Teva rolled her eyes. Life was competition, sure but not in the way Elaina meant it. For the angel it seemed to be play all the time. For the rest of the world, it generally was life or death.

Case in point. Chaos erupted in the clearing, and drama with a someone the centaur had never heard of, much less meant. Not that she had time to think about this. Rather she reared as he came after her, even as she shot at him, and made ready to come down on him with green-gleaming forehooves.

William sneered and flew backwards when her arrow hit his left wing. "You'll pay for that mule!" He had barely missed getting a hoof to the chest as he flew overhead using his magic rather then his wings to distance himself. He hadn't been paying attention and gotten reckless. There was no way a new born like her would have gotten a shot off otherwise, at least that's what he told himself. "You where lucky half-breed, you won't be so lucky next time!"
Elaina's consciousness was swimming, "Mmmmm." She moaned in pain from the throbbing headache. What's going on? She wondered to herself as she opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and the world seemed to blend into one. Someone was holding her, cradling her in their arms. She heard indistinguishable shouting and slowly things came into focus. William had a gaping hole in his left wing and was chanting, Teva was below and thankfully still alive. With a hidden dagger Elaina quickly dispatched the minion holding her, he'd been preoccupied with his master's magic. She regained control of her flying ability and hovered over the scene. He was going to unleash something terrible and powerful on Teva, and she could tell he was getting toward the end of his casting. She attempted to break his concentration by flying at him but he had a barrier protecting him from Teva's arrows and Elaina. Elaina dove towards Teva, "RUN TEVA!" Elaina placed herself above Teva, between William and Teva. Just as he released his spell Elaina was able to bring up her barrier, but she had to focus all her energy on the point of impact. She was falling at an alarming rate and as she tried to slow her descent she was trying to hold her barrier together to stave off this evil magic. Elaina hoped that Teva had gotten away so that she wouldn't receive any of the force of the spell. The magic was devouring her barrier and she didn't want to divert it and accidently hit any of her friends. She didn't know if she could survive this spell, but she did know that William's reserves of energy were depleted because of the spell. He'd be weakened for a few days at the least, and that would be enough for them to get away. She gave her barrier everything she had doubling it's strength, but William's spell broke through and she took the brunt of the spell. She was instantly seized with horrible images and pain, she hit the ground like a rag doll and lay there wreathing in pain, unable to talk because she was too busy fighting the spell that was trying to warp her mind.
"You should have stayed out of this Elaina. Now you'll die for your stupid sacrifice!" William's energy was drained and he knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Elaina was dead. At least that was one nuisance out of the way, though it was a pity, she'd have made a great asset. He was too weak and ordered his minions to get them back, they did so immediately and they all left without a word.

Run? Elaina yelled it, but Teva ignored her. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but she was damned if she was going to run. She was a Queen's Ranger, and she was not about to leave an ally, even an extremely annoying one, behind to die. There was no honor in that.

But she only had so many arrows. So she kept to the edges of the clearing, watching and waiting for just the right moment. After Elaina's fall, when the stranger was no longer paying attention to the centaur… Yes, that was the right time. And so Teva let an arrow fly straight at William's chest and heart.

William had turned to leave thru the opening toward their lair when an arrow hit his other wing. Had he not turned that very instant he would have been hit in the heart with the centaurs arrows. He was too weak to continue fighting though. His strength was waining and if he stayed even the newborn centaur would be able to kill him. Taking one last long look at the centaur he placed her in his memory, she'd be the first on his list. Too bad Elaina wouldn't be alive to witness her friend's torture and death.
Elaina was fighting a war in her mind, this had always been her weakness. Though she was stubborn and thick headed about her traditions and actions she needed a strong mind to have any hopes of defeating the demons that were unleashed in her mind. She couldn't trust anything she saw, heard, smelled, felt, or tasted. They could too easily be a manipulation of the world she knew, and she would need every ounce of strength and all her wits to defeat this spell.

Teva cringed. Either she was too slow, or the enemy was too fast. Either way, he was at least retreating, and wouldn't be flying again very soon. She hoped. She'd have pursued him, but for now her ally was hurt.

"Elaina?" She trotted over to the angel, wondering if her field medicine was up to this.

Elaina was in a lot of pain, it was dark and she was alone. Not knowing what happened she tried to move, the jolt of movement sent her head reeling and flashes of light danced behind her eyes. She could hear a voice in the distance calling her name, she saw a brilliant flash of light and a female face. Then she was swirling into a vortex of darkness, the pain was like prickling needles inside her brain. Elaina remembered she had to keep her resolve, but it was fading. Her eyes open to a scene of devestation, her friends are laying died on the forest floor. "NOOOO" Elaina screams, she refuses to believe this could happen. The pain is too intense and Elaina loses consciousness.

"Damn," she muttered, helplessly watching Elaina scream and pass out. Teva was no healer, and they couldn't very well stay here in the forest. Elaina could not be left alone and at the mercy of beasts, either.

Well, fine, then. Teva gently knelt next to the angel, folding her forelegs under her as best she could, and hoisted the woman onto her back, rearranging Elaina's legs so they'd straddle her. If the angel awoke, she'd have to deal with the bow and quiver, but for now, Teva could hold on to her with one arm. She was strong enough for that, at least.

Rising back to all fours, she realized… she had no idea where to go for help.