"I'm not taking a swim. I'm following the river," Aidan said.<br/><br/>It was what he had been doing since he had abandoned his home. Following the river had made the most sense, given his ability to listen for it and use it as a guide. Its presence had often comforted him during the nights he had spent alone. He had managed to fool himself each night into thinking that the bouncing sounds of the river were words being tossed up. It was a very romantic illusion, he thought.<br/><br/>The woman wasn't a nice addition to that illusion, judging by the demand in her voice. The way she moved sounded to him like she was tense, or small, or both. Aidan didn't feel any sympathy for her; in all likelihood, she'd abandon him once she figured out he didn't have anything to offer. A surprisingly peaceful person, but she'd follow the same trends as the others he had run into.<br/><br/>"I'm fine." He began to listen for holes in the sound of the river -- places where the sound seemed to fade in the background. Those holes marked bushes, trees, people, and if the bandits were alerted, he'd probably be able to hear their sudden silence too.