In the Shadow, In the Light (M)

[Lion]

Jerec knew that for people like him, he could never truly be at peace.  It was more like an imperceptible dream, given to mortals either given the gift of complete solitude or quiet death.  For once Jerec didn't shy away from the company of another as he was so often prepared to do.  She had proven herself, and if she had any doubts about herself and about her ability to trust him, he hoped they were dispelled in this moment.

He felt warm and right all through the night, letting himself drift asleep.  He did not dream, thankfully.  But just let the warmth of her presence spread through him.  He awoke with the dawn again, eyes stirring with the light and the presence of her voice.  He blinked at her stupidly for a while before taking one of the offered food pouches.  He was thankful for her foresight, eating the contents of the little bag, every last crumb and nodding to her that they ought to get a move on.

He stood there up and cracked his joints back into place.  When he turned to hand her back her little baggie, he just grinned at her, a friendly smile as he grabbed her other hand and began to lead her toward the river.  He didn't know why he smiled.  Just that he did when he saw her and it was just as weird for him as it was for her.  He started a jog for the river, keeping a gradual pace that would let her keep up easily.

The river was not that far ahead, nearly a day's travel from here.  He paused at as they reached a man-made road that cut through here, unsure if there was anyone on it.  Approaching with caution, Jerec popped his head out from the underbrush, peering both ways before leaping across it in one fell swoop, powerful legs leaving the ground to land agilely on the other side.  There was no need to leave prints where one could easily see them.  "The river's close by, I can the sound of rushing water.  We'll be there by nightfall.  I'll get you some real food on the way."

[GoblinFae]

This time when he smiled at her Ariel did not recoil in fear but smiled back in turn. Against her will a faint blush warmed her cheeks, forcing her to turn away as she went about securing her things to her person. The feel of his hand enclosing around hers startled her though and had the young girl looking up at him in confused wonder.

Exhaustion and hunger were certainly not helping her case as she tried to keep pace with him. Her shorter legs meant she had to take two or three steps just to match his one. 'I was stupid not to eat. I knew we would be on the move. Why did I do that? He's killing me. I'm tired!'

Stubborn to a fault, Ariel was determined to not admit weakness no matter the irrationality of the situation. She tried to think of other things as she let Jerec lead and tug her along. 'How did Jerec become wild? The way he talked made him seem like he wasn't always this way. He said he was wolf. What does that mean? Can he talk like them? Can he understand them? Why hasn't he hit me or punished me yet? I almost got us both killed. I got him injured. Treating his wounds is not enough payment for that, not when he refused to abandon me. What are his intentions? What happens when we get to the river? Will he leave me after that? How long will we travel together? So many questions and all of them without answers.'

Ariel stumbled as Jerec halted his movements at the side of the road. She had not even been aware of where they were. 'I'm going to cause problems again. I'm so tired. I should ask him to rest. He won't be happy about that. The time for resting was last night! The hunters are on the move after us now. We need to keep ahead of them. I can rest later. Focus!' She shook her head harshly and was just in time to notice him about to leap. Right before he sprung across the road, Ariel latched onto his back and joined him for the ride.

"You know some of us can't do that," she grumbled under her breath. Something sounding much like "little foot" and "big foot also followed although in a quieter voice. His words finally registered in her mind and she froze in anger. 'I'm not a baby! I don't need you to feed me.' Looking at the piece of wood in her hands, she lamented the fact that she could not use it yet as it still needed some arrows to launch. 'I'll show him!'

"Let's keep going," she urged strongly. There was a look of frustration swimming in her eyes as she struggled to maintain a modicum of strength in his presence. "We can rest again once we get there." Ariel picked up a handful of good sized rocks and untied the empty pant-leg bag she had made earlier. 'Has it only been a day since then? Seems so much longer now.'

Keeping her eyes peeled for game, the little hunter was intent in showing Jerec that she did not need him to take care of herself. The closer they came to water the more signs of life she observed. But, what she was looking for was something a bit bigger than a squirrel or a rabbit. Ariel wanted something that would do more to put a dent in her companion's hunger.

Then not ten paces to her left a flock of waterfowl appeared just beyond the brush. Glancing at Jerec ahead of her, she made a decision and wound the first of the rocks into the fabric. Fashioning a deadly sling out, she began to swing it high above her head. The rock released too early and she missed, startling the birds into flight. A curse flew from her lips as she reloaded and threw again. This one was better, hitting a bird and breaking a wing. It fell hard to the ground, still very much alive. Loudly, it thrashed about in the brush and Ariel hurried to subdue it. It managed to add more claw marks to her person before she was able to break its long thin neck and kill it.

Her arms stung were blood oozed out of a deep gash on her forearm. She ignored it as she hurried to return to Jerec. Ariel knew she had been taken a gamble, all that noise was sure to attract something's' attention even if it was not the hunters and their vicious dogs. The young woman threw the bird indignantly at his chest the moment she was within range. Pursed lips and glaring eyes stared at him as she finally spoke. "You're not the only one who can hunt you know. I'm not completely useless, contrary to popular belief," she hissed out before stomping off ahead of him with no real idea of where she was going. All Ariel could focus on was her exhaustion driven anger at being so easily determined in need of caring.

[Lion]

Jerec observed her fashion her sling once they reached a flock of birds just prime for consumption.  His stomach rumbled something mad, but he was grateful it was more of an internal quaking rather than something that was heard.  The birds only ruffled their feathers as the squawked and honked amongst each other, speaking in a tongue others did not understand.  Jerec crouched in the brush, getting ready to pounce when a rock flew out to the crowd.  The birds fluttered angrily.  Another was launched and she finally caught one.

But in her struggle, Jerec couldn't hold back a laugh as she fought to break the bird's neck.  His amusement was clear on his face when she stalked back to him and launched the dead fowl at him.  His smile quickly faded as he caught it against his chest.  She was pissed, though he didn't know why.  What the hell was the matter with her?  Jerec furrowed his brows at her and began to walk after her.

"Why do you mean you're not completely useless?  What are you trying to prove?  And why would you bother proving it to me?" he snapped at her.  "You're going the wrong way, genius!  The river's north!  Not East!  Ariel!"

[GoblinFae]

Fire shone in her eyes at the sound of her true name. Whipping around she threw the third and final rock at his head as hard as she could. She did not wait to see if it made contact as she flew at him in rage. The wooden stick was abandoned, strapped unused on her back as small fists beat against any part of him she could reach. What civility had been there was lost in her more wild instincts and desires.

Something deep within Ariel called to her to tear and bite, to claw and break, to maim and kill. There was no way in reality that she could ever succeed in doing more than scraping Jerec and maybe if she was lucky giving him a small bruise, she was just not that strong to do more than that. But, that rationality would not reach her in this over-tired, hungry, and emotionally unstable state of being.

Struggling harder and fighting more wildly the small form foolishly growled in Jerec's face. Any animal in their right mind would have known not to mess with an alpha. But, Ariel was not in her right mind now, was she? "I'm not useless!" she screeched. "I can take care of myself, I don't need you babying me. I can hunt just fine without you getting food for me! Don't you dare laugh at me again either! I told you that I am not big and scary like you but that doesn't make me worthless! Quit being so arrogant in the mask of humbleness! You can't do everything yourself, Mr. Can't-Climb-Trees!"

[Lion]

And before he could prepare himself she flew at him in a flying rage, the kind he'd only seen on a mother bear trying to protect her young.  But she was not a bear and she had no young.  In fact, one could only look at her small, unintimidating form and laugh at her for all the chest-puffing and barking she did.  But he knew just as well, even a small pup could bite hard as long as they had teeth.  Jerec dropped the bird in his hands as she bashed into him.  He had to be careful not to step on their new meal, never knowing when they would get another one.

But for someone so tiny, she managed to take him back several steps, almost making him lose his balance here and there.  And for all his figuring, he couldn't understand what had gotten into her from here and now.  The animal in him threatened to break through the surface as she thrashed against his chest, scratching him with her nails.  Jerec did his best to maintain his anger, but the levy was slowly ebbing away with every thrash.  He grabbed her shoulders and bared his teeth at her.

"What are you talking about!?  What's gotten into you!?  Hold on!"  Jerec shoved her back and pivoted around her to grab at the stick on her back.  He swung it to smack her on the shoulders, to knock her down, anything to get her to stay still.  "Why would you think I would think you are worthless!?  Calm the hell down, or I swear I'll make you regret it."

[GoblinFae]

The crack of the stick across her back knocked her balance and sent Ariel tumbling to the ground where she remained crouched, ready for attack. "You would further humiliate me by forcing me to tell you what you already damn well know? You are despicable! Constantly saving me from things, determining that I can't do things for myself, always acting like you're the only one who can do anything! Ever! To you I'm just some worthless thing that I have no reason why you let follow you around like some tiny little puppy. I won't stand for it!"

Ariel was not heaving for breath as her ranting ceased. Yet, getting it all out did nothing to quell the raging sea of emotions coursing through her. As soon as she had caught her breath again she was kicking off the ground and launching herself at him. 'If I can knock him down I have a better chance of proving myself. I am not worthless and I'll prove it!'

[Lion]

Jerec furrowed his brows in disbelief.  He couldn't understand what he was hearing.  For all his effort to try to prove to her that she could trust him, and here she was attacking him on the basis that he thought she was lesser than he.  It was all nonsense and frankly, he was sick of it.  He forgot all about his efforts to calm her down and instead felt himself engulfed in as much rage and fury as she.  In the instant she launched herself at him, he felt all his rage transform him into the beast within and he met her arms and put her on the ground in one fell swoop.

He did not fully change, but even his halfway stage allowed him still the ability of speech and he bared his teeth at her, gripping her wrists with clawed hands.  "You don't realize what fortune you have when you have it," he barked at her, growling dangerously and shoving all his weight on her.  "I could tear you apart!  But I don't!  So that's enough of this inferiority bullshit!  We are trying to survive together!  That means doing what's best for the pack!  For us!  And if you can't do that, then don't follow me anymore!  I'd sooner eat you alive than have you feeling sorry for yourself or believing I'm making you feel like nothing!  What part of your mind would believe that?  From now on we are equals and we will hunt for each other!  Understand?"

He didn't wait for a response before taking a swipe across her face, clawing her left cheek with is right hand.  The gouges weren't deep, but she wouldn't forget them anytime soon.  With that, he got up and walked away from her before turning his head slightly and saying.  "I'm going to find more meat.  Start cooking that goose!"  And bounded off on all fours to hunt more game.

[GoblinFae]

The first thought that came to Ariel's head when she saw his new form was, 'wolf. Now I know what he meant.' She found herself frozen in place. The little hunter was very much aware of what she had just done now. One did not go up against an alpha as she had and come away unscathed.

Getting over her shock she resumed her struggles all the way up until the point that he pressed his sharp claws into her face. Even when he got off her and was gone, no longer within her range of hearing, Ariel still laid there in fear.

Her wounds from the night before had reopened and yet she did not care. The marks to her face were not only a wound to her physical body but also one to her pride. She had been foolish and had lost. As equal as he claimed they were, she was still inferior. But, this time around she would respect that hierarchy and her place in it.

Slowly she rolled onto all fours and then up to sit. She methodically went about the tasks of lighting the fire, plucking the goose, cooking it, and completing the task of making herself a bow and a handful of arrows. The cuts on her cheek itched and throbbed, a constant reminder of her stupidity.

'This is why no one wants me, I am a fool and a rash one at that. I am lucky to have Jerec. He was right about so many things. I repaid him by attacking him. Pack, he called us. What kind of pack am I? I don't care about anyone but myself, always thinking about my benefits. What happens when we no longer need to survive? What-stop! Stop thinking Owlet! That's how this got started. Be still and end it!'

She waited in chastised silence for her companion's return. Her hands never stopped moving as they fitted feather tips to imperfect arrow shafts. Yet, her eyes were not focused on her work. Pale eyes stared blindly into the fire, seeing not flames but faces of the past. "I am always the fool." She huffed and closed her eyes. "Ariel the pathetic little fool."

[Lion]

The anger fuelled his hunt.  He needed to blow off steam, a great deal of it to keep from going back and eating her alive.  Why did he bother?  All this time to try and show her some respect, to show her that she could trust him, to tell her that he could help her as much as she could help him had all gone to waste in that single moment.  It was true, though, and he knew it.  They were not truly equals, and could never truly be.  His blood set him apart from the others, and no matter how he tried, no matter who he talked to, he would always be different.  At this, Jerec grew angry again, but he couldn't let it get the better of him.

As he stalked a boar, he worked to clear his mind, taking his savagery out on the animal that he'd chosen for his meal.  As he took his fill of the carcass, once slain, Jerec peered down at his hands, covered in that sanguine liquid of life.  "Why am I wasting my time?" he said to himself.  But he knew he'd made a vow.  Who would he be to go back on his word?  Less than he already was that was for sure.  He was an animal, a part of the sacred earth...  If she couldn't accept him for who he was, then that was tough cookies for her.  He frowned for a moment before cleaning his hands with his tongue and dragging the remains of the body back to the fire.  He looked dirty, haggard, as he dropped the body gently by her side, in a sort of peace offering.

He sat down on the other side of the fire, against a tree for cover.  He looked at her, through puzzling eyes.  What was it about her that confused him so?  She went through all this and still she felt as if she had something to prove.  Were they not in this together in the first place?  He slowly transformed back, hair, claws, and teeth going back to normal.

When she spoke, he looked up and softened his features.  "Fool?  Why are you a fool?  What happened to you to make you foolish?"

[GoblinFae]

Ariel was startled out of her thoughts by his voice. For a moment she just stared at him as if uncomprehending before she at last bowed her head once more. "You were right." The woman sighed sadly and repeated herself, "You were right, I don't know when I am fortunate to have something. I have always been that blind ever since I was a child."

Her hand grazed along her cut cheek as she recalled the events from earlier. Ariel wanted nothing more than to run to Jerec and curl up close to him, to beg his forgiveness and feel the comfort of his embrace. But, her pride and shame kept her in place. "You have been nothing but good to me and I threw my own fears and insecurities at you. Only fools and children act in such a way. I am no child so I must be a fool. It makes sense though, it is the truth that I have always been told since I first learned to crawl."

Ignoring the crackling pops of the fire, she made a decision and rose slowly to her feet. On cautious feet she shuffled towards him with open palms and submissive head. The young girl sank to her knees beside the werewolf, just shy of brushing against him. "Did you have a family once Jerec?" The question was voiced in such a soft manner that even to her own ears, Ariel suspected that she was just a child. "What is it that you left behind, that you run from?"

Eyes filled with sadness looked up in a silent plea. "I'm sorry," they cried. "Don't be angry with me anymore. Please take care of me. Don't give up on me. I will try." Over and over the message seemed to replay in those crystal orbs for anyone willing to see.

[Lion]

Truly, Jerec didn't know what to think about what she said.  He was right.  Well, he knew he was right.  But he didn't know whether that acknowledgement came from just pride and arrogance because he'd dominated her and showed her he was not some fool or because he really meant what he said.  He didn't know what it was be equals with another.  His entire life, he'd spent hounded, on the run, so isolated from what other mortals would call civilization.  His family was no more, he had no friends, no pets, nothing save himself to depend and hold onto.  Then what did he want from her?  Did he want her submission, her fealty, her loyalty, her understanding?  Would they remain companions only for the duration of this hunt?  Jerec became frustrated that he did not know the answers to any of these questions and it showed when he clenched his fists and stared at the fire.

She came closer to him and he didn't even take the time to notice.  Only when she spoke, did his ears perk up to listen.  But he wasn't sure he wanted to answer.  Nobody wanted to know about him.  Nobody cared what he'd been through.  Why would she!?  Jerec growled a little, but didn't know exactly what he was growling at or to.  And it was then he realized that he was just like her in more ways than he thought.  He was just as scared.  And what he feared was worse than death: himself.

Jerec scooted a little further away from her, uncomfortable with all her prodding questions and finally did look at her.  "I did.  Once.  They died by the same kind of people that hunt us now," he said rather matter-of-factly, hoping that remaining so nonchalant would freeze over the hole her reminder was tearing in his chest.  "I don't run from anything!" he said defensively.  "I live here because this is where I belong.  I don't belong anywhere else.  And what do you care anyway?  You're just a fool, remember.  A bloody fool.  That makes two of us."

He huffed and curled is legs up close to him, wrapping his arms around them, clenching his fists so tight, he could feel his nails gouge into the callused flesh of his palms.

[GoblinFae]

"Ah," she sighed quietly, "it is yourself that you run from then." While his growling and recoiling did cause her to flinch, Ariel held her ground. 'Once a fool, always a fool. No point in turning back. I'm going to die one way or another, might as well learn something before I go.'

"I know what that is like. I saw it enough times at the-where I came from. Whether we are born fools or made into them we blame ourselves not for our misfortunes but that of others who were close to us. Your family perhaps?" She leaned forward so that she now rested on her hands and knees before him. "I have seen you in your true form and yet I foolishly perhaps, do not fear you. I fear what I may do to you, or rather what my being in your company will cause to happen to you."

Ariel reached forward and ran a small finger along the back of one of his hands before letting it fall to the dirt. "I didn't have a family." A loud pop from the fire broke the moment and she rose to take care of the food. She worked quickly and in silence for quite some time before she suddenly spoke. "If you want me to leave then I will leave. I will not ask you to honor any promises to such a foolish human as myself. I know we are never going to be equals, you're too good to lower to my level." A wry smile curled her lips as she sat and set about tearing out meat off the dead avian's frame.

[Lion]

Jerec could feel his face grow red with an irritated blush.  How the hell had she known?  Jerec had to seriously fight the urge to put her back in her place.  Who was she to question him?  She who was so preoccupied with feeling sorry for herself.  Jerec didn't want to believe they had more in common than they really did.  But with every word she spoke, every syllable, he knew the reality of it was brushing to the surface and the more he wanted to run away from it.  He didn't need her understanding or her sympathy.

And when she turned her attention to the dead bird, he looked at her, giving her jealous daggers.  But those daggers gradually softened into something less malicious.  He actually scoffed at what she said.  "Too good?  What makes you think I'm so good?" he laughed again.  "When did you get so wise?  Well, I'm not good.  I'm an animal.  I'll always be an animal.  You, you're some weird girl who lives in the woods and dresses in skins and leathers.

"Do you know what it is to truly be an animal?"

[GoblinFae]

Ariel smiled but otherwise chose to ignore his first questions instead, favoring the answer to another. "Perhaps I have always been wise and you have failed to take notice. Or," she looked up at him mischievously, "even more likely, I am still the fool who has just happened upon spouting something that comes off as sounding very wise. But, you'll never know, for really where is that line between wisdom and foolishness, between genius and madness?"

Wishing to keep his space, she did not move again towards him even though she desired to do so. The young woman sat still for a moment deeply thinking on his last question. "An animal, what really is the difference between a human and one? Our morality? Our mind? I have seen wolves more loyal than men and even squirrels who lose more acorns than they ever find oft have more intelligence than my kind. Humans are the worst sort of animals, for they have no respect and value nothing."

Her eyes peeked up over the fire to glance at him before ducking down again. "But, that wasn't what you were asking, was it? You were asking if I have ever felt the primal urge to kill, to render flesh with tooth and nail, and acted on it." A slow nod ended the sentence. "I was much this way when I left...I wanted nothing to do with them and sought to become as far from them as I could. Bloodlust doesn't serve any purpose though. When it's gone, I'm nothing but a cold, useless shell. I will always want to be the animal and will do my best to become so. But, that thread of humanity will always remain and therefore so will my faults."

[Lion]

Damn her and her smart-assed answers!  Jerec cringed inside.  He knew at least one thing she'd said about him was true: he was a bully and a brute at that.  But he didn't care.  He hated the way he felt small in the face of her words, though he didn't know what that meant.  Yet he knew, if he felt small it was his own fault for doing so.  He didn't want to be dissected vicariously through her choice of words and phrases.  Even if it was not her intention to do so.  But gods be damned if she wasn't smart in her own right.  And gods were damned for all the good they did in the mortal world.

"That's why you attacked me then?  To prove that you could be an animal as well?  You didn't have to do that.  I didn't want to hurt you.  I don't want to hurt anyone.  I might be a bully, and a brute, and maybe you don't think I'm very intelligent, but look around you.  Everything anyone could ever need is here.  Maybe you understand that.  Maybe I respect you because you understand that.  Brutality is only the answer when a threat must in turn be threatened.  Everything you could ever need to survive, to thrive—" he paused.  It wasn't his instinct to do so, but he knew the only way to show her would be just that –show – her.    He crept beside her and laid on his hip, balancing on one arm and using the other to feel along her breast, his fingers lingering over where her heart was.

"In here," he said.  "Being an animal means being able to follow this, and to hear the call of the wild within."

[GoblinFae]

Her head shook slightly in disagreement with his assessment but she kept otherwise silent. It would not do to argue, they only seemed to circle around and around the 'why' without coming to the heart of it. 'If only I could explain it better. Not that he would ever understand. Only fools could comprehend the nonsensical things I spout out.'

Ariel did raise her head though when he made an assumption on her thoughts. 'But, I don't think you are not intelligent.' In the blink of an eye she could hear her own voice echoing words she had spoken on their first night together. Between us there has to be at least half a brain even if I'm the one with most to all of it. Words of protest quickly died once more as she allowed her head to fall forward once more.

She did not hear him as he rose and moved closer to her. Ariel did not even realize he was there until his hand was brushing against her chest. Frozen in shock, the girl could do nothing but watch him through her blond fringe. Her heart beat wildly against his hand yet her breathing remained steady, as if trying to pretend along with her that she was not affected by his sudden closeness.

Swallowing dryly, the hunter raised her hand to lay it over top. It rested there in indecision before she finally gently removed it from herself. A small nod acknowledged what he had said and then she was speaking and changing the topic. "We should eat. We need to get moving again. I have already wasted enough of our time."

[Lion]

Jerec noticed the way she reacted, and furrowed his brow in confusion and his hand retreated back to him.  It wasn't like him to go out of his way to touch someone else.  To him it was the only way to show her what he meant.  And they were two people trying to cross broken bridges with no way to find a safe path in the middle.  There was no safe path.  Jerec knew then that he just had to accept her for what she was and she him if they were going to get along.

As she reminded him that they needed to get moving again, Jerec paused to look around them.  Already he could feel eyes on them.  They were far enough away to avoid detection, but they were still eying them like fresh meat.  Jerec sat closer to Ariel, to better survey their surroundings.

Turning back to her, he took a piece of the cooked bird in his hands and seethed a little at the burning sensation before chewing it himself.  Sucking the juices off his fingers, he waved them clean.  "We'll move before dawn.  You look like you need some rest, more than I do.  I'll wake you when its time."

[GoblinFae]

As Ariel watched Jerec reach for and begin eating the bird, she felt her own stomach tighten and demand its own portion. Shakily she reached out and torn off her portion, slowly eating it even as it burned at the tender pads of her fingers. Hot grease ran down her palms and chin.

Glancing to the side she nearly left it there before remembering how much her travel companion hated uncleanliness. Ariel took one of the former pantleg bags, which now seemed to have so many uses, and used it to wipe her chin. She then passed it to him for when he was done.

With a full belly, the hunter could no longer resist the call of sleep, especially not now that Jerec had given her permission to rest. Her knee bounced as she fought to keep awake and alert beside him but it was no good. Sighing in defeat she at last lay down on her side.

Her back faced the far as she unconsciously curled herself around Jerec in a contorted "C." Ariel closed continued to resist but in the end her eyes drooped closed as she nuzzled her head closer into the arm that was propping it up in the place of a pillow. The other hand clasped tightly in front of her in a miniature fist. Sleep slowed her breathing and finally eased away the crinkling of her brow. She once more looked like the younger woman that she was trying to hide away from everyone including herself.

[Lion]

Jerec's nerves were all on end as he felt as if more eyes were coming around them.  The pack has found them for sure, but why they didn't bother to attack, he couldn't tell.  He could feel his hackles rise around his neck and he growled warningly to the glittering orbs he saw around the edge of the fire.  He felt his anger rise and he wanted to take the fight to them.  Oh how he hated being hunted and hounded like prey and it took all his strength to keep from running out into the darkness and doing just that.

He remembered he had Ariel to protect, even if he knew she was plenty capable herself after attacking him like she did.  Maybe she didn't have super-human strength, but she was fast and she had her anger to back her up.  And if that failed, she had him.  Jerec cleaned himself up and let the fire fade into smoke and ashes as the night faded and dawn would soon come.  He took what meat remained and ate heartily as well, leaving a good portion for Ariel and dashing the ashes away with his foot.

He nudged her awake.  It was still dark, but the sky reddened to herald the sun.   "Owlet," he whispered before pushing her awake.  "The river is close, we should go now.  Come on, we can't waste anymore time.  I can hear the water already.  And I can hear the hunters."  He twitched an ear backwards, honing on the sounds of voices coming near.  The pack was gone, apparently back to their masters, but they would be able to track them if they didn't move soon.

"The time is now!"

[GoblinFae]

It seemed as if in no time at all had passed between her closing her eyes and her being reawakened. Ariel struggled into alertness as she scrambled to collect her things. Slinging the bow onto her back she moved to follow right on Jerec's heels.

'I hear nothing. Once again he proves more useful than me. Hush Owlet, now is not the time for that!' she chastised herself, trying to pick up the pace. The sun steadily rose in the sky painting it in hues of red and blue as the pair's feet flew across the turf towards the river.

Their arrival there though did not bring her the sense of relief she had been expecting. The riverbed was swollen from the rain of before and raging rapidly along. Fear coursed through her stronger than it ever had before as she began to realize she no choice but to enter it. There was no bridge to cross, no overhanging tree branch to climb and no going back.

For a brief moment Ariel took a step back as if to flee when she at last heard the howls of the dogs and shouts of the men. Frozen in place she could move neither forward nor back. Memories of the past blurred and merged with those of the present making it impossible for to distinguish between reality and imagination.

Looking over to Jerec, Ariel was able to pull herself together enough to plunge forward in to the brutal current. The moment she was in the waters pulled and pushed her, trying to drag her under as she fought to keep her footing. She knew well enough that the first wrong step and she would never surface alive again. However, what she did not know was that just around the bend upstream a heavy log was barreling down through the waters towards her struggling frame.