she'd probably scream, having been hid away and keppt on a short leash most of her young life.

Lanyra nods slowly, her face serious as she listens, "And your father?" Nyra picks at the loose thread and tries to unravel more of Trexa's story, taking a drink of wine and then draining the glass. She'd go slower on the next one, but she needed the first in her to take away some of her more nervous feelings. The warmth of the wine has spread in her belly and is felt in her cheeks. "Is your mother here in Igen now?" She noticed the way Trexa said 'the woman' in reference to her mother. She knew at some point that the questions would get too personal but her curiosity to understand the mysterious woman and be close to someone kept her trying.

Unfortunately, Lanyra has hit the extent of what Trexa is willing to give up. The word 'father' causes a visible emotional shield to come up, Trexa's hazel eyes going narrow and stone cold. "Don't know him." Is breathed out before Trexa takes her turn at draining her glass, seting it aside quickly after. "She is not." Answers Lanyra's last, though Trexa's gone cold as ice at this point, though it's obvious none of it's actually aimed at Lanyra. Very quickly, Aztrexia's facial features go stoic, effectively erasing any former emotion. Trexa shoves her distaste for her family to the back of her mind and tries to act as if her feathers hadn't been ruffled at all. "I prefer to be on my own."

Lanyra knew she had been taking a risk and sees the emotional conflict- or avoidance of emotion- in Aztrexia. She doesn't take it personally, yet. They are still new to each other. And it sounds like there were reasons Trexa didn't speak of her past often judging by her answers. "I can see that…" she says in response, but doesn't agree to liking to be on her own. She then lets a moment of silence fall between them, the sound of waterfall coupled the rising sound of liquid refilling the wine glasses noisy in the absence of their voices. She hands Trexa's back to her with these words, "I only ask because, well, I'd like to get to know you better." She waits on Trexa to take the glass if she will, before continuing quietly, "I think you're smart… and independent… and very beautiful." The word beautiful has lowered to a breathy whisper, her blue eyes softly searching for some sort of warmth to re-enter Trexa's eyes, "But you don't have to tell me anything that hurts you."

Aztrexia seems more guarded at this point as she thoughtfully lifts her newly filled glass to her lips, gaze shielded as Lanyra speaks of becoming closer. Trexa drinks and lowers her glass, finger tapping at the finery. Lanyra's compliments earn her a small smile, though Trexa's gaze remains guarded. "You must know by now that I am a woman of secrets, Lanyra. You're smart too." Hazel eyes blink and become heated as Trexa takes in an eyeful of Lanyra's looks. "And beautiful." Trexa takes another drink. "I would only bring you heartache." Trexa can't be anything but brutally honest here. "I cannot, and will not, tell you everything."

Lanyra is mostly quiet and only speaks carefully chosen words, "That's fine with me." Whether or not that is true is another story and will come out in the future. But for now, Nyra drops any sort of questioning, "But I disagree that you'd bring me only heartache…" She tries to smile a bit, a hesitant-tease, "In fact, when I mind my own business, you bring me quite a lot of excitement." She leans forward, looking like she wanted to move closer but was scared to push Trexa away, "You know, there are more ways than one to be close…" Her gaze travels to Trexa's breasts and then below as if to emphasize the physical closeness that she was implying. She finally breaks into a full on grin, leaning back to look up at the memory in she sees in her head, "I remember the first time I met you, I could not take my eyes off you." Her blue eyes sparkle seductively with the vision of Trexa's flesh, and then shakes her head with a low whistle.

Aztrexia clears her throat and drinks, eyes taking a criticl second look at Lanyra, lingering in the soft curve of her lips, her collar bone, the fine structure of her face. Oh, Trexa is well aware that there are many ways to get close to someone. Trexa nearly acts on impulse when Lanyra leans in, licking her lower lip as she envisions tasting Lanyra's lips. "Aye, I remember as well…" Trexa gives a small, seductive smile. Had they not had company, Trexa would have tested Lanyra's willingness for women right there. Lanyra leans back and Trexa lets out a soft breath of regret, perhaps that had been her cue. Normally Aztrexia would just take what she wanted, bold as brass and then some, but Lanyra piques more interest than a good tumble in the spy.

Lanyra waits to see the dark-haired woman's reactions to her gentle seductions, waiting to see if the climate had turned from stormy to- well, a different kind of stormy. Judging the weather to be definitely more passionate, Nyra takes a big gulp of wine to gather her nerves before setting it out of her way. She stretches her legs straight, making a big show of wrapping her hands around her ankles and then running them up her legs to her thighs before returning to an upright posture and looking over at Trexa. Then she turns her back slightly toward Trexa and scoots backwards to be even with her, side by side instead of face to face. "Just getting comfortable…" she offers in explanation. Her hand moves to rest on the ground right behind the small Trexa's back, though she doesn't touch her. She leans on that hand for support, wrapping her legs behind her. She's very close, her hair is probably barely brushing Trexa's arm as she reaches her free hand out to gently brush a handful of Trexa's hair on the side that it is down, "You have such lovely hair…"

Aztrexia eyes that show of leg, hazel eyes warming to the sight, sparking with things thought but left unsaid. A small, knowing grin is given when Lanyra moves closer, the thrill of having another body close a most welcome feeling. She raises her hand, showing that Lanyra's change in location is no big deal, it's not bothering Trexa any. Trexa turns to look at Lanyra, and the loose side of her hair tumbles over her shoulder. "Thanks…" A smile is given as Trexa reaches out to finger a golden lock of Lanyra's hair. "You have hair the color of wheat…sunkissed, most Zingari are so dark…'tis you that has lovely hair Lanyra." She leans in closer to Nyra, their faces barely a whisper apart. "What is it you seek from me this night, Lanyra?" Trexa's voice is low and heated. "Do you just wish good company, or do you seek to see what pleasures I might provide?" This, this kind of closeness, Trexa can do.

Lanyra's chest rises and falls visibly when Trexa reaches to touch her own hair in return, excitement tingling down her neck and back with a shiver, "Opposites attract, maybe?" She leans in closer as Trexa does, "Because I think dark and mysterious is much more beautiful…" And boy, wouldn't they be a sight together? Nyra's finger lightly traces the soft skin of Trexa's jawline to just below her ear- as long Trexa lets her do so. Other tender fingers join the original, dipping into her dark hair and trailing toward the back of her head. Then, she whispers, "I would rather show you…" curling her fingers into a fist and grabbing Trexa's hair very slowly but very firmly as she brushes her lower lip against Trexa's. Nyra gently pulls Trexa's head back by the grip on her hair and turns her lips to the side, giving several soft, traveling kisses along her neck.

Aztrexia answers Lanyra's brush of the lips with one of her own, a soft sound of pleasure escaping her lips as Lanyra kisses her neck. Heat begins to boil at Trexa's core and she laughs, a low, sultry sound. "I am a willing player in this game pretty, but not here. Come, I shall show you my home, and a more comfortable bed than this." Trexa grins and stands, offering Lanyra a hand up. "There's more liquor there, besides." A wink is dropped.

Lanyra enjoys the vibration of Trexa's laughter and voice against her lips, pressing her them once more against her neck before pulling back with a smile. She takes Trexa's hand, standing and ignoring the remnants of the date. She can come back to tomorrow to clean up (whatever's left). "Gladly," she's already trying to head out of the cave with a mischievous grin given to Trexa.