everyone_takes | (no subject)

Even now, with all her stuff prepared and the canoe pulled up onto the sand, Kate knew she wasn't exactly the camping type. It had taken her way too long to realize that she'd forgotten to pack any water, even though she'd remembered food, a sleeping bag and a flashlight. The serious lack of water was the reason she was late now, jogging along the boardwalk to where she'd left the canoe, hoping Effy hadn't been there for ages already, waiting for her. Not that she was particularly punctual most of the time, so it probably wasn't even a surprise.

And even though she knew she wasn't the camping type, she was excited for the trip. In all the time Kate had been on the island, she'd never done anything like this. Killer stuffed animals hardly counted as an adventure, since that wasn't exactly the sort of fun anyone went looking for. She hadn't been to see the dinosaurs, hadn't gone down into that underground city, hadn't changed bodies with anyone -- though she had been a dude for a few days, which had been sort of fun. This, though, was planned.

On top of that, she'd never really gone on any sort of trip with a girl friend before. She and Tara had done that weekend trip that had ended pretty okay, even if it had started off rough, but she'd never done anything like this. By eighteen, she figured it was the sort of thing everyone had done, but not Kate. Of course, by eighteen, most girls hadn't done half the shit she'd done, but that sort of wasn't the point.

"Hey!" she called as she finally made her way to the beach, breathing hard and skidding in the sand a little. She dropped her pack as she tried to catch her breath, then waved her hand absently at the canoe. "Sorry. Forgot water. Had to go all the way back."

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It's not normally a gesture Kate would feel comfortable with, but there's always been something different about Effy and she doesn't give their linked hands a second thought. It feels natural, really, which isn't something she's ever had with a friend before, only Marshall.

"Should we leave our stuff here?" she asks, looking around the hut. It hasn't been touched in a long time, but it doesn't feel as creepy as she thought it might. It's the sort of place she wouldn't mind camping out in, even with all the things left behind. "Just take some water and food and then we can come back here for a fire and ghost stories?" she asks, looking at Effy with a grin.

"Leave the shit," Effy grins, raised only higher when Kate's hand seems to fit so naturally against her own. It reminds her of the way things used to be with Pandora, lovely Pandora who followed after Effy because she was cool, because she needed someone, because they were right for each other in spite of all of the ways that they were wrong, too. Teeth biting down lightly on her tongue, Effy tugs in the direction of the exit.

"Find whatever we need to eat tonight, find a light, we'll make our way back before it's too late." With a smile, Effy glances in Kate's direction. "'less you think we can stay there all night. I might be too scared."

"Being scared might not be a problem, but there's no way in hell I'm sleeping outside all night," Kate answers, following Effy easily, almost as easily as she follows Marshall. It's natural, which in itself is strange sometimes, because it's never been natural for her to follow anyone. Kate's spent most of her life trying to be on her own, refusing to let anyone but her brother take care of her because, as much as she loves her parents, they've never quite done it properly.

They exit back out into the sun and Kate points to the path leading off to their left. "That way," she says, although she doesn't know if that's the right way. The island isn't that big, though, if they need to, they can walk around the whole thing in search of the wrecked boats.

Carefully, Effy glances up at the sun, makes note of its position and the shift from where it was only minutes ago. Although north and south have far less meaning on an island that looks from above to be completely flat, still it helps with picking directions; for now, they head west with the sun, and it feels to Effy like anything could happen along the way.

"Promise I won't leave you out to dry," Effy says, voice barely above her breath as they step forward.