Maybe she could find her way back. Later. When everyone was asleep or busy with other things.
The men began disrobing. Shea turned her back and walked to the edge of the rock and set her stuff down.
There was a shout and then a splash behind her.
“Come on, jump in, Shane,” Clark called. He ducked under the surface and then shot up in a spray of water.
Buck and Eamon leapt into the middle of the pool after him, sending water cascading over the edge.
Shea kept her eyes determinedly on the men’s faces. She hadn’t seen so many naked bodies, in well, ever. There was no way she was going in that water.
“I think I forgot some things,” she told him, edging back. “I’ll just head back and get them.”
“What did you forget? Perhaps one of us has something you can use,” Buck said. He slicked his hair back and wiped the water off his face.
Shea shook her head. “I don’t think so. I forgot a change of clothes and my soap.”
“You can use my soap, Shane,” Clark offered, swimming to the edge and grabbing the soap he left there.
“Thanks, Clark, but I’ll need to get my clothes anyway.”
“Just wear what you’re wearing now,” Buck said.
“No, I don’t want to get clean only to put on dirty clothes again.”
Buck and Clark shared a sly look. Clark climbed out and walked towards her. She held her ground. It wasn’t easy; she didn’t like the grin he was giving her.
Buck climbed out as well, and now she had two naked men closing in on her.
“I think the Lowlander is afraid of a little water,” Buck told Clark.
“I’m thinking so too. What should we do about it?”
“Well, they always say that if you want to conquer your fear, you’ve got to face it.”
Buck reached for her. Shea shied back, evading his hands only to be brought up short when Clark reached out and snagged the back of her shirt.
“What are you doing?” Shea shouted, batting at his hands.
“Don’t worry, little buddy,” Buck told her, grabbing her other arm and dragging her towards the water. “We’ll help you face your fear.”
Shea flailed trying to get the two off of her. “Damn it. Let go. I don’t need any help facing my fears.” She dislodged Clark only to have Buck grab her again and force her closer. Clark crowed and urged him on.
“Man, he really doesn’t want to go in,” Buck grunted as he muscled her near the water.
“That’s enough,” Eamon rumbled. “Let him go.”
“Ah, come on. Nobody wants to put up with his odor once the rest of us are clean,” Buck argued.
“If he doesn’t want to get in, he doesn’t have to,” Eamon told him firmly. He was giving Shea a strange look.
“Fine.” Buck released Shea.
She tugged free and whirled on him. Her fist flashed out, connecting with his solar plexus before she could think better of it.
Clark’s resulting guffaw was cut short when Shea shoved him into the water.
“Why you little shit,” Buck gasped.
Shea took off before he could recover, heading back to camp in a near sprint. No sounds of pursuit followed her. No rustling of underbrush or heavy foot falls.
She slowed and looked back, searching the woods. Looked like they had decided to stay and enjoy the water. She heaved a sigh of relief.
That had been close. She didn’t want to think what would have happened without Eamon’s intervention. She hadn’t thought they would be so persistent.
Now, all she had to do was avoid getting caught at the pool before they left in the morning.
She stopped and pulled her shirt from her neck and sniffed. Crap. Buck was right. She didn’t exactly smell like sunshine and flowers. The smell would become overpowering once the others had cleaned. Not a critical problem but one that she could avoid easily enough if only she could figure out a way to access the pool when everyone else was asleep.
If she didn’t miss her guess, there might be a similar one above the water fall. Instead of heading straight back to camp, her feet took her back in the direction of Eamon and the others in a heading that would place her above the small waterfall. She wouldn’t be able to bathe now, but it was a possibility for that night, if she could find a secluded spot.
Nobody paid much attention when she slipped back into camp an hour later. Most chores had been finished, and the men sat around playing games. A few had lain down, using their gear as a makeshift pillow as they ribbed each other or took naps.
Shea headed to her pack and reached in it for her notebook. She wanted a plausible excuse for why she didn’t go back to bathe when the others returned. Studying her notes on the area was as good a reason as any.
Her notebook sat forgotten in her lap as she people watched.
The Trateri were an interesting bunch. Very different from the Lowlanders and Highlanders. Despite the strange surroundings they found themselves in, they had no fear of the great expanses between villages.
They embraced the wild country, even going so far as to pit themselves against it whenever possible. Sometimes they won. Sometimes they lost, but they never gave up the challenge.
Every person had a job. They imposed order out of chaos.
Shea didn’t know if she admired or feared them. Either way, they were dangerous to the status quo.
“There you are, Shane. Why didn’t you come back?” Clark’s voice came from right beside her ear.
Shea jumped, almost dislodging the notebook from her lap. She looked back to find Clark crouched beside her, Eamon and Buck walking up with towels wrapped around their necks and their hair wet. Eamon’s hair curled slightly as it dried. Buck’s hair was so short it was dry already.
“You mean after you tried to throw me in fully clothed?” Shea arched one brow.
Clark had the grace to grin sheepishly. “Ah, we wouldn’t have thrown you in if you’d come back.”
“How reassuring.”
Eamon threw his towel over a branch to dry before packing away the rest of his supplies.
“So? You never answered my question,” Clark said.
He was a persistent little shit. Shea had never realized how bloody annoying that trait could be.
“To be honest, I didn’t feel like walking all the way back there, especially with you two and your grabby hands.” She lifted the notebook. “I thought it was a good idea to update my notes and study the map a little more for tomorrow.”
Clark huffed and threw himself onto the ground, his head landing in her lap.
“You workaholic. You’re no fun.”
Shea shoved him off her lap. “I’m not here to have fun.”
“Says who?” he challenged.
“Clark,” Buck began.
“Well?” Clark asked again.
Beginning to feel cornered again, Shea reacted defensively. “Your people did when you conscripted me into your army.”
She felt bad immediately after saying it. The boy had been nothing but nice, going out of his way to make her feel welcome. Giving words of encouragement after the dressing down Eamon had given her.
Clark’s face just closed down, all the emotion vanishing, until he was regarding her with the same impenetrable expression she’d seen again and again on other Trateri faces.