As the voices grew louder, so did Holly's panic. She crouched in the shadows, her wide eyes watching and waiting as the voices grew louder. It scared her when they sounded like they were getting closer. She tried to crouch lower, to make herself disappear into the bush, but it didn't seem to be effective. At least, it didn't feel effective....

The stranger came closer as well and Holly almost jumped out of the foliage in fear. She glared at them. This stranger was persistent. She backed away from them as far as she could, while still being covered by the bush. Holly was confused, why were they hiding too? Were they trying to trick her and then give away her position to the other... creatures that were attacking her?! The humans...?!

Holly didn't have much time to think, as the other humans were approaching quickly. Her immediately reaction would have been to jump up and make a run for it, but she was hidden pretty well in this bush, running would give away her position, and she wasn't that fast on her feet. Still, Holly couldn't risk this one giving away her position by calling out to their friends.

She grabbed the stranger's sleeve and slapped her hand over their mouth, holding them tightly and wrapping her tail around them to keep them in place...

"I don't know what you want with me, but I am not going to allow you to harm me anymore!" She whispered in their ear. "Don't struggle, I won't kill you..." She had to admit, even though she was upset and scared, she'd never have the strength to hurt another living creature. If anything, she'd give them a warning and once the other humans were gone, she'd let them go and be on their merry way while she went her own way... It was just a matter of staying quiet until the other humans left.

The voices were very audible now, and Holly peered through the bushes to get a glimpse of one of the humans. They had those strange, bent sticks in their hands with the sharp sticks on their backs. Two legs, two arms. Very strange looking ears, no horns, hair... They weren't too different from her, their legs just looked funny and a lot like the stranger's legs! Holly held onto the stranger tightly and stopped breathing when the other humans got even closer to the bush.

"We lost it!" One of them cried. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to you! I suppose the faun just sprouted wings and flew away then?! You're such a terrible shot! If I had seen it I would have planted an arrow in it's head right then!" The humans continued to yell at each other, as their voices slowly dispersed into the quiet, pleasant noise of the forest. Holly didn't let go of the stranger or even start breathing again until she was certain they were gone.

After a few moments of silence, Holly let go of the stranger and crawled out of the bush.