Last time on Arelle:
 "I won't give up on this, Aka! I won't return empty-handed!" Respitas said, turning on his heels and trotting away.

That night…

The party ate in silence. Since the incident earlier that day with the Cutthroats, the party had barely talked to one another. Even Moren seemed quenched of his usual happy, energetic spirit. All were wondering what would come next. Would Respitas try to force Akinen to help him find the so-called "hidden treasure"? Would he tell the rest of the Cutthroats that Akinen was actually alive, but just not coming back to the main base? What would happen if he did tell them about Akinen? Would they come for Akinen? Would the party's lives, which had just become so peaceful and happy, be destroyed?

"I'm sure…I'm sure everything will turn out ok…" Lilliah said, "…in the end."

"That's right, Lilliah! We should keep our spirits up," Moren said. "It never helps anything to be depressed, anyway," Moren said, with an encouraging glance at the rest of them.

Arelle half-smiled at him, thankful for his words, but inside she still felt the dread of her perfect world crumbling before her. Just the other day she was thinking how wonderful everything was now. Everything was as it should be, and she was completely happy. And now her perfect world was being shaken. She didn't want the Cutthroats to come looking for Akinen. She didn't want them to take Akinen away. She didn't want Akinen to leave! Her perfect world wouldn't be the same without him.

She glanced over at him now, sitting beside Lilliah, staring down at his food. He hadn't taken a bite of food yet. He just sat in silence, looking downward, though his eyes showed that his thoughts were elsewhere. Arelle wished he wouldn't look so sad—it was making her more sad, too. She turned back to her own food and took a bite, sighing.

***************

Lilliah laid on her back staring at the top of the tent, her eyes wide and unblinking. The air felt cold and dry around her, and she felt sick inside. Her face was emotionless and blank, but her eyes showed that she was in deep thought. She had found Akinen. After so many years, she was together with him, again. But now he faced danger—they all faced danger—and there was a good chance he would have to leave.

She sat upright, her fur blankets falling off her. She held her head in her hands, sighing. She glanced over at Arelle beside her, sleeping away peacefully. Arelle, even though she was asleep, still had a troubled look on her face, and her breathing had become sharp and jagged. Lilliah sighed again, standing up and walking out of the tent.

Once outside, Lilliah glanced at the two forms by the fire. It was currently Akinen's watch, apparently, seeing as how he was sitting upright, staring into the dark forest. Lilliah walked up to him, and he turned to her, hearing her footsteps.

"Hey, Akinen," Lilliah said quietly.

"Hello, lass," Akinen replied.

Lilliah sat down next to him and lowered her face into her hands, sighing.

"Couldn't sleep, lass?" Akinen asked her.

"No…I couldn't sleep at all," Lilliah said.

Akinen stared at the fire in front of them. "I've caused some much trouble for everyone. I should have returned to the Cutthroats quickly before everyone else got involved. Now it's too late," Akinen said, hanging his head. "It's all my fault."

Lilliah turned to him quickly. "No! Don't say that!" she said. "Don't ever return to the Cutthroats! Don't ever go back, Akinen. You've made it this far…don't turn back now," Lilliah said.

Akinen sighed. "No, lass. I knew when I joined the Cutthroats that there would be no leaving them. I joined them planning to be a Cutthroat my whole life. Even when I came here and wanted to change, I knew there was no escaping the Cutthroats. Ye don't leave the Cutthroats, lass," Akinen said solemnly. "Those who try to leave are called traitors. They're hunted down and killed. Once you've joined the Cutthroats, Lilliah, there's no turning back."

************

The next morning….

Lilliah sat on a log, quietly sewing up a tear in one of Akinen's shirts. As she sewed, she hummed softly to herself. Though upon a glance she looked peaceful and satisfied, inside, her mind was troubled. She remembered how Akinen had looked earlier that day. His face looked very troubled, and when he walked, he looked like a heavy burden was weighing upon his back. Lilliah had tried to cheer him up all morning, but to no avail. Although he smiled at her with appreciation, it was painfully easy to see through his smile and realize how very troubled he really was.

That's how he had been when he left earlier that day to go find fruit and vegetables for lunch in the forest. Lilliah had never seen him more troubled looking, as he slowly walked into the dark forest.

Lilliah sighed. Maybe he just needed some time alone to think about things. Meanwhile, she had to keep a look-out on things at camp. Respitas would be likely to return soon. She wondered how she would match up to this so-called Respitas. She hadn't seen him with her own eyes, but Arelle and Moren told her all they knew about him, which wasn't much. If he ambushed her now, would she be able to beat him? It would have been better if the party could've stayed in pairs. One alone couldn't stand up to Respitas and his friend, if what she had heard about them was true.

Lilliah shook these thoughts away as she stood up. She shivered as she realized how cold she was. While she was deep in thought, she hadn't even noticed the cold, but now that she thought about the cold, it seemed unbearable. She slowly crawled inside the tent, reaching for her cloak, but she stopped when she saw a piece of off-white, parched paper with writing on it. Holding it up to her face to read it, she gasped. Her eyes flew across the black words quickly as her eyes went wide, and before she even finished it, she stuck it in her pouch and leapt out of the tent and began making her way through the forest.

The trees whipped her face as she ran through the dense forest brush. Her arms and legs bled from the thorn bushes, but she took no heed. She kept running, her face beginning to sweat, despite the cold, but she didn't even take enough notice to wipe it off. Her mind was elsewhere.

Her mind was on the letter.

"Dear Lilliah, Arelle, and Moren," it began.

I have written you this letter to inform you of my departure. Too long have I been a burden on you, my friends—more now than ever. I should have known long ago that I could not escape the Cutthroats. No man, to my knowledge, has ever escaped the Cutthroats, except for in death. The day I became a Cutthroat, I knew this, as I know now. Now I am paying the price—the price of becoming a Cutthroat. There is no way out. I had foolishly denied this fact, thinking—hoping—that I could do this impossible thing. But, as I said, it was only foolishness.

But not only was my foolishness endangering me, but others around me, as well. I should never have taken the risk to stay with all of you. I should have known it would only endanger you all. I was risking your lives for the sake of my own. For this, I apologize whole-heartedly.

I hope, however, to right this wrong. To not have left you, my friends, would be ensuring your deaths. I hope you will understand. I beg you all to please not follow me.

May you all have wonderful lives. For all the happy times we once had, I thank you. Farewell.

-Akinen

***********************

Ahhhhh! Cliffhanger! Sorry, everyone, for the terrible cliffhanger, but it was it was too perfect to end there... Not only that, but I've been really busy this week. I seriously didn't think I could make it longer without making it late again. I hope it's ok! Tess, my proof reader, said everyone would hate me for it *sniff sniff* It's not true, is it? You still love me, right? *sad puppy-dog eyes*

Yay! Reply to Reviews time!

Blue the Echidna: ^_^ I feel all special! Now you have dark elves in the story! Awesome I love DE's! Their so...muah. Anyway, can't wait to find about this treasure. ;)
Amai's Reply: Dark Elves, indeed! Evil Dark Elves! I'm glad you like DE's and think they're...muah... *mumble*whatever that means*mumble*. Ahem. Ah, yes...the treasure. You shall see soon. Or maybe not. Maybe it'll be a while before you shall see. Ahem. Indeed.

Blue the Echidna: Ack I forgot *first review dance* There we go :)
Amai's Reply: *gasp* you almost forgot one of the most important rituals! Bad things would happen if you forgot, i'm sure! ^.~