Skedaddle

[Emora Deen]

Laya laughed, running her hand along his neck and her fingers through his mane. "I couldn't beat you," she said to him. "Why don't you go for a run and we'll wait here. I'm winded from the first race anyway." She patted his neck and stepped back.

[Soran Nightblade]

*I'll be right back!* Telanis promised, snuffling the top of her hair. He turned and trotted a few feet. Then all his muscles burst into motion as he pounded up into a powerful gallop, weaving through the trees like they weren't even there.

Adonis stared after his frolicking brother until he was out of sight. Then he set the rest of the bags down and sat on a log near Laya. He wasn't sure what to say to her, so he just asked "Do you have plans, now that you're here? Family?"

[Emora Deen]

Laya watched Telanis leave, and then she moved to sit under a tree, drawing her legs up close to her chest and pulling the cloak around her. "No plans," Laya saif softly. "My family was killed a long time ago. I was to old to be adopted as Queen's Maiden by the palace, so I went to school and became an archer in the army. War didn't stomach well with me, so I asked to be discharged and decided to travel. I've been doing that ever since."

Laya looked up to him. "What are your plans? You and Telanis are brothers... Where are your parents?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis regarded her thoughtfully. "We didn't have parents, the way a human does. You could say the forest is our parent. There was a need for us. Therefore, we came to exist. This place that Telanis needs, needs him in return. The trees have gone pale without him," he observed, touching a sapling standing next to where he sat.

[Emora Deen]

Laya looked at the tree thoughtfully. "Well, he doesn't have to leave now. We are safe from those who wanted him dead..." Laya bit her tongue before she mentioned that Adonis was the very reason they had to leave to begin with. She rested her chin on her knees. "The forest will brighten up again, and everything will be fine."

"I will need to find a job, I suppose and a place to live..." Laya started thinking. Would Telanis live in a house with her? Or would he spend his time roaming the forest and come to her at night? Laya frowned. How would this work out, anyway?

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis couldn't avoid remembering the same thing as Laya. His efforts to scare Telanis away from human contact had backfired completely. Instead, he'd caused his brother to meet this confusing woman. And rather than take revenge against mankind, he'd unwillingly allied with humans to get Telanis back to safety. He'd even blackened his soul to protect them. Not according to plan.

"What type of job would you seek?" he asked blandly.

[Emora Deen]

Laya frowned even more. "I don't know," she whispered. "I honestly don't know what I would be good at. I was a decent archer... A great archer. I just couldn't take the stress of war. Other than that I am unsure. I guess I could be a waitress in a tavern, or maybe teach? I think I'd like teaching. I like children."

Laya turned her gray eyes on him. "You never said what you were going to do."

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis set his jaw. She was a keen one. "What does it matter what I do?" he snipped argumentatively.

[Emora Deen]

Laya looked away back to the forest. "Well, I was just thinking... If you wanted too, maybe you could stay with us?" Laya kept her eyes on the forest. "If you have no where to go..." Laya wasn't sure if she was treading in forbidden ground with him. The idea of him leaving them made her feel very melancholy. Had she grown fond of him despite her fear of him? Maybe it wasn't fear at all, maybe it was reverance. Respect?

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis's posture stiffened. Him, stay and watch his brother be enchanted by this human? Watch it all happen over again... The thought should have horrified him, and it did. What he didn't expect was the longing he suddenly felt. What exactly would he do without them? Was it okay to feel this anxious to be wanted, even when the welcome came from the woman who was corrupting his brother?

"I have no idea if i can tolerate you," he murmured aloud, very honestly. His eyes flicked to hers and studied her.

[Emora Deen]

Laya glanced his way briefly and then studied the forest. She stood up and walked across the clearing to another tree, resting a hand against it she peeked around it. "You've tolerated me this long," she told him, resting her cheek against the bark as she listened to see if she could hear Telanis's hooves against the earth.

She thought she heard movement in the forest, but then again it could be any sort of animal.

[Soran Nightblade]

He thought for a long time while she listened to the sounds of the forest. "I'll stay until you're settled," he said. He immediately regretted his wording - it sounded like he was worried about protecting her! He choked back the need to disclaim his statement.

A sudden quiet made the unicorn freeze and study his surroundings. He couldn't smell much with his human nose, but he had the looming sense of an age-old instinct. Predator. "Laya," he said in a very low voice. "Come here." He rose to his feet cautiously and fingered the dagger at his waist.

[Emora Deen]

Laya turned, pressing her back to the tree. She narrowed her eyes. "Okay?" she asked slowly, stepping over to where he stood next to a cluster of brush and trees. "Is something wrong?" The tone in his voice made her nervous.

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis turned and backed up to her so that his back nearly touched her. He drew his dagger and studied the forest in silence. He looked through the brush until he found what he knew was there. A pair of gold eyes, silently watching him. Sizing them up. "Come on, then," he growled.

The animal crouched lower where it hid, never blinking. A burst of noise behind them diverted the unicorn's attention. A large male wolf lunged out of its stalking place, diving toward them. Clever creatures. It was an ambush. Left without much reaction time, Adonis threw his dagger up into the creature's chest as it leapt and heaved it sideways. It tumbled, bleeding, across the clearing next to them, while its friend jumped out from the opposite direction, aiming for Laya.

[Emora Deen]

Laya screamed when she saw the wolf go for Adonis. She was so taken by surprise that she forgot about the first wolf. She saw the shadow lunging from the side.

Laya twisted around, a scream caught in her throat before it could leave her lips. She dove out of the way, rolling across the earth and scurrying to her feet while it clammored after her.

The wolf snapped at the skirts of her dress, snatching on the fabric with its teeth and pulling. The fabric tore and Laya fell from the effort of pulling against it. She twisted around as the wolf leaped for her, putting her arms up. Her hands caught the wolf by the throat, and she held its as far back as she could, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes as it snapped at her.