She weaved through the trees with reckless abandon. Any minute, Deryn knew her time would be up. She could feel her muscles screaming at her as the need for oxygen increased and the amount she was able to feed herself dwindled. Her breathing was heavy, little puffs of smoke illuminated the air around her. But she pushed herself harder, desperate to put as much distance between herself and the individual that she’d thought she’d known well enough prior to their latest encounter.<br/><br/>At first, she told herself that she wouldn’t stop moving until morning, but as her body ached and cried out from being abused on such short notice, Deryn found that she needed to rest only just a little while after she’d dashed away. Sprinting was easier than long distance excursions for her, but that did not stop her from trying to run for as long as she could. Her heart thrummed inside of her chest and the blood rushed in her ears. She couldn’t hear much over that dulling sound, and eventually, she decided to just stop. Surely, she had lost him by now, right? Maybe she’d gotten lucky and Malkier hadn’t pursued her into the forest?<br/><br/>Tired and needing to catch her breath, Deryn found a large tree and hid behind it. Her back was pressed against the trunk - it’s solid mass a gift for her tired body. She used it as a support as she gulped in deep breath after deep breath, and then….<br/><br/>She heard her name.<br/><br/>Standing as still as she possibly could, her eyes grew wider as she realized that it was Malkier that spoke to her. Without thinking, Deryn scrambled into the bag tied at her waist, practically sobbing when her fingers fumbled with the draw strings. She clutched the two objects that were located inside of it, quickly drawing them out as she turned to face Malkier.<b>”You! You… you….”</b>She stuttered, frowning at herself as she realized how fearful she was. That wasn’t how she normally operated, and so she quickly threw her head up high and bit her lip to stop her teeth from nervously biting into her cheek.<b>”I came to find you.”</b>She took a step back, assessing her exit options and deciding that she was out of luck if she had to flee. Oh well. She didn’t need those. She had her trinkets and that would do good enough, wouldn’t it?<br/><br/>Her hand tightened around the items she held as she continued to answer Malkier’s questions.<b>”I was spooked.”</b>Deryn laughed nervously.<b>”Thought I saw something awful, but my mind had to be playing tricks.”</b>She took another step back.<b>”Must be tired. It is likely my wound giving me difficulty. Making me see things that are not real. Am I feverish?”</b>She placed her empty hand over her forehead, rambling on like a crazy person as she did so.<b>”No. No, I am not feverish.”</b>Deryn dropped her hand and looked up at Malkier instead of rambling on to herself.<br/><br/><b>”Malkier,”</b>She stated matter-of-factly,”<b><i>friend</i>, can you remind me of what you’re called again?”</b>Deryn held herself still for just a moment before her mind snapped into action and she decided on what course she needed to take. To save herself. To make sure that Malkier wasn’t going to harm her like she’d seen him harm those men. Quickly, she transferred one of the objects she’d been holding into her empty hand. The other held on tightly to what she had pulled out of her bag originally.<b>”I am just very confused because from what I saw in the camp, there is more that you have not told me.”</b><br/><br/>She did her best to make her eyes bore into his very soul - or lack of one - but when she tried to act serious, it always ended up in a disaster. Her lips seemed to wobble, most out of betrayal than fear. She would have to be entirely unintelligent to not have fear - it could be seen in the depths of her eyes - but she was not scared of Malkier. Not really. How many nights had she shared a tent with him? How many evenings had she been in the same forest as he all alone? He had helped her. He had gathered potions and supplies to ensure he could heal her when she needed it.<br/><br/>Was he as evil as the stories made his kind seem?<br/><br/><b>”You will keep your distance.”</b>Deryn stated once she was in range.<b>”You will keep your distance or I’ll…”</b>The snapping of another branch off in the distance triggered Deryn. Immediately, she threw what was in her right hand at Malkier and then began to dash away further into the woods. The object she threw at the winged man bounced off his chest and rolled away. It could be seen in the limited moonlight -<i>a bulb of garlic</i>stolen from her grandmother’s kitchen.<br/><br/>Deryn felt the pendant in her left hand bite at her skin. She squeezed it harder, though, and the metal drew blood from the sharp corners of it’s design.<b>”I will not die by the hands of darkness.”</b>She muttered to herself, a line from one of the stories she’d loved to tell, and reached over to grab her sword from its sheath. However, before she could get it out of it’s case, Deryn’s leather boot got caught under a tree root in the forest floor, and she face planted straight in the dirt with a surprised cry.<br/><br/>Tag:<a class="username" data-user-id="92" data-username="@Malkier" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/92/">@Malkier</a>