Unless your name is in the title, you're not allowed to post here. Got that? Good.

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A soft crackling sound could be heard in the cold night air, the gentle smell of smoke from dead branches and dry leaves rose into the upward, though not thickly. Isa sat underneath a large tree with his back to the trunk, a shelter of branches, twigs, and leaves built against the trunk. His head just barely avoided brushing against the roof of the short shelter while he sat.

Rage slept soundly, her head rested against his thigh, her body covered in his cloaks to keep her warm. She had already eaten fish that Isa had caught earlier in the evening, and had contently fallen asleep with a full stomach. Silver reptilian eyes stared thoughtfully into the flames, an almost emotionless look about the strange, seemingly elf-like man.

Darkness and cold were good enough reasons to stop for the night, yet Thera pushed on wards her hand clasp firmly in the other woman’s leading her as well as she could for their pace.

“Thera” the other woman pleaded, her voice exhausted as she nearly tripped over a root. “We can stop now. Please, I know the danger is still there, but we have to stop you are dragging your self down.” It took a moment for Thera to register the woman’s pleading her mind focused only on the flight they had made. Stopping short she felt the other woman crash in to her exhaling as she hit the ground. Dropping the pack she carried, Thera dove to the woman’s side. Stammering with an apology Therea found her self cut short as the other woman placed her hand on her arm.

“Enough, you are not Alexio you did what was best. Now you must be my eyes tell me about where we have landed.” She ordered as she pulled her self to a sitting position. Thera nodded her eyes locked with her mistresses clouded ones.

“Isis, the forest is deep old plants linger here the moss is thick and the tree tops hid the stars.” She said softly “I see many plants we have never known and traces of frost creep about them all” The woman nodded, her other senses filling in the blanks that Thera had left for her.

“We must rest now. Thera, I trust that we can make camp?” Isis asked after a moment. Nodding out of habit Thera replied with a timid yes before standing and taking stock of the hollows about her weighing out what would be best to sleep in. Moving quickly she gathered the things she needed to make a little shelter for them both.

Isa heard movement in the distance; definitely humanoid, though if they were humans or not, he couldn't be sure. The expression on his face didn't change, though his ears twitched several times. Gently placing his hand on Rage's upper arm, he left it there to ease his own mind that hey would be alright.

But what if the sounds he heard came closer...?

((Really sorry it took so long and sucks so bad. By the way, this is Insane Cricket's mule. ^^;; ))

Thera shook her head at the lack of fallen branches she had found so far, the tiny pile wasn't near enough to do her any good. Giving a sigh she came back to Isis and set the stack down.
"Isis I need to go further" she said taking the womans hand as she crouched next to her.

"Thera that is fine it isn't like you need to worry about being out of my sight." Isis replied, her voice light with humor. "Do as you must, I will call for you if I need you."

Dropping Isis's hand Thera plunged back in to the woods, deeper this time as her mistresses form dropping out of her line of sight. A few paces more she felt the wind shift across her face and the rich smell of burnt wood caught in her nose. Thera stopped her body paralyzed with fear. It couldn't be the rest of the party, they had fled the other way. Dropping forward she moved slowly following the faint smell, her body tense fearing what she might find.


((No Problem))

Isa's ears twitched, and his gaze shifted from the fire towards the direction the sound had come from. The sound hadn't been caused by an animal; he was sure of that. Carefully he slipped his leg out from under Rage's cheek and stood, heading silently towards the sound.

((-Bows at your feet a million time chanting 'unworthy'- I'm soooo sorry. I had really bad writer's block and then I got distracted and forgot and I feel like such an ass for it and I'm really really sorry. ;~; ))

(( Really don't worry about it =^.^= Just so long as you don't drop it with out a word we shall be fine.))

Thera stopped her heart beating as she took another deep breath trying to calm her self enough to move forward. It took her several moments, but with a careful scan of the ground she begin to pick her way forward. Each step causing her more and more fear as she side stepped any thing crunchy.

Her focuses had become so deep on the forest floor she neglected to look up and with a fatal step ran head first in to a tangle of briers. Forgetting for a moment the danger she gave a sharp yelp as the thorns tore at her face. Then falling backwards then she blew all chance of a silent approach as she landed on a number of dead branches. Each one cracking with a good snap and pop as she flailed about for her balance.