Ari was weary. Weary in body, in soul, his steps heavy as he strode past the entrance to this new land. Past the labyrinth of caves and mountains and coast, following the faded hint of a scent. Hoping that he hadn't imagined it in a tortured dream and now was chasing will of the wisps. Every now and then he would catch another hint of that smell and press on. Hardly noticing as the land changed, only tending to his needs when they all but screamed at him. So it seems like he merely blinks before he is in the desert.

Above, rose dunes, painted purple and gold by sunset. He studied one before choosing a route upwards, deceptively nimble. Hardly sinking in the treacherous slope of sand until finally he reaches the top. Gaze scans the area, jaws opening, nothing. She was not here and he was alone.

Well.. might as well. The serious, driven man laid his armor down for but a moment. Letting it sit there in the dying sun, glinting as he turns to the slope he just climbed. Bracing his legs just so, bending low, he shuffle steps downhill until he begins to slide. Picking up speed and sand surfing down the dune. A wild grin threatened to break across his face; he hadn't done this since he was a kid. It was exactly the sort of pick me up he needed before he continued his quest.

@Mirza

She had seen so much scenery since she managed to find her way through the pass, entering this vast new place and finding herself further from home. It all blurred together in her mind, so much so that she couldn't begin to tell you where she had been. All she knew, was that at some point a few nights ago, she had smelled the familiar scent of sand, so rich and earthy and calling to her like a warm bed after a long day. She had made her way to the dunes and had her fill of rolling in the sand, digging in it, chasing ripples as the terrain shifted in the breeze. And yes, she had even slid down a few dunes... And then, she slept, slept a deep healing sleep that only the feeling of home could bring. She had wanted so badly for this to be home, but, as the sun began to set once more, she had groaned with the acceptance of the fact that she would never be home again. She almost missed the soft clanking of armor due to her lamenting, almost. Unsure of what that sound could possibly be, she followed it, and low and behold... what a sight there was to see. There he was, the bastard! That good-for-nothing "body-guard" who had let her get away from him and left her to wander the entire freaking WORLD on her own. And he was having the time of his life! "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?" She snarled at him, stomping over to where he had left his armor and slapping it in his direction. Oh, she hoped it hit him, the big idiot. "You aren't even trying to find me?! You just left me to DIE out there!" Her words grew louder and more shrill as she continued to kick things at him, first a rock, then another, then a poor lizard who had the misfortune of passing by. "How COULD YOU?"

It seemed his charge had an innate talent to catch him at the worst moment. It was both annoying and irritating but also somehow endearing and charming in a way that you had to look at it sideways to understand. However in this case the former was the only thing that applied. Because her shout had his head snapping to her, wild grin winking out. "Mirz-" he begins before loosing his balance and tumbling head over heels down the dune. The rock soared overhead, missing him by a mile, before finally, way down below he stops. Lays there a moment as he draws hot air into his winded lungs. A pebble struck him now and he jerks upright, a puppet coming to life. He is thin, and scruffy, world worn but very much present. Blue orbs search wildly, scanning and then there she was. His ward, in fine form, screaming her head off. A sigh, part relief, part long suffering escapes him. Then he moves, a moon to the planet he orbits, though not one that formed when the planet did. Oh no, he was a wanderer caught in the gravity and could not tear away, and at this point didn't really wish to. This was what he had been born for, trained for, and the mantle of responsibility, duty, and the armor he had briefly set aside settled on his shoulders. Stiffening his spine and letting him approach with his token blandness. "I am glad you are alive. I have been searching for you everywhere." He states, surprised to find the former statement true. As prickly as his charge is, he had missed her company thorns and all. And thus the guardian returned to his place at her side, just a fraction further away than usual to prevent an unlucky(or probably lucky in her opinion) stone from hitting him in the eye. That, and, impeccably polite man did not know if she wanted him at her side again. This was a compromise. Close enough to protect but far enough to spare her if she did not wish his company as it had been.

"Clearly." She snapped, watching his body language change completely at the realization that his newfound freedom was over once more. She almost felt bad for the rigid way his body contorted as the momentarily fun-loving brute withered back into the businessman she had known for so long. He was once again the tin soldier, boring and lacking in any personality whatsoever. Moreover, he looked like he had fallen down a mountain face-first and hit every tree on the way down. She scrutinized him with a cold scowl. "Gods what have you done to yourself? You don't look like you could protect the flea nibbling on your scrawny ass much less ME. You need to eat something..." She turned away from him and started moving towards the smell of water. "And a bath. You are more nauseating than usual Ari." She didn't mention the fact that she had thought he might have been dead, or how happy she was to no longer be alone.

A wince, the man out of practice from their time apart flickered on his face at her clearly. Damn it. He did not like showing emotion to her because it was improper; the charge should not feel bad for their guardian. That and she tended to weaponize everything... Something that led to him being awfully careful how and what he spoke of. She was in part why he was her tin soldier; it was either that or be torn apart by her wicked tongue. She continued and he followed, maintaining the slightly further away distance. "Ragged I may be but I will not or shall not shirk my duty to you." He states, scenting the water she paced towards. Wishing she would speed up thank you so he could get a drink and a bath in that order. "And you are in fine form, charming and demure." He utters, and then stops dead.

Did he really just say that? Yes, yes he did.

Eyes glance heavenward praying to their gods because surely they would smite him where he stood. He had just back talked to an Azar, his ward and that was not his place. Damn the time apart and the woman he had met. He had lost the control he had prided himself on. Glancing back at her, he rumbles. "Forgive me. I did not mean to insult you Mirza." He states and looks down, away and falls silent. Awaiting whatever punishment she deemed fit for a wretched lowly fool who had spoken out of turn like a cub at a kill.

The lioness stops dead in her tracks when his snarky words reach her. She looks at him over her shoulder her face awash with amusement. "Did you just......?" She watched the panic on his face at his actions, watched him swallow down any pride he had as he seemed to beat himself into submission. Oh to be in his mind for a moment, to hear the way he must speak to himself in his head. It was probably similar to the way she had been speaking to herself lately honestly. Another chink in his armor? Was this man not just a mindless drone? And then he flipped the switch... he apologized. She snarled at him and rolled her eyes before going back to walking. "Oh do shut up, your groveling is pathetic. Do you think me so frail that I can't handle a bit of PERSONALITY coming from you? And I'll have you know that my form is absolutely fine, every curve right where it should be." She added a bit of sultry wiggle to her walk to bring home the point and giggled at herself.

She had stopped dead at his words and he dreaded what was to come next. He had fucked up royally and he was determined to swallow his pride, his sense of self and take whatever weapon she impaled him on. Asking him if he had and he looks away in confirmation. Yet, it is not the words offered with a touch of snark that offend her, set her to snarling. But his apology. He looks up, surprised, perhaps a bit hurt, but mostly just confused. Something in their dynamic had changed since the nightmare of the overthrow and the control, the politeness, the duty that had served him well and protected his heart were no longer applicable. An apology earning anger, a step out of line earning praise, and flirting? His brain all but stops at the little wiggle and talk of curves; he has no frame of reference for that. Their had always been a relationship of his quiet guarding and her trying to get a rise from him. Something she had not gotten much, if at all, until now. He shakes his head, realizing she has gotten out his reach as he blue screens and catches up. Ever the dutiful guardian and yet she wants him to step out of line? "You know I did not mean it in that way." He tries, tone careful, gentle, as he corrects her as politely as he could manage. Maybe this change was a good thing?

She snorts at his tone "You never do. Step up the pace you big lug, the water smell is getting closer and I am counting down the steps until you get a bath." She pretends to gag and moves into a slight trot, trying to cover more ground quicker. Making her way over the sandy terrain, she lets her mind wander back to home and the way the sand felt on her toes growing up. It had been softer than it was here, warn down by harsh winds and unrelenting sun. After quite a bit of traveling, she looked up at the horizon just as the sun cut below the earth, causing her to suddenly be aware of how dark it had become. Even in her homeland, it had been a bad idea to travel at night, the sands ever moving, shifting, and changing the terrain constantly. She looked around a moment before her eyes rested on her companion, they didn't know this place as they did home. Sighing, she back-tracked until she was beside him again. "Look at that, your slow ass wasted the little bit of light we had. Now we are going to have to rest, I'm not wandering in a strange place in the dark, and you don't look strong enough to keep going without rest." What she meant was... it is not safe, and you look tired. But she'd never say that.

He is like a newborn gazelle, trying to find his feet right now. At least she had not changed despite the dynamic being night and day from before. He huffs quietly at her words, keeping up easily. He didn't smell that bad thank you. Silence fell and he followed her, loyal hound to the huntress, and as the last rim of the sun falls below the horizon she stops. Looks around at the darkness and declares it's his fault. And then tells him that he looks too weak to continue. The tin soldier draws himself up, peering at her, taking mild offense to the comment. "I am fine. We need to find that water and then a place defensible for you to sleep" he states in a tone that brokered no argument. Water was lifeblood in the desert and they both needed it despite the danger of night. Not to mention, now that they were both here, she needn't worry about her safety a moment longer. He would serve that purpose. Fending off whatever ill things were thrown at her. Sure, no one watched his back but he himself and that was not really a back worth defending. Not when he had failed his ward so thoroughly.

She opens her mouth to argue, but something in his tone takes her mind back to a night she didn't want to remember. She sighs, shaking off the memory, and waves him forward. She knows for a fact that if she refuses to move, he will just pick her up and make her move, and then she'd have to kill him and it would be awfully boring without him to pick on. "Go on than white night, lead the way... you can step on all the rocks and get spiders in your mane from here on out then." She gives him a snarky smirk and stands tall, waiting for him to take lead.