Hi everyone! I apologize for taking so long to update, but I was preoccupied with a few of my other stories and with some happenings in my life that prevented me from typing a longer chapter than this one that I'm presenting to you now. I hope that it's alright because it is a slight filler - things should start picking up really around the next chapter or two.

Very quickly, I wanted to thank those of you who reviewed and encouraged me to update: Megan Lyle, warrioroftheravens, Cestrenes97, ObeliskX, Marie Antonia, Kihala Sisters, my guest reviewers, Purdy Girl101, Bella Rayne, Victorylightningfoot, mia, and nightfurry! Fourteen reviews in all, you guys. I've never had so many reviews on one chapter on ANY of my stories before. And the amount of followers I have on this story now after only three chapters!? I never even dared to dream of a response like that. Thank you all so very much.

I hope you enjoy chapter 4!

-lightinside

Apparently, everything could go wrong. I'd been walking for hours with no sign of anyone around me, more lost that I had been at the beginning of my journey. My dress was dirtied and ripped along the hem, my feet hurt from walking, and I was exhausted beyond measure when I finally came to a small brook and sat down.

I slipped my feet out of my shoes and placed my aching feet in the stream. The relief that it gave me was almost instantaneous and I couldn't help but sigh aloud. I sat there, on a rock, gazing about at the forest around me. It was truly a sight to behold and some small part of me was content to stay there and never return to the encampment. Since I was sure that there was no one around, I loosed my hair and tossed my pins aside in the dirt, my flaming red locks cascading down to the small of my back gratefully when the deed was done.

And the longer I sat, the worse I felt. I had ignored my conscience and instead given into my wanderlust by coming on this voyage. In the back of my mind, I had known what it would turn into. A bloody, unrelenting war fought between the inhabitants of this strange and wonderful land and us, the intruders that had come to claim the supposed riches buried in their earth.

Closing my eyes as the guilt became almost too much, I stood still for a long moment dreaming of what it would be like to live in harmony with others. I wondered why everyone was so hateful. Why they couldn't put their weapons and prejudices aside and appreciate the differences that bound the human race together. Instead, even the people like my brother in some small way, allowed those differences to poison their hearts and forgot all reason and humanity in the end.

My eyes flew open at the sound of snapping twigs, breaking my concentration, not far ahead of me and landed on a most magnificent sight. A doe stood there, wary because of my sudden apprehension, and continued staring at me with wide, onyx eyes.

I didn't dare move. I longed for the beautiful creature to come closer, but if I lifted a single finger then I might have scared her off. So instead of moving, I spoke. My voice was soft, soothing, and gentle as I tried desperately to make the pretty thing see that I was not her enemy.

"Hello." I whispered, smiling despite myself. "You're very lovely." I told the deer softly, not feeling even the slightest bit of the fool everyone would think me if they had seen me speaking to an animal. "The loveliest thing I've ever seen… I won't hurt you."

And slowly, I watched as the muscles in her neck relaxed and her eyes seemed to lose some of their panic. She even went as far as to take a curious step toward me. Even then, I hardly dared to breathe. If the little thing wanted to study me, then I would let her until she lost interest.

When she was only a few feet from me, she stopped moving, head high in the air as if she sensed something dangerous. In the blink of an eye, she was gone and I was left to wonder what had scared her off. Now, I felt as if I were in the place of the doe that had fled – frightened, frozen, but inquisitive all the same. I glanced around warily, standing up from the rock that I had been seated on so that I could try and get a better look.

You should have stayed with John, my mind hissed at me in fear, you never should have wandered off into the forest ALONE!

I tried to quiet the beating of my frantic heart, but the adrenaline persisted and coursed through my veins like a poison as it made my whole body begin to throb with the need to run… but my curiosity won out. Finally, I was able to release the shaky breath that I knew I'd been holding and brush my hair away from my face.

"Hello?"

I waited for an answer – I knew logically that someone had to be there. If it had been an animal that had been stalking the deer, it would have gone after her by now. And I could… feel something. I couldn't identify it directly, but it was almost the feeling one gets when they are being watched – almost scrutinized.

"Who's there?" I tried again, keeping my tone even so that I didn't appear to be frightened beyond my wits. I knew that this was a very stupid thing to do – call to whomever might be watching. But what other choice did I have? I couldn't stand there and pretend that I didn't know there was someone there. I wanted to face the problem head on instead of acting oblivious. Maybe then, I could start figuring out what I needed to do. "…Thomas?" I tried again, desperate for the lurking presence to be someone that I knew. "Thomas, this isn't funny. Stop playing games."

I bit my lip and found myself slowly inching forward. My eyes fixed on the underbrush, hand reaching out to move the leaves out of the way, I hardly noticed when my brother came crashing down an incline behind me, but the abrupt and foul sound of his curses brought me to attention.

"John?" I squeaked in alarm, hurrying to his side as he got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his hair and clothes. "John, are you alright?"

His eyes locked on mine, relieved but furious. "I've been looking for you all afternoon, you idiot! Where have you been?"

"I told you what I was going to do when I left. I went for a walk." I murmured quietly.

It was then that he noticed my bedraggled appearance. "No, you were lost." A heavy sigh tore its way from John's lips and he shook his head, shifting the rifle higher up on his shoulder. "Joanna. You can't do things like that – no matter how angry you are with me. I was worried sick."

"You shouldn't have been." I said stubbornly, crossing my arms. "I was just fine."

John snorted. "Oh, yes, I can see that."

I frowned, but said nothing as I cast a glance over my shoulder at the spot where I had felt myself being watched. The sensation was gone now. My brother must have scared them off the moment he began shouting profanities. "You wouldn't have found me if you hadn't fallen, John. Don't act so smug."

"Oh, hush, Joanna." John muttered. "Will you please come back to camp with me now? It's not -"

"Safe." I interjected bitterly. "Yes, yes, I know." And before he could retort, I motioned for him to lead the way, all the while wondering what would have happened had he not found me. I wondered what had been hiding behind the bushes, watching me. And I could do all the wondering I wanted, but I knew better than to say anything to my brother.

"So," John began as we walked. "Did you find anything interesting?"

Eyes cast down, voice quiet, I lied to my brother for the first time in my life. "No." I said. "Nothing at all."

And it was then that I was thankful that I had always been the kind of person to keep secrets. I didn't feel guilty if I knew that I had good cause to keep my mouth shut. And in this case, I felt as if I was protecting something.

I didn't know what that something was as of yet… but I was determined to find out.