Having the other follow her had turned out to be easier than she thought it would have been. Then again, the howls of those canines were fear inducing. Azrai may have seemed like a male who didn't allow things to disturb him or bother him for that point but he knew when it was time to retreat. She was most pleased that he had listened to her, which was the first time that someone had done that for her. A small smile came to her face, even in such a dire situation. She was sure that this place would keep them safe for the moment. Her intuition led her to be sure that this shrine would protect them, it had to protect them. She made note that it was sacred ground; it gave off this vibration that resounded deep within her chest. She wondered if Azrai could feel it too.<br/><br/>The shrine could have been a better hiding spot.  The wood smelled like it had yet to dry out from the monsoon season. Dust lined the floor; she could see the outline of her feet on the floor, as well as the prints of Azraiâ€™s shoes.  It definitely could have been better, but at least it would serve its purpose for now. At least the other wasn't really complaining about it. That would have made her feel terrible. She always wanted to please people. The fact that he found these surroundings suitable made her feel content.<br/><br/>â€œIndeed,â€ she replied out of politeness. She was sure that he had no intention in carrying on a conversation though she had been raised to always reply in moments where conversation was not necessary. It was true that she was still unsure about the hounds, but she had to trust her instincts. It was the only thing that had been keeping her alive thus far.<br/><br/>She watched him with a curious eye as he paced throughout the small building. There was not a lot of space here but it was enough to allow them to have some personal space. She tensed when he chose to sit down near her, after having his fill of walking around the place. She was not used to interactions with other people; it was not like she had any really experience. She was rather embarrassed to even voice such a thing. How could she learn to be better with people, even being in such a small place made her feel uncomfortable but the past kept a large place within her mind. She was rather wary of the male, not knowing what his intentions were. She frowned knowing that it was unlikely that he would try to harm her, but doubt was an ugly thing.<br/><br/>She listened to him trying to relax; it was obvious that he would not find peace here. He probably wouldn't find peace until he was in the comforts of the village that he came from or whatever they called the place of origin nowadays. She let out a small breath feeling restless herself, but who wouldn't in this situation? They had demonic hounds coming after them and still safety was probably miles and miles away from here. She would be unable to find sleep tonight though sleep hardly came to her at all. It wasn't like she truly needed it anyway. The fear of falling asleep and being harmed or killed had made her sleep cycle very limited. Ten to thirty minutes was all that she had allowed herself these days; the Compound was full of people who would love to kill her. It was hard to break out of that mindset.<br/><br/>Extremely hard.<br/><br/>She stopped her thoughts as he proposed a question, opening up a conversation. Vermilion hues glanced over at the old altar, the words formulating in her mind. She smiled a bit as she read over the faded text. It was hard to come by such old text, the characters that she had previously seen outside the new village lacked the characters used in this shrine. â€œIt is a warding prayer,â€ she said gently as she continued to reread the text. â€œI shall read it for you if you would like to listen.â€ She turned her body towards the shrine, bowing low to the altar silently thanking it for the protection it offered. She moved over to the lion dog statue that stood at the right of the altar, she knelt down beside it. â€œThis here is Shiisa; he wards the evil spirits that roam the lands. He is accompanied with another.â€ She pointed to the one on the left. â€œOne has an open mouth to welcome positive spirits while the other one has his mouth closed to scare away the evil ones.â€<br/>Her hands traced over the faded text. â€œThis is in an older text; therefore I shall translate it to a more modern version.â€ She cleared her throat slightly. â€œIn the High Heavens, I call to thee. O Heavenly Spirit, we ask you to protect the ones who are humble with the Divine Light that you shine upon us. Ward off the evil spirits that have preyed upon us and seek to wish us harm. Guide us through these dark times, we offer devotion, prayer, offerings, and love for you, whom protects us.â€<br/><br/>She finished the warding prayer, feeling a bit at peace after saying the prayer; she bowed her head once more. She thanked the spirits that protected the shrine. She removed herself away from the altar before placing herself back in her original spot. The hounds had entered the village, rummaging through the streets. She could hear their growls and snarls echoing through the empty streets. Her heart beat accelerated as they neared the area of their hiding spot. She knew they could smell them, but they didn't move any closer. Had it worked? She heard a whimper and cry as one hound tried to cross the perimeter that was protected.<br/><br/>â€œIt seems as if it has worked,â€ she said with great relief. The sounds of the hounds sniffing around soon faded as they realized they could not cross. She was sure they would be back, but for now, they were safe. â€œI believe we shall be fine for the rest of the evening.â€ A small smile touching her soft lips. â€œShall we continue moving or wait for a while,â€ she asked, tilting her head slightly.