@KatherinWinter
"Yeah, I guess we should," said Adrianne, hopping out. She pushed the canoe around with a little strain, then gave up and used the water. "There we go," she said, jumping back in.

"I mean if you want to go back to the tree then we should" max said scratching his head as he looked around. He noticed that some people were going back but he saw the veil of the lake he kinda wanted to draw it but he left his book on the opposite shore.

@Blueflame

Yeah, let's go back Valencia replayed. She pushed with her oar against the side so that the boat would go off to the centre of the lake. Then Valencia lowered her oar in the water and started turning the boat so that they could go back. With the low speed the boat was moving it was hard to turn it. The sleeves of her hoodie got soaking wet but that didn't bother her. Are you ready to paddle back? Valencia asked when the boat was facing the right direction.

@Vampy "yeah let's go" max said as he began to paddle. Max wondered why she was here. "if you don't mind me asking why did you come here "

@Vampy @Mangrale @Blueflame @Arya10108909 @LiegeLord
When all the canoes had gone to the other side and come back the counselors directed the teens to the fire pit once again. "Tonight we are going to create a story. Each of you will tell a part of the story. Who would like to go first?"

@Mangrale

"Ya it was fun, but I believe you did the best out there. Much better then me." *James would say with a soft chuckle, looking at her. The look she was giving him actually was rather nice, he was rather liking it. And yet it also caused him to slightly blush and try to hide it. Though he wouldn't have been able to do it right away, she would have caught his slightly red cheeks. In his mind he is kicking himself for it, he couldn't help it of course. Looking at the water as a familiar black cloud funnels out of the water, though none of the water is moving. Flowing into his extended hand and into the wound as he looks back at Cecilia. Though it's been a rather chaotic day, he was rather happy he got to spend some time with her. Upon hearing the Counselors though he would turn his head and look over at them. Listening intently as he got up, looking at Cecilia* "Well this should be fun, we'll be able to warm up as well." *Smiling softly, and if she didn't get up with him or before him he would hold out his hand to help her up to her feet*

@LiegeLord
A part of Cecilia wanted to try and go into detail over how she could have done better and how James had done an excellent job as the front rower, but seeing him even as slightly flustered as he was caused the subject to slip her mind, her cheeks blushing a tad as she looked out to see Neric emerge out of the lake and return to James' wound. All that while, she watched James without his jacket, primarily hoping the fire gets set soon. She had an idea of what she could do to help him get warm should it take much longer, but the more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt. Fortunately, everyone appeared to have finished with their canoeing and was getting ready for a new activity to perhaps end the day on. She smiled back at James as he held out his hand to her. "Y-Yeah," she agreed shyly as her hand delicately rose from under the jacket and met his. Rising to her feet, she nodded appreciatively at him. "Thanks. Let's get good seats okay?"

@Mangrale

"Of course, not many of us so I get the feeling we'll have good seats. Sure you wanna sit next to me?" *James would joke as he chuckles softly, gently pushing his arm against hers for the emphasis. Though he was mostly trying to cheer up the mood a bit more, he was embarassed by what happened. Including holding her hand for a short while, he couldn't help but feel happy about it. Neric was right, she had rather soft and warm hands. Walking with her to the firepit once everyone else was as he looked at her* "Umm back there, I'm sorry about holding your hand... if it made you uncomfortable I'll make sure not to do it again..."

@LiegeLord
Cecilia giggled a little as he pushed his arm against hers, her other hand brushing some of her hair aside, all the while making sure not to move too much so as to accidentally drop the jacket that was on her shoulders. "Of course I want to sit next to you, James. I still need to return your jacket when we're by the fire, remember?" she quipped with a minutely awkward grin, knowing that she'd want to sit next to him even if it wasn't for their agreement. When following James, she held both ends of the jacket over her, well on her way to being dry, but still really self conscious at the moment. "Oh?... W-Well you don't have to be sorry... I... don't really mind it..." she daintily blurted in a bit of a hurry to respond. She wouldn't exactly call her reactions then and to an extent now "discomfort" exactly. In fact, it felt really nice, although she in turn wouldn't want to do something that made him uneasy.

@Mangrale

James chuckles softly as he smiles at her, though it seemed to make her feel weird when he asked. He thought he made a mistake about asking such a question, she couldn't possibly want to hold hands with him like that. It was just to help her up and out of that canoe. Looking down for a moment as he looks back ahead, she is that girl that should have way more then he is. Walking along as he spoke again. "I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable when I brought it up..." Rubbing his arm gently, he felt bad about her position. He shouldn't have brought it up again.

@Blueflame

They headed back and Max asked Valencia why she got here. Well, Ehh... I received a card one day. It was more like a invitation to go to this camp. My parents never gave much about such things and since I've been all by my self expect my parents I decided to go here, If I didn't I had to go on tour with them again. They where almost back and Valencia looked at Max What about you? She asked when they arrived.

The counsellors called everyone together at the fire pit. It seems that it have to wait... Valencia stepped out of the boat and held her hand out for Max to grab on to, to get out of the boat.

@Vampy"heh yeah remind me to tell you later val" max said trying to give her a nickname. He looked around as the sun was setting and slowly becoming night "I love the night sky just all the stars it's beautiful" max said looking up at the sky.

@LiegeLord
Cecilia remained silent for a time, feeling that anything she'd say would just dig her deeper into the hole she was in. Perhaps she just wasn't of the right mind to talk about it. Perhaps she just wasn't mature enough to talk about it without making James feel sorry for her. James must have had to grow up quickly to survive in the real world, this camp being his and Neric's latest stop. She on the other hand had been sheltered most of her life. If she couldn't handle what must come as second nature to him, then maybe it would save both of them a lot of trouble if she didn't spoil his time at camp for him. She knew for a fact that she held out her hand to help him out of the canoe and she'd do it again, because she wanted to. Once they reached the fire pit, Cecilia made sure James sat down first and came up behind him and gently placed his jacket over his shoulders, her hands lingering for a second. "Thanks again, James. I'll make it up to you sometime..." she said calmly and fairly wistfully before intending to take a seat herself a few feet away.

@Mangrale

*James would have sat first, the silence between him and Cecilia was something that he felt guilty about. Shivering a bit until Cecilia placed the jacket on his shoulders, looking up at her as she spoke and then took a seat away from him. Looking away from her and at the ground by the campfire, sniffling gently and quietly. Looking like he may have gotten a cold but really he was saddened, he pushed her away as far as it looked. Sighing softly as he looked at his right hand, thinking to himself before placing his hand down on his leg again. His other holding the jacket over his shoulders. He screwed up and he knows it, but he won't say anything yet as he watched the fire, though his expression is one that is hurt*

@LiegeLord
Cecilia felt awful for what looked a lot like ditching James. At the same time, she needed some time to get her head together so she could actually talk to him on his level instead of whatever that was on her part back there. On top of that, the counselors had introduced the next activity for everyone: essentially storytelling by way of a group relay system. It sounded like the first participant had a lot of influence on how the story shapes out and she wasn't taking it lightly. She would rush to think of something soon, but kind of hoped that someone would start it off as she was very much preoccupied. The approaching evening air felt cold against her skin, making her rub her upper arms as she stared pensively at the fire. She had no idea what to say to James, but knew she couldn't just stall forever.

@KatherinWinter@Vampy@Blueflame@Arya10108909
A very long minute passed, Cecilia huddling in her seat as her mind raced. Someone had to start the story soon, and she reasoned she might as well be her. Once her turn is out of the way, she needn't necessarily worry about being called on out of the blue later. "Um..." she spoke up while raising her hand a little to get some attention. She wasn't a born storyteller, especially in regards to a story made up on the fly. But there was something about being the center of attention and not being sure what to say that terrified her into getting the job done quickly. "Th-There once was a... wandering minstrel who played his mandolin(?) at every town and village he visited. One cloudy day however, he came across a..." She stopped there, assuming that that was where someone else had to step in with the next part of the story. It may have been more expedient to choose the next participant herself, but instead she ended with: "Um does anyone else want to go next?

@LiegeLord
With the figurative ball passed on to the others, Cecilia knew she couldn't wait any longer, so she got out of her seat. While walking tentatively back to James, she slowly began to notice a measure of his grieved demeanor. Her heart sank seeing him like this, feeling like she had caused this. She had said she wanted to be someone he could count on, and instead she ran away from him and her feelings. From where she stood, it looked like all in all, he really would be better off without her. "James?" she spoke up meekly, a regretful look on her face. "I'm... s-sorry for earlier. I guess I've made a mess of things again... I-If you rather I leave you alone, I'll understand..." Hearing herself say those words hurt in a poignant way, unsure what James would say in response, but determined to listen and follow at any rate.

@Vampy@Blueflame@KatherinWinter@Mangrale

When the story was started, he thought rather quickly on what to add. A wandering minstrel it sounded like that came across something. He was deep in thought, he did write stories before but he needed time to think on it all. Regardless he would speak up after some time when no one else did. "Came across a travelling trader, who's wagon had it's wheel broken off. The man tried to fix it himself yet couldn't, seeing the minstrel he beckoned him over and asked..." Stopping there, seeing how people were letting others do parts he thought that would be an ok place to end it for himself. Maybe someone else would come up with something better. Though it did make him think on writing more in his journal of a book, maybe a little more here and there while at camp.

@Mangrale

Though his thoughts were interrupted as he heard Cecilia approaching, looking over at her as he manages a small smile. Neric was being very quiet now and it didn't make him feel very good, maybe the Void was tired and needed a break. He was out and about a lot. Though seeing her coming back over gave him a slightly warm feeling, maybe he didn't mess up and she needed time to herself. Though when she said what she did he lost his smile, looking at her as he thought. She thought she messed up? "Strange I thought I messed up back there, guess that makes two of us." He would say with a chuckle, looking back at her with a smile as he scoots over a bit. "I saved you that good seat you were wanting and asked for back there." Seems they both were in a pickle about what happened, but he was curious if he should speak on it or not. Maybe later, but he did wanna talk to her about the hand holding. More or less to tell her that it didn't make him uncomfortable, rather it was nice. But he didn't want her to feel bad about it anymore.

@LiegeLord
Cecilia was surprised that James' mood seemed to cheer up. It sounded like he blamed himself for some reason, even though she was the one that overreacted and gave him space while she collected her thoughts. Upon being offered a seat, she hesitated for a second, still anxious about potentially doing somethings so careless to him again. But she ultimately did sit beside him, smiling shyly as she contemplated what to say in between looking at him and the fire. "I'm sorry for leaving you like I did. I didn't mean to give the wrong impression, I... needed time to think," she peered at the fire, hoping he would understand, but willing to say more should he inquire.

@Mangrale

He smiled more when she decide to sit with him, he didn't wanna force her but he was relatively happy that she did. Not speaking for a short while after though until she spoke up herself. James would sigh softly as he listened to her, looking back at her from the fire as he spoke his words. "Don't be sorry... in fact I thought I made you feel uncomfortable with what happened. With the hand holding and such... I just want you to know that it didn't make me feel uncomfortable. He would say, and she may even hear him quietly speaking the next part but in a more hushed tone. Looking away slightly towards the fire* "It was nice..."

@LiegeLord@Vampy@Arya10108909@KatherinWinter@Mangrale
"he beckoned him over and asked "could you spare a portion of your time to help a traveler like yourself" the minstrel thought about this and ultimately decided to..." max said as he took a seat. He then looked around at the people. They were relatively strangers yet everyone was being friendly.
@Vampymax looked over at Valencia. He patted the seat beside him For her to come over and sit down.