<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 2em;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Ashley</strong> in the woods with Mr. Slate</span><br/><br/></span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 1.45em;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">Ashley, looking confused for a moment, turned away from the direction they were heading and tugging on Slate's hand, encouraged, "this way."  Blushing at her confusion in direction, she explained, "I am sorry, I got turned around in my head and the noise is coming from this direction," she pointed through a small break through the heavenly scented blooms of two apple trees.</span><br/> <br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">Thinking a moment, she added, "It could be the hunting party, but what such a volley of shots would mean, I don't know."</span><br/> <br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">Her face had smoothed somewhat and the fear banked, become more of a lurker in her eyes since Slate had taken hold of her hand. With her free hand, she held tightly to the dagger they had pulled off the dead soldier, and hoped what she would not have cause to use it.</span><br/> <br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">Moving closer to Slate, she looked up at him, and giving him a small smile nodded and said, "I am ready, shall we go see the cause of the noise?"</span></span>