...

When Enzo leaves her - that apparition of white in her snow-colored coat, almost perfectly blending in with her surroundings - he feels a strange emptiness take ahold of him. She's the first kind soul he's seen in a bloody long time, and part of him is not ready to let go of that just yet.

But then he hears that all too familiar sound, it's like a low growl, a bit like a wolf, a bit like something artificial, and he swallows hard as he very slowly turns around once more. There she is, Bonnie Bennett, and right before her, a large gray straggler, its jaws open wide baring rows of too large teeth.

He rolls his eyes, sighing. There's always one, isn't there? And he's going to try and save her, isn't he? Playing the goddamn cavalier. Bloody hell…

Before he can think about it too long, can convince himself that he doesn't care, that he is better off getting the hell away while he still can - because witches aren't his friends, certainly not in this new world - he is already running back toward her, toward the beast. And just as the… thing barges forward, trying to snap at Bonnie, he lunges himself at it, grabbing it by the neck, using his superhuman strength to try and hurl the beast away.

Its dark gray hairs standing on end, the large spine plates rising higher up, the Rh'a whirls around, its teeth snatching at him, and Enzo has to pirouette, to dance to evade the resulting onslaught.

It's a vicious individual, possibly a female, he can never quite tell with these ghastly beasts, but it doesn't matter anyway. What matters is that the girl is only safe as long as he manages to keep the Rh'a engaged, so he better not die now, not when some idiotic part of him has decided to be valiant for once, to play the knight in shining armor.

He whirls around as the monster lunges for his throat, and he lifts an arm up just in time to deflect the attack, then hurls up his legs in an almost breakdance-worthy motion, kicking his opponent off of him. The Rh'a yowls, then jumps back up, landing on Enzo's chest, making him suck in air as he lands hard on his back.

Gritting his teeth, he tries to free himself, feeling the beast's claws tear into him as it lowers its snout, its dank breath making him gag and avert his face. Then, just when he thinks it's over, that he lost the fight, he sees Bonnie appear by his side, a large branch in her outstretched arms, and then she swings it, hard, making a gasping groaning sound as she hits the monster with all her might, making it yowl again and turn its ugly head.

"Enough," a loud voice suddenly yells, just as Bonnie hits the thing again, Enzo scrambling up as fast as he can, coming to her aid, pulling her away with him as the voice grows louder, angrier.

Crap.

"I said, enough!" the voice calls out again, and before he quite knows what's happening, Bonnie beside him begins shaking, moaning, dropping the branch to clutch at that awful collar around her neck and his eyes widen as he tries to keep her upright and away from the people that are approaching now: a band of humans… "Don't move," one of them says, a tall man, blond hair, blond beard, looking like a goddamn Viking in the middle of this bloody neverending winter, and Enzo rolls his eyes as he continues to pull Bonnie away with him.

"Do I have to repeat everything I say? Don't move!"

Enzo grins. "Yeah, I'll take my chances."

The man clicks his device, making Bonnie shake again, yelling now, and Enzo hisses as he pulls her up, hoisting her over his shoulder to carry her away, the human frowning at him angrily.

"Sorry, love," Enzo breathes, "this might get a little rough…"

"He doesn't have a collar," one of the man's comrades suddenly notes somewhere behind him. "Shit."

"Go hurry and get him, then," the Viking hollers, anger in his voice, and Enzo clenches his teeth as he tries to blur away as fast as he can - while he still can. If they get to him, if they send the Rh'a after him, it'll be over soon. So there's only one way for him to get out of this now: he has to make it to the lake, hoping the water isn't completely frozen over, hoping that he can get Bonnie and himself out there because the beasts can't swim…

…

Bonnie's entire body is aching, but at least the shocks from the awful collar have stopped now that Enzo has somehow managed to get her out of range. Still, she's being thrown around like a ragdoll where she is hanging off of his shoulders, trying to keep steady and failing, because he's damn fast, and the Rh'a are now after them again, their human masters urging them on. Gosh, how she hates that vile alliance of monsters and humans, how she freaking hates it.

But there's no time to think about that. Right now, there's only time for one thing: trying to escape.

"Let me down," she calls out to Enzo, whose grip on her is so tight it hurts.

"Can't, love. We're faster this way."

He's probably right, but still…

"Where're you going?"

"Water," he presses out, panting, and she instantly knows what he means. The Rh'a fear any and all water, and the lake is not far from where they are. Sure enough, the trees soon fall away to make room for the open plain that will lead toward the lake. She hopes they'll make it, because if not…

Turning her head as much as it will go, she risks a brief look behind them, spotting not just the one, but a bunch of Rh'a on their heels. They're so fast. Biting her lip until it hurts, she clutches at Enzo, trying to not get jostled too much.

"They're too fast," she hisses urgently, but her companion doesn't reply, just speeds on until she feels light-headed.

Abruptly, the air ceases whirling around her as Enzo stops in his tracks, and when he pulls her down, her body sliding over his chest, coming to lean against him for a brief moment, she looks up at him, both of them breathless. The air is turning foggy between them as he gazes at her with urgency.

They have reached the lake.

"Take your coat off."

"What?"

He doesn't bother to explain, just pulls at it for her, making her shove him away at the same moment she realizes why he's saying it. The large piece of clothing would drag her down in the water of course. They'll have to swim out into the ice cold lake. She will have to go in there, and she might freeze if she doesn't drown first…

Taking a deep breath, she glares at him angrily as if this is somehow his fault, even though of course she knows it isn't. Still, she needs to be angry at someone, and he's closest.

Tossing the coat down on the ground, she bends down, using Enzo to steady herself as she pulls off her heavy boots, then raises herself up again.

"You coming?" she asks, raising her chin as if this is some fun challenge rather than their only chance at survival, and he smirks back at her with sudden amusement in his features - which only riles her more.

"After you," he says, taking off his own shoes, but she doesn't wait, instead turns toward the edge of the lake. Curling her hands into fists, she inhales, trying to steel herself for this next part. Then she slowly walks across some slushy ice and snow and wades into the water, gasping as the cold shocks her body.

Suddenly, a push sends her flying and she falls into the water, her body freezing, her mind too before she struggles up, sputtering, heaving in breaths. She's shaking, disoriented, and instantly too cold, barely aware as his arms wrap around her, pulling her up and with him deeper into the lake.

"No," she says, shivering hard. She's changed her mind. Maybe dying by Rh'a is the better alternative after all.

"You really want them to tear you to pieces, love?"

Glaring at him sideways, she grudgingly, half numb, allows him to steer her further and further. They're almost waist deep, when Enzo suddenly lets go of her, a loud roar filling her ears as a shadow seems to be swallowing him and she falls away, going under as a heavy weight lands on her.

The beasts… They've gotten to them. The water is still too shallow. Bonnie knows she has to shake the thing off of her and swim. She has to fight.

It's dark and cold and she can't breathe as the water is closing in on her, empty jaws snatching at her blindly. Barely evading the attack, she struggles to come up again, she needs to breathe, she needs to get her head above water, she…

Bubbles explode around her as something thrashes close to her, fighting. She doesn't know which way is the top, which is the bottom. It's all so dark, so impenetrable. So hopeless.

Floating in limbo, her arms and legs pushing out, she tries to do something, the urge to just breathe growing too strong, and she gulps in a mouthful of water, her lungs protesting, her body seizing shut - just when something suddenly grabs her, hard, pulling her up, up, until her head is out of the water, and for one fleeting terror filled moment she thinks it's the Rh'a, but then she finds herself facing Enzo, his hands grabbing the sides of her neck as he keeps her head above the surface.

"Breathe," he orders, his gaze impenetrable, and all she can do is clutch at him, heaving in air as her eyes lock on his, a sudden panic only slowly fading away as she realizes she's still alive, and the beasts are… gone.

Looking around her wildly, she notices that the shore is further away than it was just seconds ago, but maybe more time has passed than she thinks. Because now they're deep in the lake, the coast full of angry roaring monsters, a gray furry wall of them lining the edge of it, some of them trying to go in the water, but not making it close to them, not anymore.

They're safe from one danger. But in the midst of another…

Her teeth are chattering as she focuses back on her companion.

"Now what?" she asks, "Any other great ideas?"

He has the audacity to smirk at her. "Swim toward the rocks," he says, and she curls her lips, glaring at him.

The rocks are miles away, on the other side of the lake. And she's not exactly an Olympic swimmer.

"Don't worry, love, I got you," he tells her, then wraps an arm around her as he begins pulling her with him.