"Alexis!" The girl nearly fell. It was the voice. She had barely exited the cave when he had sensed her. And he was close. Too close. "Alexis!" it boomed again.
"Hold on tight, Walnut," Alexis cried, and she broke into a run.
"I already am," he squeaked, digging his sharp claws into her shoulder. "And my eyes are closed! This is scary! The wind never said anything about scary!"
Alexis laughed dryly. "Of course it's scary. I'm being stalked by an unknown voice. My goal is to escape him. If this isn't scary, if the idea of this isn't scary, nothing is." She continued to run. She knew she couldn't talk very long again. She wouldn't be able to keep running.
"Alexis!" the voice sounded farther away. "I will catch up with you. You know that!"
She took the opportunity of the voice being farther away to slow down and take a long drink of the cold water. But she didn't stop running. She only slowed.
"How… much… farther… until… until… another safe…-haven?" she panted.
"Sunset," the chipmunk squeaked. "That can't come soon enough!"
Alexis snorted. "Speak for yourself. You're not the one running." She dodged a boulder and ducked under a tree branch.
"Care-ref-ful!" squealed Walnut.
"Hush," she snapped. "I've been doing this for two weeks."
"Alexis!" It was the voice. He was right behind her, closer then he had ever been to her yet.. She whorled around, as if he'd be behind her.
"Do-on't stop now, Alexis!" Walnut screeched. "Keep. On. Going!"
Alexis heeded Walnut's advise and turned back around. She kept on running. She splashed through an icy stream and into a thicket of brambles. She screamed as the sharp plants grabbed at her tunic and leggings. She pushed and pulled but couldn't get free of the plants.
"Alexis! I will find you!" the voice roared.
The princess grimaced and grabbed her knife from her belt. She sawed through the vines and was free! She broke back into a run. She could not stop now.
"Goddess of the Wind, give me speed," she muttered.
She ran until high noon, like she did everyday. It was only then, at the hottest part of the day that she allowed herself a short rest. She sank down on the ground with her back against an oak tree. She looked over at the chipmunk on her shoulder. He was clinging to her shoulder, claws digging into her flesh. His eyes were squeezed tight and he was trembling.
"You can open your eyes now, Walnut. I've stopped for a few minutes. You can also loosen your grip on me while I run. I'm not that reckless."
"Yes, you are!" But the little brown chipmunk opened his eyes and loosened his grip on Alexis's shoulder anyways. He promptly fell over and off of the girl and on to the ground, where he lay trembling. Alexis rolled her eyes and offered him some nuts. He was immediately fine.
The little rodent ate his nuts, while the young, stalked princess ate some fruit and some dried meat. Nothing had tasted so good. Alexis poured some of her water into the lid for Walnut to drink. Then she took a long drink of her water too. She had just enough to last her until sunset.
But all too soon, it was time for the girl to start running once again. She stood and muttered the same prayer that she did at the beginning of the day. "Nature Spirits, give me strength." And once again she started to run.