You're never really aware of yourself until you realize you've reached the end. Once you cross that line, it's automatic. You can't stop it- you're just a spectator to your own death. You can hear nothing but the pounding of your heart and the rush of your blood. You can feel nothing but burning lungs, your legs moving faster and faster despite the fact that they should have given out miles ago.

Leila didn't know why she was still running. She couldn't stop. She was just a spectator to the events that were now unfolding. Even though she knew what was coming now, she did not feel anxiety or fear, but simple and utter relief. It was over. Finally, after years and years, she had to run but a little farther and she would never have to take another step.

But, still, why did she run? Is it such a basic instinct to survive, to press on, even when there is nothing? She could stop. The men chasing her would surely deliver her to an inevitable end. But she did not stop. She kept going. On and on and on past the limit she ever realized her body could take. If it was to be her end, it would truly be hers. Cowardly as it may be to run, she would have this on her terms. The only thing she would ever have on her terms in her life was the act of extinguishing it.

The trees grew scarce. Leila had weaved through them effortlessly, their dark, twisted branches latched onto her as if to slow her down, but she was fast and the end was in sight. Breaking through the tree line, she looked up. Masser and Secunda reared their beautifully blemished faces out from behind the clouds to give her audience. The stars peeked and shone brilliantly through the black veil as the Aurora lights blanketed the sky.

Leila didn't watch where she was going- she didn't need to. She kept her eyes on the sky, finding comfort in knowing that there was a beauty more everlasting than the evils of men. It gave her hope. And as she ran off the cliff, fading quickly and falling fast- it gave her peace.

It was late morning when Farkas decided to step off the road and take a path that led him to a river's edge. He'd just finished clearing out a cave of bandits- his latest assignment for the Companions. He expected to be back in Whiterun by dusk, if not sooner.

He made his way down to the river bank, his heavy armored boots stomping through the mud, and crouched by the side of the water. Cupping some into his large hands, he splashed it over his face and on his neck. He didn't need to rest, but a small break was a welcomed one. However, he didn't plan on staying any longer than he needed to. But, as he stood, something caught his attention a little further down the river bed.

With his curiosity grabbing the better of him, he made his way over with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Not that he was particularly worried about an ambush. Even if that were to happen, he could easily manage it by himself. But, as he got closer, he realized it was the figure of a person- a woman, laying there motionless.

Farkas quickly rushed over and crouched at her side. She was so frozen to the touch that he didn't suspect she could be alive. Gently, he rolled her over onto her back. Her lips were blue and her skin was pale as death. He checked for a pulse but couldn't feel anything.

"Hey," he said loudly, "hey lady, you alive in there?" He waited for a moment, but there was no response. He was about to stand up when the woman's head rolled from side to side and she mumbled something that he couldn't understand. "What?" he asked, but she didn't say anything more.

There was no way Farkas could leave her here. She would certainly die if he did. Scooping her into his arms, he held her close to his body, hoping to share some of his warmth. He had taken a back road, there were no stops between here and Whiterun. He would have to get her to Danica and quickly, though it didn't look like the chances of the girl lasting two miles was very likely. He carried her bridal style and kept a quick pace. Every now and then he would see her eyes flutter and then be still again. "Just hang on a little longer." he would tell her, not knowing if she could actually hear him or if she had any conscious awareness at all.

Her skin began to unthaw in the midday sun, which Farkas took to be a good thing. He'd managed to keep a fast pace for an immense distance and soon enough the city of Whiterun was on the horizon. "We're almost there," he told her. He hadn't seen her eyes flutter anymore, but he didn't stop to waste the time to check if she was breathing. He would just assume that she was and take her to the Temple of Kynareth.

When the guards saw him running up the road with the unconscious woman, they quickly opened the gates and let him through. The townsmen watched as he passed them by, quickly climbing the stairs to the residential district. "Open the door!" he shouted as he made his way towards the temple. A guard opened it for him and he rushed inside. "Danica! This woman needs help. Now."

Danica, an older woman in orange and yellow hooded robes, stopped whatever it was she was doing and rushed over. "Set her on the table there," she told him. She grabbed onto the woman's wrist and placed a hand on her chest. "The life within her is faint. Very faint. But I will do what I can to revive it. How did you come across her?" She asked, gliding her hands over the girl's body, aglow with the blessings of healing.

"She was lying face down on a river bank," he informed her.

Danica pursed her lips in response and started giving orders to her apprentices, asking them to bring her various items that Farkas wasn't familiar with. "We're going to need space, I don't know how long with this will take or if I can revive her, but I ask that you return to Jorrvaskr. I will inform you of a change."

Farkas didn't want to leave the woman- he felt it was his duty to watch over her until she was better. Or until the alternative took place. But, he knew he could offer no assistance and that Danica was good at what she did. So, without a word, he turned and left the temple.

As he entered Jorrvaskr, his friends greeted him from the large table that squared around the fire pit. "Farkas has returned to us earlier than expected! Come, brother, eat and give us tale of your latest adventure." Aela, said, raising her tankard in his direction.

Farkas had no appetite despite having physically strained himself, "where is Vilkas?" his tone was serious and his friends quickly realized that something was off.

"He's in the yard with Kodlak."

Without further hesitation, Farkas made his way outside, where his brother Vilkas and Kodlak stood conversing with one another. "Farkas, you've returned sooner than I thought you would," Kodlak said, noticing the man's presence.

Vilkas smiled at his brother, but it quickly faded as he saw the look in his eyes, "what is it? What's happened?"

"I found a woman. On my way back. I thought her dead, but she breathed barely. She is with Danica now."

"Well, if anyone knows what to do it would be her. She couldn't be in better care," Vilkas reassured. "You did a noble thing, brother, you may have just saved that girl's life."

"Danica says she'll send someone if there's a change," Farkas informed.

"Well," Kodlak chimed in, "until then you should get some rest, eat some food."

Farkas shook his head, "I'm going to wait outside the temple. Stand guard."

Kodlak and Vilkas looked after the man as he walked past them and out of their sight. Farkas returned to the temple and stood outside of the door, waiting. It didn't matter how long he had to wait. And so he stood there. For a very long time. The midday sun gave into a colorful evening and that, too, eventually faded as the sky darkened. The moths danced around the torches and the shops closed as people returned to their homes for the night. There was still no word. The temple door hadn't opened. Whether that was a good sign or a bad one, Farkas didn't know.

Vilkas made his way down the steps of Jorrvaskr and across the square to where Farkas stood. He admired his brother's endurance and strength- it was something that never seemed to fail him. "No word yet?" Vilkas asked.

"No," Farkas responded.

"If you want, brother, I will wait for the news of the girl and you can go rest."

"No. I need to be here."

"I figured you'd say as much, but I thought I'd ask anyways. You mind if I wait with you a while then? I'm curious to see if the girl makes it."

"She will," Farkas said.

"Aye, death is too afraid with you hanging around."

"Got that right."

Vilkas opened his mouth to say something more but was cut short by a loud, piercing scream. The brothers looked at each other for a split second before simultaneously bursting through the doors. "What's going on!?" Vilkas demanded

Farkas saw the girl he'd rescued hours ago standing with wide eyes and a terrified look on her face, "where am I!?" she demanded.

"Calm down, we aren't going to hurt you! We're here to help you!"

"WHERE AM I!?" She demanded once more.

"Whiterun," Farkas told her, holding his hands out to show her that he had no hostile intention. "I found you on riverbank and brought you here."

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

"You were practically dead," he told her.

"Yes," Danica chimed in, "and it's a miracle you are standing here, but you need to calm down."

The girl look at Farkas, shocked, "you mean I'm not-?" Her mouth opened in disbelief and she shook her head. "No, no, no," she said, tears beginning to run down her face. "Why would you do that? Why would you!? What gives you the right!?"

Farkas looked at the girl, confused. Glancing over at his brother, he saw him to have a similar look on his face. The girl sunk to the ground and huddled in on herself. "There's nothing that can be done for her, physically. She's in shock. She needs rest." Danica told them.

"We have empty beds at Jorrvaskr, we'll make sure she's taken care of," Vilkas said.

Farkas slowly walked over to where the girl was sitting on the floor. He didn't know how to handle crying women, how to comfort them or make them stop. He reached down towards her but she flinched away, "don't touch me!"

"I ain't gonna hurt you," he said, "you're safe now." She looked up at him then and he knelt down next to her. "I'm Farkas."

She blinked at him a few times then wiped her face, "Leila," she said.

"It's good to meet you, Leila." He offered her his hand and very hesitantly she accepted and let him help her to her feet.

"We have a place for you to stay," Vilkas chimed in, "we offer food and shelter and protection until you are well again. We're the Companions, we help people."

Leila had a nervous look about her, but let them guide her back to Jorrvaskr nonetheless. As they went inside and were met with curious eyes and hushed whispers, her nervousness and the panic in her eyes grew and she stuck closer to Farkas. "They're friends," he told her. "C'mon," he said, leading her down the stairs to a living quarters. He led her to a good sized room with a large bed. "This is my room," Farkas told Leila, "you can rest here."

She offered him a small smile and he left the room, shutting the door behind him. "You give her your room?" Vilkas asked coming up next to him.

"Did you see the way she was when she saw everyone? I didn't think she'd be comfortable sharing a room with others."

Vilkas nodded, "aye, I suppose that you're right."

On the other side of the door, Leila took off her shoes and crawled into the bed, leaving her clothes on and pulling the blankets up around her. She wasn't so sure that she should sleep here, but it became harder and harder to resist. She felt very disoriented and knew she had to take her chances and close her eyes. And so she did and was drug down into a world of deep, deep sleep.