The knight chuckled faintly at Isabella’s excitement, though missed her look of fascination as he looked up, attempting to gauge where the sun was now. The thick clouds made it hard to judge, but it was clear that it had not even peaked over the trees, perhaps around 8 AM. “Better.” He softly muttered before looking back to her, catching the jovial look in her eyes and the light blushing of her pale cheeks. “I’d have likely gone mad in there if it were not for you.” His body shook lightly with an inward laugh, even if what he said was true.  “I am certain you will carry your weight and more.”<br/><br/>It had been several minutes and each tree looked quite different from the others, showing no signs that they had been there prior around or at their feet. “We’re near the river now. These trees are quite familiar to me, unlike the others… but even this may all be part of her deceit, we must remain focused.”  His tone had grown stern, though more in a toughing up sort of way rather than with anger.<br/><br/>However, even with what he had just said, there’d be several times he’d shoot a glance toward the girl, even slowing his pace just enough to get a better look at her. The water played beautifully with her unique skin, causing her to shimmer beautifully, reminding him of mermaids that he had heard so many stories of. Grinning at this thought, he shook his head, finding himself quite lucky to have such a companion in a bleak world.<br/><br/>The trees began to thin out, growing further apart and in fewer numbers as they moved on. Aluren’s steps held more confidence, moving in different directions and under specific trees as if he knew exactly where he was going. Soon, the rain had settled and in the distance a ray of sunlight had pierced through the clouds nearby. With the silence of the elements, the trickling of nearby water could be heard before them, the sounds of the river.