Lydia crept through the woods after Shenyo but she noticed that the deeper they went and the thicker the foliage the lighter she felt. Once, she would have sworn a tree bough caressed her on the way by. She turned her head sharply but the tree stood still with only the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze.<br/><br/>Her magic was elemental magic and as such, Nature had an affinity for her. Never had her skills as a witch been called into the forefront as now and so had never had a chance to see how creation rallied around her. In the distance, she could hear the rush of water.<br/><br/>“I hope that is a waterfall,” she whispered to Shenyo. His entire body seemed to shriek “alert”. His ears swiveled to detect any sign of danger. Lydia held her breath until her ribs ached before she would take the tiniest of breaths to tide over her lungs.<br/><br/>Birds had sung and flittered around them while they stealthily made their way along a deer trail. Once or twice, Lydia caught sight of a rabbit in the undergrowth or a busy squirrel chattering overhead. Suddenly her blood ran cold and she froze in place. There was no longer a sense of safety but one of caution. She and Shenyo melted back into the glade as stumbling footsteps began apparent.<br/><br/>“Vlad, I wish you would stop falling over your own feet.” A deep voice commanded in a take no nonsense tone. The small hair on the back of Lydia’s neck stood up.<br/><br/>“Kasmir, that is the fourth time a tree root has risen from the ground to trip me.” The other voice as commanding as the first remarked.<br/><br/>“Now you say the trees in the forest conspire to hinder you?” the first man demanded. “You need to feed if your brain is that addled.”<br/><br/>“I fed off that village the same as you. I am not in need of sustenance. Have you seen any sign of the pair of them?” He snapped, making a demand of his own.<br/><br/>Lydia risked a look at Shenyo but he was as still as a stone.<br/><br/>“How could anyone escape the House? Why could I not find a body skewered by mystical swords? Where is the body of the succulent body of the witch or the delectable body of the wereanimal?”<br/><br/>“We won’t find them standing here arguing.” The deeper voice accused. “If you are finished resting your delicate feet, I suggest we get on with this quest.”<br/><br/>The voices became fainter on the well traveled footpath just yards farther from the deer trail.<br/><br/>“What did we do to get elected to run those two to ground?”<br/><br/>Lydia’s heart pounded in her chest and she was afraid the sound was audible. She wound her fingers with Shenyo’s needing to touch something sane and solid. Finally, the birds began to flit and sing once more.<br/><br/><br/><br/>