It was early in the morning. Everyone was tired, and Fabio, Aorken, Brenden, Damian, and Alex sat around the remains of their campfire, planning their rescue journey. They had began to make changes from their decisions last night. Firstly, they agreed to keep Alex and Damian together, but since both were experts in combatant skills, Aorken the mage was designated to go with them. Fabio and Brenden made the other pair, and they decided to search the area to the north. The former group decided to search the immediate area to where she had been assigned her mission, where she was last seen and heard from.

However, while they spent the entire day vigorously searching, they met only with dead ends. And no one was around. The only area unsearched was a small house, more of a cabin than anything else. But it looked deserted. No way could anyone actually live there.

"I hope our friends are having better luck," Alex sighed, sinking onto the ground. Damian remained wordless, his face a blank slate. Meanwhile, Aorken circled the area, his eyes finally resting on the lone cabin. "We have nothing to lose if we search there," said Aorken. "Perhaps there is someone there who can help us. And if we don't search it, we won't be doing a complete job."

Alex nodded in agreement and rose, looking expectantly at Damian to follow suit. Still refusing to speak, or to allow anything at all to cross his face, Damian followed Alex and Aorken to the steps of the cabin.

"Should we knock?" Alex asked.

In answer, Aorken pushed open the door.

she felt so drained

and tired

and what was that crunching behind her head

she staggered to her feet and rubbed her aching head

she immediately turned her gaze downward

she had been lying on the ground

the crunching she had heard were the leaves that served as her pillow

her clothes, while rumpled, were intact

she did a double take

why was she on the ground

how had she gotten there

where was she anyway

and her head

oh her head

it hurt so bad

she put a hand to her head

why did it hurt

something sticky was on it

she could feel it

it felt like

could it be blood

it was dark red

mixed with some kind of green

green

where did green come from

she began to feel woozy again

how long had she been sleeping

what was going on

she tried to walk

concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other

staggering

she used trees as her crutches

until she came upon a little building

a house of sorts

it was empty

the doorknob turned easily in her hand

she stumbled inside

made it as far as the ratty couch on the far right side of the room

then her world became black

but she lived here

for days

weeks

had a month gone by

and she lived alone

she didn't know anyone

or why she was here

or who she was

she never found out why she was on the ground that day

there was no one to tell her

now she hears voices

and she hears the doorknob turning easily in someone else's hand

she rushes to the door

and she

screams

Aorken's forwardness was met by a bloodcurdling scream. A woman—girl, more like, stood near the door screaming uncontrollably. She looked as though she hadn't seen any form of a human being in ages. She wasn't speaking in words, just screaming, her body shaking. She was obviously quite weak, as she looked incredibly frail for her young age and she was having trouble standing. She finally collapsed into a chair and quieted, burying her face into her hands. Aorken nodded to his companions, and Damian and Alex crowded in behind him. The three of them just stood there awkwardly until the girl raised her head and said softly, "I'm sorry."

Her statement was met with blank stares. A flicker of something went through Damian's eyes and instantly ebbed away. No one saw it.

"I haven't seen anyone in so long," she continued. "And I wasn't expecting people to come barging in like that…can I help you?"

"How long have you lived here?" Aorken asked her.

She seemed deep in thought, until finally she said, "I have no track of time. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I don't know anything."

Damian took over, walking swiftly across the room and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Look at me," he commanded her, and tightened his grip. "Look at me."

Her eyes widened in fright. "Do I know you?" she gasped, struggling to get free.

Damian felt his heart wrench as he punched a hole in the nearest wall. It was her. It had to be her. What happened to her? What happened? It became a merciless chant in his mind until he finally voiced it and cried, "What HAPPENED to you? Why don't you know me?"

The room was dead silent. All eyes were on the girl as she paced, back and forth, across the room. Finally she stopped in her tracks and trained her eyes on Aorken.

"You," she started, "I don't even know who you are, and you go and walk into my house like you own it. And you," she continued, facing Damian, "You scream at me like that's going to help me remember anything. I'm as confused as you are." She stopped, then frowned. "However, it is getting late, so if you need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to what little space I have. As long as you promise to be gone in the morning."

"That will be fine," said Aorken, following her lead to the bedroom. "How much do I owe you?"

She laughed then, a musical laugh that swept the room. "No fee," she assured. "I'll sleep out in the main room. Don't worry. There would never be enough room for you three out there." And with that she was gone.

Aorken spoke quietly. "Something happened to her," he began. "I believe that it is indeed Katrina. There is no mistaking that. But for whatever reason she doesn't remember a thing."

"She's got to come with us," said Damian intensely.

"Yes," said Aorken wryly. "And how will we convince her to do that?"

"Focus on her confusion," Alex chimed in. "Tell her we can give her answers. We can at least tell her why she's out here."

"And we stay here until she agrees," said Damian.

Aorken nodded. "You can stay and talk with her. I'm going to contact Fabio and Brenden and tell them we've found her."

No one said anything else. Aorken and Alex fell asleep at once, but Katrina and Damian remained awake for most of the night, turning over in their heads much of the same thoughts.