The last comment that Vilkas made Terra feel that something was terribly wrong with the situation. She had never done anything to the twins to make either fall for her, but now before her was the other brother who made it extremely obvious that he had wanted her.

The walk through the forest was going quickly. At this pace they would get to the site in no time. Right now to Terra this would be a good thing. The sooner she separated from this man the less uncomplicated about her own feelings she would be.

They had been gone days now from town. No one would notice her being gone, but Vilkas didn't disappear. Maybe he made an excuse of where he was going when he went to see her. This seemed silly to her but if he didn't want to hurt Farkas it was possible that he would lie. But, with the comment he said during the evening a few days ago made Terra worry that he didn't seem to care that he could hurt his sibling at that moment… this was a contradiction to what Vilkas was really like because she had often see him give up on a lot of things just so that Farkas could have it.

When it was decided they would camp it was nearing evening. By the time they were done setting up, the sun was starting to set. With the mountains being covered in snow Terra would need to get to the river to wash quickly. If she didn't reach the river in time she wouldn't be able to wash off the smell and the slime of evil that seemed to be coating her skin would just stay there. She couldn't stand the thought of sleeping with that negative energy on her for another night.

"I will return," Terra told Vilkas. "Do not follow me. Watch the camp. I will only be a moment."

Vilkas just nodded at her. He said nothing to her.

Terra knew that they were close to the river so she ran to where she remembered hearing it and just followed the sound to the water. She let out a sigh of relief when she found it and there was plenty of light out. She striped quickly and jumped into the cold water. It didn't matter because as she moved in the snow melted water, she casted a spell of flame to warm the water up enough for her to tolerate the temperature.

The simple break from holding the head made Terra relax a bit. The energy that seeped from the witch made one feel completely negative and takes their outlook toward a dark path. She had felt this when she had broke her own curse. The purity of the snow water and the release from the energy allowed her to feel wonderful.

This could also be the reason that Vilkas wasn't acting normal, she pondered as she moved in the water. If she could feel the negative energy on her skin, who was to say that a magical creature like him, could not feel it in a different light. This made everything that had happen so far a bad reaction to the magic, she could write off everything he had been saying as that. The thought of this made her feel relaxed.

The silence that was surrounding her was feeling great but the sound of breaking twigs and leaves made Terra drop into the water. She looked around trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. Near her was a deer that was now drinking from the river. She let out a breath of relief and stood up to move closer to her gear.

The whistle came from all directions; Terra really couldn't tell where it was originating from.

"Well hello beautiful, I was hunting a meal but now I find a creature that can satiate another hunger," the bandit was standing by her armor. "Well, nymph of the water, what do I get for finding you?" He was now leering at her.

"I suggest you rethink this situation," Terra didn't hide herself. She was already caught what difference it would make now.

"A naked woman before me, what is there to think other then I deserve to have you riding me until I bore of you," the bandit laughed.

Terra shrugged, "You couldn't handle me if you wanted."

"Oh I think I can," the bandit stormed into the river.

Terra smiled at him as he came toward her but jumped back a little leaving a rune under the water. She walked backwards as he came with hands out to grab her. The sound of the spell buzzed into their ears as he stepped into the trap.

Terra was now grinning wickedly, "I warned you didn't I?"

The bandit cussed as he few back from the explosion.

"Now that you had a little taste of what I can do…" Terra held a fireball in her hand staring at where he landed and watched him stagger up right.

"Bitch…" he growled and grabbed a dagger to throw.

Terra took that as an okay to kill him. She let the fireball go and dropped under water to avoid the dagger if he had managed to get it pass her fireball. She could hear muffled screams. She had hit her target. Slowly she got out of the water watching for anymore bandits. She dressed quickly and decided it would be best to head back to camp.

When she arrived there was no one there. "Vilkas?" she let out a low shout. When there was no answer she checked the tents and couldn't find anyone. "Vilkas?" she now didn't care if bandits heard her. He had disappeared and there was nothing she could do. She took a few breathes and sat at the fire that was there. She wanted to panic but she needed to be in control after a few breathes she heard footsteps. The problem is they were coming from the direction of the river.

"Terra?" Vilkas asked slowly.

"Yeah," she smiled.

"I heard an explosion and went to find you," Vilkas explained.

"Oh… well I was just dealing with some bugs," she said with a soft laugh.

"Big bugs…" Vilkas eyed her, "About the size of bandits huh?"

"You saw?" she stared at him unsure.

"Of course, I am still part beast," he responded as he sat down on a log near the fire, he placed two skinned rabbits in the fire. "It wasn't a total lose. I managed to see a goddess for a moment and as a bonus I managed to catch dinner too."

"Well, I took care of the bandit so no worries," Terra said staring at the meat, her stomach growled. She tried to ignore the goddess comment.

"You should have called for me, Terra," Vilkas was angry, "You could have hurt yourself or worse what had happen if he had caught you?"

"Nothing would have happened, I am not a child. I can take care of myself," Terra snarled at Vilkas. "I do this often. There is always someone wanting something they can't have."

"Terra, why can't you trust me enough to protect you?" Vilkas asked staring at her. "Farkas took care of you after you were hurt…you are out here as a favor to me, if you got hurt because of me…"

"I am fine!" Terra got up and danced about to prove she was okay. Real good Terra, she rolled her eyes to herself as she moved around, so much for her calming down and dealing with him with gentle hands because of the negative energy.

"Terra, you should be honest," Vilkas looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"I am," she sat down and frowned at him. "What is with you? We are doing what you need us to. Why are you harping on me? Vilkas, you are supposed to be focusing on yourself. This is a journey of the soul."

"I have done that for years, I know my answers," Vilkas spoke softly. "Farkas and I have been planning this for years. If we could get healed we would do it in an instant. Being these creatures for a long period of time can make someone become dulled. You get addicted to the form and need it. We broke ourselves long ago of this. When you appeared that destroyed what we had worked for. Farkas turned for your sake. He struggled for a time after to lose the taste of the change again… but the problem was you were one and you joined the hunt. You, do you understand, made us break that promise to ourselves. The brothers lost their promise because of a woman."

Terra was not feeling so well now. She shifted uncomfortable as Vilkas continued.

"Here we were struggling and then you take us in like nothing. It didn't matter what any of us were. You followed everyone and helped us no matter what we were. You! YOU! YOU!" Vilkas was shouting at the fire. "The Harbinger, a woman, who cured the curse and took care of her people, stands selfless and perfect! You who hunt dragons! Isn't there anything…" He let a low whisper escape his lips but it was almost like he was talking to the wind, "isn't there anything that you can do to make me hate you?"

Terra stared at the fire. She couldn't say anything. Chanting in her head the whole time trying to blame the negative energy was getting harder when he was talking like that.

The smell of the rabbits filled the air and soon Vilkas handed her one to eat.

She mouthed a thanks but no sound came out. He just nodded at her.

The silence was driving Terra insane now, but having to pick between having the silence or Vilkas make her feel terrible she would pick the silence. She ate quickly so that she could escape into her tent and said nothing to the man who was watching the fire with a morbid curiosity that Terra had not known was hidden in him.

The night would be long, cold and uncomfortable for everyone