<blockquote><div><cite>witchety grub wrote:</cite>The two men have been moving all night, fleeing, carrying the body of a woman between them.  Their clothing is ripped and their breathing is ragged and raw.  They are both young, these men, but fear of death lies heavily upon them.<br/>Passing through a wood, the taller of the two trips on the forest floor, almost falls.  He curses, lets go his share of the womanâ€™s weight, and she falls to the ground.  The other man gasps, reaching after her.<br/>â€œLeave her, Tibernus.  Sheâ€™s goneâ€ pants the taller man, wincing on his freshly twisted ankle.<br/>â€œI will not.â€<br/>â€œLook at her, man!  Sheâ€™s dead!â€<br/>Tibernus shoots a venomous glance at his companion, then returns to the woman.  â€œI know, Caius.â€  He says, softly, his shoulders falling.<br/>The woman lies exactly as she fell, face down in the soil.  Her chest does not move, and though the early morning is cold, no plume of breath can be seen at her lips.  Infinitely gentle, Tibernus rolls her over, straightening her limbs, and brushing her hair from her face, revealing the reason for her death; a swathe of blood and melted flesh that is all that remains of her eyes and forehead.  He draws the hood of the womanâ€™s cloak down over her face.<br/>â€œWe-we must leave her, Tiâ€ the taller man says gently, all bluster evaporating in the face of his companionâ€™s grief.<br/>â€œI know, brother.  Peaceâ€ says Tibernus, and bending, he kisses the womanâ€™s cheek, whispers a goodbye into her cold ear.  Then he straightens, squaring his shoulders.  â€œCome, letâ€™s go.â€<br/>Caius nods once, and still favouring his ankle, presses on into the woods, his brother beside him.  The womanâ€™s body lies behind them, and neither man turns back to look at her.<br/><br/>Still, Elana waits until the men are beyond sight before she sits up, turning her head to look in the direction they fled.  Satisfied that she is alone, she raises one hand before her face, still shadowed as it is by the hood of her cloak.  She watches her hand as she slowly opens and closes it, opens and closes.  â€œIt worked,â€ she breathes.<br/>Elana pushes herself to her feet, staggering for a moment as she finds her balance.  Then she looks around, and the hood falls to her shoulders, revealing impossible eyes in ruined sockets.  With orbs as black as shadows, Elana looks about, her attention quickly focussing to the south.<br/>She bows slightly, pulling the hood of her cloak back up to hide her features.  Then she strides towards the south, guided by sight beyond sight.</div></blockquote>