She flew through the bushes, thorns scraping against her flank like grasping claws trying to pull her back. She did her best to ignore the pinpricks of pain that plagued her, brought on by the brambles that surrounded her. The ice crunched painfully under her paws, but she cast that aside, focusing only on her speed. Lanky as Lasenta was, she wasn't the fastest of runners, for her gait was far faster then her endurance. Had it been a short sprint she would have made it before the world had struck, but her legs were screaming and lungs burning. As well as this, Lasenta felt she could smell fear in the air; the fearful being had beaten hot breath behind her, she spun, her grey eyes landing on a ashen-furred brute. For a second she blanched, thinking him the fearful being who had threatened the fea of earlier. But this was obviously not so; this wolf had come from the region of the second howl, so he was probably the one who had cast it. The wolf had a kind glint in his eye as well; surely no one would be afraid of this. The fea turned, meeting his amber eyes. For a second Aiden paused, thinking she was to attack, but this was not so. "Why are you following?" she demanded, and he felt a hint of fear enter her eyes. Aiden had never thought of himself as fearful; in fact, he would rather think himself quite friendly for an old, bachelor brute. He shrugged, and gave a quiet, grimacing smile.
"I wasn't meanin' to frighten' you, lass." The fea narrowed her eyes, and Aiden gulped; he had offended her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Anxiety pooled in his chest; he didn't want a fight. When he spoke, the worry he felt brought out his thick irish accent.
"N-nothin', nothin' at all. I just meant tha' I dinna' mean to make you think I was fallowin' you for aney other purpose than-"
"Stop talking!" she snapped, cutting him off. Aiden bit his tongue, affronted.
"Lass, I dinna' mean to insult ya or anythin', but I real-"
"I said, be quiet." the fae repeatd. She leaned down, her head cocked as she listened. A hoarse, strong voice cut through the air, and a fearful fea's that could only belong to the howler. The angst in her voice struck a cord through Lasenta, reminding her of her purpose.
"They're close!" Without another look behind her, she took off, not caring whether the brute would follow. But follow Aiden did, bursting into the clearing just seconds after her.
