"What are you doing here?" Shreya looked away from her eyes. She didn't want her to think she was going to fight her. Eye contact was a challenge.

"I'm from Stockbrunn," she answered, an unexpected edge to her voice. "If you do anything to me, people are going to know. The entire village will come for you, and you'll be sorry."

Perhaps she'd said the wrong thing. It had been some time since she had a conversation in the Common language. She tried again, "why are you here?"

"I'm picking flowers."

"By yourself?"

"What's wrong with that?" She brushed her fingers through her hair, fixing it into a cleaner style.

"Nothing. Goodbye." Shreya turned to leave. She'd done her part in making sure the girl wouldn't be easy prey. The red-wearing girl and all of her tartness along with her could make it home on their own.

The girl struggled to stand up. She took a couple of steps, then stumbled back down to her knees. Maybe Shreya had thought too soon.

Not off the hook yet, Shreya stopped. "Are you sick?"

"I feel a little dizzy, that's all." She reached into the bag she had slung over her shoulder. "I lost my water when I fell." Shreya took note of how scuffed her boots were.

"Here, have some of mine." She hoped the offer would put her at ease. Shreya undid the straps that kept her water gourd tied to her and passed it over. The girl held it, too unsure to raise it to her lips. "If you don't drink it, you'll stay sick. I'm trying to help you."

She gave Shreya one more narrowed-eye look before she tipped it back, downing most of what was inside. "Thank you... Sorry about the attitude. You never know who you can trust, you know? I'm Ellie, from Stockbrunn."

Ellie stood up, her demeanor entirely different. It was as if a little water had been enough to transform her into a new person, or at least wash away her bitter, tough-girl facade. Judging by how quickly she discarded it, it wasn't a very good facade to begin with. She leaned back on her heels, a bright smile lighting up her features.

"I'm Shreya, from...the forest?"

"You're a woods dweller?" Ellie asked. "You don't look like how I'd imagine. I thought you'd look all scary or something, I don't know. Big and brawny."

"Sorry?"

"Not big and brawny in a bad way! Whoa, not in a bad way, sorry." She waved her free hand, trying to dispel her words. "I mean, you live in the woods with all sorts of animals so I just thought that you'd look huge or be carrying a bunch of weapons...unless you're hiding something under that deerskin you're wearing. Nice cape, by the way."

"Nope, I'm not," Shreya said, quick to stomp out Ellie's suspicions. "I'm not hiding anything."

"Right, because if you were, I'm pretty sure you would've robbed me for everything I have by now."

"Why would I rob you after giving you water?"

Ellie shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just saying. It's not like I have much stuff with me, anyway."

Shreya had a better question to ask. "Why are you really here?" A girl as overly trusting as her had a death wish traveling into the woods alone. Not only were there animals lurking around, but there were also whatever these wood dwellers were. The latter would've stolen from her and the former would've eaten her. Flower picking wasn't worth losing her life over.

"There's a rare flower that's said to grow along this path. I would've prepared for this trip a whole lot better but this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I just had to go for it. I had to get out of Stockbrunn fast." Ellie said. "They don't like people being this deep in the woods, me especially."

"For good reason. You should go home."

"Not without the flower."

"There aren't any here. Look around." Shreya gestured towards the weeds. None of the plants looked healthy or pretty enough to be considered flowers. "What does it look like?"

"It's black-centered with dark blue petals. We call it a leven-tinte. It looks kind of like this, like curled fingers." She squinted, looking for any signs of blue. "Maybe the guidebook was wrong... Have you ever seen one around here?"

"I think we call that azura. I don't think this is the season for it. Azura grows when the cold ends, not when it starts."

Ellie lost her smile. "Are you telling me I've been walking around for hours for nothing?"

Shreya had to repeat what she said to understand her question. "Walking around for hours for nothing. Yes. All the azura are dead. Go home."

Her shoulders slumped. There wasn't anything else she could do. Her flowers weren't here. Poor girl. Shreya almost felt sorry for her. She would've died for absolutely no reason. "Alright, thanks for the help." She took a step and nearly fell, still unsteady on her feet. The water may have been a good start, but what she needed was rest.

Shreya was a wolf. She could defend herself unarmed if need-be. Even at full strength, this girl didn't stand a chance making it back on her own. Foolish...

as foolish as you were, charging into the woods the way you did. What if you were in her place?

"Where is Stockbrunn? I can lead you part of the way there, then I've got to get back home." Shreya wasn't going to enter the village for obvious reasons. She knew more than enough about Stockbrunn to know that if her ears were showing, she'd be killed on sight. Dozens of arrows would be shot into her.

Hell, her ears would've been enough reason for this girl to turn around and try to kill her. Something about Ellie told Shreya that she'd be stupid enough to try it if she had a knife.

Ellie grinned, reinvigorated. "Thank you so much! You really don't have to."

Oh, yes, I do, Shreya thought to herself. "Which way is it?"

"This way."

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A/N: This is an interactive fantasy serial. Voting takes place on Thursdays through Sundays on the story's main site. The most up-to-date chapters can also be found there, but uploading will happen in parts on RRL as well.