FSE

Furry search engine

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Before Taiyra opened her eyes, she knew the cave was empty. Sleep melted away like frost in the gaze of the sun and she stretched herself out with a yawn. After a moment to gather herself, the doe sat up and turned her head to look at the place where she had last seen the MidKnight.

The pile of ashes from her fire were long cold and dead. A small pile of torn bandages sat nearby. A single reebird quill lay a few feet away. A quick glance at her own meager possessions told her that they had not been disturbed.

The druid sighed and shook her head softly, causing the charms hanging from her horns to tinkle softly. It had been pure folly to think that mere strips of herb-soaked cloth could hold anyone for long. It was only temporary weakness and luck that allowed Taiyra to capture the MidKnight in the first place. They were the Undead King's most powerful warriors. The elite in his army of corpses. Such a dangerous enemy could not be left alone to wreak havoc and destroy the lives of the innocent.

Taiyra lifted her arm and gently peeled back her own bandages to check on her bite wound. The area was still tender to the touch, but there were no signs of infection or swelling. It would heal quickly on its own without the need for another healer's touch. Her strength would return soon enough as well, then she would be able to deal with the undead doe properly.

First, she needed to find water. She licked at her cracked lips with a dry tongue and winced. Yes, first water. Then she would find the MidKnight, Nadirah.

It was only a few minutes later that the golden eagle flapped out of the mouth of the cave and soared into a sickly sky, her cry echoing across the empty land below.

An unclaimed shadow glided swiftly across Nadirah's path and disappeared before she could identify it. She had almost missed it. The doe brought the golem to a halt and studied her surroundings carefully, ears pulling forward to catch the tiniest sound.

The sun baked hardpan was just beginning to give way to a dark, rocky soil. Small weeds sprouted intermittently just beyond the mingling border, although none of them looked particularly healthy. The taint of the necromancer's magic was obvious in their twisted, withered vines and pale coloring. Briefly, the MidKnight wondered if even the very plants could be held captive in undeath before her attention was diverted.

Once more the shadow flitted across Nadirah's path, catching Nadirah's eye before disappearing again. Her ears flicked back in irritation. "Accursed orks. They're faster than I thought they'd be." She urged her unholy mount into a run and glanced behind her, seeing no sign of a threat. A ridge of fur raised along her spine at the thought of being tracked. She blamed the fact that she was still recovering for not sensing her pursuer sooner.

The soil grew darker and less stony the farther she went. Flora began to grow thicker as the soil grew moist, the taint reluctantly giving way. Ahead, a wall of thick foliage spoke of an untainted swamp just over a small hill. Nadirah felt confident she could lose any trackers within and urged her mount faster still.

Cresting the hill, she suddenly brought the golem to a halt and glared hatefully at the figure standing in the center of her path.

"Hello again." The druid greeted her cheerfully with a wave of her hand.

"You again." Nadirah spat out the words as if they were bitter in her mouth. "How did you find me? Did you tell him where I am?"

"Me again." Taiyra replied with a playful giggle. "I haven't had the time to tell anyone anything, to be honest. As soon as I woke up and found you gone I started looking again. I mean, you are my responsibility now, and I can't just let you wander around unsupervised. What if you got hurt again? Or hurt someone else?" She finally turned her attention to the golem. "Where did that come from, by the way?"

"I hurt someone else." Nadirah replied, her voice as cold as her expression.

Taiyra frowned as she studied the MidKnight's mount. "Oh. I guess I'm too late for that. Was it someone you knew? I mean, was he another minion of the undead king or-"

Nadirah snarled in protest. "I won't tell you again! I am not a minion of Malthamus!" Without waiting for a response, she had the golem charge forward, nearly trampling the druid underfoot. Surprised, Taiyra leapt aside just in time to avoid the creature.

"Wait!" Nadirah heard the druid's cry fading behind her. "Don't go that way! You don't know where you're going!"

Folding back her ears, the doe ignored the warning and continued charging down the path. She expected more protests or the sound of charging feet, but there was nothing but the crash of underbrush being trampled. She finally began to relax again. She had just begun to believe that the druid was gone for good when a soft trilling sound reached her ears.

The MidKnight again searched her surroundings, but spotted nothing out of place. The soil had grown darker and softer, the plants thicker and healthier but aside from a darting lizard there was no sign of the source of the sound. The trilling came again, far too close for comfort.

Turning around, the doe's ears snapped back in irritation. Settled on the back of the golem was a large gold-colored bird with tiny antlers growing up from it's head. The eagle was making soft sounds as if talking to itself, occasionally stopping to preen a feather. "I said go away!" Nadirah snapped, awkwardly swinging her fist at the bird.

The eagle squawked in surprise as she was struck and fluttered her wings frantically while she collapsed to the ground, turning back into the druid amidst a pile of discarded feathers. "Stop following me!" Nadirah called out over her shoulder as the dazed druid was left farther and farther behind.

She finally slowed her mount as the druid fell out of sight. Trees began to grow in her path, and the dark soil was becoming soft and muddy, squelching wetly with every step of the lumbering mount. Finger-like roots and thick vines began to replace the bushy undergrowth, often growing out of shallow, murky pools.

Nadirah directed the golem carefully through the developing marsh, doing her best to avoid the pools of standing water and sucking mud. Despite her efforts, there were several times when the creature became stuck and could not be freed until she climbed down from its back and pulled it free.

Occasionally she would spare a glance at the sky for the druid until the trees closed in to block her view. Despite not catching sight of any pursuers, and knowing that even the best of the Undead King's trackers would have trouble following her into swampland, she could not allow herself to relax.

The further she traveled, the thicker the air grew, the humidity weighing down her lungs. The puddles grew wider and harder to avoid. Swarms of unidentifiable creatures lurked in the shallows, darting away when she got too close. The soft loam gave way to more and more muck, some of which hid traps of quicksand beneath what appeared to be solid ground. The croaks and whistles of more unseen animals became an ever-present white noise, noticeable only in its absence. Occasional spikes of sunlight pierced the thick canopy in long golden beams, but most of the marsh was kept in shade, giving the landscape a constant feeling of early evening.

Once the sky was hidden from view, it became impossible to keep track of time. More and more, she had to free the golem from hidden traps, leaving her more and more drained. She longed to rest, but there was no safety to be found. Standing in place too long allowed her hooves to sink into the muck and even if she wanted to go back the way she had come, she could never find her own trail to follow. Her only choice was to continue onward. As she and the golem continued onward, she began to look around for any higher ground to rest. It felt like hours before she finally spotted the hill.

It rose up from what appeared to be a large, shallow pool. From a hole in the canopy above, the sunlight poured in like a waterfall. The surface of the hill appeared smooth and dark brown, almost black, far more solid that the rest of the swamp. It would to be the ideal place to rest and get out of the muck of the marsh.

It was too perfect. Wary of a trap but too worn out not to take the risk, Nadirah began to lead the golem toward the hill. Each step was taken with caution, her body tense and ready for a fight. Her eyes darted in all directions at once, looking for any sign of movement. Her ears twitched forward and back as they sought the smallest sound out of place. Her tail whipped rapidly against her hocks, mirroring her agitation.

As she got closer to the water, she found that it was not as shallow as she had anticipated. A few inches from the muddy shore, the water suddenly dropped off and turned black. Small sharp-toothed creatures darted in the shallows before disappearing into the depths again. The doe studied them briefly and let out a weary sigh.

She turned and began to lead the golem away. She had not managed to get very far when she heard a cry of alarm. Turning around, she saw a blur of motion as a startled animal dashed through the underbrush behind the pool. The water around the hill began to bubble. A low grumble filled the humid air, resembling the growl of far off thunder. Soon, the grumble became a high-pitched whistle.

"I knew it." Nadirah complained bitterly. She swiftly climbed onto the golem's back and charged away as fast as it could go through the muck. Looking back over her shoulder, the MidKnight watched as the hill shuddered violently and began to rise out of the murk. Dark pits began to crack open near the rounded top of the mound, their black depths glittering with moisture. A large root suddenly shot up out of the water and rose up into the sunlight, water pouring from its algea-covered surface. The root was almost longer than the very trees surrounding it and ended in a slender bill that snapped open and closed as it rose.

It took several precious seconds for the MidKnight to process what she was seeing. Suddenly as the dark pits widened to expose a ring of white she realized that they were not holes at all but eyes; eyes that were focused on her. What she had taken to be the root of some tree, thick as she was tall, was attached to the large round body that she had mistaken for a hill. It was the trunk of some enormous creature.

As the eyes narrowed, the bill of the trunk turned to face in her direction even as she fled, opening wide to let out a long, wailing honk. Then it began its pursuit.

The root-like trunk swung around and slammed hard to the ground, then began to swiftly snake its way in her direction. Muscles coiled and rippled under its glistening skin. Trees and shrubs were shoved aside as if made of paper. Despite her mount running as fast as it could, the creature was rapidly closing the gap.

She turned away from the creature to look forward, urging her golem to move faster, as futile as it was. The golden blur registered in the corner of her eye a mere breath before she was struck in the chest. The impact sent her flying from the golem's back and splattering into the sucking mud, the breath stolen from her lungs.

"Hold on tight." Came the druid's voice into the doe's ringing ears. She felt herself lifted and her arms were wrapped around the druid's neck. By reflex alone she clasped her own wrists as she tried to figure out what was going on. Before she could clear her thoughts, she felt the druid's body shift beneath her weight, and suddenly she was riding a large golden kerstaug. The kerstaug took off at a run without warning, and Nadirah nearly slipped off her back. The beast's long, slender legs picked a delicate path through the mire, yet ran more swiftly than her made mount could manage.

Without its master's will to control it, the golem fell still, the face of the slain ork staring after its creator as she was carried away, unmindful of the tentacle-like trunk rising above it, mouth open to let out a furious cry.

"We'll never find her in there." Ryllae grumbled as she looked down at the tracks as they disappeared into swampland.

Kai remained on one knee, silently studying other marks. "This is strange." He muttered to himself, rubbing at his chin.

The wood elf raised one questioning brow and looked in his direction, but did not bother climbing down from her mount. "What is so strange, Kai? That we lost her trail? That even though she was right under our noses she keeps managing to stay one step ahead of us? That we were sent to bring this cow back at all? Because all of those things are pretty strange to me."

"Hm?" Kai looked up at his companion with eyebrows raised in question. "I'm sorry, were you speaking to me about something? I was lost in my own mind for a moment there."

Ryllae sighed, her shoulders rising and falling harshly with her breath. "I asked you what was so fascinating over there."

"Ah! Yes! Well,..." Kai rose stiffly to his feet and took a moment to brush the dust from his trousers before answering. "I don't know what it means, but a tarin obviously fell down right here, stood up, took a single step toward the swamp, and then..."

The wood elf waited several seconds for him to finish the sentence before responding. "And then?"

Kai was startled out of his thoughts again. "Oh, um, and then disappeared."

"What do you mean 'disappeared?'" Ryllae replied.

"Well," Kai said as he brushed his hands across his hips. "I'm no master tracker, not even to the skill of the average wood elf," He gave her a pointed look, then turned his gaze back to the ground. "But it looks to me like the other thing that came through here never stopped moving. And the tarin fell after it had already passed. But you're right. We'll never be able to track her in that swamp. Even a army wouldn't leave a visible path in there."

As if to emphasize his words, a loud cry echoed through the air, silencing all it encountered. "We may very well need an army now." Ryllae said as it faded away.

"By the breath of every god!" Kai exclaimed, his skin growing pale. "What was that noise?"

"A very angry whump." Ryllae replied calmly. "Don't worry, it won't bother coming this far out, no matter how angry it gets. But if our little run away has woken it up it will do one of two things. If we're lucky, it will chase her out of that swamp and right into our path."

"And if it doesn't?" Kai asked, mounting his horse in preparation of following the wood elf.

"It does what the orks couldn't, and destroys her." Ryllae spun her kerstaug away from the swamp. "Come. I think I know where she'll end up if she survives."

Nadirah's fury grew the longer she lay in the softly swaying grass. The sky was a deep indigo as the sun made their way closer to the horizon, and clouds played their slow games in the breeze. The world around her had fallen back into peace, and yet her blood was turning to fire.

"What was that thing?" She asked, her eyes tilting to look at the exhausted druid laying beside her.

"You mean the whump?" Taiyra replied breathlessly.

"The what?" Nadirah snapped.

Taiyra tilted her head to look at the MidKnight and smiled. Her nostrils flared bright red with every breath. "I studied them a long time ago. They're called whumps. Fascinating animals, actually. The adults are very territorial and tend to be aggressive despite being plant eaters. It seems we wandered into its territory."

"Uh huh." Was Nadirah's only reply. She sat up and began tearing out handfuls of grass, using them to clean the mud from her arms and legs.

"I'm sorry we had to leave your pet behind." Taiyra continued. "Although it's very fortunate for us that it distracted the whump as long as it did. I don't know if we would have gotten away if it hadn't. That one was about ready to leave the water to come after us."

Nadirah gave a noncommittal grunt in response as she tossed away the clumps of soiled grass. She began to look around and was surprised to find that they were in the middle of a flat, grassy field. The marsh beyond stopped abruptly as if there was an invisible barrier in place, holding it back. "Where are we?"

The druid giggled cheerfully. "You don't know? We're almost home."

Nadirah turned her head to glare at the other doe. "What do you mean, almost home? Whose home?"

Taiyra rose to her feet and stretched herself before looking around at the plains. A pleasant smile spread across her muzzle. "Our home, silly." She said before turning to look at the fuming MidKnight. "Don't you recognize it? We're at the edge of the Ayid."

"The Ayid?" Nadirah repeated in surprise. "But that means we're almost-"

"Almost home." Taiyra interupted. "Yes. And we're far enough away from the Scar that you should be safe from orks. They don't bother to come here often."

Nadirah growled in frustration and rose to her feet. "Druid, you are an-"

"Inspiration and true friend in your time of dire need?" Taiyra interjected, her tone hopeful.

"Idiot." Nadirah finished. She swatted away the offered hand as she rose to her own feet. "I was better off with the orks." A few pats dusted a little more of the muck from her body. "Maybe even with the whump."

Taiyra's ears drooped as she pondered the MidKnight's words, then suddenly lifted again as she came to a conclusion. "Oh! Are you worried about the others judging you? I'm sure that once we explain everything you'll be accepted just fine. I'm sure many will even want to celebrate your return to us! I'm sure your tribe would be excited to have you back."

The MidKnight stared silently as the other doe spoke, her tail whipping at her flanks. When the druid was finally done, Nadirah let out a snort of disgust. "It's worse than I thought." She sneered. "You're not just an idiot, you're a mooncalf."

Taiyra waved away the insult. "Oh, you're just grumpy because you've been having a few bad days. But once we get you cleaned up and with a good meal in your belly you'll feel like a new doe! Fortunately I have some friends that tend to make camp right around here. It shouldn't take us long to find them."

"I don't have time for this!" Nadirah snapped. "I shouldn't be standing around here listening to your mindless chatter."

Taiyra looked up at the slowly darkening sky. "Hm. You're right. It's going to be dark soon. We should get going." She flashed the MidKnight another smile and turned away. "Come on, it's still a long walk to their camp."

Nadirah instinctively reached for her weapon, but grasped only empty air. Not even a simple eating dagger graced her hip. Giving a sigh, she threw a final glance over her shoulder before following the druid. "Just don't touch me again." She grumbled like a petulant youngling.

"What makes you think she didn't just double back into The Scar?" Kai shouted to be heard above the clatter of hoofbeats. "Assuming the whump didn't just smash her, I mean."

Ryllae looked back over her shoulder at him and grinned. "Because she's trying to get away from us." She called out. "She's far too wily and resilient for a dumb animal to kill her or those ugly tuskers would have done it already."

"Why would she be running from us?" Kai yelled back. "Does she know we're looking for her?"

The wood elf slowed her mount to a slow trot and allowed her companion to catch up. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, maybe not from us, specifically." She finally replied. "But she's running away from something. Or... running to something. Although I'm not completely sure of what in either case."

Kai brought his horse beside the nimble kerstaug. "Well, if she's heading back to the cursed kingdom, she's taking a round-about route to get there. But I doubt we would be sent to track her down if he thought she was going straight back there."

Ryllae's features tightened into a frown of concern. "I don't think he has any more idea of her motives right now than we do." She said. "And I don't think she's alone. I've had this suspicion ever since we were at the tusker camp. Someone took her down from that rack and revived her. And that someone has some sort of control over her or we would have found their corpse."

"What makes you say that?" Kai asked nervously.

"Because that beast is nothing more than an instrument of death and destruction. That's why the undead King wanted her so badly to begin with."

"Do you think he still has control over her?" Kai asked, his fingers gripping the reins so tightly that his fingers turned white, but he found no security there. "The undead King I mean."

Ryllae frowned grimly. "I'm not sure." She replied after a long silence. "And I'm even less sure which answer is better for us." Not wanting to talk anymore, the wood elf urged her kerstaug back into a gallop, leaving the human behind.

"A creature of rage has been set loose on a world in turmoil." He muttered to himself. "A powerful weapon looking for a hand to wield it. If she really is free and decides to seek vengeance... May the gods be with us all."

The sunlight was fading from the sky, using the last of its influence to paint the clouds with vibrant colors. With a glance, Nadirah judged there was less than an hour of sunlight remaining to the day. As she lowered her eyes to the druid not far away, she grumbled under her breath about wasted time. Her angry gaze shifted to sweep across her surroundings, taking in the small camp whose residents all watched her wearily. She wanted nothing more at that moment to be moving away from them and their caravan, but something held her in place.

A few feet away, Taiyra spoke in soft tones to another doe from the group. While she could hear their muffled voices and caught their occasional glances in her direction, the MidKnight could not quite make out what they were saying. She knew only that the conversation was about her.

To the restless doe, it felt like hours instead of mere minutes before they finally seemed to come to an agreement. As they parted company, the strange doe returned to her nervous companions while Taiyra walked in Nadirah's direction. Expecting deception, the wary MidKnight closed her hands into tight fists, her body tensing in preparation of a fight.

"So I have some good news!" Taiyra said cheerfully with her approach. "They need help and we need a safe place to spend the night. So I offered an exchange."

"Help with what?" Nadirah asked suspiciously.

"Well, apparently they were attacked by bandits not too long ago." Taiyra replied cherrfully. "They have ruined wagons and injured that need tending to. I can handle the wounded, and you can help with the carts."

"I'm to be your beast of burden, then?" Nadirah growled. Her ears pulled back tightly against her head as her fury mounted, but despite the trembling of her hands, she could not seem to bring herself to strike the druid.

"Of course not, you silly!" Taiyra chided with a soft giggle. "You're a hero! Heroes help those in need. Now come on, there's someone I want you to meet."

"I hope it's a weapons vendor." Nadirah snarled irritably, her anger draining away with no fear from the druid to feed it. "Maybe then I can finally kill you and be done with your incessant meddling."

Taiyra giggled again and waved off the comment. "Oh, you don't mean that, silly." The pair walked together into the camp and Nadirah felt the weight of disapproving stares. She lifted her head higher, her anger fed by their hatred and fear of her. The urge to strike out at them began to grow within her, a rising bloodlust that tainted her vision with red and set her aura ablaze. Finally Taiyra stopped in front of the doe she was speaking with before. "Nadirah, I'd like you to meet Regara Softhorn. Her mate is the leader of the group but he was injured in the attack, so she's making the decisions until I get him back on his feet." She turned her head to give the MidKnight a playful wink. "She's also a good friend of mine, so be on your best behavior."

"Hmph." Was Regara's only reply as she looked the MidKnight over, her arms crossing her chest defensively. The doe's brown eyes narrowed in undisguised suspicion and dislike. "Don't look harmless as a milk calf to me." She spat.

"That's funny." Nadirah replied. "Because that description matches you perfectly."

Regara's eyes narrowed angrily and her ears snapped back tightly against her head. Nadirah stared back, the corners of her mouth curling in the ghost of a smile. The weighted silence between them grew heavier and heavier until the other doe finally threw up her arms in disgust.

"Taiyra is far too trusting. One of us or not, I don't like having any minions of that fleshie necromancer in _my_camp. I'll let you stay for now only because of her pleading, but I warn you,.." Regara took a step forward, her finger waving inches in front of the MidKnight's snout. "And I'm warning you good. If you make even one step out of place, cause even the hint of trouble, if I even think you're _thinking_about causing problems here, then by the breath of every elder in this valley I'll-"

Nadirah quietly shifted her gaze to stare at Regara's horns. Small nubs of bone protruded from the supporting ridge, stained ivory from age. She then lowered her eyes back to the other doe's stare, her lips giving the barest twitch.

Regara froze in mid sentence, her eyes stretching wide before narrowing to slits at the wordless insult. Her tail whipped furiously at her ankles. "You're already testing my hospitality, ghoul." She said frostily. "But I have been promised that you have a strong back, and you are fortunate that I can't afford to turn that away right now. Not when the savages that attacked us could return at any moment. If you can at least work then I _may_spare a meal for you at least. But you'll find no warm welcomes here."

"If you want a worker, go find yourself a kordox." Nadirah replied impassively. "I'm not some mindless beast to be ordered about and I don't have reins to be handed over." Without further comment, the MidKnight turned and walked away, leaving the mottled doe standing alone in stunned silence.

As she approached on the scattered cook fires, those already sitting nearby fell silent. Every head turned and every eye watched the MidKnight closely. As she settled down in the ring of the fire's light, the other tarous rose silently and walked away. Nadirah gave no indication that she noticed. As muffled voices and careless whispers reached her ears, she folded them back and stared into the dancing flames.

Long hourspassed before she was disturbed again with a gentle hand on her shoulder. Nadirah looked up to see the druid smiling down at her, offering a steaming bowl. "Are you hungry?" She asked.

Nadirah took the bowl without thanks and sniffed curiously at the contents. "No meat." She complained.

"No, I'm afraid not." Taiyra responded with genuine sympathy, settling down next to her. "You are likely the only tarin alive who is willing to eat the flesh of other living creatures. The rest of us can not, so we must take our nourishment elsewhere."

Nadirah gave a noncommittal grunt and tipped the bowl to her mouth.

"I managed to get some clothing as well." Taiyra continued. "For you, I mean. What you're wearing can't be comfortable."

"Comfort and function rarely go together." Nadirah said between swallows of the stew.

"Yes. Well, be that as it may," Taiyra continued. "They're available to you as soon as you want them. I've also managed to get some other supplies together for you. Would you like some more stew? There's plenty."

Nadirah set aside the empty bowl and looked earnestly at the druid. Several seconds of thoughtful silence stretched out between them before she spoke again. "What do you want from me?" She finally asked.

"What do you mean?" Taiyra replied, confused by the question.

"I mean exactly what I said." Nadirah said. "What exactly do you want from me? Do you feel as if I owe you something for saving me? Or are you just trying to keep me placated until you can turn me in for your reward?"

The druid smiled. "Oh, you silly. You still think I'm after some bounty. You've already proven to me that you really are free from Malthamus' control." She began to giggle, the idea itself seemingly amusing. "I'm just making sure that you're going to be safe. It's what friends do."

"I told you before, druid. I am not your friend." Nadirah snapped with an annoyed snort. Her tail thumped irritably at her feet. "Nor do I wish to be. I wish you'd simply leave me alone."

Nadirah's reddish fur was turned orange in the firelight. The glow of her eyes was almost hidden in the shifting light of the flames. Only her ever-present aura made her stand out from any other tarous. But it was a thin ring of nearly furless skin surrounding the MidKnight's throat that suddenly drew Taiya's eye. Somehow she had never managed to notice the old scar before. "Oh..." She whispered. "Oh my..." Her eyes began to glimmer with the gathering of unshed tears. "No wonder you push everyone away."

Nadirah was slow to turn her head toward the druid, eyes narrowing dangerously. "What are you muttering about now?" She growled. Her tense body bristled with unspoken warnings.

"They really hurt you badly, didn't they." Taiyra said softly, her voice cracking toward the end. She began reaching her hand toward the scar but stopped before touching it. "They gave you wounds too deep to ever heal. I'm so... I'm so sorry."

Nadirah tossed her head back and roughly swatted away the druid's arm, her ears pulled tightly against her the sides of her head. The glow of her eyes and her aura intensified with her anger, casting nearly as much light as the cook fire. "You're just incapable of keeping that felking mouth of yours shut, aren't you." Shoving herself to her feet, she bared her teeth like a snarling dog, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. With snarl of frustration, she pointed her finger like a dagger at the druid's chest. "Just leave me alone! Don't try to fix me, don't try to figure me out, just leave me be!" Her orders given, Nadirah turned and began storming away into the darkness.

Taiyra scrambled after her, tears flowing freely down the sides of her face. "Wait! Please wait!" She called out as she hurried after her. "Don't run from me, Nadirah! Please! Come back!"

Nadirah stopped and spun around to face her pursuer. "What _is_it with you?!" She cried in exasperation. "What do you want from me! Is it money? Do you want your clothes back? Are you just- Get the hell off of me!" As Taiyra caught up and attempted to hug her, Nadirah grabbed her arms to shove her roughly away. "What is _wrong_with you?!"

Taiyra stumbled backward a few steps before regaining her balance. She took a deep, calming breath while reaching up to wipe the tears from her face, further smudging her painted mask. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just... I can't let you go out there. At least not alone." Cautiously she approached the other doe again.

"Quit treating me like a milk calf!" Nadirah snapped. Her fingers again curled into shaking fists. "Do you think I am some helpless little animal scurrying in fright from my own shadow?"

"You're right, I'm sorry." Taiyra replied, dipping her head respectfully. "I don't mean to be so smothering. It's just that... I worry about you is all."

Nadirah sneered in rage and disgust. "Fortune's breath, why do you even care? What am I, some curiosity to you? Do you think I'm some stray to be taken in and turned into a pet?"

"No, of course not." Taiyra replied softly, once more stretching her hand out to the other and once more rebuffed with a swat of the MidKnight's arm. "You're more like a sister who has lost her way."

Nadirah's eyes widened in surprise, her features slackening as she sought for a reply and came up empty. Taiyra's smile only widened further. "You try too hard, you know." She said before gently grasping the MidKnight's hand and leading her back to the campfire.

"Try too hard?" Nadirah asked, reluctantly following behind her. "At what?"

"At being mean." Taiyra replied with a giggle. "You try so hard to be unlikable, but you know what? I like you anyway."

Nadirah made no reply, but in her narrowed eyes was murder.